Module Directory

This module covers the core mathematical and statistical skills needed to proceed to any degree course within the Faculty of Science and Health. The syllabus covers the mathematics of basic arithmetic and algebra, graphs and rates of change as well as statistical distributions and hypothesis testing.

The associated work in classes / lab sessions develops the skills used to solve problems encountered in the Faculty of Science and Health.

The aims of this module are:

• To ensure that students from a wide range of educational backgrounds have an understanding of core mathematical and statistical skills needed for study within the Faculty of Science and Health.


• To develop the ability to acquire knowledge and skills from lectures, classwork exercises, and mathematical software and apply the theory to a range of set tasks.


• To develop students' ability to use these skills in their subsequent degree courses.


• To develop students’ ability to plot different types of graphs, including the use of functions and analyses of rates of change through simple differentiation.


• To give students the ability to present and interpret data relevant to their degree clearly and unambiguously, both by hand and with the use of Excel software.


• To give students an understanding and ability to calculate statistical measures and set up hypothesis tests.

By the end of this module, students will be expected to be able to:

1. Understand and use basic arithmetic and algebra.


2. Plot basic graphs and find key features.


3. Understand and use differentiation to find the gradient of functions and interpret the rate of change.


4. Understand basic statistics, calculate measures of centrality and spread.


5. Produce and interpret statistical plots appropriate to the data set.


6. Understand basic concepts of probability.


7. Understand the normal distribution and applications to simple hypothesis tests.

Indicative Syllabus

• Basic arithmetic and algebra.


• Logarithms and exponentials.


• Graphical representation of functions.


• Introductory Calculus: basic differentiation of linear and polynomial functions.


• Descriptive statistics: Interpreting data, measures of location and dispersion.


• Inference Statistics: basic hypothesis testing, normal distribution and statistics tables.


• Using Excel to carry out statistical computations and create graphs.


• Ability to use time series graphs to visualise trends in counts or numerical values over time.


• Ability to use scatter diagrams to identify the correlation of two variables.


• Descriptive statistics: interpreting data, measures of location and dispersion.


• Key probability concepts.


• The normal distribution, reading statistical tables.


• Inference Statistics: basic hypothesis testing, the z-test.


• Using Excel to learn key formulas, find summary statistics, carry out statistical computations and create graphs.


• Ability to propose an appropriate sampling method for a given scenario and understand its limitation.


• Define the terms sampling unit, sample, population, statistic and parameter and explain the relation between them.


• Define and explain the meaning of the following terms; null hypothesis, alternative hypothesis, test statistic, sampling distribution, significance level, rejection region, critical value, and decision rule.


• Explain the meaning of one-tailed and two-tailed hypothesis tests.


• Interpret and use tables of critical values.


• Use basic functions in Excel to analyse and produce graphs.

This module will be delivered via:

• One 1-hour lecture per week.
• One 2-hour class per week.
• One 1-hour lab session per week.

There are two weeks of revision lectures and classes in the Summer Term. The first 10 weeks of the Autumn Term focus on Mathematics, with the subsequent 10 weeks of the Spring Term focusing on Statistics.

All lecture notes and worksheets are accessible via Moodle. Listen Again is also used as part of learning support in which students can review the recordings at a later date.

Teaching and learning on Foundation modules offer students the ability to develop the foundation knowledge, skills, and competencies to study at the undergraduate level, through a curriculum that is purposely designed to provide an exceptional learning experience.

All teaching, learning and assessment materials will be available via Moodle in a consistent and user-friendly manner.