FM402 Half Unit
Financial Risk Analysis
This information is for the 2025/26 session.
Course Convenor
Prof Kathy Yuan
Availability
This course is available on the Global MSc in Management, MSc in Accounting and Finance, MSc in Financial Mathematics, MSc in Mathematics and Computation, MSc in Statistics (Financial Statistics) and MSc in Statistics (Financial Statistics) (Research). This course is not available as an outside option to students on other programmes. This course uses controlled access as part of the course selection process.
All students on a programme listed under the Course Availability will be given a place. The course is not capped.
Please contact finance.teachingmanager@lse.ac.uk with any queries.
This course is available with permission on the Diploma in Accounting and Finance with the approval of the Programme Director.
This course is available to other students from the Departments of Economics, Mathematics, and Statistics where regulations permit.
This course is not capped, any eligible student that requests a place will be given one.
This course does not permit auditing students.
Requisites
Additional requisites:
The course assumes a basic knowledge of finance theory, statistics and mathematics (calculus, linear algebra).
Course content
This course aims to provide an overview of the main theoretical concepts underlying the analysis of financial risk and to show how these concepts can be implemented in practice in a variety of contexts. This course shares some topics with FM442 Quantitative Methods in Finance and Risk Analysis. The course will include a selection of:
- Conceptual foundations: diversification, hedging and their limits
- Fixed income securities
- Options and dynamic replication
- Value at Risk
- Endogenous risk
- Ideas from Behavioural Finance
- Credit risk (ratings based models, structural models, reduced form models)
- Credit derivatives
Teaching
30 hours of lectures in the Autumn Term.
This course is taught in the interactive lecturing format. There is no distinction between lectures and classes/seminars; there are “sessions” only, and the pedagogical approach in each session is interactive.
Formative assessment
Students will be expected to produce 8 problem sets in the AT.
Indicative reading
Course readings will vary from year to year depending upon the topics covered. Useful references are M Crouhy, D Galai and R Mark, Risk Management, McGraw-Hill, 2001; P Jorion, Value at Risk, McGraw-Hill, 2007; J Hull, Risk Management and Financial Institutions, Prentice-Hall, 2023; J Hull, Options, Futures and Other Derivatives, Prentice-Hall, 2021 and D Duffie and K Singleton, Credit Risk, Princeton University Press, 2003.
Assessment
Exam (100%), duration: 120 Minutes in the Spring exam period
Key facts
Department: Finance
Course Study Period: Autumn Term
Unit value: Half unit
FHEQ Level: Level 7
CEFR Level: Null
Total students 2024/25: 35
Average class size 2024/25: 35
Controlled access 2024/25: YesCourse selection videos
Some departments have produced short videos to introduce their courses. Please refer to the course selection videos index page for further information.
Personal development skills
- Problem solving
- Communication
- Application of numeracy skills
- Commercial awareness
- Specialist skills