Mathematics and Philosophy

About the course

This course brings together two of the most fundamental and widely applicable intellectual skills.

Mathematical knowledge, and the ability to use it, is the most important means of tackling quantifiable problems. Philosophical training enhances the ability to analyse issues, question received assumptions and clearly articulate understanding. The combination provides a powerful background from which to proceed to graduate study in either mathematics or philosophy or to pursue a diverse range of careers.

Historically, there have been strong links between mathematics and philosophy. Logic, an important branch of both subjects, provides a natural bridge between the two, as does the Philosophy of mathematics module.

The degree is founded on the belief that the parallel study of these related disciplines can significantly enhance your understanding of each.

The Philosophy Faculty is the largest in the UK, and one of the largest in the world. We have more than 70 full-time members and admit around 450 undergraduates annually to read our various degrees involving philosophy.

Many faculty members have a worldwide reputation, and the faculty has one of the highest research ratings of any philosophy department in the UK. The Philosophy Library is among the best in the country.

The large number of undergraduates and graduates reading philosophy with a variety of other disciplines affords the opportunity to participate in a diverse and lively philosophical community.

In turn the Mathematics Department, housed in the Andrew Wiles Building, is also one of the largest and best in the UK and contains within it many world-class research groups. This is reflected in the wide choice of mathematics topics available to you, especially in the fourth year.

'I came to Oxford because I wanted to study at one of the best universities in the country. I enjoy the reading in preparation for essays and also the tutorials, especially the philosophical discussions; it’s really interesting to try and make your point clearer and to discover sides of the argument you’d never thought about. Organising your time is very important. If you enjoyed maths and further maths at A-level and you find questions in philosophy interesting then this is definitely the course for you.' Thomas

Unistats information

Discover Uni course data provides applicants with Unistats statistics about undergraduate life at Oxford for a particular undergraduate course.

Please select 'see course data' to view the full Unistats data for Mathematics and Philosophy. 

Please note that there may be no data available if the number of course participants is very small. 

Visit the Studying at Oxford section of this page for a more general insight into what studying here is likely to be like.

Academic requirements 

Wherever possible, your grades are considered in the context in which they have been achieved.

Read further information on how we use contextual data.

Subject requirements

The majority of those who read Mathematics and Philosophy will have taken both Mathematics and Further Mathematics at A-level (or equivalent).

Applying

All candidates must follow the application procedure as shown on our Applying to Oxford pages.

The following information gives specific details for students applying for this course.

Admissions test

All candidates must take the Mathematics Admissions Test (MAT) as part of their application.

All the information you need to arrange to take your test as well as how best to prepare can be found on your test page.

Written work

You do not need to submit any written work when you apply for this course.

What are tutors looking for?

During the interview for philosophy you will be given the opportunity to show a critical and analytical approach to abstract questions and the ability to defend a viewpoint by reasoned argument.

In mathematics you may find yourself asked to look at problems of a type that you have never seen before. Don’t worry, we will help you! We want to see if you can respond to suggestions as to how to tackle new things, rather than find out simply what you have been taught. 

Visit the Mathematics website and Philosophy website for more detail on the selection criteria for this course.

Fees

Additional Fees and Charges Information for Mathematics and Philosophy

There are no compulsory costs for this course beyond the fees shown above and your living costs.