MA438     
Financial Mathematics in Practice

This information is for the 2025/26 session.

Course Convenor

Prof Luitgard Veraart

Prof Johannes Ruf

Availability

This course is available on the MPhil/PhD in Mathematics, MSc in Financial Mathematics and MSc in Quantitative Methods for Risk Management. This course is available with permission as an outside option to students on other programmes where regulations permit. This course uses controlled access as part of the course selection process.

All MSc Financial Mathematics and MPhil/PhD Mathematics students will be guaranteed a place if they select the course by the course selection deadline in Autumn Term. All other students for which this course is available will be selected based on a first come first served basis. 

The only programmes on which this course is available as an outside option are MSc in Statistics (Financial Statistics), MSc in Statistics (Financial Statistics) (Research). 

Requisites

Assumed prior knowledge:

Previous or current MSc level education in financial mathematics.

Recommended pre-requisites:

Programming experience in Python.

Course content

This course bridges the gap between theory and practice and shows how financial mathematics is used in the financial industry. It is taught by experts from the financial industry who share their experience and insights and discuss case studies and hands-on examples on a selection of application areas. The course will focus on 1-3 topics per year which can include financial risk management, algorithmic trading, portfolio optimisation, derivatives pricing and hedging, valuation adjustments (XVAs), market making, financial regulation, programming applications etc. 

Teaching

10 hours of seminars in the Autumn Term.
20 hours of seminars in the Winter Term.

This course is delivered through seminars totalling normally between 10 and 30 hours across Autumn Term and Winter Term.  The seminars combine lectures and example classes and include case studies. 

Formative assessment

Homework concerned with applications of financial mathematics and case studies is set.   

Assessment

This course is not assessed.


Key facts

Department: Mathematics

Course Study Period: Autumn and Winter Term

Unit value: Non-credit bearing

FHEQ Level: Level 7

Keywords: Financial mathematics, applications , industry

Total students 2024/25: Unavailable

Average class size 2024/25: Unavailable

Controlled access 2024/25: No
Guidelines for interpreting course guide information

Course 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

  • Team working
  • Problem solving
  • Application of information skills
  • Application of numeracy skills
  • Commercial awareness
  • Specialist skills