Carnegie Mellon University - MS in Computational Finance

I am a proud alum of the CMU MSCF program having graduated in December of 2013. I was a full-time student and I joined the program with two requirements in mind - to create a ladder for myself to advance in my career and to learn the mathematics behind finance, the knowledge of which is becoming increasingly important if one aspires to work in the finance industry. Given how the financial industry has shaped up after the recent crisis of 2008, technical know-how across multiple assets and facets is becoming increasingly central, making programs like the MSCF more relevant than ever. I was pleasantly surprised as the MSCF program exceeded all my expectations in preparing me to succeed in this ever-changing industry.

First and foremost positive of the CMU MSCF program is by far the quality of professors. Quality of teaching is excellent! There are some extremely respected names teaching us and they are very well integrated with the industry which reflects in the design of the curriculum that's updated regularly keeping in mind various industry developments. The assignments are extremely practical in nature and prepare you very well for your internships. We were taught courses from eminent industry people as well (who serve as part-time faculty) like Peter Cai of Morgan Stanley, Leif Anderson of Bank of America Merill Lynch and many other eminent people from very respected financial institutions and hedge funds.

Secondly, the administration of the program is extremely smooth. Students' feedback is implemented as soon as possible and they do get the best out of the program. The administration not only handles academic matters but works really hard to squeeze in social events around the extremely hectic CMU MSCF life.

Thirdly, CMU can boast of one of the best career services on offer amongst the financial engineering programs. I had access to a wide array of resources to help with my job and internship search. The Career Services staff and resources helped me a lot to prepare on the soft skills aspect of the interviews. CMU career office boasts of very well qualified people, some of whom have experience working in the industry.

A very important differentiator that's a cut above all of these criteria is that being the top-ranked program, CMU MSCF attracts the best quality students from around the world. If I have learned so much in the past sixteen months, I attribute it as much to my fellow students as I do to my professors.

To conclude, I couldn't have asked for anything better out of a quantitative finance program. I couldn't have gotten any better learning from any other program (technical or otherwise). I will be eternally grateful to CMU for having pioneered this program and I am extremely proud to be associated with it.

As an alum, I don't think I could have asked for more out of a quant finance program. The mathematics, statistics, and simulation courses truly stand out as some of the best I have ever attended.

I studied in MSCF from 2009 to 2010 in Pittsburgh. This is definitely most rewarding experience for me professionally.

I joined the program right after undergrad in China, was targeting sales & trading positions upon graduation. The MSCF program helped me achieve that goal step by step. I would point out 3 highlights of the program.

Practical and rigorous courses. Design of the course and delivery of the material by the faculty members are second to none. It incorporates both necessary theoretical foundation and practical elements, which I value highly. Not everything you learn in class will be used in work, however, it definitely build up the framework and foundation for you to understand and learn something new if needed.

Supportive and experienced career services. Tepper career centre staff usually have first hand experience in banks or funds in front office functions, so they are providing perspectives from "the other side". Jackies has been extremely helpful enhancing my resume/cover letters and interview skills. The information session/career talks organized are very useful as well.

Fun networks. Tepper people are interesting and love to interact. MSCF and MBA students mingles together, which provided very fun 18 months for me. And many of us stay in touch after graduation, which is extremely valuable network for me, both professionally and personally.

I attended CMU’s MSCF program from August 2011-December 2012 full time. I joined immediately after graduating from Undergrad, where I studied Economics, Math, and Operations Research. Upon graduating this December, I was able to join the research team in risk of a BB bank. In a nutshell, I would describe this program as the most challenging and most rewarding academic endeavor of my life to this point, and would recommend it to anyone with a passion for learning more about the computational side of finance.
The program covers a wide array of topics, and the key word here is wide. You will not be an expert in a specific product type by the time you leave this program; neither will you be a financial mathematics wizard, nor a star algorithmic trading developer. However, and most importantly, you will have been exposed to (and will most likely have a good understanding of) virtually every facet of the quantitative finance field. If you attend MSCF, you will study all the important models that lay the groundwork for pricing frameworks in banks everywhere. You will earn a great amount of practical experience, whether working with data statistically or calibrating models. You will use C++, R, Matlab, and several other programs/languages, to accomplish these tasks. You will meet key people in the industry, either through the program's extensive networking events, or through the weekly speaker series. On a daily basis you will interact with some brilliant classmates and professors - and you will find that your classmates are a valuable resource in surviving this program and learning as much as you can. Lastly, you *will* work hard. This program requires a large time commitment and dedication, and exhibits little tolerance for slacking or laziness. Homeworks are long, exams are tough, and professors are demanding. But in the end, you will get a great job, learn a ton, and I guarantee you will not regret your decision to join the program.

I graduated from the MSCF program in December 2011. The time I spent at CMU in Pittsburgh was definitely the most satisfying in my academic life.

The MSCF program is rigorous, practical and provides you with an extremely solid foundation for any job related to financial engineering, trading or quantitative analysis. The subjects taught are extensive and cover the complete gamut of quantitative finance - from stochastic calculus to options trading and from statistical analysis to programming - and all of that from some of the best teachers in the world.

The professors and staff are extremely motivated and stretch the extra mile to help. I also made some really good friends while we all worked hard together - memories I will cherish throughout my life.

The MSCF program also helped me get exactly the job that I was aiming for and I don't think I could have been better prepared by any other course. There is no doubt in my mind about the 5 stars that I'm giving the program.

I graduated from MSCF in 2010, attending the program is one of best decision I ever made. MSCF has very practical course compare to other well-known programs, based in Business School it provide a great career service support, above all I've made a lot of great friends.

And yes workload is tough, but hey so the finance industry. I can assure you that if you spend some efforts there is nothing to be worry (there is a lot of help out there, your smart friends, TA, and Professor). One good thing about having 2 campus is that it help when it's come to job searching/interview, I was in Pittsburgh campus but from time to time when I had interview in NYC I attended class there. Professors understand it and they are very flexible about this (there is one time I had to take the final exam later because my interview got late).

Overall MSCF is a great program, it got me my dream job that I don't think I'll get otherwise, well deserved my 5-star.

I was a student at CMU in the satellite NYC campus from 2006-2007. I chose CMU over NYU and Chicago because of the reputation of the professors and the multi-disciplinarian approach. I was not disappointed.

The coursework was rigorous but the career opportunities were plentiful. In the process I built a foundation in math, statistics, and computer science that had been crucial for my career.

After graduation, CMU placed me at a large bank where I have been a credit trader for the past 5 years. The network is strong, the people are smart, and the opportunities are there for those who are willing to make the effort.