What do students who did the MSc in Financial Mathematics in the past say about the programme?
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Class of 2004-2005 |
Zheng Ruan Financial Maths. 2004-2005
I got my first degree in Shanghai University of Finance and Economics in Econometrics, during which I did one year exchange study at the University of Southampton on core subjects in Economics and got a distinction out of it, which equipped me with a solid background in mathematics and statistics.
I got the offer of Economics & Finance at first before I came to Warwick. I then noticed there is a sister programme, Financial Mathematics, which interested me more as it was more financially-oriented and the maths sounded challenging.
Studying FM was intense and challenging, in both theory and practice. Exams and projects are one after another, students were trained with a solid mathematical background in finance, and it also provides an in-depth introduction in programming languages such as MATLAB, VBA and C++, which turned out to be very necessary for my work experience later on.
After securing a degree by passing all my exams, I was offered an internship from Deutsche Bank, which gave me a picture of what Investment Banking is really like and it also helped me to get this offer from Imperial College to pursue a Doctoral Programme in Quantitative Finance. I am also working as a part-time consultant for SunGard, a financial software company in financial pricing and reporting, with its new office in Canary Wharf!
Students will be very keen to know what the degree is offering; FM gives both a good foundation for further study and also a sound knowledge to work in finance. Personally I wouldn’t suggest applying while you are on the course as job hunting requires time and energy, a master-class level of English and academic knowledge. Having a lack of necessary knowledge will not interest recruiters.
Many fellow classmates of mine got a very good job after finishing their dissertation, in the UK and their home countries. To get the job you need to know your stuff, and the MSc in Financial Maths is the right choice to do so.
Bill Bobey (MSc Financial Mathematics 2002-2003)
I trained as an engineer, first in my native Canada, then at UMIST, where I completed an MSc in Structural Engineering. After a period working as a bridge engineer, I took a series of senior undergraduate classes in economics in preparation for a career move into finance. I found that the Warwick programme's blend of applied mathematics and modelling was ideal for my transition from engineering into finance. It represented an opportunity for me to study at a highly regarded international university with a strong relationship with the banking community.
What struck me about Warwick's programme was the depth of knowledge that it set out to cover. The teaching methodology came across as striking a balance between theory and application. The programme has a unique blend of internationally regarded specialists contributing from four departments and what we learn is linked together through computer modelling and in the sessions led by practitioners from the City. The faculty and staff are aware of how demanding the course is and they continually guide us in an effort to ensure we stay on track.
I recommend the programme for its focus on solving technically demanding problems and as a stimulating preparation for a career in finance.
