Equip yourself for a career in the finance industry
Year of entry: 2025 (September)
Join us online or in person to find out more about postgraduate study at York.
Upcoming eventsOur exciting and intensive MSc in Mathematical Finance will give you the skills you need to work in the financial sector and adapt quickly to new developments in the field.
Join an established course which has been serving students for over two decades. Our team of dedicated academic staff are leaders in their field, publishing their research in leading academic journals.
Mathematical Finance is part of our suite of uniquely interdisciplinary finance Masters courses. They bring together expertise from the Department of Mathematics, the Department of Economics and Related Studies and the School for Business and Society.
Our syllabus includes contemporary tools, methods and approaches to tackle applied, professional and academic challenges in finance.
If you'd like to study this course but feel the need to revise and consolidate your mathematics background before starting, we offer an online pre-sessional course: Mathematical Foundations of Quantitative Finance.
At the University of York we offer a number of different courses as part of our finance suite, including general, focused and specialised programmes. Learn more about our range of finance Masters offered at York.
You'll complete taught core and option modules, and undertake an independent research project.
You'll learn a wide range of advanced mathematical, computational and research techniques, ideal for developing a career in mathematical finance or for further study in related fields. The programme will be of particular interest to students with a background in Mathematics or a closely-related subject.
After completing the programme, you will have acquired the knowledge and experience necessary to work in a trading or research and development role in quantitative finance industry or to embark on a PhD programme in Mathematical Finance or related fields.
You will study one option module. Examples can be found below. Some option module combinations may not be possible. The options available to you will be confirmed after you begin your course.
Our modules may change to reflect the latest academic thinking and expertise of our staff, and in line with Department/School academic planning.
You'll complete a piece of independent research or dissertation of up to 10,000 words, carried out over three months of the summer. It will offer you the chance to examine a topic in depth and to develop your academic research skills.
Every course at York is built on a distinctive set of learning outcomes. These will give you a clear understanding of what you will be able to accomplish at the end of the course and help you explain what you can offer employers. Our academics identify the knowledge, skills, and experiences you'll need upon graduation and then design the course to get you there.
| Study mode | UK (home) | International and EU |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time (1 year) | £16,810 | £33,700 |
Students on a Student Visa are not currently permitted to study part-time at York.
UK (home) or international fees? The level of fee that you will be asked to pay depends on whether you're classed as a UK (home) or international student. Check your fee status.
Find out more information about tuition fees and how to pay them.
Discover your funding options to help with tuition fees and living costs.
We'll confirm more funding opportunities for students joining us in 2025/26 throughout the year.
If you've successfully completed an undergraduate degree at York you could be eligible for a 10% Masters fee discount.
We are pleased to work with Chevening Scholars to offer funding for our Masters programmes. Chevening Scholarships provide one year of fully-funded postgraduate study in the UK for international (including EU) students. The scholarships are open to early and mid-career professionals who have the potential to become future leaders.
You can use our living costs guide to help plan your budget. It covers additional costs that are not included in your tuition fee such as expenses for accommodation and study materials.
You’ll work with world‐leading academics who’ll challenge you to think independently and excel in all that you do. Our approach to teaching will provide you with the knowledge, opportunities, and support you need to grow and succeed in a global workplace.
Our teaching is informed by the latest research, meaning you can focus on the latest ideas and models.
We use a wide range of teaching methods to suit different learning styles including:
For some modules you may also attend practical classes, computer laboratories or workshops.
Lectures are used to describe new concepts you will have to learn and problems classes put them into practice. Seminars are small, interactive sessions which allow us to focus on your individual needs. You'll be able to use our Virtual Learning Environment to supplement lectures and seminars.
While you're working on your project and your dissertation you'll have regular meetings with your academic supervisor who will offer advice and support. We will give you a supervisor with specialist knowledge of the area you're investigating.
You will be based at the Department of Mathematics on Campus West. Most of your small group teaching will take place in the Department's dedicated MSc seminar room (the Dusa McDuff room), with larger classes taking place close by in James College, Derwent College and elsewhere on Campus West.
You'll gain access to our schools' and departments' shared resources and financial databases, including:
Our beautiful green campus offers a student-friendly setting in which to live and study, within easy reach of the action in the city centre. It's easy to get around campus - everything is within walking or pedalling distance, or you can always use the fast and frequent bus service.
All taught modules are assessed by a combination of the following types of assessment:
The closed book written exam assesses your subject-specific knowledge through theoretical and practical questions, in an array of targeted and broad, open-ended problems. These require topic knowledge and the ability to recognise, compare and critically evaluate different knowledge areas.
The coursework and projects consist of problems and practical tasks that might require the use of software. You'll develop your subject knowledge and analytical skills as well as your ability to apply, implement and interpret theory.
Presentations are specifically designed to enhance your communication skills for a range of audiences, from subject experts to the general public.
In the independent study module, you'll conduct a piece of applied research. You'll continue to develop your critical reasoning and digital literacy skills, including programming. As this module is assessed with a dissertation, your training is rounded off by consistently working on your written communication skills.
Upon successful completion of this course, you can embark on careers in trading and pricing derivative financial securities (options, futures, forwards, and the like), fund management, risk management, research and development, or pursue further study to PhD level.
Find out more about career opportunities.
| Typical offer | |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate degree | 2:2 or equivalent in Mathematics or a relevant subject including certain science degrees. In certain cases, you may be required to complete the online pre-sessional course in Mathematical Foundations of Quantitative Finance with a final grade of at least 60%. If your undergraduate degree is in business, finance or economics with sufficiently strong mathematics background (equivalent to at least two years of university level mathematics courses), then we encourage you to apply also. We welcome students with recent degrees as well as those with work experience in related disciplines and professions. |
| Other international qualifications | Equivalent qualifications from your country |
If English isn't your first language you may need to provide evidence of your English language ability. We accept the following qualifications:
| Minimum requirement | |
|---|---|
| IELTS (Academic and Indicator) | 6.0, minimum 5.5 in each component |
| Cambridge CEFR | B2 First: 169, with no less than 162 in each component |
| Oxford ELLT | 6, minimum of 5 in each component |
| Duolingo | 105, minimum 95 in all other components |
| LanguageCert SELT | B2 with 33/50 in each component |
| LanguageCert Academic | 65 with a minimum of 60 in each component |
| Kaplan Test of English Language | 426-458, with 396-425 in all other components |
| Skills for English | B2: Pass with Merit overall, with Pass in each component |
| PTE Academic | 55, minimum 51 in each component |
| TOEFL | 79, minimum 17 in Listening, 18 in Reading, 20 in Speaking and 17 in Writing |
| Trinity ISE III | Pass in all components |
For more information see our postgraduate English language requirements.
You may be eligible for one of our pre-sessional English language courses. These courses will provide you with the level of English needed to meet the conditions of your offer.
The length of course you need to take depends on your current English language test scores and how much you need to improve to reach our English language requirements.
After you've accepted your offer to study at York, we'll confirm which pre-sessional course you should apply to via You@York.
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