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How much maths does a finance degree entail?

Hi all!

I am considering changing from a joint honours degree in politics and another subject to politics and finance. However, my concern is that I might not be able to keep up if finance requires a lot of maths.

I've always been kind of a moderate maths student. Not clever, but I have also not had any particular troubles with the subject. I could get rather good marks if I went about it in a "systematical" way. As I haven't done any maths for a good 4-5 years now, I am very rusty though.

It would help me a lot in this decision if anyone doing finance could give me an idea of how much maths is involved in this degree.

Theoretically I have made up my mind about applying for a transfer but, I don't want to bite off more than I can chew... If it turns out to be too difficult I will have lost a year (and a lot of money).

I would really like to hear from anyone having experience from finance! :smile:
as long as you're half decent like you say you are you will be fine. I did an accounting an finance degree and found that it was mostly just plugging numbers into formulas and the occasional rearranging of a formula.
Reply 2
Original post by blue n white army
as long as you're half decent like you say you are you will be fine. I did an accounting an finance degree and found that it was mostly just plugging numbers into formulas and the occasional rearranging of a formula.


Thanks for a quick reply!

Maybe this'll be a bit difficult for you to tell since you did both finance and accounting, but I'm thinking accounting is more mathematical than finance. More calculations etc, whereas finance is a bit less practical and more theory. I'm not saying it's a theoretical course (like politics is for example), but that there's a difference between the two in that sense. I am right or am I just rambling? :tongue:
Original post by Ozarc
Thanks for a quick reply!

Maybe this'll be a bit difficult for you to tell since you did both finance and accounting, but I'm thinking accounting is more mathematical than finance. More calculations etc, whereas finance is a bit less practical and more theory. I'm not saying it's a theoretical course (like politics is for example), but that there's a difference between the two in that sense. I am right or am I just rambling? :tongue:


Surprisingly little maths at all on my course. A lot of people on my course, including myself, chose accounting cos they enjoyed maths and were good at and there some in the first year, a tiny bit in second year and none in the third year.

Any numerical exams after the very first semester didn't contain any difficult maths. It was more knowing where to put which number on the balance sheet and why it goes there.

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