Expand+How to Apply

Applications for admission to full-time undergraduate and sandwich courses at the University should normally be made through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). Full information can be obtained from the UCAS websi...

Hide-How to Apply

Applications for admission to full-time undergraduate and sandwich courses at the University should normally be made through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). Full information can be obtained from the UCAS website.

https://www.ucas.com/undergraduate/applying-university/filling-your-ucas-undergraduate-application

UCAS will start processing applications for entry in autumn 2019 from 1 September 2018.

The advisory closing date for the receipt of applications is 15 January 2019 (18:00), however, for applicants applying to Oxford or Cambridge and for those whose choices include Medicine, Dentistry or Veterinary Medicine/Science the closing date is 15 October 2018 (18:00).

Currently there are two intakes to Adult Nursing (one in September and the other in February) and application is made for both courses by 15 January (18:00) prior to the academic year of entry ie for September and the following February. The application deadline will not change but it should be noted that from 2019-20 entry, the two intakes may be combined. Please refer to the online prospectus which will be updated as further information becomes available.

Applicants are encouraged to apply as early as is consistent with having made a careful and considered choice of institutions and courses. Earlier applicants normally receive decisions more quickly, however, UCAS accepts that some applicants, especially those from outside the UK, may find this difficult. Late applications are, in practice, accepted by UCAS throughout the remainder of the application cycle, but you should understand that they are considered by institutions at their discretion, and there can be no guarantee that they will be given the same full level of consideration as applications received by the advisory closing date.

Applications for Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work must be submitted by the 15 January (18:00) deadline. Applications received after this date will not be considered.

Take care to enter the details of the institutions and courses clearly and correctly on the application. For Queen’s, the institution code name is QBELF and the institution code is Q75. These should be entered in the Choices section of your UCAS application. Please note a Campus Code is not required.

Expand+Entrance requirements

A level requirements
AAA including Mathematics and Physics
OR
A* (Mathematics) AB including Physics

Irish leaving certificate requirements
H2H2H3H3H3H3 including Higher Level grade H2 in Mathematics and Physics

Ac...

Hide-Entrance requirements

A level requirements
AAA including Mathematics and Physics
OR
A* (Mathematics) AB including Physics

Irish leaving certificate requirements
H2H2H3H3H3H3 including Higher Level grade H2 in Mathematics and Physics

Access/Foundation Course
Not considered. Students should apply for the BSc Applied Mathematics and Physics degree.

Selection Criteria

In addition, to the entrance requirements above, it is essential that you read our guidance notes on 'How we choose our students' prior to submitting your UCAS application.

How we choose our students

Applications are dealt with centrally by the Admissions and Access Service rather than by the School of Mathematics and Physics. Once your on-line form has been processed by UCAS and forwarded to Queen's, an acknowledgement is normally sent within two weeks of its receipt at the University.

Selection is on the basis of the information provided on your UCAS form, which is considered by the Selector for the School of Mathematics and Physics along with a member of administrative staff from the Admissions and Access Service. Decisions are made on an ongoing basis and will be notified to you via UCAS.

For entry last year, applicants for programmes in the School of Mathematics and Physics must have had, or been able to achieve, a minimum of five GCSE passes at grade C or better (to include English Language and Mathematics), though this profile may change from year to year depending on the demand for places. The Selector also checks that any specific entry requirements in terms of GCSE and/or A-level subjects can be fulfilled.

Offers are normally made on the basis of three A-levels. The offer for repeat candidates may be one grade higher than for first time applicants. Grades may be held from the previous year.

Applicants offering two A-levels and one BTEC Subsidiary Diploma/National Extended Certificate (or equivalent qualification) will also be considered. Offers will be made in terms of performance in individual BTEC units rather than the overall BTEC grade(s) awarded. Please note that a maximum of one BTEC Subsidiary Diploma/National Extended Certificate (or equivalent) will be counted as part of an applicant’s portfolio of qualifications. The normal GCSE profile will be expected.

Applicants offering other qualifications, such as the International Baccalaureate or Irish Leaving Certificate, will also be considered. The same GCSE (or equivalent) profile is usually expected of those candidates offering other qualifications.

The information provided in the personal statement section and the academic reference together with predicted grades are noted but, in the case of degree courses in the School of Mathematics and Physics, these are not the final deciding factors in whether or not a conditional offer can be made. However, they may be reconsidered in a tie break situation in August.

A-level General Studies and A-level Critical Thinking would not normally be considered as part of a three A-level offer and, although they may be excluded where an applicant is taking four A-level subjects, the grade achieved could be taken into account if necessary in August/September.

Candidates are not normally asked to attend for interview.

If you are made an offer then you may be invited to a School Visit Day, which is usually held in the second semester. This will allow you the opportunity to visit the University and to find out more about the degree programme of your choice and the facilities on offer. It also gives you a flavour of the academic and social life at Queen's.

If you cannot find the information you need here, please contact the University Admissions and Access Service (admissions@qub.ac.uk), giving full details of your qualifications and educational background.

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

For information on international qualification equivalents, please check the specific information for your country.

English Language Requirements

An IELTS score of 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in each test component or an equivalent acceptable qualification, details of which are available at: http://go.qub.ac.uk/EnglishLanguageReqs

If you need to improve your English language skills before you enter this degree programme, INTO Queen's University Belfast offers a range of English language courses. These intensive and flexible courses are designed to improve your English ability for admission to this degree.

•Academic English: an intensive English language and study skills course for successful university study at degree level

•Pre-sessional English: a short intensive academic English course for students starting a degree programme at Queen's University Belfast and who need to improve their English.

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS - FOUNDATION AND INTERNATIONAL YEAR ONE PROGRAMMES

INTO Queen's offers a range of academic and English language programmes to help prepare international students for undergraduate study at Queen's University. You will learn from experienced teachers in a dedicated international study centre on campus, and will have full access to the University's world-class facilities.

These programmes are designed for international students who do not meet the required academic and English language requirements for direct entry.
•Foundation
The INTO progression course suited to this programme is
http://www.intostudy.com/en-gb/universities/queens-university-belfast/courses/international-foundation-in-engineering-and-science.

Expand+Overview

Mathematics is the universal language of science, and a beautiful subject in itself. It is a discipline which also has important applications in industry and commerce, and well-qualified mathematicians and statisticians are in great deman...

Hide-Overview

Mathematics is the universal language of science, and a beautiful subject in itself. It is a discipline which also has important applications in industry and commerce, and well-qualified mathematicians and statisticians are in great demand, with a wide choice of careers, making Mathematics an excellent choice as a degree subject. Mathematical Studies at Queen's encompasses three subject areas:

Applied Mathematics
Pure Mathematics
Statistics & Operational Research (SOR)

In each, the ideas that have been encountered at school are extended and new areas are introduced. It is important to appreciate that what may be understood as either Pure or Applied Mathematics from school experience will differ from the University experience. For this reason, amongst others, Mathematics students usually study both Pure and Applied Mathematics in the first year, with Statistics being a likely third component.

Queen's offers several different degree programmes involving Mathematics, and there are two types of degree available within these programmes - the three-year BSc and the four-year MSci.

BSc Degrees

The BSc degrees are available in the following subjects:

Mathematics: this degree offers the greatest flexibility and choice among the three subject areas.
Mathematics and Computer Science: this is a joint degree which combines these two subject areas.
Mathematics and Statistics & Operational Research: this degree contains more emphasis on Statistics and Operational Research.
Mathematics with Extended Studies in Europe: this degree is designed for students with an interest in French or Spanish. After two years at Queen's, students spend one year abroad studying Mathematics in their chosen language before returning to Queen's for their final year.
Mathematics with Finance: compared with other Mathematics degrees that allow a wide choice of modules, this degree is much more focused and provides students with a particular set of mathematical skills that are ideal for work in the financial services technology sector, as well as in software engineering.
Applied Mathematics and Physics / Theoretical Physics: these degrees are especially suitable for those wishing to study both Mathematics and Physics. The former is focused on the mathematical aspects of Physics, while the latter is a joint degree with a wider choice of modules.

MSci Degrees

The MSci degrees are available in the following subjects:

Applied Mathematics and Physics
Mathematics
Mathematics and Computer Science
Mathematics and Statistics & Operational Research
Theoretical Physics

These four-year undergraduate degrees can be seen as extended versions of the three-year BSc Honours degrees, and are aimed primarily at students who intend to make significant use of their subject in their future careers, or who simply wish to broaden their understanding of Mathematics.

Note: students may register for either the three-year BSc or the four-year MSci degree. Transfers to the MSci are permitted up to the end of Stage 2, subject to performance. Progress to Stages 3 and 4 of the MSci is dependent on the student maintaining an approved high standard at earlier stages.

Course Structure

Introduction
The mathematics programmes at Queen’s offer students the opportunity to tailor their studies to their mathematical interests. We offer a range of modules across the main areas of mathematics: pure mathematics, applied mathematics and statistics and operational research. Pure Mathematics provides the essential tools used in the increasingly numerate science of today, and is continually developing new ones to solve problems at the forefront of research in many disciplines. Applied Mathematics is concerned with the application of Mathematics to the study of the physical universe, including theoretical physics, as well as the social, industrial and commercial world. Statistics is concerned with deriving sound inferences from data. This may be experimental or observational and obtained from investigations of physical or biological phenomena or from the study of the workings of industry, commerce and society. In all areas, computers are used to obtain accurate numerical solutions to the mathematical problems involved.

The first year, and a sizable fraction of the second year, of the studies is devoted to core mathematics knowledge. During the second, third and (for MSci, students) fourth year, students can choose from a wide range of optional modules. BSc students will carry out an investigation in their third year to gain insight into the practical application of mathematics within a particular context. MSci students will carry out an extended investigation in their fourth year to gain experience of mathematics at the forefront of research.

Expand+Stage 1
In the first year of study, most Mathematics students choose to take the six courses on offer within Mathematics

Students on joint pathways (Physics/Computer Science/Finance) will combine a specific selection of these modules with course...

Hide-Stage 1
In the first year of study, most Mathematics students choose to take the six courses on offer within Mathematics

Students on joint pathways (Physics/Computer Science/Finance) will combine a specific selection of these modules with courses taken from the respective department

The courses at Stage 1 lay the foundation for the future study of mathematics, and, through the Mathematical Modelling and Reasoning courses, and the SOR methods course, will also provide insight into how mathematical methods and mathematical thinking relate to real problems.

Courses are outlined below:

Analysis and Calculus
Numbers, Vectors and Matrices
Foundation Physics
Scientific Skills

Stage 2
Stage 2 completes the mathematical foundations with three core courses for most mathematics students

Students can take three optional courses to start the personalisation of their mathematics study

Students on joint pathways will take at least two courses outside Mathematics, and the Analysis course does not form part of the core

Courses are outlined below:

Classical Mechanics
Optics, Electricity and Magnetism
Numerical Analysis
Fluid Mechanics
Physics of the Solid State
Atoms, Nuclei and Radiation
Analysis
Linear Algebra

Stage 3
At this level, the BSc and MSci, pathways separate. BSc students take a project module and at least one other module that assists with the development of skills relevant to their chosen programme. For mathematics students, this module is Computer Algebra. MSci, students take on an investigations module, which develops the research skills needed for the extended Level 4 investigation. In addition, students have the opportunity to develop their understanding of a wide range of mathematical topics, ranging from data mining and financial mathematics to quantum mechanics and algebraic equations

Student on the joint programmes with Physics and Computer Science will take a selection of modules from both Mathematics and the joint programme. Mathematics with Finance students will take a selection of modules of relevance to finance

Courses are outlined below:

Quantum Theory
Quantum mechanics and relativity
Investigations
Partial Differential Equations
Electromagnetic Theory
Tensor Field Theory
Financial Mathematics
Calculus of Variations and Hamiltonian Mechanics
Mathematical modelling in biology and medicine
Solid State Physics
Physics in Medicine
Nuclear and Fundamental Particle Physics
Electromagnetic Radiation and Modern Optics
Astrophysics

Stage 4
The Stage 4 courses open to MSci. students offer students the opportunity to study a selection of topics in greater depth than is possible in the BSc programme. The centrepiece of the fourth-year is the double-weighted investigations course, in which a student has the opportunity to study an aspect of mathematics close to the frontier of knowledge. The main choice of modules includes:

Advanced Quantum Theory
Practical methods for partial differential equations
Advanced Mathematical Methods
Statistical Mechanics
Information theory
Mathematical methods for quantum information processing
Project
Lasers and Plasma Physics

Expand+The way in which students are assessed will vary according to the Learning objectives of each module. Some modules are assessed solely through project work or written assignments. Others are assessed through a combination of coursework and end of sem...

Hide-The way in which students are assessed will vary according to the Learning objectives of each module. Some modules are assessed solely through project work or written assignments. Others are assessed through a combination of coursework and end of semester examinations. Details of how each module is assessed are shown in the Student Handbook which is provided to all students during their first year induction.

As students progress through their course at Queen’s they will receive general and specific feedback about their work from a variety of sources including lecturers, module co-ordinators, placement supervisors, personal tutors, advisers of study and your peers. University students are expected to engage with reflective practice and to use this approach to improve the quality of their work. Feedback may be provided in a variety of forms including:

Feedback provided via formal written comments and marks relating to work that students, as individuals or as part of a group, have submitted.

Face to face comment. This may include occasions when students make use of the lecturers’ advertised “office hours” to help address a specific query.

Placement employer comments or references

Online or emailed comment

General comments or question and answer opportunities at the end of a lecture, seminar or tutorial

Pre-submission advice regarding the standards you should aim for and common pitfalls to avoid. In some instances, this may be provided in the form of model answers or exemplars which students can review in their own time

Feedback and outcomes from practical classes

Comment and guidance provided by staff from specialist support services such as, Careers, Employability and Skills or the Learning Development Service

Once students have reviewed their feedback, they are encouraged to identify and implement further improvements to the quality of their work.

Expand+Career Prospects

Introduction
Studying for a degree in Applied Mathematics and Physics at Queen’s will assist students in developing the core skills and employment-related experiences that are valued by employers, professional organisations and...

Hide-Career Prospects

Introduction
Studying for a degree in Applied Mathematics and Physics at Queen’s will assist students in developing the core skills and employment-related experiences that are valued by employers, professional organisations and academic institutions. Graduates from this degree at Queen’s are well regarded by many employers (local, national and international) and over half of all graduate jobs are now open to graduates of any discipline, including mathematics.

Although many of our graduates are interested in pursuing careers in teaching, banking and finance, significant numbers develop careers in a wide range of other sectors. The following is a list of the major career sectors that have attracted our graduates in recent years:

Management Consultancy
Export Marketing (NI Programme)
Fast Stream Civil Service
Varied graduate programmes (Times Top 100 Graduate Recruiters/AGR, Association of Graduate Recruiters UK)

Other Career-related information:
Queen’s is a member of the Russell Group and, therefore, one of the 20 universities most-targeted by leading graduate employers. Queen’s students will be advised and guided about career choice and, through the Degree Plus initiative, will have an opportunity to seek accreditation for skills development and experience gained through the wide range of extra-curricular activities on offer. See Queen’s University Belfast’s Employability Statement for further information.

Degree Plus and other related initiatives:
Recognising student diversity, as well as promoting employability enhancements and other interests, is part of the developmental experience at Queen’s. Students are encouraged to plan and build their own, personal skill and experiential profile through a range of activities including; recognised Queen’s Certificates, placements and other work experiences (at home or overseas), Erasmus study options elsewhere in Europe, learning development opportunities and involvement in wider university life through activities, such as clubs, societies, and sports.

Queen’s actively encourages this type of activity by offering students an additional qualification, the Degree Plus Award (and the related Researcher Plus Award for PhD and MPhil students). Degree Plus accredits wider experiential and skill development gained through extra-curricular activities that promote the enhancement of academic, career management, personal and employability skills in a variety of contexts. As part of the Award, students are also trained on how to reflect on the experience(s) and make the link between academic achievement, extracurricular activities, transferable skills and graduate employment. Participating students will also be trained in how to reflect on their skills and experiences and can gain an understanding of how to articulate the significance of these to others, e.g. employers.

Overall, these initiatives, and Degree Plus in particular, reward the energy, drive, determination and enthusiasm shown by students engaging in activities over-and-above the requirements of their academic studies. These qualities are amongst those valued highly by graduate employers.
http://www.qub.ac.uk/directorates/degreeplus/

Degree plus award for extra-curricular skills

In addition to your degree programme, at Queen's you can have the opportunity to gain wider life, academic and employability skills. For example, placements, voluntary work, clubs, societies, sports and lots more. So not only do you graduate with a degree recognised from a world leading university, you'll have practical national and international experience plus a wider exposure to life overall. We call this Degree Plus. It's what makes studying at Queen's University Belfast special.