5. Courses offered in 2025/2026

Detailed synopses for the courses can be found on the course web pages.

5.1 Introductory Courses
Partial Differential Equations Intro week 5 hrs lectures, 1 hr classes
Probability Intro week 5 hrs lectures, 1 hr classes
Statistics Intro week 6 hrs lectures, 1 hr classes
Python Intro week 8 hrs lectures
Financial Markets and Instruments Intro week 7 hr lectures

These courses are all held in the Introductory week and are not assessed. The classes take place in Week 1 of Michaelmas Term.

5.2 Core Lecture Courses
Stochastic Calculus MT 16 hrs lectures + 4 classes, 1.5 hrs each
Statistics and Financial Data Analysis MT 16 hrs lectures + 4 classes, 1.5 hrs each
Financial Derivatives MT 16 hrs lectures + 4 classes, 1.5 hrs each
Numerical Methods MT 16 hrs lectures + 4 classes, 1.5 hrs each
Fixed Income and Credit MT 16 hrs lectures + 4 classes, 1.5 hrs each
Stochastic Control HT 8 hrs lectures + 2 classes, 1.5 hrs each
Quantitative Risk Management HT 8 hrs lectures + 2 classes, 1.5 hrs each
Deep Learning HT 16 hrs lectures + 4 classes, 1.5 hrs each

These lecture courses are all supported by classes. The core courses are compulsory. For further information, see Section 7.3

5.3 Elective Courses

Students are to register for 4 elective courses, out of 6.

Advanced Monte Carlo Methods HT 8 hrs lectures + 2 classes, 1.5 hrs each
Advanced Topics in Computational Finance HT 8 hrs lectures + 2 classes, 1.5 hrs each
Advanced Volatility Modelling  HT 8 hrs lectures + 2 classes, 1.5 hrs each
Asset Pricing HT 8 hrs lectures + 2 classes, 1.5 hrs each
Market Microstructure & Algorithmic Trading HT 8 hrs lectures + 2 classes, 1.5 hrs each
Decentralised Finance HT 8 hrs lectures + 2 classes, 1.5 hrs each

5.4 Programming Courses
Financial computing with C++ Part I MT 16 hrs lectures + 4 classes, 2 hrs each
Financial computing with C++ Part II HT 24 hrs lectures and classes

The two Financial Computing with C++ courses are compulsory and each assessed by a three-hour practical examination. For further information see Section 5.3.

Examination and assessment dates can be found on the course calendar at
https://www.maths.ox.ac.uk/members/students/postgraduate-courses/msc-mcf/course-calendar

5.5 Practitioner Lectures and Career events

In addition, practitioner lectures and careers events will be arranged throughout the year. Typically, lecturers are senior practitioners in investment banks or hedge funds, and their presentations cover current market trends or ‘live’ quantitative modelling challenges. These lectures and events are not assessed, but enable you to gain insight into the industrial applications of the course material.