Finance and Mathematics

Finance and mathematics is a combination whose intellectual coherence is deep: financial theory is built on mathematics, and the most powerful applications of mathematics in the real world increasingly involve financial systems. From the pricing of options and derivatives through risk modelling in insurance to the quantitative strategies driving modern investment management, mathematics provides the theoretical foundation and the analytical tools that finance depends on. Understanding both disciplines seriously gives you a genuinely distinctive profile in a competitive graduate market.

At Royal Holloway, University of London, this three-year, full-time programme draws on the expertise of two departments with strong research reputations in economics and mathematics. You will develop rigorous mathematical skills, including analysis, probability, statistics, and computational methods, alongside a thorough grounding in financial theory, corporate finance, financial markets, and econometrics. The two disciplines are integrated throughout the programme, allowing you to see how mathematical frameworks are developed and applied to financial questions rather than treating them as separate bodies of knowledge.

The programme includes a sandwich placement year for extended professional experience, a year abroad, and work placement throughout the course, giving you substantial practical and international exposure.

A typical entry tariff of 120 points reflects an accessible but competitive admissions profile. Graduates from finance and mathematics programmes are sought across financial services, including investment banking, asset management, quantitative trading, insurance and actuarial work, financial risk management, and financial technology. The quantitative skills the degree develops are also valued in data science, management consulting, and a wide range of analytical roles in both the public and private sectors.

Many graduates continue to postgraduate study in financial mathematics, actuarial science, data science, or economics, and the degree provides a strong academic foundation for professional qualifications in areas such as actuarial science and investment management.