MSc in Applied Statistics in Finance

Program Overview

This conversion Master's in Applied Statistics equips students with the practical skills in data analysis and statistics to pursue a wide range of careers. Students will learn foundational statistics concepts and then focus on applications in business, finance, medicine, and other fields. They will work on real-life data sets and learn to communicate their findings through technical reports and presentations.

Program Outline

Outline:

• Semester 1:
• Data dashboards with Rshiny (10 credits)
• Foundations of Probability & Statistics (20 credits)
• Data Analytics in R (20 credits)
• Experimental Design (10 credits)
• Multivariate Analysis (10 credits)
• Semester 2:
• Compulsory:
• Financial Econometrics (10 credits)
• Financial Stochastic Processes (10 credits)
• Optional:
• Medical Statistics (20 credits)
• Quantitative Risk Analysis (10 credits)
• Bayesian Spatial Statistics (10 credits)
• Effective Statistical Consultancy (10 credits)
• Survey Design & Analysis (10 credits)
• Business Analytics (10 credits)
• Research project (60 credits):
• Students work on a real-life data set, putting their theoretical skills into practice.

Assessment:

• The assessment varies from class to class.
• Most classes involve both coursework and examinations.
• The assessment asks students to demonstrate their statistical knowledge and skills to analyze real-world data and interpret the results in the context of the research question.
• Projects involve writing code, interpreting statistical outputs, and producing a report or presentation outlining the findings from the analysis.
• Group work may be undertaken in some classes.

Teaching:

• Classes are delivered through a variety of methods:
• Lectures
• Tutorials
• Computer laboratories
• Coursework
• Projects
• Teaching is student-focused, with students encouraged to take responsibility for their own learning and development.
• Classes are supported by web-based materials.

Careers:

• Graduates from the MSc Applied Statistics programme have gone on to be employed in a number of different sectors such as:
• Clinical Trials Statistician
• Data Analyst
• Associate Statistician
• Biostatistician
• Statistician
• Medical Statistician
• Credit Risk Analyst
• Statistical Analyst
• Data Scientist
• PhD studentship in social sciences

Other:

• The program is a conversion course, offering the opportunity to develop skills in statistics and data analysis even if you have never studied statistics before.
• The program is supported by members of staff who work directly with industry to develop skills which are relevant to current areas of research including population health and medicine, animal and plant health, finance and business.
• The program is fast-paced, bringing students up to speed with the necessary practical skills in a very short time period.