Start date
September 2025
View semester dates
View semester dates
Length
1 year full-time
MSc Financial Engineering
Use applied mathematics to analyse complex economic issues and financial markets
Year of entry: 2025 (September)
Take advantage of multidisciplinary expertise as you combine applied and computational mathematics with econometrics and quantitative finance.
Led by the Department of Mathematics, the MSc Financial Engineering is part of our uniquely multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary suite of finance Masters programmes. These programmes together expertise from the Department of Mathematics and the Department of Economics and Related Studies.
Discover contemporary tools, methods and approaches to tackle applied, professional and academic challenges in finance.
We'll train you in core skills for financial engineering, and you'll learn to use the key mathematical models that are fundamental to analysing financial issues. Our option modules will allow you to explore the topics in finance that you are particularly interested in.
Our expert tutors will help you to lay the foundations for a career as a quantitative analyst in top financial institutions, as well as opening opportunities in other careers involving financial management or analysis.
This intensive course is featured on RiskNet.
At the University of York we offer a number of different courses as part of our finance suite, including general, focused and specialised programmes. Learn more about our range of finance Masters offered at York.
Course content
You'll develop your skills and knowledge in econometrics and quantitative finance alongside applied and computational mathematics, guided by experienced and enthusiastic lecturers from the Departments of Mathematics and Economics.
You'll benefit from cutting-edge expertise across a wide range of disciplines in the field of financial engineering. Our course will equip you for a role in fund management, insurance, the actuarial profession, taxation, or for further study at PhD level. You'll be able to use use the financial mathematical language and tools that underpin a wide range of applications in science, technology and industry.
Modules
Core modules
- Theory of Finance
- Financial Econometrics
- Mathematical Methods of Finance
- Time Series Econometrics
- Computational Finance with Python
- Stochastic Calculus & Black Scholes Theory
Our modules may change to reflect the latest academic thinking and expertise of our staff, and in line with Department/School academic planning.
Learning outcomes
Every course at York is built on a distinctive set of learning outcomes. These will give you a clear understanding of what you will be able to accomplish at the end of the course and help you explain what you can offer employers. Our academics identify the knowledge, skills, and experiences you'll need upon graduation and then design the course to get you there.
Learning outcomes for this course
- Evaluate complex and unpredictable financial problems and formulate effective strategies to resolve them using financial mathematical investigation techniques
- Proficiently deploy mathematical, financial, and computational languages and tools to address real world financial problems, including working flexibly with specific mathematical and statistical software
- Critically analyse mathematical, theoretical, and financial models and statements to determine their validity with the aim of revising and adapting them to various contexts in an informed and well-reasoned fashion
- Identify and adapt appropriate statistical models to analyse econometric data with the aim of determining patterns of unpredictable stochastic shocks and predicting potential future financial outcomes
- Communicate technical information clearly, combining expert and proficient use of mathematical, statistical, and financial terminology with more intuitive summaries of complex concepts for any non-expert readers
- Handle different disciplinary and professional contexts through adapting formal mathematical and computation logic to financial and statistical applications
- Research selected topics of current interest in Financial Engineering in depth; link recent theoretical developments with modern financial market practice.
Fees and funding
Annual tuition fees for 2025/26
| Study mode | UK (home) | International and EU |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time (1 year) | £16,810 | £33,700 |
Students on a Student Visa are not currently permitted to study part-time at York.
Fees information
UK (home) or international fees? The level of fee that you will be asked to pay depends on whether you're classed as a UK (home) or international student. Check your fee status.
Find out more information about tuition fees and how to pay them.
Funding information
Discover your funding options to help with tuition fees and living costs.
We'll confirm more funding opportunities for students joining us in 2025/26 throughout the year.
If you've successfully completed an undergraduate degree at York you could be eligible for a 10% Masters fee discount.
Funding opportunities
Chevening Scholarships
We are pleased to work with Chevening Scholars to offer funding for our Masters programmes. Chevening Scholarships provide one year of fully-funded postgraduate study in the UK for international (including EU) students. The scholarships are open to early and mid-career professionals who have the potential to become future leaders.
Teaching and assessment
Teaching format
Our teaching is informed by the latest research, meaning you can focus on the latest ideas and models.
We use a wide range of teaching methods including:
- lectures
- problem classes
- seminars
- tutorials
For some modules you may also attend practical classes, computer laboratories or workshops.
Lectures describe new concepts you will have to learn, and in problems classes you'll put them into practice. Seminars are small, interactive sessions which allow us to focus on your individual needs. You'll be able to use our Virtual Learning Environment to supplement lectures and seminars.
While you're working on your project and your dissertation you'll have regular meetings with your academic supervisor who will offer advice and support. We aim to give you a supervisor with specialist knowledge of the area you're investigating.
Teaching location
The course is taught by the Department of Economics and Related Studies and the Department of Mathematics. Your teaching will take place in both departments on Campus West.
You'll gain access to our schools' and departments' shared resources and financial databases, including:
About our campus
Our beautiful green campus offers a student-friendly setting in which to live and study, within easy reach of the action in the city centre. It's easy to get around campus - everything is within walking or pedalling distance, or you can always use the fast and frequent bus service.
Assessment and feedback
Taught modules are assessed by a combination of the following types of assessment:
- closed book written exam
- coursework
- projects
The closed book written exam assesses your subject-specific knowledge through theoretical and practical questions, in an array of targeted and broad, open-ended problems. These require topic knowledge and the ability to recognise, compare and critically evaluate different knowledge areas.
The coursework and projects consist of problems and practical tasks that might require the use of software. You'll develop your subject knowledge and analytical skills as well as your ability to apply, implement and interpret theory.
Presentations are specifically designed to enhance your communication skills for a range of audiences, from subject experts to the general public.
In the independent study module, you'll conduct a piece of applied research. You'll continue to develop your critical reasoning and digital literacy skills, including programming. As this module is assessed with a dissertation, your training is rounded off by consistently working on your written communication skills.
Careers and skills
This course will build the foundations necessary for a successful career as a quantitative analyst in top financial institutions worldwide. It is also an ideal basis for progression to a PhD.
Career opportunities
- Analyst at a securities company
- Financial advisor at a bank
- Quantitative investment analyst
- Financial product manager
- Quantitative strategy researcher
- Teacher in higher education
Transferable skills
- Time management
- Logic and reasoning
- Analytical thinking
- Practical problem-solving
- Communication skills
Entry requirements
| Qualification | Typical offer |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate degree | 2:2 or equivalent in a discipline with sufficient background in mathematical sciences, economics and finance. In certain cases, you may be required to complete the online pre-sessional course in Mathematical Foundations of Quantitative Finance with a final grade of at least 60%. |
| Other qualifications and experience | Professional experience in quantitative finance will be an advantage, but not a prerequisite, and can compensate to some extent for limited formal training. |
| Other international qualifications | Equivalent qualifications from your country |
English language
If English isn't your first language you may need to provide evidence of your English language ability. We accept the following qualifications:
| Qualification | Minimum requirement |
|---|---|
| IELTS (Academic and Indicator) | 6.0, minimum 5.5 in each component |
| Cambridge CEFR | B2 First: 169, with no less than 162 in each component |
| Oxford ELLT | 7, minimum of 6 in each component |
| Oxford Test of English Advanced | 126, minimum 116 in each component |
| Duolingo | 105, minimum 95 in all other components |
| GCSE/IGCSE/O level English Language (as a first or second language) | C or above |
| LanguageCert SELT | B2 with 33/50 in each component |
| LanguageCert Academic | 65 with a minimum of 60 in each component |
| Kaplan Test of English Language | 444-477, with 410-443 in all other components |
| Skills for English | B2: Pass with Merit overall, with Pass in each component |
| PTE Academic | 61, minimum 55 in each component |
| TOEFL | 79, minimum 17 in Listening, 18 in Reading, 20 in Speaking and 17 in Writing |
| Trinity ISE III | Pass in each component |
For more information see our postgraduate English language requirements.
If you haven't met our English language requirements
You may be eligible for one of our pre-sessional English language courses. These courses will provide you with the level of English needed to meet the conditions of your offer.
The length of course you need to take depends on your current English language test scores and how much you need to improve to reach our English language requirements.
After you've accepted your offer to study at York, we'll confirm which pre-sessional course you should apply to via You@York.
Next steps
Contact us
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