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Financial Mathematics

Degree Awarded: Bachelor of Science (Honours)
Program Website: ryerson.ca/science/programs/undergraduate/financialmathematics (opens in new window) 
Administered by: Department of Mathematics
Program Format: Full-time, four-year program.
Full-time, five-year co-op program.

The world of finance is fast-paced and competitive, and the graduates from the Financial Mathematics program will be trained to drive our economy forward by being able to leverage cash flow and create wealth. This program provides advanced expertise in mathematics to enable students to analyze markets, manage investments and evaluate risk. Besides studies in class, the Financial Mathematics program is augmented with opportunities such as work placement, research opportunities, practical investing experience and real-world case studies on current issues within the financial industry.

O.S.S.D. with six Grade 12 U/M courses, including Grade 12 U courses in: English, Advanced Functions (MHF4U), one of Calculus and Vectors (MCV4U) or Mathematics of Data Management (MDM4U), and one of Biology (SBI4U) or Chemistry (SCH4U) or Physics (SPH4U).

Notes:

  1. ENG4U/EAE4U is the preferred English.
  2. The grade(s) required in the subject prerequisites (normally in the range of 70 percent) will be determined subject to competition.
  3. Completion of Grade 12 U Physics (SPH4U) is strongly recommended.
  4. Subject to competition, candidates may be required to present averages/grades above the minimum.

First-year studies will consist of classes in modern mathematics, financial accounting, managerial finance and computer science. In subsequent years, students take courses in calculus, geometry, dynamic systems, differential equations, probability and statistics, investment analysis, microeconomics, computational methods, numerical analysis, stochastic calculations, investment analysis, applied linear algebra, and financial risk management.

All students in science programs must enrol in SCI 180 in their first semester of studies.

Our graduates go on to pursue careers with private companies or government in roles such as investment professional, auditor, accountant, financial manager, business service manager, systems analyst, computer programmer or mathematician.

Research Practicum

SCI 999 - Research Practicum gives students the chance to gain hands-on research experience, in a lab or in the field, by engaging in the research work of a faculty member. Ryerson records participation in the practicum on the student’s Official Transcript.

SCI 999 is a non-credit, pass-fail course that is not used to fulfil degree program requirements. Students who meet the expectations for the research will get a passing grade. These expectations will be worked out between the student and the professor at enrolment. To take part in SCI 999, students must have a CGPA of 2.5 or more, and they must commit to a minimum of 5 to 10 hours each week (on average) for one term.

There are no tuition fees associated with this practicum.

How to Enrol

  1. Students must first find a supervisor. Descriptions of faculty research are available on the Faculty of Science website (opens in new window) .
  2. Students should contact supervisors whose research interests them by email or in person. Students must give their potential supervisor an unofficial transcript (opens in new window) , a one-page resumé and a brief covering letter. This package must include their contact information, degree program and stream, a brief statement of their career goals and how this research experience would further those goals, and any relevant work experience (paid or volunteer).
  3. Fill out the Research Practicum Application Form (available at the office of the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs in VIC-741). When students find a faculty member who agrees to supervise them, they will both fill out and sign the Application Form.
  4. Enrol in the course. After the course director has approved the form, students must take it to the office of the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs (opens in new window)  at VIC-741.

Co-Operative Program

An optional co-operative program is available for students who wish to obtain work experience and receive a salary from an employer while studying at Ryerson. The program leads to a BSc (Hons) degree. In this option school terms alternate with four or five paid work terms starting from the second year (see the table below). This schedule is the same as that used by the rest of the science programs at Ryerson and is designed to ensure that students attend winter and fall semesters in the correct order.

Although neither the Department nor the Office of Co-operative Education (opens in new window)  can guarantee a placement, they provide major assistance in locating suitable positions and counseling of students in their search for suitable jobs. This co-operative program enables students to earn competitive wages to offset the costs of a university education.

Students who have completed the first year of the program must apply through the Mathematics Department for admission to the co-op program before the beginning of the second year. Enrolment in the co-op program is limited and the department retains the right to deny access to the co-op program based on the number of available placements and student's grade point average. Once in the co-op program, the terms alternate between four months of study and four months of on the job experience. The co-op program usually takes an additional year to complete. The graduation requirements for the co-op program are the same as those for the BSc (Hons) in Financial Mathematics.

The sequencing of academic and work terms is shown below:

Students must successfully complete a minimum of four work terms in order to graduate from the co-op program.

The co-op program requires five years to complete the degree in Financial Mathematics. The regular program can be completed in four years.

All co-op placements must be approved by the Office of Co-operative Education (opens in new window)  and the Dean's designate responsible for administering science programs.

Liberal Studies

Students must take three lower level liberal studies courses and three upper level liberal studies courses to graduate. Students must not choose courses that are restricted for their program or major.

Please refer to the liberal studies chapter of this calendar for more information on the Liberal Studies Policy. Further information on liberal studies can also be found at the Faculty of Arts' Liberal Studies website (opens in new window) .

Table A - Lower Level Restrictions

PCS 111 and SCI courses are not available for credit.

Table B - Upper Level Restrictions

MTH 511 and MTH 599 are not available for credit.

Minors

Students may pursue any Minor offered by Ryerson (with some exceptions). Please refer to the Minors chapter of this calendar for further information on individual Minor requirements and exclusions.

The G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education Certificates

Undergraduate students wishing to pursue a continuing education certificate program should be aware of possible program exclusions. Please refer to the Certificate Registration section of the Curriculum Advising website (opens in new window)  for complete details.

1st & 2nd Semester

1st Semester

REQUIRED:

ACC 110 Financial Accounting
CPS 118 Introductory Programming for Scientists
ECN 104 Introductory Microeconomics
MTH 207 Calculus and Computational Methods I
SCI 180* Orientation

REQUIRED GROUP 1: One of the following:

BLG 143 Biology I
CHY 103 General Chemistry I
PCS 120 Physics I

SCI 180 is graded on a pass/fail basis. 

2nd Semester

REQUIRED:

CMN 279 Introduction to Professional Communication
FIN 300 Managerial Finance I
MTH 310 Calculus and Computational Methods II

REQUIRED GROUP 2: One of the following:

BLG 144 Biology II
CHY 113 General Chemistry II
PCS 130 Physics II

LIBERAL STUDIES:
One course from Table A - Lower Level Liberal Studies.

  

3rd & 4th Semester

REQUIRED:

FIN 401 Managerial Finance II
FIN 501 Investment Analysis
MTH 108 Linear Algebra
MTH 304 Probability and Statistics I
MTH 330 Calculus and Geometry
MTH 404 Probability and Statistics II
MTH 430 Dynamic Systems Differential Equations

OPEN ELECTIVES: Two courses from Open Elective Table.

LIBERAL STUDIES:
One course from Table A - Lower Level Liberal Studies.

  

5th & 6th Semester

REQUIRED:

MTH 500 Introduction to Stochastic Processes
MTH 501 Numerical Analysis I
MTH 600 Computational Methods In Mathematics
MTH 712 Partial Differential Equations

OPEN ELECTIVES: Four courses from Open Elective Table.

LIBERAL STUDIES:
One course from Table A - Lower Level Liberal Studies.

LIBERAL STUDIES:
One course from Table B - Upper Level Liberal Studies.

  

7th & 8th Semester

REQUIRED:

FIN 601 Derivatives
FIN 800 Ethics in Finance
FIN 801 Financial Risk Management
MTH 700 Financial Mathematics I
MTH 719 Applied Linear Algebra
MTH 800 Financial Mathematics II

OPEN ELECTIVES: Two courses from Open Elective Table.

LIBERAL STUDIES:

Two courses from Table B - Upper Level Liberal Studies.

  

5th & 6th Semester

5th Semester (Offered in Fall Term Only)  

REQUIRED:

MTH 500 Introduction to Stochastic Processes
MTH 501 Numerical Analysis I

OPEN ELECTIVES: Two courses from Open Elective Table.

LIBERAL STUDIES:
One course from Table A - Lower Level Liberal Studies.

6th Semester (Offered in Winter Term Only)

REQUIRED:

MTH 600 Computational Methods In Mathematics
MTH 712 Partial Differential Equations

OPEN ELECTIVES: Two courses from Open Elective Table.

LIBERAL STUDIES:
One course from Table B - Upper Level Liberal Studies.

  

7th & 8th Semester

Begins Fall 2017-Winter 2018.

REQUIRED:

FIN 601 Derivatives
FIN 800 Ethics in Finance
FIN 801 Financial Risk Management
MTH 700 Financial Mathematics I
MTH 719 Applied Linear Algebra
MTH 800 Financial Mathematics II

OPEN ELECTIVES: Two courses from Open Elective Table.

LIBERAL STUDIES:

Two courses from Table B - Upper Level Liberal Studies.

Co-operative Work Terms

The sequencing of academic and work terms is shown below:

WKT courses are graded on a pass/fail basis.

A Program Advisory Council (PAC) is a group of volunteers that provides expert advice to a school or department on program related matters such as curriculum, program review, technology and trends in the industry, discipline or profession. For more information, see  (PDF file) Senate Policy #158 (Program Advisory Councils).

Dr. Joe Campolieti
Associate Professor
Department of Mathematics
Wilfrid Laurier University
 
Dr. Dave Saunders
Associate Professor
Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science
University Of Waterloo
 
Dr. Luis Seco
Professor
Department of Mathematics
University Of Toronto
 
Dr. Tom Salisbury
Professor
Department of Mathematics
York University 
  
Adam Thibideau
Senior Analyst, Global Tactical Asset Allocation
Canada Pension Plan Investment Board
 
Dr. Rudi Zagst
Professor
Chair of Financial Mathematics
Munich University of Technology (Germany)