Financial Maths & Economics

Reillyman

I was just wondering does anybody on here do this course? At the moment it's the course I'm aiming to do but it would be great to get some feedback from the people actually doing it.

Thanks in advance.

nobbo

Hi Im currently doing the course if ya want to ask a few questions..

Reillyman

Ya cheers! Just a general, honest description of what it's like. Hours per week, assignments, how difficult it is, workload needed, planned career path, lectures etc?:D

JasonJones

Reillyman wrote: »

Ya cheers! Just a general, honest description of what it's like. Hours per week, assignments, how difficult it is, workload needed, planned career path, lectures etc?:D

Hours per week and all that can be found on the course website. Classes are perfectly sized and all of the lecturers are always willing to answer any questions you have whenever.

You can only get exemptions from three of the actuarial exams (if you're thinking of going in that direction). I think Cork offers more (but then you have to live in Cork).

As far as I know DCU and UCD offer exemptions for all of the core technical exams, although DCU, being DCU, should be approached with caution.

UCD is probably your best bet, but "you need more points" to get in and you have to live in Dublin (which I think sucks).

I think some guy from UCD on here referred to the Galway course as "rubbish," but that's the kind of thing you'd expect from some UCD ponce isn't it? These are people who have pet peeves like "I hate when people show up to post-grad lectures in street clothes." :rolleyes:

Work: the terms are really short and you have minimal time to study for the exams, especially at christmas. It's certainly doable, but you have to be disciplined.

Some of the math can be pretty mind-bending, but then again, it's a math degree.

What else? I guess it won't attempt to kill you like, say, Medicine. But it's certainly not a McArts degree.

Grades are for the most part 20/80 for term/exam. I prefer the 30/70 format, but what can you do?

Hope this helps.

Reillyman

JasonJones wrote: »

I think some guy from UCD on here referred to the Galway course as "rubbish," but that's the kind of thing you'd expect from some UCD ponce isn't it? These are people who have pet peeves like "I hate when people show up to post-grad lectures in street clothes." :rolleyes:

Haha:pac:!

JasonJones wrote: »

Some of the math can be pretty mind-bending, but then again, it's a math degree.

Does the LC course help with any of it, and does the LC economics course help?

JasonJones wrote: »

Hope this helps.

Ya cheers mate!

papazen

Hi Reillyman,

The first two years of the course are easy, and the last two are significantly harder.

The course is 30% economics and 70% maths. It starts to seem like an honours maths degree with a few economics subjects added in. Mainly due to maths being much harder than economics. You will spend most of your time studying maths.

You'd want to a good leaving cert honours maths student (A or B - in my opinion). The maths courses are not like the leaving cert - they are thought in a much shorter period of time; and the courses are not easy to define - the leaving cert seems to be spoonfed to students by comparison (you don't have worked examples, exam solutions, course textbooks, etc.).

So be prepared to do a four year honours maths degree - it's do-able if you put in the work and realise that 3rd and 4th year are a whole different ballgame that 1st and 2nd.

LC economics will be a help for first year economics, but it is not necessary at all.

A few on the course have actuary firmly in their sights from the start. It is a very strong degree, and if you want to work in finance, look no further.

Personally, I wish I had done what my career guidance had recommended and gone for commerce with German. As she told me - you might regret specialising too early.

Any other questions?

Reillyman

papazen wrote: »

Any other questions?

I know you say it's alot different to the LC course but what topics from the LC course be most prominent in this degree?

Also, when you say there's no examples or textbooks, how to you learn exactly?

Cheers mate!:D

Salt McMan

Reillyman wrote: »

Also, when you say there's no examples or textbooks, how to you learn exactly?

These guys are helpful in the 1st and 2nd year:

Paul

Marcel

And of course, you'd be a fool to not get on board The PatrickJMT's Geek Ride

There are many more. Basically it would be a good idea to be familiar with google.

nobbo

Reillyman wrote: »

Also, when you say there's no examples or textbooks, how to you learn exactly?

You learn primarily from the lecture notes, then you can take books out of the library to supplement that learning, and on top of that you can go to tutorials to clarify anything you didnt fully understand.

Salt McMan

nobbo wrote: »

you can go to tutorials to clarify anything you didnt fully understand.

How many minutes per week of tutorial time do you get per subject?

nobbo

Salt McMan wrote: »

How many minutes per week of tutorial time do you get per subject?

Generally an hour.

For the course in first year there are 5 modules per semester; Stats and prob, maths(Analysis and algebra), maths for finance, economics, comp science(1st semester) and maths methods(2nd semester).

For stats you have 2 hours of lectures a week with an hour tutorial.
For maths(MA180) there are 4 hours of lectures a week(2 analysis and 2 algebra) with 1 hour of tutorials. Although there are 3 tutorials a week for this you are advised to only go to one. And realistically, if you need more than one already this is not the course for you.
Maths for finance is one where you do not have any tutorials. The lecturer basically hammers through the course then has tutorials in the time spare at the end of the year.
Economics you have 3 hours of lectures a week with 1 hour of tutorials.
There are no tutorials in comp science but there are labs which last 3 hours once a week. This is where you get to practise python programming(what you learn in first year comp science) and if you have any difficulties you can ask the helpers.

Salt McMan

Generally an hour.

50 minutes max.

As papazen suggested, you might get a bit of a shock as you progress. You'll encounter lecturers who are sub-sub-half-arsed in the time and attention they give to the classes they are supposed to be teaching. They seem to regard them as a nuisance that interferes with their work relating to their field of interest.

Others think a good approach to teaching is talking to you as if you are already familiar with what they are attempting to teach.

That said, John Hinde is excellent.

nobbo

Why did you ask if you already knew the answer?

Salt McMan

T'was rhetorical lad.

Reillyman

Lads doing the course in Limerick were on about the 8 month work placement, do you go on work experience in this course?

nobbo

Reillyman wrote: »

Lads doing the course in Limerick were on about the 8 month work placement, do you go on work experience in this course?

No, there is no work placement like there is in UL and UCD. NUIG, DCU and UCC dont have work placement. UL is very industry orientated(too much imo). I remember looking at the prospectus and just thought no way. NUIG, UCD and UCC are a good mix I feel, between theory and application.

nobbo

Just in response to Reillymans question on another thread.

The course is a fantastic course for what it is and have no regrets in picking it as it leaves me so many options open at the end of my degree.

Regrets? That I didnt(and still dont) put in enough effort. Its not an extremely difficult course but you need to put in work here and there to keep on top of things.

What are your career aspirations? Might help me give ya some advice.

Reillyman

nobbo wrote: »

What are your career aspirations? Might help me give ya some advice.

You want the answer or the honest answer?:p

I'd really like to get involved in Trading/Derivitives/FOREX.
Would love to play professional poker, although I've been playing damn all over the last year. I suppose my ideal job would be in a prop-shop on Wall Street or on the floor in the NYMEX, we can all dream I suppose!

What about you?

nobbo

Reillyman wrote: »

You want the answer or the honest answer?:p

I'd really like to get involved in Trading/Derivitives/FOREX.
Would love to play professional poker, although I've been playing damn all over the last year. I suppose my ideal job would be in a prop-shop on Wall Street or on the floor in the NYMEX, we can all dream I suppose!

What about you?

Well if thats what ya want to do I would recommend this course. Many firms when taking on people are looking for people with either maths/computers/economics, and you will have experience in all these areas. Bear in mind, these are tough areas to get into. I think there was a thread on the careers and jobs page in the leaving cert forum about trading, maybe check it out if you didnt already.

Just playing devils advocate here to show you other courses ya can do. Did you look at Economics and finance in ucd? Finance in ucc? Economics in trinity? Id recommend ya look into all of those courses as they will all allow you get into the area you want.

Reillyman

Ye reckon the points are going to go up much?

nobbo

Reillyman wrote: »

Ye reckon the points are going to go up much?

I was thinking the points for this would go up anyway, doubt the rise in applications will affect the points change. The extra people applying would not be the type doing a maths course. The points for this course went up last year even when everyone was thinking theres no jobs in finance etc, so I think they will go up by at least 10 points

The___________

One of my friends from school has this as his first choice in the CAO,It's a good choice for him as he is really good at Maths and Economics.

Reillyman

The___________ wrote: »

One of my friends from school has this as his first choice in the CAO,It's a good choice for him as he is really good at Maths and Economics.

Em...yeah, good to know

nobbo

Just for those interested in the course.

I was at a staff student meeting there today(Im class rep) and just some new things that are coming into the course.

1) From next year on, 1st years will start to do financial accounting, leading to another actuarial exemption(if thats your goal).

2) There will be extra business and finance modules in 2+3 year.

3) There will be more emphasis on combining economics and maths in some modules and not just learning them seperately.

4) And most importantly.....no more python programming!:D

If theres any more questions just let me know..

JeffDynamite

Did they say anything about group theory and topology and ****e like that? Like what's the point?

Reillyman

*Bump*:p

Just wondering is there anything I'll need to buy for this course? Stuff like stationary/software etc, handier to buy it now while at home than have it eating into the beer money!

HotDogger

vaseline

mertyle

I am thinking of applying for this course, are the lecturer good?How does it compare to mathematic science in NUIG or UCD or Trininty?

HotDogger

papazen wrote: »

The course is 30% economics and 70% maths. It starts to seem like an honours maths degree with a few economics subjects added in. Mainly due to maths being much harder than economics. You will spend most of your time studying maths.

The maths courses are not like the leaving cert - they are thought in a much shorter period of time; and the courses are not easy to define - the leaving cert seems to be spoonfed to students by comparison (you don't have worked examples, exam solutions, course textbooks, etc.).

That sums it up pretty well. It eventually becomes a Pure Maths degree with some time consuming fluff on the side.

The Irish lecturers generally race through endless proofs and then you go home and memorise answers from previous exams.

The foreign lecturers expect you to actually learn the material. Don't be alarmed if you get an email during christmas asking you to go through the "easy bits" of a course. This is important if you want to have enough time to get to the part where you move counter-clockwise in the 9th dimension of imaginary space. Financial stuff, you know?

There's even some auld Russian lad who is completely incomprehensible. His lectures make for a fabulous introduction to game theory.

You might actually be better prepared career-wise if you just went for a BSc in Applied Maths and Statistics.

Reillyman

nobbo wrote: »

4) And most importantly.....no more python programming!:D

Oh how I wish this was true...

nobbo

Reillyman wrote: »

Oh how I wish this was true...

I probably shouldve clarified from second year on, well thats what was said in the meeting..