COMPARE CMU (Pittsburgh) VS Columbia MFE

[Stochasticity]

I can confirm that Steve Shreve has taught Stochastic Calculus II for at least the last two years, along with Risk Management II.

All classes at CMU are taught by professors. TA sessions are held separately and no classes are taught by TAs.

Professors...including adjunct professors (who're full-time practitioners), postdocs (who're not professors), or not?

 

[mhy]

Professors...including adjunct professors (who're full-time practitioners), postdocs (who're not professors), or not?

All of the classes I took were taught by full-time professors (assistant/associate/full). No adjuncts or postdocs, except for a few classes where they were brought in as guest lecturers. I do know of a class or two that had to use an adjunct this past school year due to an emergency, but it is not common.

 

[AJ Burnett]

All of the classes I took were taught by full-time professors (assistant/associate/full). No adjuncts or postdocs, except for a few classes where they were brought in as guest lecturers. I do know of a class or two that had to use an adjunct this past school year due to an emergency, but it is not common.

CMU postdocs: Department of Mathematical Sciences
one of them teaches Discrete-Time Finance (not a bad thing, but let's stay factual).

 

[mhy]

CMU postdocs: Department of Mathematical Sciences
one of them teaches Discrete-Time Finance (not a bad thing, but let's stay factual).

That's not an MSCF course. Should've clarified that all CMU MSCF classes (except guest lectures, plus one or two exceptions, due to emergencies) are taught by professors.

 

[Mensa]

CMU postdocs: Department of Mathematical Sciences
one of them teaches Discrete-Time Finance (not a bad thing, but let's stay factual).

Go to see the curriculum for MSCF program. Stay factual but accurate.

I even never know any postdoc teachs class (for full semester) in the top programs.

 

[Stochasticity]

Go to see the curriculum for MSCF program. Stay factual but accurate.

I even never know any postdoc teachs class (for full semester) in the top programs.

21-420 : Continuous-Time Finance. Spring 2012
MA 21-366: Monte Carlo Simulation. Fall 2010
were taught by a postdoc.

 

[mhy]

21-420 : Continuous-Time Finance. Spring 2012
MA 21-366: Monte Carlo Simulation. Fall 2010
were taught by a postdoc.

Neither of those classes is part of the MSCF program.

 

[AJ Burnett]

Yes, and Columbia MFE has more adjuncts than regular faculty:
Department of Industrial Engineering & Operations Research

 

[pingu]

Yes, and Columbia MFE has more adjuncts than regular faculty:
Department of Industrial Engineering & Operations Research

Is that a problem? I see it as a plus.

 

[AJ Burnett]

Is that a problem? I see it as a plus.

No, it's not a good thing. It's a bad thing. It's a terrible thing.

 

[pingu]

No, it's not a good thing. It's a bad thing. It's a terrible thing.

If the adjuncts are people from the industry with connections, that's the best thing. They are your way into jobs. Tenured professors that have spent their life teaching won't have much of a clue.

I have experience this.

 

[IntoDarkness]

agreed. a healthy mix of academics and practitioners is the best combination

 

[AJ Burnett]

The key point = there're **way** more adjuncts than regular faculty for Columbia MFE. It's like 5 to 1, or worse if you limit to FE. That's a healthy mix? Give me a break.

 

[IntoDarkness]

where is this 5 to 1 coming from?

all core (6 in total) courses r taught by real prof. some specialized electives, most of which involve a particular market/product, r taught by experienced adjuncts.

whats wrong with that?

 

[IntoDarkness]

this aj bernett and stochasticity surfaced around the same time spreading nonsense and insulting ppl's intelligence

paid schmuck?

 

[Parallax]

If the adjuncts are people from the industry with connections, that's the best thing. They are your way into jobs. Tenured professors that have spent their life teaching won't have much of a clue.

I have experience this.

Exactly. I'd take an adjunct PhD with industry experience over a tenured/career professor (that has never seen models applied in the real world) any day.

It's similar to the theoretical vs. applied debate; it all depends on what you are trying to do when you are done. For most people, that means transition into a cash-flow generating career in the industry.