Mathematics and Statistics (International Year One) 2026 entry

Course information may change. Module information and course content, teaching and assessment may change each year and after you have accepted your offer to study at the University of St Andrews. We display the most up-to-date information possible, but this could be from a previous academic year. For the latest module information, see the module catalogue.

• Semester 1

  • Mathematics: introduces you to the ideas, methods and techniques that you will need for applying mathematics in the physical sciences or for taking the study of mathematics further. This module aims to extend and enhance your skills in algebraic manipulation and in differential and integral calculus, to develop your geometric insight and your understanding of limiting processes, and to introduce you to complex numbers and matrices.
  • Statistics for Mathematicians: explores the function of statistics and is specifically designed for mathematicians and so it assumes knowledge of numbers, mathematical equations and central tendency. It is a practical module that demonstrates statistical theory and tools through using SPSS for solving statistical problems.
  • Communicating in Academic Contexts 1: helps you develop and practise productive and receptive academic spoken communication skills to use within the International Foundation programme and in your undergraduate programme. 
  • Research and Writing for Science A: explores a range of academic functions, including features of academic style and organisation, academic grammar and vocabulary. You will learn how to evaluate the reliability of a variety of published texts and develop your own academic voice. The aim is to improve your overall academic literacy but with a focus on the texts you need to write for science.

• Semester 2

  In Semester 2, all students study the same two compulsory modules:

  • Communicating in Academic Contexts 2: helps you to further develop and practise the productive and receptive academic oral communication skills that you will need in your degree programme.
  • Research and Writing for Science B: further develops the skills introduced in Research and Writing Skills for Science A in Semester 1. You will be working on more extended research skills using references and using them to support arguments in science.

  Based on your degree intention and earlier results, you will take one of the following two modules: 

  • Pure and Applied Mathematics: provides you with experience of both pure and applied mathematics, and the role that mathematical computing plays in both subjects. Exposure to new topics in this module will enable you to further develop your skills and experience in mathematics and give you insight into areas available for study in later years. 
  • Statistics in Practice: introduces you to statistical reasoning, elementary but powerful statistical methodologies, and real-world applications of statistics. Case studies based on environmental impact assessment, medicine and economics and finance are used throughout the module to motivate and demonstrate the principles. You will get hands-on experience in exploring data for patterns and interesting anomalies as well as experience of using modern statistical software to fit statistical models to data.

  You will also take one of the following four modules:

  • Foundation International Relations
  • Foundation Economics 
  • Foundation Philosophy
  • Foundation Medieval History

  Plus one of the following four modules:

  • Foundation Psychology 2
  • Foundation Management
  • Foundation Art History
  • Foundation English Literature

• Teaching and assessment

  Your classes take place Monday to Friday between 9am and 6pm. In a typical week you will spend around 16 hours a week on your focused learning activities like live lectures, seminars and tutorials. To ensure our students are getting tailored support, we schedule seminar classes with groups of no more than 16 students.  

  You will also be expected to complete around 25 hours of independent study each week to achieve your academic goals.  

  Assessment 

  Each module will have a range of assessments with regular feedback from our teaching team. These assessments may include: 

  • academic essays 
  • exams (in-person or online) 
  • tests 
  • speaking and listening exam 
  • integrated skills exams 
  • leading and participating in seminars 
  • presentations  
  • lab and practical or field trip reports 
  • research projects 

  The grade from each module contributes to the final programme grade. Each module handbook will include information on assessments.