Current active course description (last updated 2025/26)
Mathematics and Statistics
MAT1014
Current active course description (last updated 2025/26)

Mathematics and Statistics

MAT1014
The aim of the course is to illustrate how concepts from mathematics and statistics may be applied in biological contexts, and ensure that students got the desired knowledge within mathematics and statistics to continue their studies within the biological sciences.
Elementary mathematics and statistics with emphasis on applications in biology.

The subject is reserved for students of the following study programmes:

  • Biology, Bachelor's Programme
  • Nature Management, Bachelor's Programme
  • Livestock Science, Bachelor's Programme
  • Sustainable Economy and Bioproduction, Bachelor's Programme
  • Aquaculture Management, Bachelor's Programme
  • Veterinary Nursing, Bachelor's Programme

Other students can get admitted if there are places available. Contact student advisor.

Students must meet current admission requirements for the associated study program.

On successful completion of the course, the student should have obtained the following learning outcomes:

Knowledge:

  • the student has insight in functions of one or several variables and is aware of how such may be applied in a biological context
  • the student understands useful mathematical ideas of one variable functions and how such may be applied in a biological context
  • the student is familiar with basic statistical measurements and distributions, and how such may be applied in biology

Skills:

  • the student can analyse and discuss properties of functions, and describe how they are relevant in a biological setting
  • the student can solve mathematical problems using results from differentiation, integration, difference and differential equations, and apply them in a biological context
  • the student is able to calculate basic statistical descriptives and apply elementary distributions in different biological contexts
  • the student can apply elementary estimation theory for the proportion and mean

General Competence:

  • the student can understand biological literature which applies basic mathematical and statistical concepts and tools
  • the student is able to make precise statements and logical arguments about quantitative relations in biological contexts
Paid semester fee and syllabus literature. It is also required that students have a laptop and a scientific calculator at their disposal.
Compulsory for BSc in Biology. Elective course for the following Bachelor Programmes: Nature Management, Livestock Science, Sustainable Economy and Bioproduction, Aquaculture Management, Veterinary Nursing.
Lectures and seminars.
Evaluated annually by students through course surveys. These evaluations are included in the university’s quality assurance system.

Exam type: written school exam.

Time: 4 hours.

Grading scale: A-F

Pen, ruler and scientific calculator.

Generating an answer using ChatGPT or similar artificial intelligence and submitting it wholly or partially as one's own answer is considered cheating.

Overlap refers to a similarity between courses with the same content. Therefore, you will receive the following reduction in credits if you have taken the courses listed below:

MA116F - Mathematics/Statistics for Biologists - 7.5 credits