Geography and Mathematics

Geography and mathematics is an unusual but intellectually productive pairing. Geography is the discipline that examines the relationship between the physical environment and human societies, the patterns of climate, landscape, urbanisation, migration, economic development and environmental change that shape where people live and how. Mathematics is the foundation of rigorous quantitative reasoning, providing the tools of analysis, modelling and proof that allow complex systems to be understood precisely.

Together they allow you to bring mathematical sophistication to one of the most important sets of questions facing the contemporary world: how people and environments interact, and what the consequences of those interactions are.

At the University of St Andrews you will study geography and mathematics over four years of full-time study, on a programme that challenges you to think critically and creatively about the world while developing serious mathematical capability. A year abroad is built into the programme, broadening both your academic experience and your understanding of how different societies and environments operate. You will develop skills in spatial analysis, statistical modelling, environmental science and human geography alongside the pure and applied mathematics that underpin quantitative reasoning across many fields.

The typical tariff of 232 reflects the combined demands of two disciplines that each require strong analytical foundations.

Graduates of geography and mathematics programmes are well placed for careers in data science, environmental consulting, urban planning, transport planning, climate and sustainability roles, GIS and spatial analysis, financial modelling, risk analysis and research. The mathematical skills developed through this programme are increasingly sought in environmental and geographical roles that involve large datasets, complex modelling and quantitative analysis. Many graduates go on to postgraduate study in geography, environmental science, spatial data science or mathematics, and the breadth of analytical skill the programme develops is genuinely versatile in a data-intensive world.