This Financial Mathematics program at Dublin City University is based on the idea that high academic content and relevance to the real world are not mutually exclusive; indeed, the full power of a mathematical theory is revealed only when it is used to solve practical problems. In this course, abstract ideas are never presented for their own sake; equally, we avoid fruitless lists of disconnected case studies. We believe an integrated presentation of the theory and its use in practice is the optimal approach.

For the student, the resulting blend of sophisticated mathematics and significant applications is intellectually satisfying: the motivation to explore general concepts springs from their potential practical applications; these services, in turn, illustrate available methods. The student learns that the inherent potential in general ideas extends far beyond the specific applications in any given course.