What you will learn
- To grasp key mathematical concepts, terminology, methods and conventions and obtain the skills to solve unseen mathematical problems
- To understand how mathematical techniques can be used to solve problems in economics and related subjects
- To master statistics fundamentals and learn to apply a variety of methods for explaining, summarising and presenting data and interpreting results clearly using appropriate diagrams, titles and labels when required
- To summarise the ideas of randomness and variability, and the way in which these link to probability theory to allow the systematic and logical collection of statistical techniques of great practical importance in many applied areas
- To explain the fundamentals of statistical inference and perform inference to test the significance of common measures such as means and proportions and conduct chi-squared tests of contingency tables
This comprehensive MicroBachelors program in Mathematics and Statistics Fundamentals introduces students to the essential mathematical and statistical concepts, methods and techniques which they can use to grow their skills in quantitative careers, or as a step towards further study at undergraduate level or in specialised subjects.
Spanning four individual courses, all of which are self-paced and asynchronous, this programme provides students with maximum flexibility to learn with a world-leading institution from anywhere in the world in a way that fits their schedule. Students will be introduced to foundational mathematical and statistical concepts, as well as gain essential skills in the methods of calculus and linear algebra required for economic-based subjects.
These courses are based on service-level statistics courses offered as part of the University of London degree programmes in Economics, Management, Finance and the Social Sciences (EMFSS), with academic direction from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). They equip students with the fundamental knowledge and tools to set them up for success in second and third-year courses in subjects such as economics, finance, data science, mathematics, statistics, business analytics and programming.
Those that complete this MicroBachelors program may wish to go on to apply to the University of London's academically rigorous EMFSS degree programmes that give learners the opportunity to earn a BSc from a top London university wherever they are in the world.
Should you wish, you may elect to just study some of the individual courses within the MicroBachelors program, perhaps to build or refresh quantitative skills for career advancement.
No prior mathematics or statistics knowledge is required for this programme.
Mathematics 1a: Differential calculus
- Functions and graphs
- The derivative
- Curve sketching and optimisation
- Functions of two variables and partial derivatives
- Critical points of two-variable functions
Mathematics 1b: Integral calculus, algebra, and applications
- Integration
- Profit maximisation
- Constrained optimisation
- Matrices, vectors, and linear equations
- Sequences, series, and financial modelling
Statistics 1a: Introductory statistics, probability and estimation
- Mathematical revision and the nature of statistics
- Data visualisation and descriptive statistics
- Probability theory
- The normal distribution and ideas of sampling
- Point and interval estimation
Statistics 1b: Statistical methods
- Hypothesis testing I
- Hypothesis testing II
- Contingency tables and the chi-squared test
- Sampling design and some ideas underlying causation
- Correlation and linear regression
Courses in this program
LSE's Mathematics and Statistics Fundamentals MicroBachelors® Program
- 12–15 hours per week, for 5 weeks
The first in a series of two courses from LSE which help you to master mathematics fundamentals and build your quantitative skillset for progression in high-growth careers, or to use as step towards further study at undergraduate level.
- 12–15 hours per week, for 5 weeks
The second in a series of two courses which help you to master mathematics fundamentals and build your quantitative skillset for progression in high-growth careers, or to use as step towards further study at undergraduate level.
- 12–15 hours per week, for 5 weeks
The first in a series of four courses which help you to master statistics fundamentals and build your quantitative skillset for progression in high-growth careers, or to use as step towards further study at undergraduate level.
- 12–15 hours per week, for 5 weeks
The second in a series of four courses which help you to master statistics fundamentals and build your quantitative skillset for progression in high-growth careers, or to use as step towards further study at undergraduate level.
- 1–2 hours per week, for 1 weeks
Test your knowledge and ability to apply the concepts and methods from the four courses included in the LSE MicroBachelors program in Mathematics and Statistics Fundamentals and take your first step towards further study at undergraduate level or upskill in high-growth careers.
Those that complete the MicroBachelors program and are successfully admitted onto one of the University of London Online EMFSS Degree programmes will be rewarded with eligibility for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) for two half courses; MT105a Mathematics 1 and ST104a Statistics 1.
Once RPL is granted, students will not need to take the two respective first year courses which equate to 30 UK credits out of the total 360 credits required for completion of a UoL degree.
This reduces the time it takes to complete the degree programme, the number of examinations to sit and the overall cost.
This program is pending recognition for credit by Thomas Edison State University.
- This MicroBachelors program hones your quantitative, problem-solving and analytical skills in the fields of mathematics and statistics
- Fundamentals of financial mathematics, exploratory data analysis, and statistical inference provide the tools necessary for applying mathematical and statistical methods to solving management and economic real-world problems
- You will acquire a mix of empirical and modelling skills readily applicable to assist decision-making
- To further improve your career prospects, this MicroBachelors program is ideal preparation for advancing to a University of London degree with academic direction from the London School of Economics and Political Science
Meet your instructors from The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)
Experts from LSE committed to teaching online learning
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FAQs
- Recognition of Prior Learning or ‘RPL’ is an exemption granted by the University of London from certain courses within one of their degree programmes. If you successfully pass the MicroBachelors in Mathematics and Statistics Fundamentals and go on to be admitted onto a degree programme, you will be deemed to have already passed Mathematics 1 and Statistics 1 (MT105a and ST104a) which totals 30 UK credits. A University of London degree is made up of 360 UK credits in total. Please ensure you check the programme structure for the degree to which you are applying to ensure Mathematics 1 and Statistics 1 feature on the programme to which you wish to apply and place your RPL. All degree programmes can be found https://onlinecourses.london.ac.uk/.
- The MicroBachelors program in Mathematics and Statistics Fundamentals is made up of four courses. In order to be eligible for RPL and a program certificate, you must purchase, complete and pass with a 70% grade or higher in each of the four courses as well as a Mathematics and Statistics Fundamentals final proctored exam which will assess you in the knowledge obtained in all four courses. This should be taken at the end of your studies and also requires a pass mark of 70% or higher. It is strongly recommended that you read and participate in all the course materials before attempting any of the final exams. If you do not pass the final exam for any of the courses, you will need to re-enroll in that course with a new start date to try again. If you pass the course but not the proctored examination, you must pay for and re-attempt the proctored exam only.
- These courses assume no prior mathematics or statistics knowledge. You are encouraged to complete the courses in order.
- You can purchase the entire programme and take each course in the session that works best for you. You can also complete and purchase the courses one by one. After you’ve earned a verified certificate from each course in the programme, you will need to pay for and pass the proctored examination, after which you will automatically receive the programme credential.
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