Mathematics Education with QTS BSc (Hons)

Apply now

Share your love of mathematics. Master the subject and inspire the next generation. Graduate and start a lifelong career teaching something you love.

Register your interest

Overview

Share your passion for maths with the next generation by studying the BSc (Hons) Mathematics Education. This is a fast-track route into teaching, taking just three years to become a fully qualified teacher of mathematics at secondary or college level.

This course will help you develop in-depth knowledge and skills of school-level mathematics and the ability to teach conceptual understanding, whilst considering some of the challenges that children and young people face when learning maths. Placements are an essential part of the course, allowing you to gain hands-on experience to prepare you for a successful career in teaching.

Whether you've recently studied mathematics, or are thinking of changing your career, one of the advantages of a three-year teaching degree is that you'll have time to develop the subject knowledge required to be a successful teacher over the course of the degree.

Why us?

Our Education courses are in the top 50 in the UK (Guardian University Guide, 2025)
All qualified teachers will have a starting salary of at least £31,650, and this will be higher for teachers working in London
Spend 120 days on placement in schools or colleges
We are one of a few universities who offer a three-year route into secondary school mathematics teaching
You'll be taught by tutors with proven expertise as effective teachers

A £40,000 Troops to Teachers bursary is available for ex-armed forces personnel wishing to retrain as teachers in this field
Our teacher training courses are internationally recognised and respected, opening up opportunities for potential careers abroad
Our Education courses are in the UK top 50 for graduate prospects (Complete University Guide 2025)

Course structure

The Mathematics Education course is taught via lectures, tutorials, seminars and independent learning.

Throughout the degree you'll have one-to-one support from academic staff, whilst you study a combination of professional studies and mathematics at school level. This will involve a short, two week, non-assessed school experience, in each of the first two years, followed by an assessed teaching experience in your final year.

Alongside school experiences, you will learn how to teach key mathematical concepts, identifying common errors and misconceptions, and consider educational issues in teaching mathematics.

Your progress will be assessed with reports, exams, presentations and computer-based assessments.

Course modules

Year 1 (national level 4):

Errors and Misconceptions in the Mathematics Classroom (30 credits)

In this module, you’ll consider the national curriculum for mathematics in key stages 3 and 4, identifying common errors and misconceptions in the classroom. Through discussion and research, you’ll develop an understanding of how to plan for and address such misconceptions.

Research into Mathematics Through the Ages (30 credits)

In addition to developing your scholarship and academic research skills, this module will allow you to investigate the origins of number, counting, and calculating. You’ll examine the non-European roots of mathematics, reflecting on the value of a historical perspective in the classroom.

Sequences and Series (30 credits)

This module will give you the chance to reflect on both the arithmetic and geometric sequences used in key stages 3 and 4 before moving on to expand your knowledge. You’ll consolidate work on the binomial theorem, considering when sequences are convergent and extending the range of functions you’ve previously met. You’ll also explore the solution of recurrence relations later on in the module.

Introduction to Teaching and Learning (30 credits)

In this module, you’ll have the opportunity to apply subject, pedagogical, and theoretical knowledge gained in your university sessions to schools and other educational settings. You’ll be given the chance to apply this knowledge during your experiential placement, completing focused tasks and reflections during the placement.

Some modules have prerequisites. Read more about what this means in our Help and Advice article.

Year 2 (national level 5):

Applied Mathematics for Secondary School (30 credits)

This module is designed to give you a basic understanding of a number of areas of applied mathematics. It’ll also enable you to consider the practical applications of the mathematics taught in schools.

Functions and Calculus for Secondary School (30 credits)

In this module, you’ll consolidate your knowledge of calculus and graph sketching from A Level mathematics, after which you’ll extend the range of functions you can work with. You’ll review the results of differentiating standard functions from the A Level specification before applying these to a range of additional functions. Different techniques in integration will be considered, ensuring you’re confident with methods of integration, including the use of partial fractions.

Teaching, Learning and Research in Mathematics (30 credits)

You’ll study pedagogical approaches and gain knowledge of what constitutes effective planning for pupils’ learning and progress in mathematics, including adaptive teaching. Key areas of the mathematics curriculum in key stages 3 and 4 will be covered, with a particular focus on fluency, reasoning, and problem solving across areas such as number, algebra, ratio, geometry, probability, and statistics. You’ll also utilise your research skills to reflect on current research in effective pedagogy in mathematics.

Principles of Teaching and Learning (30 credits)

This module will give you the opportunity to develop your subject, pedagogical, and theoretical knowledge gained in university sessions to schools and other educational settings. You’ll complete an assessed placement where you’ll start to make judgements about the routines, skills, and strategies that support effective teaching.

Year 3 (national level 6):

Extending Pure Mathematics (30 credits)

This module will give you the opportunity to extend your knowledge of pure mathematics beyond the standard A Level syllabus. Topics may include complex numbers, matrices, and further inequalities. You’ll consider a range of problems and how to present them to learners using a variety of pedagogies.

Investigating and Reasoning in Mathematics (30 credits)

This module is about mathematical processes rather than any particular branch of mathematics, and you’ll be exposed to a variety of tasks to form the basis for reflective thinking in maths. You’ll learn about key processes including specialising, conjecturing, symbolising, generalising, and proving. You’ll also develop knowledge of elements of mathematical thinking and communicating mathematics.

Curriculum Project (30 credits)

You’ll demonstrate your ability to engage with a small-scale action research project, undertaken in your placement school. The project will explore the impact of a specific pedagogic theory within your subject specialism and you’ll acquire the knowledge and skills needed to carry out an investigation in your field of study. This project aims to show you the connection between academic enquiry and real-world issues, and you’ll develop key organisational skills, refine the standard of your written prose, and cultivate your communication skills with both your peers and the academic team.

Developing Excellence in Teaching and Learning (30 credits)

In this module, you’ll immerse yourself in teaching institutions to develop professional knowledge about teaching and learning, making judgements about the routines, skills, and strategies that support effective teaching. You’ll gain a variety of experience in a work-based learning environment to meet professional standards identified in government legislation. You’ll also consider the development of a variety of approaches to teach your subject specialism, formulating skillful questioning to reveal levels of pupil understanding, encouraging them to take responsibility for their own academic progress.

More about BSc (Hons) Mathematics Education with QTS at Sunderland

Discover more articles

You can access free Wi-Fi throughout the University campus, so you can work from anywhere. If you don't want to carry a laptop around, just use one of the University’s PCs or Macs. We have hundreds of computers for you to use in the Murray Library, St Peter's Library, and the David Goldman Informatics Centre. If you ever have any technical problems, just ask the friendly helpdesk team.
IT provision
University library services will be central to your study experience and are delivered at our two libraries on campus, as well as online. Our libraries offer a variety of study environments to meet your needs, including areas for groupwork, individual and silent study. You’ll also have access to desktop PCs, space to use your own mobile technology and printing facilities.

The library works closely with academic staff within each faculty to offer specialist, industry standard resources in your subject discipline. The Faculty of Education provides thousands of relevant books and e-books, with many more titles available through the inter-library loan service. You’ll also have access to a comprehensive range of print and electronic journals which are always kept up to date, including the EBSCO Professional Development Collection, Community Care Inform, JSTOR and many more.

To find out more information, visit our University Library website.
Library Services - education
Map and directions

Facilities

You'll be based at the recently refurbished Wearside View, situated on the award-winning Sir Tom Cowie Campus at St Peter's. This stunning riverside location benefits from dedicated library services and has superb transport links with the city centre and City Campus.

Entry requirements

Our typical offer is:

Qualification	Minimum grade
High School Diploma along with one of the following at the required grade: SAT I and SAT II, ACT or Advanced Placement	GPA 3.0 or above and: Sat score of 1100/1600 from SATs AP (Grades 3+ in at least 2 subjects) ACT (score of 26+)

If you don't meet our standard entry requirements, you can take one of the foundation pathways at our partners ONCAMPUS Sunderland. Find out more information and whether your course is eligible on our ONCAMPUS page.

If your qualification is not listed above, please contact the Student Administration team at studentadmin@sunderland.ac.uk for further advice.

You can enter this course at year 1 or year 2.

You must also have five GCSEs at grade C or above, and these must include mathematics and English Language, or equivalent qualifications. If you've studied for a GCSE which has a numerical grade, you'll need to achieve a grade 4 or above. We'll only accept equivalencies from equivalencytesting.com.

Our admissions policy uses a range of flexible options to support you in studying with us. This may include a reduced offer of up to 16 UCAS tariff points, (or equivalent). Find out if you are eligible.

In addition to academic qualifications, you must also:

Have an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check
Disclose any criminal convictions (required by DES Circular 9/93)
Complete a medical pro forma (based on DFEE Circular 8/92).

Entry to year 2

You should've studied for at least one year in Higher Education. Examples include an HND/HNC or 120 credits from the Open University.

In addition to academic qualifications, you must also:

Have an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check
Disclose any criminal convictions (required by DES Circular 9/93)
Complete a medical pro forma (based on DFEE Circular 8/92).

All successful applicants will be invited to an interview. Interviews start early November, so we recommend that you apply as soon as UCAS opens in October.

If English isn't your first language, please check our English language requirements.

You'll be assessed on your potential to learn and not your experience.

Your numeracy and literacy competency will be assessed continuously throughout the course, following the DfE’s removal of the Professional Skills Test.

Is your qualification not displaying here? For international qualifications, search our full list of international entry requirements for this course.

Fees and finance

The annual, full-time fee for this course is:

£9,535 if you are from the UK*/Europe
£16,500 if you are an international student

*Undergraduate fees are set according to rules from Government in line with forecast inflation. The fee for your first year of study for 2025/26 will be £9,535. You will pay tuition fees for every year of study. Fees may increase every year based on the Retail Price Index.

Read more about EU fees and funding in our Help and Advice article.

Troops to Teachers is a £40,000 bursary available to ex-armed forces personnel wishing to study an undergraduate Secondary Teacher Training degree in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) discipline. See the Get into Teaching website for more information.

Take a look at the scholarships and bursaries that may be available to you.

This information was correct at the time of publication.

The Sir Tom Cowie Campus at St Peter's by night

Career ready

This Mathematics Education degree awards Qualified Teacher Status, which means that when you graduate you’ll be qualified to teach in any state-maintained school in England.

Good teachers are always in high demand, so it's likely you'll find a job upon graduation. All qualified teachers will have a starting salary of at least £31,650, and this will be higher for teachers working in London. The amount you earn will then increase until you reach the top end of your pay scale, after which you can choose to progress into more senior roles, such as leading practitioner or head teacher.

The teachers’ pension scheme is also one of the most generous public sector pension schemes in the UK, one of the few guaranteed by the Government.

Work placements

Teaching placements are an essential part of this Mathematics Education degree. You'll spend at least 120 days working in schools and colleges, gaining a true understanding of what being a maths teacher involves, and using your new skills and knowledge. When you’re ready to start searching for a teaching job, you'll already have valuable first-hand teaching experience, as well as a wide network of professional contacts who can help you find the right career opportunities.

Meet the students

Going out on placements really helps you build confidence and gain valuable classroom experience.

Laura Moss

Related courses

BSc (Hons) Physical Education with QTS

Contact

Contact the Student Helpline for further information about studying at the University of Sunderland:

0191 515 3000

student.helpline@sunderland.ac.uk

View Programme Specifications for the Faculty of Education and Society.

Page last updated: 19 November 2024

We aim to provide clear, accurate and timely information to prospective and current students. We continuously review and enhance course content in consultation with our students and the information provided on our website is the latest available. If you have received an offer from us to start a course, we will communicate any important changes to you in writing. We will always seek to ensure that our prospective students are fully aware of the basis on which they are accepting an offer.