MSc Financial Mathematics

This programme applies advanced mathematics to real-world financial applications. You’ll study the mathematical theories that drive our financial markets and learn the quantitative methodologies and the computational tools that are essential in investment banking and other financial careers.

The curriculum covers a broad variety of topics in financial mathematics, including credit risk theory, stochastic processes and computational methods in finance. You can also choose from options in areas such as derivatives modelling, financial risk analysis, time series analysis, portfolio management and international finance.

You’ll develop industry-focused skills, including logical reasoning, quantitative analysis and technical presentation. Our graduates land high-earning roles in financial services, technology, accounting and data management.

This degree programme is run by the Department of Mathematics but taught in collaboration with the Departments of Finance and Statistics – giving you the benefit of multidisciplinary expertise and insights.

You'll begin by taking the compulsory pre-sessional course, which introduces some key concepts and techniques of relevant mathematical theory, such as probability.

You'll then take five compulsory courses and will choose optional courses from a range of options, including quantifying risk and modelling alternative markets, derivatives modelling, Markov processes, financial risk analysis, international finance, and forecasting of financial time series.

The Department of Mathematics aims to be a leading centre for the study of mathematics in the social sciences.

The department has a vibrant intellectual community, with fantastic students, internationally respected academics and high-achieving alumni. Our department has grown rapidly in recent years, with exciting developments in research and new teaching programmes and courses.

This research encompasses four main overlapping areas:

• discrete mathematics and algorithms
• mathematical game theory
• financial and related mathematics
• operational research.

All aspects of our research were ranked world-leading or internationally excellent in the most recent Research Excellence Framework (2021), submitted jointly with the Department of Statistics.

We embrace the School’s ethos of research-led teaching. Currently, we offer four undergraduate and three postgraduate programmes, as well as doctoral research opportunities on our MPhil/PhD in Mathematics. These programmes are all in high demand – attracting talented students from diverse backgrounds.

Our programmes are highly interdisciplinary and we have close ties with other departments at LSE, including Statistics, Economics, Finance, Management and the Data Science Institute.

Whatever your study route, you’ll benefit from a welcoming, inclusive and friendly learning environment where students and staff are supported to achieve their best.

Learn more about our programmes, recent research and regular events and seminars.

Department of Mathematics

We welcome applications from all suitably qualified prospective students. At LSE, we want to recruit students with the best academic merit, potential and motivation, irrespective of background.

We carefully consider each application and take into account all the information included on your application form, such as your:

• academic achievement (including predicted and achieved grades)
• statement of academic purpose
• two academic references
• CV.

See further information on supporting documents.

You may need to provide evidence of your English language proficiency. See our English language requirements.

Applications for this programme are considered on a rolling basis. This means that applications will close once the programme is full.

There is no fixed deadline. However, if you’d like to be considered for any funding opportunities, you must submit your application (and all supporting documents) by the funding deadline. See the fees and funding section below for more details.

For this programme, all students pay the same tuition fees, regardless of their fee status.

For this programme, all students pay the same tuition fees, regardless of their fee status.

All taught courses are required to include formative coursework which is unassessed. It's designed to help prepare you for summative assessment which counts towards the course mark and to the degree award. LSE uses a range of formative assessment, such as essays, problem sets, case studies, reports, quizzes, mock exams and many others. Summative assessment may be conducted during the course or by final examination at the end of the course. An indication of the formative coursework and summative assessment for each course can be found in the relevant course guide.

Our students have found employment in the following companies:

• Accenture
• Ali baba
• Atkins
• Bain & Company
• Barclays
• Bloomsberg
• Blue Sky Analytics
• British Business Bank
• Capula Investment Management
• causalLens
• CdR Capital
• China Export & Credit insurance
• Credit Suisse
• Deloitte
• Department for Education
• DiDi
• Dish Network
• Emirates
• European Central Bank
• Farrell Management
• Goldman Sachs
• Guodu Securities
• Johnson & Johnson
• KPMG
• Kagool
• Laskaridis Shipping
• Lanner Capital
• ION Group
• Janes Consulting
• LET consultancy
• Leeds Building Society
• Mazars
• McKinsey & Company
• Management Solutions
• Ministry of Defence (Singapore)
• Minsheng Securities
• Nomura
• PMSI Strategy
• Parasol international
• People’s Insurance Company
• Pramerica Fosun
• Proctor & Gamble
• PwC
• Red Bull
• Riverstone
• Royal Bank of Scotland
• Samba TV
• State Street
• Smartodds
• Tudor Group
• Turner Townsend
• UnionPay
• YOOX Net-a-Porter Group

From CV workshops through to careers fairs, LSE offers lots of information and support to help you make that all-important step from education into work.

Many of the UK’s top employers give careers presentations at the School during the year and there are numerous workshops covering topics such as job hunting, managing interviews, writing a cover letter and using LinkedIn.

See LSE Careers for further details.