Mathematics and its Learning

Mathematics and its learning is a degree that addresses two things simultaneously: the substance of mathematics itself and the process by which it is taught and understood. It is particularly suited to people who are interested in both mathematical ideas and in education, whether they are current or aspiring teachers, educational researchers, or people who want to understand how mathematical thinking develops in learners of different ages and backgrounds. The combination reflects a genuine intellectual question, since understanding mathematics well and understanding how others come to understand it are related but distinct challenges.

At the Open University this programme is studied part-time and entirely through distance learning, making it accessible to people who need the flexibility to study alongside work, family or other commitments. You will develop your mathematical knowledge across a range of areas including algebra, analysis, number theory, statistics and discrete mathematics, engaging with the rigour and abstraction that degree-level mathematics requires. The education strand introduces you to theories of mathematical learning, to the research literature on how people acquire mathematical knowledge, and to the pedagogical and curriculum questions that mathematics education raises.

The Open University's long experience in distance learning means the programme is well supported, with materials, online resources and tutorial support designed for independent learners.

Graduates go on to work in teaching, mathematics education research, educational publishing, curriculum development and educational technology, as well as in the wider range of careers that mathematics training supports, including finance, data analysis, actuarial work and public sector analytics. For teachers, the combination of deepened mathematical knowledge and educational understanding is directly applicable in the classroom. For people moving towards mathematics education as a career, the degree provides a strong academic foundation.

The distance learning and part-time format makes it genuinely accessible to a wide range of learners.