Program Overview

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Program Overview

The BSc Financial Mathematics and Statistics program at the London School of Economics (LSE) is designed to provide students with a solid grounding in financial mathematics and statistics, as well as exploring the interrelationships between these two complementary disciplines.

Introduction

The business world is increasingly dominated by data, and there is a real demand for graduates with the right mathematical and statistical skills who can make sense of this data. This program meets that need by providing a comprehensive education in financial mathematics and statistics.

Preliminary Readings

• Mathematics as it is applied in economics and finance: M Anthony and N Biggs Mathematics for Economics and Finance (Cambridge University Press, 1996)
• Economics: T Harford The Undercover Economist (Oxford University Press, 2006)
• Mathematics:
  • L Alcock How to Study for a Mathematics Degree (Oxford University Press, 2013)
  • R Allenby Numbers and Proofs (Butterworth-Heinemann, 1997)
  • A Dilnot The Tiger That Isn't: Seeing Through a World of Numbers (Profile books, 2007)
  • P Eccles An Introduction to Mathematical Reasoning (Cambridge University Press, 1997)
  • T Gowers Mathematics: a very short introduction (Oxford University Press, 2002)
  • D Hand Statistics: a very short introduction (Oxford University Press, 2008)
  • M Liebeck A Concise Introduction to Pure Mathematics (Chapman & Hall/CRC Mathematics, 2005)

Entry Requirements

• Home students:
  • GCSEs: several GCSE grades at A (or 7) and A* (or 8-9), with a minimum of GCSE English Language and Mathematics grades at B (6) or higher
  • A-levels: AAA, with an A in Mathematics, and AS- or A-level Further Mathematics is expected to be taken and a grade A achieved
  • Contextual admissions A-level grades: AAB with an A in Mathematics
• Overseas students:
  • Select a country to find the equivalency to A-levels of your qualification
• Additional tests:
  • Applicants are encouraged to take the Test of Mathematics for University Admission (TMUA), although it is not mandatory

Programme Content

The program consists of 12 units over three years, plus LSE100.

• Year 1:
  • EC1A3: Microeconomics I (half unit)
  • EC1B3: Macroeconomics I (half unit)
  • ST102: Elementary Statistical Theory (one unit)
  • MA100: Mathematical Methods (one unit)
  • MA103: Introduction to Abstract Mathematics (one unit)
  • LSE100: The LSE Course (half unit)
• Year 2:
  • FM214: Principles of Finance I (half unit)
  • FM215: Principles of Finance II (half unit)
  • MA221: Further Mathematical Methods (Calculus) (half unit)
  • MA222: Further Mathematical Methods (Linear Algebra) (half unit)
  • ST202: Probability, Distribution Theory and Inference (one unit)
  • MA203: Real Analysis (half unit)
  • ST213: Introduction to Pricing, Hedging and Optimization (half unit)
• Year 3:
  • FM321: Risk Management and Modelling (half unit)
  • FM322: Derivatives (half unit)
  • MA323: Computational Methods in Financial Mathematics (half unit)
  • ST326: Financial Statistics (half unit)
  • One outside option
  • Choose two courses from the following:
    • MA321: Measure Theoretic Probability (half unit)
    • MA322: Mathematics of Finance and Valuation (half unit)
    • ST300: Regression and Generalised Linear Models (half unit)
    • ST302: Stochastic Processes (half unit)

Programme Regulations at LSE

For the latest list of courses, please go to the relevant School Calendar page.

Why Study with Us

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.

Meet the Department

The Department of Mathematics 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
• Mathematical game theory
• Financial and related mathematics
• Optimisation and algorithms

Why LSE

LSE is internationally recognised for teaching and research, and our academics have wide-ranging expertise. The university is ranked as follows:

• University of the Year 2025 and 1st in the UK (Times and The Sunday Times - Good University Guide 2025)
• 1st in London for the 14th year running (The Complete University Guide - University League Tables 2026)
• 6th In the world (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025)
• Carbon Neutral (In 2021, LSE became the first Carbon Neutral verified university in the UK)

Your Application

We consider each application carefully, taking into account all the details you’ve included on your UCAS form, such as:

• Academic achievement, including predicted and achieved grades
• Subjects and subject combinations
• Your personal statement
• Your teacher’s reference
• Educational circumstances

Fees and Funding

• Home student fee per each year of your programme: £9,535 (provisional 2026/27 tuition fee)
• Overseas student fee per each year of your programme: £35,700 (2026/27 fee)
• Fee status: Your tuition fees, and eligibility for any financial support, depend on whether you’re classified as a home or an overseas student
• Scholarships, bursaries and loans: LSE provides generous financial support, in the form of bursaries and scholarships, to UK, EU and overseas students

Learning and Assessment

• Teaching: You’ll usually attend two lectures and one related class for each course per week (eight lectures and four classes)
• Academic support: You’ll meet with your academic mentor regularly to discuss your work
• Your timetable: The standard teaching day runs from 9am to 6pm, Monday to Friday

How You Learn

• Format and contact hours: You’ll usually attend two lectures and one related class for each course per week (eight lectures and four classes)
• LSE teaching: All courses include seminars, classes and/or computer workshops to help you develop a deeper understanding of concepts and methods introduced in lectures

How You're Assessed

• Formative coursework: This helps you prepare for summative assessment
• Summative assessment: This assessment counts towards your final course mark and degree award

Graduate Destinations

Recent graduates have gone on to work in the areas of corporate finance, accountancy, management, and banking. Many have pursued graduate study in areas related to mathematics, economics, or both.

Overview

• Median salary of our undergraduate students 15 months after graduating: £52,000
• Top 5 sectors our students work in:
  • Financial and Professional Services
  • Accounting and Auditing
  • Information, Digital Technology and Data
  • Consultancy
  • Education, Teaching and Research

Career Support

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.

Discover Uni

Every undergraduate programme of more than one year duration will have Discover Uni data. The data allows you to compare information about individual programmes at different higher education institutions.

Find Out More

• Related programmes:
  • BSc Economics
  • BSc Mathematics and Economics
  • BSc Mathematics with Economics
  • BSc Finance
  • BSc Mathematics, Statistics and Business
  • BSc Econometrics and Mathematical Economics
  • BSc Mathematics with Data Science
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  • Student life
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  • Accommodation
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