BSc Mathematics with Finance and Investment Banking with International Foundation Year - September Entry

Compulsory modules 

Academic Skills 

Enhance your academic study and communication skills while gradually building confidence and mastering transferable abilities. Engage in various in-class group activities and individual study tasks to develop these skills effectively.

Core Mathematics 

Learn the techniques required to analyse and solve a variety of mathematical problems. You'll gain general mathematical skills as well as skills that are more related to your degree programme. 

Quantitative Methods 

Discover the techniques required to analyse and solve a variety of statistical problems. You'll gain general theoretical skills as well as numerical skills that are more related to your degree programme.

Physics 

Gain deeper, transferable knowledge and understanding of the major concepts of physics such as: the atomic structure and phases of matter, thermodynamics, electric fields and potentials, mechanical forces, work and energy, and the principles of simple periodic motion. You’ll also learn to apply both mathematical and physical concepts to solve advanced problems.

Further Mathematics 

Gain a solid grounding in the aspects of vectors and matrices, kinematics of motion, advanced integration techniques and differential equations at A-level standard. You’ll develop a foundational understand of the key mathematic concepts required for future study throughout your degree. 

Optional modules 

Academic English 1

Develop the necessary basis in English for study at undergraduate level. You’ll develop key skills and a perspective on a range of contemporary topics that will equip you for study throughout your degree. 

Academic English 2 

Develop your competence in the use of English for academic purposes. You’ll be provided with the necessary linguistic foundation for your degree as you learn to use academic sources in a written and spoken context. 

Foundation Economics - Microeconomics 

Discover how individuals and companies allocate and utilise resources. You’ll learn the neoclassical model of demand and supply, markets failures and the behaviour of firms. 

Foundation Economics - Macroeconomics 

Learn models and theories used by economists to understand the performance of the economy. You’ll develop basic mathematical and statistical skills and apply these to economic decision making.

An Introduction to Business and Management 

Develop your ability to think critically and argue persuasively in business and management contexts. You'll learn basic business and management theory such as entrepreneurship, business planning, marketing, human resource management, finance and accounting.

Foundation Statistics and Data Science 

Gain an introduction to statistics and data science, and develop key theoretical, practical, and numerical skills to help you succeed in your future undergraduate studies. 

These are the modules that we currently offer for 2024/25 entry. They may be subject to change as we regularly review our module offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Please note that the University cannot guarantee that all optional modules will be available to all students who may wish to take them.

You can also register your details with us to receive information about your course of interest and study and life at the University of Reading.

Compulsory modules

Calculus 

Extend your existing knowledge of calculus into two or more dimensions, exploring techniques of ordinary differential equations of the first and second order and learning how programming has mathematical applications.

Foundations of Mathematics 

Gain a solid introduction to fundamental topics in mathematics and develop the necessary skills to study mathematics at university-level. You’ll focus on the concept of sets, functions and various familiar number systems, as well as the importance of proofs and how to construct them.

Linear Algebra

Learn how to solve systems of linear equations, determine eigenvalues and eigenvectors, and develop the algebra of matrices which are used as a stepping-stone to the more general theory of liner and inner-product spaces.

Probability and Statistics 

Understand probability and probability distributions, results and techniques for statistical reference and data science, and regression and hypothesis testing.

Introductory Securities and Markets

Explore financial institutions, credit risk, maturity transformation and liquidity, plus the economics of banking and types of money including cryptocurrencies and central bank digital currencies. Focus on sustainable finance and its important contribution to achieving Net Zero by 2050. 

Introductory Finance/Trading Simulation I

Get an overview of the role the financial system plays in the economy. Discuss the main players in the system, the instruments they trade, and the trading prices. Focus on capital markets and the private and public financial institutions participating in these markets.

Real Analysis I

Explore mathematical analysis concepts including inequalities, sequences, series and functions.

These are the modules that we currently offer for 2024/25 entry. They may be subject to change as we regularly review our module offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Please note that the University cannot guarantee that all optional modules will be available to all students who may wish to take them.

You can also register your details with us to receive information about your course of interest and study and life at the University of Reading.

Compulsory modules 

Mathematical Modelling and Professional Skills 

Develop your problem-solving and independent research skills by applying mathematical modelling techniques to solve real-world problems across a broad range of scientific, engineering and economical areas. You’ll also expand your team-working, presentation, career management, technical, verbal and written communication skills.

Differential Equations

Build on your knowledge of ordinary differential equations and explore partial differential equations and their applications. You’ll explore non-constant coefficients, integral and series solutions, Fourier series, the theory of boundary value problems, diffusion equations, wave equations and Laplace’s equation.

Numerical Analysis I

Describe, analyse and implement numerical methods for problems in continuous mathematics, including solution of linear equations and nonlinear scalar equations, interpolation, scalar optimisation and solution of ordinary differential equations.

Financial Modelling

Put finance theories, that you studied during Part 1 Introductory Finance, into practice with the use of Microsoft Excel functions, giving you the opportunity to apply your theoretical knowledge to solve some real-life financial problems.

Optional modules

Trends in Finance 

Contextualise current issues and debates in finance by placing them in the historical evolution of finance. Understand how finance has evolved over time and where it may develop in the future.

Sustainable Finance 

Learn about the basics of Sustainable Finance, covering applications in financing and investment activities. You'll explore the Environmental, Social and Governance factors, and will discuss the relevant policies and international regulations.

Fx and International Debt Markets

Study the international debt markets, equip yourself with the tools to analyse and compare products, and determine trading and hedging strategies. Develop an understanding of the products and practices of international money and bond market cash instruments and bond futures.

Linear Models and Data Analysis 

Gain understanding of the most common models, including multiple linear regression and completely randomised designs, and explore the key principles of planned experiments. Learn how models are applied to practical problems and gain experience of real-life data analysis.

These are the modules that we currently offer for 2024/25 entry. They may be subject to change as we regularly review our module offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Please note that the University cannot guarantee that all optional modules will be available to all students who may wish to take them.

You can also register your details with us to receive information about your course of interest and study and life at the University of Reading.

Compulsory modules 

Portfolio of Projects

Conduct a series of projects on mathematical or statistical topics and develop your technical and professional skills.

Derivative Securities

Explore derivatives markets and their products through theories and practical trading strategies. Become equipped with the essential knowledge to continue studying the advanced derivatives pricing model and practising trading with derivatives.

Advanced Statistical Modelling

Develop an understanding of situations in which different models are likely to be appropriate, learning more about generalised linear models, repeated measurement data, and traditional and modern approaches to data analysis.

Optional modules 

Asymptotic Methods

Discover the basic ideas of asymptotic analysis and further develop your skills in solving a range of problems involving nonlinear equations, integrals and differential equations.

Applied Stochastic Processes

Learn how to solve problems using stochastic processes and concepts from a variety of applications, including molecular motion, population dynamics, weather and finances.

Partial Differential Equation and Applications 

Examine partial differential equations and how they appear in practical applications and natural phenomena, in particular fluid mechanics, water waves and wave scattering theory.

Numerical Analysis II 

Motivate, develop and analyse a range of algorithms for the approximate solution of problems of continuous mathematics and techniques in numerical linear algebra.

Summer Placement

Gain experience applying for, and completing, a summer work placement or internship with an employer.

Private Equity and Venture Capital 

Develop your appreciation of the practical aspects of investing by private equity and venture capital firms, understand the dynamics between the venture capital investor and the entrepreneur, and the practicalities of raising private equity and venture capital funds from institutional investors. 

Finance and Occupational Pensions

Gain a detailed knowledge of the biggest group of global institutional investors (pension schemes), and the real-world problems they face. This is an applied course with little mathematical content.

Fintech and Cryptocurrencies

Learn about fintech, cryptocurrencies, and blockchain. Gain an understanding of how and why firms are implementing blockchain technology in their day-to-day business as well as the challenges they face.  

Number Theory and Cryptography

Explore a range of topics within number theory and cryptography, including the RSA cryptosystem and error correcting codes.

Dynamical Systems and Applications 

Analyse dynamical systems and their applications to real-world problems. You’ll explore systems of linear and nonlinear differential equations, and understand how they’re applied to biological issues such as population growth, cell systems, and the spread of infectious diseases.

Methods of Machine Learning

Gain familiarity with the range of methods used in statistical machine learning and demonstrate how these are used in research and industry. You’ll have the opportunity to implement machine learning methods using statistical software and interpret and communicate your findings.

These are the modules that we currently offer for 2024/25 entry. They may be subject to change as we regularly review our module offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Please note that the University cannot guarantee that all optional modules will be available to all students who may wish to take them.

You can also register your details with us to receive information about your course of interest and study and life at the University of Reading.