Bachelor of Science (Financial Mathematics and Economics)

Course Overview

The BSc in Financial Mathematics and Economics (BSc in FME programme is a four-year degree programme consisting of courses in mathematics, economics, statistics/probability, applied mathematics, accounting and business finance, and computer science. The programme’s aim is to equip students with expertise in quantitative subjects, with a particular focus on financial economics, actuarial mathematics and statistics. There is a high demand from financial institutions for well-qualified students with quantitative skills, and in an expanding market, highly numerate professionals are being sought, particularly in the areas of insurance, investment and finance. Typically in such employment, you would be predicting the long-term financial consequences of current and past decisions, taking account of various risk factors, and designing solutions to problems that involve financial risk or uncertainty.

The degree should appeal to people who enjoy mathematics and are interested in studying economics and other subjects in the financial area. (Please note that you do not have to study economics for the Leaving Certificate to be admitted to this course. This degree has an advantage over other programmes, including specialised actuarial programmes, as it is broad and suits students not yet ready to specialise. The course is administered jointly by the College of Science and Engineering and the College of Business, Public Policy and Law. The entry requirements of either college may be applied, according to whichever is more advantageous to the applicant.

There are excellent employment opportunities for graduates. The demand from employers for well-qualified students with knowledge of how financial markets operate and how to use quantitative techniques to make informed investment decisions is substantial. The employment prospects from this degree programme are excellent, with challenging and financially rewarding opportunities in many different areas. These include:

Financial services – opportunities for graduates exist right across the financial services sector, in investment, corporate and private banking, in currency trading, in credit risk and in management of hedge funds. Some of the world’s leading financial firms have hired our graduates, including Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, Merrill Lynch and Credit Suisse.

Actuarial profession– graduates can embark on a career as an actuary, working primarily in pensions, life & genernal insurance and investments. Some of our graduates in recent years have gone on to complete postgraduate actuarial studies and other graduates have gone directly to positions as trainee actuaries."

This programme can provide up to 3 actuarial exam exemptions, namely: Actuarial Mathematics (CM1), Actuarial Statistics (CS1), Business Economics (CB2).

Actuarial_exemption_information_June_2023

Other areas – opportunities for our graduates exist in government departments and other public sector bodies, where they play key roles on issues affecting the national economy. In recent years, graduates have been hired by the Department of Finance, the Central Bank of Ireland, the Bank of England and the National Treasury Management Agency (NTMA). Moreover, because of their strong numeracy skills, graduates have also secured employment in a wide variety of different areas, for example, as economists, in accountancy, tax and law, in management consultancy and even as a sports odds compiler.