Financial Mathematics

Financial Mathematics at Brunel University London is a comprehensive undergraduate program designed to equip students with advanced quantitative skills tailored to the finance industry. This course combines rigorous mathematical theory with practical financial applications, preparing graduates for a wide range of careers in banking, investment, risk management, and financial consultancy. The program covers core areas such as probability theory, statistics, financial theory, derivatives pricing, risk analysis, and computational finance, ensuring students gain a solid understanding of both the mathematical techniques and their real-world financial contexts. Students will develop proficiency in analytical tools, programming languages, and data analysis methods essential for modern financial decision-making. The curriculum is designed to foster critical thinking, problem-solving abilities, and quantitative skills, with opportunities for internships and collaborative projects that enhance employability. Brunel’s strong links with industry leaders provide students access to networking events, guest lectures, and work placements, offering valuable insights into current financial practices. The program also emphasizes ethical considerations and the social impact of financial decisions, ensuring graduates are prepared to operate responsibly within the financial sector. With state-of-the-art facilities and experienced faculty, students receive a supportive learning environment focusing on both academic excellence and practical application. Upon graduation, students will be well-equipped to pursue careers in asset management, financial analysis, trading, and quantitative research, or to continue their studies at postgraduate level. Brunel University London’s Financial Mathematics program aims to produce highly skilled professionals capable of tackling complex financial challenges with confidence and integrity.

Detailed Course Facts

• GBP 9000 Year (EEA)
• GBP 14250 Year (Non-EEA)

• English

Course Content

Two-thirds of this course is shared with the BSc in Mathematics. This covers several application areas –finance, statistics, operational research (ie how maths can be applied to commercial industrial problems) and numerical analysis. The remaining third covers the key principles of finance. MMath students study for a further year, bringing their degree up to Master’s level.

Typical modules

Level 1

• Linear Algebra
• Calculus and Numerical Methods
• Discrete Mathematics, Probability and Statistics
• Financial Markets
• Introduction to Financial Accounting

Level 2

• Linear and Numerical Methods
• Communication Skills and Operational Research
• Statistics
• Algebra and Discrete Mathematics
• Analysis
• Corporate Finance
• Corporate Investment

Level 3 Core

• Major Project (see below for more)
• Stochastic Models and Mathematical Finance
• Risk and Optimisation in Finance
• Differential and Integral Equations
• Financial Engineering

Level 3 Options

• Statistics
• Differential and Integral Equations
• Numerical and Variational Methods for PDEs

Final year project

This is a very valuable feature of the Financial Mathematics BSc course – a substantial piece of individual, course-related work personally supervised by a staff member. Projects are often connected to staff research areas and may also be in response to industry demands. Work on the project accounts for about one-third of your final year study load.

Explore in-depth a topic of particular interest to you or work on a practical problem – the choice is yours.

Although students who undertake a work placement year can choose to focus their final year project on their work experience, they may also select from the projects offered each year by the Mathematics staff. During 2010-2011 over 150 project titles were available to final year Mathematics undergraduates. These covered a very wide range of mathematical areas and applications including, for example:

• The very famous ’travelling salesman problem’ (also known as ’the lazy waiter’!)
• The discovery and identification of clustering behaviour in financial markets
• The Mathematics of complex networks such as the web, or even Facebook
• Applications of statistics to the premier league, police complaints data and global warming
• Investigating traffic flow (are traffic lights better than roundabouts?)

In addition to all of these topic areas, our students also have opportunities to study modern theories in quantitative finance, with particular emphasis on the Mathematics and computation underlying the powerful and influential financial derivatives (e.g. options) industry. Often termed the ‘Black-Scholes theory’, this is famous for winning its discoverers a Nobel prize, as well as for its misapplication often being blamed (rightly or wrongly) for the current worldwide financial crisis.

Most of our projects can be carried out in ways that suit the student's strengths and interests. For example, it is often possible to choose to emphasise concrete applications or abstract theory, and the project can be carried out using theoretical tools only, or computational tools only, or a mixture of both.

MMath fourth year Master’s option

Study for a further year (at Level 4) and bring your BSc degree up to Master’s standard. The MMath programme offers a highly integrated, logical progression from BSc to Master’s level.

Complete the course and develop a career requiring a higher level of mathematical skill and understanding – such as in finance, commerce or industry, or in postgraduate research.

Level 4 modules include:

• Advanced Project
• Risk, Simulation and Decision Analysis
• Variational methods for partial differential equations
• Advanced mathematical finance
• Stochastic PDEs and its Calculus
• Risk Management and Regulation

English Language Requirements

IELTS band : 6 CAE score : 60(Grade C)

To study at this university, you have to speak English. We advice you to

Requirements

• GCE A-level ABB, including grade A in Mathematics or Further Mathematics.
• BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma D*DD plus A-level Mathematics at Grade A.
• BTEC Level 3 Diploma DD in a related subject with an A-level Maths at grade A.
• BTEC Level 3 Subsidiary Diploma D in a related subject with A-levels grade AB including an A grade in Maths.
• International Baccalaureate Diploma 33 points, including 6 points in Higher Mathematics.
• Access to Higher EducationDiploma Complete and pass relevant Access course with 45 credits at Level 3, of which 30 credits must be at Distinction and 15 credits at Merit or higher. Must have 15 Maths level 3 Maths units at Distinction. Applicants must also have an A-level in Maths grade A.

GCSE Mathematics grade C and GCSE English grade C are also required.

Work Experience

No work experience is required.

Related Scholarships*

• Academic Excellence Scholarship

  "The Academic Excellence Scholarship can provide up to a 50 % reduction in tuition per semester. These scholarships will be renewed if the student maintains superior academic performance during each semester of their 3-year Bachelor programme. The scholarship will be directly applied to the student’s tuition fees."

• Access Bursary

  Bursary for UK students all subjects where the variable tuition fee rate is payable.

• Alumni Bursary

  Alumni Bursary for UK Undergraduate students

* The scholarships shown on this page are suggestions first and foremost. They could be offered by other organisations than Brunel University.

The BSc Financial Mathematics program at Brunel University London offers a comprehensive curriculum designed to equip students with the essential mathematical and statistical skills required for the finance industry. This program emphasizes the application of mathematical techniques to solve complex problems in financial markets, including derivatives pricing, risk management, and investment analysis. Students will develop a strong foundation in calculus, linear algebra, probability theory, and statistics, alongside specialized modules such as financial derivatives, quantitative risk management, and financial econometrics. The course is structured to blend theoretical understanding with practical skills, often incorporating real-world case studies and using industry-standard software to enhance learning outcomes.

Brunel’s modern facilities and connections with financial institutions provide students with opportunities for work placements, internships, and networking events that can be instrumental in launching a career in finance, banking, insurance, or related sectors. The program also aims to prepare students for further study or professional certification in financial mathematics or quantitative finance. The interdisciplinary approach combines rigorous mathematical training with insights from economics and finance, fostering analytical thinking and problem-solving capabilities. Graduates of this program are well-equipped to pursue careers as quantitative analysts, risk managers, financial consultants, or data analysts within a range of financial services organizations. The program’s duration is typically three years, with options for accelerated or part-time study depending on the individual’s circumstances. Brunel University London is known for its strong focus on employability and practical skill development, ensuring that graduates are prepared to meet the demands of the fast-changing financial sector.