City St George’s, University of London, Bayes Business School - MSc in Quantitative Finance

I came from a strong mathematical background and wanted to move closer to the finance world. The MSc in Quantitative Finance at Bayes Business School was an excellent bridge between the two. The programme offered a good mix of technical and financial courses — subjects like Stochastic Modelling and Quantitative Programming were complemented by more finance-oriented modules such as Derivatives, Portfolio Management and Asset Pricing.

The balance between theory and practical applications was well-structured, and the professors were extremely knowledgeable and supportive. The amount of study material provided was impressive, allowing students to go well beyond the lectures. The class size was around 20–25 people, which made it easier to know your classmates and work closely with professors — though some might prefer a larger cohort.

Overall, I would highly recommend this programme, especially for students with a mathematical background who want to specialise in quantitative finance. The only downside is that the career service is more focused on corporate finance roles, so finding quant-related opportunities often requires personal effort and networking.

The MSc covered a wide range of relevant areas, giving students exposure to different fields before specialising in later terms. It also provided a strong foundation in core topics such as fixed income and risk analysis. The coursework offered valuable practical experience, helping us to consolidate theoretical knowledge, appreciate the real-world challenges of quantitative methods, and gain useful material to discuss during interviews. Some modules were quite challenging, but this was ultimately beneficial, as it better prepared us for the demanding nature of the industry.

The programme also included workshops where practitioners presented the latest advances and challenges in both academia and industry. These were especially valuable, as they provided inspiration for dissertation topics, exposed us to less common but highly relevant areas of research, and offered great talking points for interviews or for those considering a PhD.