Financial Computing
at UCL

UCL is Europe's leading university for Financial Computing research and teaching, collaborating closely with the financial services sector to provide outstanding graduates for careers in finance and to provide internationally-leading research to address important sector challenges. We engage at national and supranational levels to help identify key business and regulatory challenges, and we assist national bodies in providing input to public policy on financial services research and development. We have industry links with hundreds of companies spanning the whole of financial services, including investment banks, retail banks, hedge funds, insurance companies, reinsurance companies, stock exchanges, alternative execution venues and financial services technology firms.

Financial Computing comprises both Computational Finance (algorithmic trading, risk management, market simulation and portfolio optimisation) and Financial IT (financial software engineering, cloud computing, GPU and scalable high-performance computing). We provide taught courses in Financial Computing at undergraduate (BSc, MEng) and postgraduate (MSc) levels, and training in research at PhD level.

Students interested in studying financial computing at UCL, please use the Choosing a Programme resource for advice on the most appropriate programme to apply for.

Taught MSc Programmes

The Department of Computer Science hosts two MSc programmes in financial computing:  

• The MSc in Financial Computing is a "generalist" MSc suitable for graduates from a first degree that is not Computer Science ("Computing" / "IT") and who have no or very little experience of computer programming.

• The MSc in Financial Systems Engineering is a "specialist" MSc with a Financial Systems track that is suitable for graduates whose first degree is in Computer Science (or a similar degree with a substantial programming element).

The department also hosts two other MSc programmes with optional content relating to finance:

• The MSc in Computer Science is a "generalist" MSc, also suitable for graduates from a degree that is not Computer Science or Electrical Engineering.

• The MSc in Computational Statistics and Machine Learning is a "specialist" MSc suitable for graduates with appropriate industrial experience and a first degree which included a significant mathematics and/or statistics component such as Computer Science, Mathematics, Electrical Engineering and the Physical Sciences.

PhD Research

UCL leads the UK PhD Centre in Financial Computing, a joint initiative with LSE, LBS and 15 leading financial institutions. Graduates who are interested in Financial Computing PhD research may either apply for a full-time PhD or an industry-based part-time PhD.

The PhD Centre has studentships to support 10-14 new full-time PhDs each year for five years; PhDs can be taken in departments across UCL and LSE (e.g. Computer Science, Mathematics, Statistics), with a common first year where students take an MRes in Financial Computing at UCL. The PhD Centre is also keen to recruit professionals working in the financial services industry who are interested in pursuing a part-time PhD in Financial Computing.

Modules

We offer several specialised 30-lecture modules in financial computing. These include COMP6006 Financial Computing, COMPGS06/M026 Financial Institutions and Markets, COMPGS07/M027 Financial Information Systems, COMPGF03 Compliance, Risk and Regulation and COMPGF01 Financial Business Analysis and Project Management.

National and Supranational Engagement

As an active associate partner in the Financial Services Knowledge Transfer Network, UCL engages at UK, EU and international levels to help identify sector challenges and lead the agenda for research and knowledge transfer in financial computing. In addition to providing thought leadership in the field, we are able to ensure the strongest possible impact of our research, teaching and knowledge transfer to benefit the financial services sector and the UK, EU and global economies.