Overview
Develop your mathematical and statistical skills and prepare for a career in quantitative business analysis.
You'll learn to use sophisticated tools from a broad range of mathematical disciplines, such as calculus, linear algebra, probability and statistics, to sharpen your mathematical and statistical reasoning. Alongside this, you'll develop an in-depth knowledge of the context in which business analysts, quantitative finance officers ('quants') and operations managers work.
You'll expand your knowledge of theoretical concepts, with a particular focus on finance and operations, and apply the techniques you learn to practical business problems.
This course is taught in collaboration by the Department of Mathematics and the York Management School.
Course content
You'll study mathematics and management modules throughout your degree, giving you access to academic experts in both disciplines. As you progress, you'll develop your skills, learning new techniques for analysis and applying them to practical issues facing organisations.
In your second and third year, option modules allow you to tailor your course to suit your interests and goals, exploring new areas of study or revisiting previous topics in greater depth.
Year 1
In Year 1, you'll take modules in mathematics, statistics, accounting, finance and economics that will give you a strong foundation on which to build advanced skills.
Year 2
Core modules in Year 2 introduce new techniques and concepts and give you a chance to use complex models for data analysis and operations research. You'll also choose one option module, which will give you a deeper understanding of how businesses operate.
Year 3
Your final year covers advanced statistical and financial skills, in addition to new topics, such as game theory and decision theory. Option modules allow you to focus on areas which interest you and include opportunities to work on real-life issues with a business consultancy project.
Learning by design
Every course at York has been designed to provide clear and ambitious learning outcomes. These learning outcomes give you an understanding of what you will be able to do at the end of the course. We develop each course by designing modules that grow your abilities towards the learning outcomes and help you to explain what you can offer to employers.
Your mathematics modules are delivered through lectures, problems classes and small group teaching. Lectures describe the content to be learned; problems classes put it into practice. Small group teaching in seminars and tutorials allows you to get close support from your tutors to clarify concepts and discuss your ideas.
Lectures in accounting and finance introduce specific techniques, which you will practice as part of your independent study. You can discuss and clarify the application of techniques in seminars and to reflect on your learning. You can get further support, either one-to-one or in small groups in scheduled feedback and consultation sessions.
The rest of your time on the course will be spent on independent study. This may include preparation for lectures and seminars, follow-up work, wider reading, practise completion of assessment tasks, or revision.
Everyone learns at a different rate, so the number of hours will vary from person to person. In UK higher education the expectation is that full-time students will spend 1,200 hours a year learning.
Careers and skills
Our bespoke employability sessions help you identify and improve your skills. Our dedicated support team will help you to build an employability portfolio and to present yourself at your best for the next step of your career.
Our graduates go on to careers in all aspects of business and management. Many progress to postgraduate degrees at York and other leading universities.
Career opportunities
This course will prepare you for careers such as:
- Data analyst
- Financial analyst
- Operations manager
- Quantitative consultant
Transferable skills
- Problem-solving
- Mathematical modelling
- Computer programming
- Time management
- Communication and reporting