XClose

Mathematics

Home
Menu

MSc Financial Mathematics Project

UCL FM MSc Project MATH0059

The list of available FM MSc project topics is published on the Moodle page of MATH0059 module in February each year.  The students are required to agree the topic of their MSc thesis with their supervisor by the end of the second term. The projects must be completed and submitted by mid-September. The precise submission date for the FM MSc theses will be communicated to the MSc students in due course.

MSc Project Guidelines and Information

The FM MSc project MATH0059 contributes for 1/3 to the overall MSc mark, with the 8 taught components adding up to the remaining 2/3.
All students are required to email an electronic version of the thesis in PDF, along with any other files containing software code created for the MSc project/thesis, to the MSc administrator (maths.mscteaching@ucl.ac.uk).

General Project Guidelines

The MSc project can range from an extensive survey and critique of existing research to the development of a new model or an extension of an existing one. Each project will be assessed taking into account where the main focus of effort lies. A component of original research is not a requirement of the project, but will be given due credit if present. A student should discuss these details with their supervisor.
Whatever the student decides with their supervisor, there are some parts that all projects should include:

  • An introduction outlining the project and giving a clear statement of the objectives of the project.
  • Details of mathematical calculations that can be checked. Where it makes the text more readable, an appendix could be used for some of the calculations.
  • Clear referencing of all material sourced, whether from books, published journals, the internet, personal communication, etc. Essentially, if it is not the student's idea or work, it needs to be referenced. Failure to reference material may be construed as plagiarism. The college takes a firm stance on plagiarism. If in doubt the student should ask the advice of their supervisor.
  • Conclusions, including a summary of the project findings, and, where new research was carried out, a discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of the model/method, and possible improvements.

Style and Presentation

It is expected that the MSc thesis be written with the free LaTex typesetting software. Some marks will be awarded for the quality of the written work, including its readability, clarity of argument and overall presentation. There is no word limit for the dissertation.

Supervision

It is expected that the students work independently. The supervisor is available for guidance and research advice.

Writing up

Students are strongly encouraged to leave ample time for writing-up the project. Penalties will be incurred on projects that are submitted after the deadline.