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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Original poster

Degrees offering more flexibility than is obvious from the title

26 replies

Chownunder · 18/12/2023 22:49

DC has just discovered Mathematical Sciences at Southampton which allows you to take non-maths modules. And I don't mean something close like CS or economics. Are there any other maths degrees which offer flexibility which really isn't obvious from the title?

OP posts:
VanCleefArpels · 18/12/2023 23:05

It’s not so much the degree but the uni that sometimes allows students to take a couple of modules from other courses typically in the first year. Southampton well known for this, I think from memory it’s also possible at Birmingham. Scottish degrees being 4 years as standard also allow a wider variety of courses to be taken more akin to the US model before specialising

PumpkinKnitter · 18/12/2023 23:08

Most students at Leeds have the option of taking discovery modules with a very wide variety of options. When my daughter was there she did a couple, even though as she was taking a joint honours degree she had less scope for out-of-department modules. One was in forensic psychology, while her degree was in Italian and linguistics so not related at all.

Thosepurpleberries · 18/12/2023 23:10

DD went to a Scottish university and was able to do aliens (paraphrase obviously) and criminology as well as her core subjects in 1st/2nd year.

Beware though of going too off piste. Jobs/Masters may ask for transcripts and which modules you have done may matter later.

DogDaysNeverEnd · 18/12/2023 23:20

Engineering at Newcastle is taught as a flexible first year before specialising into civil/mechanical etc. Not quite as off piste as some options but it's a really neat way to decide which way to go.

Neolara · 18/12/2023 23:23

Pretty sure Warwick lets you choose some units which can be completely unrelated to your degree.

Dizzydahlias · 18/12/2023 23:24

Reading offer optional modules in a wide range of subjects.

Dancingdreamer · 18/12/2023 23:26

Exeter offers a flexible combined honour course which effectively allow you to choose a unique combination of subjects.

Original poster
Chownunder · 19/12/2023 06:50

Thanks. Yes, should have said that aware the Scottish system allows for flexibility, really great. The Flexible Combined Honours at Exeter is obviously exactly what it says on the tin. It was the hidden flex I was referring to.

OP posts:
EmmasDilemmas · 19/12/2023 06:55

I think most departments at Durham allow for a module per year (1 of 6) from outside the subject / school. I don’t know about maths specifically but worth asking perhaps.

PerpetualOptimist · 19/12/2023 06:56

Mathematical Sciences at Southampton is a bit of a hidden gem, allowing you to take up to 25% of the degree as a minor across the three years, from a list that is not as wide ranging as Exeter's FCH list but extensive nonetheless (eg sociology, Eng Lit, human geog).

U of Birmingham's LANS allows you to combine mathematics with a very broad range of other arts, humanities and science subjects. Lancaster's NatSci would allow combination of 33% or 66% maths with the balance from physical sciences and/or the likes of psychology, human and/or physical geography.

Scottish uni courses would probably allow for more subject combination and variety, though I am less familiar.

Combinations of Mathematics with Management/Business (usually 66-75% maths) would allow a fair amount of topic variety as the management units are often themselves quite wide ranging.

notfeelingcreative · 19/12/2023 09:10

Warwick’s maths course definitely provides loads of non-maths options - languages, business courses, philosophy etc (esp if on the BSc arm not so much the MMaths arm).

RepetitiveMotion · 19/12/2023 16:06

Don’t know about Maths but when researching with DD we found Scottish unis and Uni of Sheffield to have the broadest choice of non subject related modules.

Dixiechickonhols · 19/12/2023 20:57

Durham (law) you can take one module a year from any course. I got impression it was a uni wide scheme.

Scampuss · 19/12/2023 21:06

Exeter has this for standard degrees not just the flexi combined one.

PettsWoodParadise · 22/12/2023 08:45

Leicester English Lit BA you can do modules in teaching, creative writing, journalism iirc from the open day. I think their engineering courses also have space module options as they have the space centre there but as DD was looking at arts subjects we didn’t delve much into that but got the impression that Leicester in general was very flexible.

TravellingLightToday · 22/12/2023 10:55

Birmingham Liberal Arts & Natural Sciences is a good flexible degree. It allows the flexibility of one major subject (which can be maths)- this can be changed later and a second major or a wider selection of unrelated modules within the department - both STEM and humanity subjects

Original poster
Chownunder · 22/12/2023 12:19

Aware of LANS, and Birmingham is a great place to study. Have a nagging doubt about whether you have to keep justifying yourself, "yes, ignore the title, I actually did a maths degree really with a couple of wildcards thrown in. Promise."

OP posts:
CurlewKate · 22/12/2023 12:22

This is the joy of Scottish universities. My English degree included archaeology, art history, philosophy , Greek and medieval history.

Dobbyismyabsolutefav · 28/12/2023 14:54

DD had the option to do a module from another department in first year whilst studying for Geography Bsc. Not sure if this is an option for further years as DD has concentrated on physical modules and GIS.

Dobbyismyabsolutefav · 28/12/2023 14:57

I missed the most important bit of information out that DD is studying at Exeter uni!

Kazzyhoward · 28/12/2023 15:06

Some Unis (Lancaster and Leeds for example) do a Financial Maths BSC which is Maths, plus other complimentary subjects such as economics, accounting & business, etc., and the "Maths" side of it is predominantly "financial-ly" such as statistics, probability etc., (i.e. "financial-ly Maths" rather than engineering or scientific Maths). Usually options include things like Medical statistics. Our DS has just got his First in Fin Maths from Lancaster and thoroughly enjoyed it.

user701 · 28/12/2023 15:53

Lancaster operates a major minor system. You go in on your major subject bug then choose two other subjects to study in the first year. At the end of the first year you can continue with whichever you prefer (or a combination). It gives much more flexibility. There are only a couple of subjects like medicine where you can’t take at least one minor.

Kazzyhoward · 28/12/2023 15:59

user701 · 28/12/2023 15:53

Lancaster operates a major minor system. You go in on your major subject bug then choose two other subjects to study in the first year. At the end of the first year you can continue with whichever you prefer (or a combination). It gives much more flexibility. There are only a couple of subjects like medicine where you can’t take at least one minor.

Financial Maths is another where you can't take a minor - all modules throughout all 3 years are from either the Maths or the Finance/Business departments - no scope at all to choose a minor like a language or a science. But it's a broad range of subjects anyway, i.e. Maths, economics, accounting, finance, so quite a varied and interesting degree really.

LIZS · 28/12/2023 16:02

Edinburgh allows most students to take modules from other courses, as long as they take compulsory ones.

Schoolchoicesucks · 28/12/2023 16:39

More years ago than I care to remember, but at Leeds I did Maths and could choose a module each term from any other degree course that would accept me - including some first year modules from completely different departments when I was in Y2, languages etc etc.