In this Guide
Learn the many ways you can extend your classroom experience to the real world.
- Take required Mathematics courses and explore other programs of interest through electives.
- Learn about co-op – apply at the end of your first year.
- Live in the Faculty of Science Residence Learning Community to enhance your academic and social success.
- Leverage math and statistics learning resources available through Student Success' Math and Course Support for your courses.
- Enhance your academic experience at Laurier through professional one-on-one, online and peer-to-peer resources available through Academic Advising and Support.
- Select elective courses in mathematics and statistics within six optional concentrations: Analysis and Geometry, Discrete Mathematics and Algebra, Mathematical Modelling, Statistics and Data Analytics, Financial Risk Management, or Computational Finance.
- Apply for instructional assistant and marker/proctor opportunities in the Mathematics department.
- Look for research opportunities through the MS2Discovery Interdisciplinary Research Institute or in the Mathematics department.
- Apply for the NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Assistantship (USRA) program.
- Participate in Datathons, Case Study competitions, or the William Lowell Putnam Mathematical Competition.
- If you’re thinking about applying to graduate school, talk with your professors and visit the Career Centre.
- Consider registering in the Honours Mathematics Seminar and select an interesting topic of study or research.
- Attend the Canadian Undergraduate Mathematics Conference (CUMC) or the Applied Mathematics, Modeling and Computational Science (AMMCS) conference.
- If you’re applying to graduate school, sign up for a scholarship proposal writing workshop and book a further education application appointment.
As a Financial Mathematics student, you can:
- Join student clubs such as the Laurier Computing Society, Laurier Investment and Finance Association (LIFA), Laurier Fintech, ESG Laurier, or Faculty of Science Students’ Association (FOSSA) and build leadership skills by joining an executive team.
- Seek part-time employment or volunteer opportunities in the Mathematics department or with Student Success' Mathematics and Course Support.
- Apply for a student representative position on the department or faculty committee.
- Get involved with the Professional Risk Managers' International Association (PRMIA) and the Society of Actuaries to learn about the ASA and FSA designations.
- Attend networking events through the MS2Discovery Interdisciplinary Research Institute or in the Mathematics department.
- Participate in Datathons or Problem-Solving Workshops run by institutes such as the Canadian Statistical Sciences Institute and the Fields Institute.
Outside of your program, there are many co-curricular opportunities for you to participate in.
- Check out the Experience Catalogue for a full list of co-curricular experiences that are currently offered across campus.
- Volunteer with the Students’ Union (e.g., Laurier Orientation, Hawk Walk, EcoHawks, Food Bank, Emergency Response Team, Shinerama).
- Volunteer on campus with the Accessible Learning, Global Engagement, Sustainability Office, Centre for Student Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, WLU Student Publications and more.
- Get involved in the local community by volunteering off campus.
- Apply for on-campus jobs:
- Check Navigator frequently for job postings or contact individual departments directly.
- Search for job opportunities on the Students’ Union website.
- If you meet eligibility criteria, apply for the Laurier Work Study Program or International Student Work Experience Program.
- Attend Job Fairs to network with employers.
- Explore ways to get involved in research.
- Look into StartUp Lab opportunities for support in launching a new venture.
Job/Volunteer Search Tips
- While on-campus opportunities are posted year-round, recruitment often starts early! Start looking in the winter term for opportunities in the following academic year.
- Have your resumé and LinkedIn profile reviewed by Career Centre staff for both on and off-campus opportunities.
- Laurier offers a variety of co-curricular certificates that you can complete during your studies. Earn certificates in topics including academic development, professional development, wellness, leadership and career development.
- Participate in workshops, programming and events offered by the Career Centre, Gendered and Sexual Violence Prevention and Support, Laurier Library, the Centre for Student Equity, Diversity and Inclusion and more.
- Engage in the First-Year Leadership Program including Campus Councils and House Council and the Leadership Certificate.
- Connect with Global Engagement to learn about international options available to you including opportunities abroad and language and culture sharing programs.
Design Your Degree
These are a few popular academic opportunities which allow you to dive deeper into your major area of study or broaden your knowledge. See undergraduate options, minors and courses for more information.
Develop Your Knowledge and Skills
As a Laurier student, you will develop the following competencies through your curricular and co-curricular experiences.
Competency Framework
Competencies are categories of transferrable skills that appear on your online Experience Record to help you reflect on what you've learned from your experiences. The competencies include:
- Adaptability and Resiliency
- Collaboration and Teamwork
- Communication
- Creativity and Innovation
- Critical Thinking
- Digital Literacy
- Diversity and Intercultural Understanding
- Functional Knowledge
- Leadership
- Problem Solving
- Professional Attributes
- Self-Awareness
Functional Knowledge
- Demonstrate knowledge of modern financial mathematics including such topics as portfolio theory, pricing and hedging of financial derivatives, and risk management.
- Acquire an in-depth knowledge of financial securities such as stocks, bonds, forward and futures contracts, various types of options and the markets in which they trade.
- Solve real-world problems in financial mathematics and risk management using appropriate mathematical and statistical software.
- Use standard methods to analyze fixed income securities including mortgage and loan repayment schedules, annuities, bond pricing, yield curve, forward rates, duration and convexity.
- Estimate model parameters using financial data and use the estimated model for pricing and hedging.
Discover Career Options
All your experiences at Laurier can help you prepare for your future. Attend Career Centre events and workshops or book a career consulting appointment to explore career and further education options.
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Pursuing Further Education
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Employed
12 Financial Math respondents from the 2024 Laurier Graduate Survey conducted by the Career Centre. Graduates were surveyed within 12 months of graduation.
Alumni Careers and Pathways
Sample Further Education Programs Within the First Year After Graduation
- Master’s Degree - Mathematics, Management, Statistics, Computational Mathematical Finance
Sample Jobs Within the First Year After Graduation
- accounts payable coordinator
- business analyst
- customer experience associate
- finance specialist
- investment banking associate
- operations underwriting associate
- project coordinator
- quantitative analyst
Careers Of Alumni Two to Five Years After Graduation
- actuarial analyst
- associate rates strategist
- business systems analyst
- equity research associate
- financial controller
- investment banking analyst
- real estate investment consultant
- senior assurance associate
- treasury manager
- wealth associate
Career Options and Resources
Need some guidance on what you can do with your degree? Discover some career options and find resources to help guide you.
Career and Industry Options
- accounting
- compliance management
- credit analysis
- consulting
- data management
- data science
- finance/banking
- government
- insurance
- investment banking
- market research analysis
- mergers and acquisitions
- portfolio management
- risk management
- securities
- software development
- technology
- underwriting
Career Resources
- Canadian Mathematical Society
- Canadian Applied and Industrial Mathematics Society
- Canadian Statistical Sciences Institute (CANSSI)
- Canadian Institute of Actuaries (CIA)
- CFA Institute
- Professional Risk Managers' International Association (PRMIA)
- Statistical Society of Canada
- Society of Actuaries
- Be An Actuary
- Association for Women in Mathematics
- Canadian Securities Institute
Your Experiences Tell Your Story
Share your story through your Laurier Experience Record. An interactive, shareable and official record of your hands-on experiences and learning opportunities at Laurier – the first of its kind in Canada!
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