Mathematics and Finance

Entry requirements

We will consider all applicants with 2:2 or above, or equivalent international qualifications. For some courses, there may be additional requirements which can be found on our website.

Months of entry

October

Course content

Our Postgraduate Diploma in Mathematics and Finance produces graduates with a sound mathematics and finance background, and with the necessary skills like computing, use of algorithms and analysing data, to be applied to problems arising in finance. Postgraduate Diplomas last for six to nine months (full-time) and include the modules and assessed work of a Masters, without a dissertation. This allows you to proceed to a Masters in mathematics if your undergraduate degree was in a different subject. In recent years, finance has been one of the areas where high-calibre mathematicians have been in great demand. With the advent of powerful and yet economically accessible computing, online trading has become a common activity, but many have realised that a certain amount of mathematics is necessary to be successful in such fields. You explore topics including: Models and mathematics in portfolio management Risk management in modern banking Financial modelling Actuarial modelling Applied statistics Our interdisciplinary research recognises that mathematics, including what can be very abstract mathematics, is an essential part of research in many other disciplines. Our Department of Mathematical Sciences has an international reputation in many areas including semi-group theory, optimisation, probability, applied statistics, bioinformatics and mathematical biology. We are genuinely innovative and student-focused. Our research groups are working on a broad range of collaborative areas tackling real-world issues. Here are a few examples: Our data scientists carefully consider how not to lie, and how not to get lied to with data. Interpreting data correctly is especially important because much of our data science research is applied directly or indirectly to social policies, including health, care and education. We do practical research with financial data (for example, assessing the risk of collapse of the UK’s banking system) as well as theoretical research in financial instruments such as insurance policies or asset portfolios. We also research how physical processes develop in time and space. Applications of this range from modelling epilepsy to modelling electronic cables. Our optimisation experts work out how to do the same job with less resource, or how to do more with the same resource. Our pure maths group are currently working on two new funded projects entitled ‘Machine learning for recognising tangled 3D objects’ and ‘Searching for gems in the landscape of cyclically presented groups’. We also do research into mathematical education and use exciting technologies such as electroencephalography or eye tracking to measure exactly what a learner is feeling. Our research aims to encourage the implementation of ‘the four Cs’ of modern education, which are critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity.

Information for international students

Entry requirements - You can find international entry requirements for most countries on our webpage www.essex.ac.uk/international. If your country is not listed, please contact Postgraduate Admissions at pgadmit@essex.ac.uk.

Fees and funding

There are a wide range of funding options for postgraduate study, including scholarships, bursaries and alumni discounts. You can check your eligibility at https://www.essex.ac.uk/postgraduate/masters/fees-and-funding.