Financial Mathematics and Statistics

Financial mathematics and statistics sits at the quantitative heart of modern finance, combining the mathematical rigour and probabilistic thinking needed to model financial instruments and markets with the statistical methods required to extract patterns and insight from financial data. It is a discipline that trains you to think precisely about uncertainty, risk and the behaviour of complex systems, and it is highly valued by employers in investment banking, asset management, insurance, risk consultancy and financial technology.

At the London School of Economics and Political Science this programme addresses the growing demand for graduates who can make sense of the data that increasingly dominates the business world. You will study mathematical finance, probability theory, stochastic processes, statistical inference, time series analysis, econometrics and numerical methods, developing a rigorous quantitative toolkit that is directly applicable to financial problems. The programme includes a year abroad, extending the full course over four years full time, which gives you the opportunity to experience quantitative finance education in a different academic environment and to broaden your international perspective.

You will develop strong mathematical and statistical reasoning skills alongside the computational ability needed to implement financial models and analyse large datasets. The ability to move fluently between theoretical mathematical argument and applied financial and statistical practice is a core competency that the LSE's strong research environment and industry connections are well placed to develop.

Graduates from financial mathematics and statistics programmes are well positioned for careers as quantitative analysts, risk managers, actuaries, data scientists in financial services, financial engineers and statisticians in investment banks, hedge funds, insurance companies, central banks, regulatory bodies and financial technology firms. The programme is also excellent preparation for postgraduate study in mathematical finance, statistics, actuarial science or a related quantitative field.