Mathematics/Politics

Mathematics and politics is a combination that develops two very different but increasingly complementary modes of reasoning. Mathematics trains you to think with precision and abstraction, to construct rigorous proofs, to model complex systems quantitatively, and to work with the formal structures that underlie all of science and much of the modern world. Politics examines how power is organised, exercised, and contested, and how the decisions that shape collective life are made and justified through institutions, ideologies, and political processes.

Together, these disciplines develop both the formal analytical tools and the substantive political knowledge to engage seriously with the data-driven dimension of contemporary political science.

At the University of Glasgow, you will study mathematics and politics over four years full-time, developing strong mathematical capabilities across analysis, algebra, and applied mathematics alongside a thorough grounding in political theory, comparative politics, and international relations. The programme allows you to choose from a wide variety of courses in the honours years, giving you the flexibility to develop your interests in areas where mathematics and politics converge, such as game theory, statistical analysis of electoral behaviour, or the mathematical modelling of political processes. The programme includes a year abroad.

The typical entry tariff is 200 UCAS points.

Graduates of mathematics and politics programmes are well placed for careers that require both quantitative analysis and political understanding: data analytics in political campaigns and polling organisations, policy research, economic and political consultancy, think tanks, and roles in government and international organisations that require statistical expertise. Teaching, civil service fast stream, finance, and academic research are also common paths. Many graduates go on to postgraduate study in political science, statistics, public policy, or economics.