Actuarial Science

Financial Mathematics - BSc (Hons)
with a Year in Industry

This is an archived course for 2021 entry
2023 courses

Our modern world is heavily reliant on financial markets. Financial institutions depend on skilled individuals to manage their portfolios, applying mathematical modelling, statistical analysis and the problem-solving know-how of mathematics graduates.

Overview

Our Year in Industry programme enables you to gain paid industry experience in addition to being taught by our internationally-renowned mathematicians, statisticians and actuaries to ensure you are fully prepared for your future career.

You will be encouraged to fulfil your potential whilst studying in our friendly and dynamic school based in the multi-award-winning Sibson Building.

Our degree programme

To help bridge the gap between school and university, you’ll attend small group tutorials in Stage 1, where you can practice the new mathematics you’ll be learning, ask questions and work with other students to find solutions. You’ll study a mixture of pure and applied mathematics, statistics and economics, providing you with a solid foundation for your later studies.

In Stage 2, you study some core modules which build upon the material learnt at Stage 1. You also start to tailor your degree to your interests through our range of optional modules.

Throughout Stages 1 and 2, you attend specialist programme of workshops and events designed to ensure you have the best possible opportunity of securing a placement. Our in-house Placements Team will support you throughout the process. If you successfully secure a placement, you will spend a year working between Stages 2 and 3.

In Stage 3 you return from your placement and continue to explore the areas you enjoy through a mixture of core and optional modules.

Foundation year

If your grades do not qualify you for direct entry to this programme, you may be able to take a four-year degree with a foundation year. For more details see Mathematics including a Foundation Year.

Study resources

You have access to a range of professional mathematical and statistical software such as:

  • Maple
  • MATLAB
  • Minitab.

Our staff use these packages in their teaching and research.

Extra activities

The School of Mathematics and Actuarial Science Student Society is run by students. It aims to improve the student experience for its members, socially and academically. In previous years the Society has organised:

  • talks and workshops
  • extra revision sessions
  • socials and networking events.
  • seminars and workshops employability events.

The School of Mathematics, Statistics and Actuarial Science also puts on regular events that you are welcome to attend. In the past, these have included:

  • seminars and workshops
  • employability events.

Featured video

Financial Mathematics student in a Sibson Building lecture room

Entry requirements

Please also see our general entry requirements.

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    A level

    ABB including Maths at A but excluding Use of Maths.

    If taking both A level Mathematics and A level Further Mathematics:

    ABC including Maths at A and Further Maths at B but excluding Use of Maths.

  • medal-empty Access to HE Diploma

    The University will not necessarily make conditional offers to all Access candidates but will continue to assess them on an individual basis. 

    If we make you an offer, you will need to obtain/pass the overall Access to Higher Education Diploma and may also be required to obtain a proportion of the total level 3 credits and/or credits in particular subjects at merit grade or above.

  • medal-empty BTEC Nationals

    The University will consider applicants holding BTEC National Diploma and Extended National Diploma Qualifications (QCF; NQF; OCR) on a case-by-case basis. Please contact us for further advice on your individual circumstances.

  • medal-empty International Baccalaureate

    34 points overall or 16 points at HL including Mathematics or Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches 6 at HL

  • medal-empty International Foundation Programme

    N/A

International students should visit our International Student website for further specific information. International fee-paying students who require a Student visa cannot study part-time due to visa restrictions.

English Language Requirements

Please see our English language entry requirements web page.

If you need to improve your English language standard as a condition of your offer, you can attend one of our pre-sessional courses in English for Academic Purposes before starting your degree programme. You attend these courses before starting your degree programme.

Course structure

Duration: 4 years full-time

The course structure below gives a flavour of the modules that will be available to you and provides details of the content of this programme. This listing is based on the current curriculum and may change year to year in response to new curriculum developments and innovation. Most programmes will require you to study a combination of compulsory and optional modules.

Year in industry

The year in industry included in this programme provides you with the opportunity to gain valuable work experience. We can help you to find a placement and support you while you are there.

Fees

The 2021/22 annual tuition fees for this programme are:

  • Home full-time TBC
  • International full-time TBC

For details of when and how to pay fees and charges, please see our Student Finance Guide.

For students continuing on this programme, fees will increase year on year by no more than RPI + 3% in each academic year of study except where regulated.* 

Your fee status

The University will assess your fee status as part of the application process. If you are uncertain about your fee status you may wish to seek advice from UKCISA before applying.

Fees for Year in Industry

Fees for Home undergraduates are £1,385.

Fees for Year Abroad

Fees for Home undergraduates are £1,385.

Students studying abroad for less than one academic year will pay full fees according to their fee status. 

Additional costs

General additional costs

Find out more about accommodation and living costs, plus general additional costs that you may pay when studying at Kent.

Funding

We have a range of subject-specific awards and scholarships for academic, sporting and musical achievement.

Search scholarships

University funding

Kent offers generous financial support schemes to assist eligible undergraduate students during their studies. See our funding page for more details. 

Government funding

You may be eligible for government finance to help pay for the costs of studying. See the Government's student finance website.

Scholarships

General scholarships

Scholarships are available for excellence in academic performance, sport and music and are awarded on merit. For further information on the range of awards available and to make an application see our scholarships website.

The Kent Scholarship for Academic Excellence

At Kent we recognise, encourage and reward excellence. We have created the Kent Scholarship for Academic Excellence. 

The scholarship will be awarded to any applicant who achieves a minimum of A*AA over three A levels, or the equivalent qualifications (including BTEC and IB) as specified on our scholarships pages.

Teaching and assessment

Teaching amounts to approximately 16 hours of lectures and classes per week. Modules that involve programming or working with computer software packages usually include practical sessions.

The majority of Stage 1 modules are assessed by end-of-year examinations. Many Stage 2 and 3 modules include coursework which normally counts for 20% of the final assessment. Both Stage 2 and 3 marks count towards your final degree result.

Contact hours

For a student studying full time, each academic year of the programme will comprise 1200 learning hours which include both direct contact hours and private study hours.  The precise breakdown of hours will be subject dependent and will vary according to modules.  Please refer to the individual module details under Course Structure.

Methods of assessment will vary according to subject specialism and individual modules.  Please refer to the individual module details under Course Structure.

Programme aims

The programme aims to:

  • instil in students the technical appreciation, skills and knowledge required by graduates in financial mathematics
  • develop students’ abilities for rigorous reasoning and precise expression, and formulate and solve problems relevant to financial mathematics
  • encourage an appreciation of recent developments in financial mathematics, and the links between theory and practical application
  • encourage a logical, mathematical approach to solving problems
  • develop an enhanced capacity for independent thought and work
  • ensure students are competent in the use of information technology, and are familiar with computers and the relevant software
  • provide opportunities to study advanced topics in financial mathematics, engage in research, and develop communication and personal skills
  • instil awareness of the application of technical concepts in the workplace (for students undertaking a year in industry).

Learning outcomes

Knowledge and understanding

You gain knowledge and understanding of:

  • core mathematical skills in the principles of calculus, algebra, mathematical methods, discrete mathematics, analysis and linear algebra
  • statistical aspects of probability and inference
  • information technology skills relevant to mathematicians
  • methods and techniques appropriate to financial mathematics
  • logical mathematical argument and deductive reasoning.

Intellectual skills

You develop intellectual skills in the following areas:

  • the ability to demonstrate a reasonable understanding of knowledge in financial mathematics
  • calculation and manipulation of the material within the programme
  • application of concepts and principles in various contexts relevant to financial mathematics
  • a capacity for logical argument
  • problem solving by various methods
  • computer skills
  • the capacity to work with relatively little guidance.

Subject-specific skills

You gain subject-specific skills to:

  • demonstrate knowledge of key mathematical concepts and topics, both explicitly and by applying them to the solution of problems
  • comprehend problems, abstract the essentials of problems and formulate them mathematically and in symbolic form to facilitate their analysis and solution
  • use computational and more general IT facilities as an aid to mathematical processes
  • present mathematical arguments and the conclusions from them with clarity and accuracy.

Transferable skills

You gain transferable skills in the following:

  • problem-solving in relation to qualitative and quantitative information
  • effective communication
  • numeracy and computational abilities
  • information retrieval in relation to primary and secondary information sources, including online computer searches
  • computer skills, such as word-processing and spreadsheet use, internet communication
  • time-management and organisational skills: the ability to plan and implement efficient and effective modes of working
  • continuing professional development.

Independent rankings

Mathematics at Kent scored 91% overall in The Complete University Guide 2021.

For graduate prospects, Mathematics at Kent was ranked 3rd for graduate prospects in The Complete University Guide 2021.

Careers

The practical experience you gain with this year in industry option gives you a real advantage in the graduate job market. Through your studies, you also acquire many transferable skills including the ability to deal with challenging ideas, think critically, write well and present your ideas clearly, all of which are considered essential by graduate employers.

Recent graduates from the School have gone into careers in medical statistics, the pharmaceutical industry, the aerospace industry, software development, teaching, actuarial work, Civil Service statistics, chartered accountancy, the oil industry and postgraduate research.

Apply for Financial Mathematics with a Year in Industry - BSc (Hons)

This course page is for the 2021/22 academic year. Please visit the current online prospectus for a list of undergraduate courses we offer.

Contact us

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United Kingdom/EU enquiries

T: +44 (0)1227 816410

E: smsasugadmissions@kent.ac.uk

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International student enquiries

Enquire online

T: +44 (0)1227 823254
E: internationalstudent@kent.ac.uk

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