Mathematics with Finance and Investment Banking

Mathematics with finance and investment banking brings together the rigorous quantitative foundations of mathematics with a focused application to one of the most technically demanding areas of the financial sector. Investment banking and financial markets are driven by mathematical models, from the pricing of derivatives and the management of portfolio risk to the algorithmic systems that execute trades and the quantitative tools used to assess creditworthiness and market dynamics. This degree prepares you to understand both the mathematics and the financial context in depth.

The University of Reading offers this programme with an optional foundation year, which provides a thorough grounding in the mathematical and academic skills the degree requires before the main content begins. From there the full-time programme covers pure and applied mathematics, probability and statistics, alongside specialist finance topics including financial mathematics, derivatives pricing, risk management, portfolio theory and the quantitative methods used in investment banking. A sandwich year in industry, a year abroad and an embedded work placement are all part of the programme, meaning you graduate with substantial professional and international experience alongside your mathematical and financial training.

Reading has strong connections to the financial sector, including the Bank of England and the City of London, which enrich the applied dimensions of the curriculum.

The degree trains the kind of mathematical precision and modelling capability that quantitative finance demands, alongside the commercial awareness and communication skills needed to operate effectively in investment banking and asset management environments.

Graduates are well placed for careers as quantitative analysts, traders, risk managers, financial engineers, investment analysts and data scientists in investment banks, asset managers, hedge funds, financial technology companies and regulatory bodies. The degree is also an excellent foundation for postgraduate study in financial mathematics, mathematical finance or quantitative finance.