Computer Science BSc - no chance at being a quant?

[ggsx]

Hi there, I'm a second-year Computer Science student at a top 10 UK uni. I want to break into quant and I'm interested in being a quant in market risk or maybe a desk quant at an investment bank.

However, I don't have that much pure maths in my degree. It's mostly focused on discrete maths (set theory, SAT, graph theory, etc) and algorithms/computation (complexity theory, theory of computation, automata theory, etc).

I have studied some maths from the engineering modules available to us (complex numbers, continuity, ODEs, jacobian matrices, Taylor's Theorem, Fourier series & transform, Z transform, etc) and there's a bit of stats in my modules next year. I have an A-level in Maths too but of course, this has no comparison to Maths/Physics/Engineering degree holders.

However, I believe this isn't really enough to be a quant analyst at all? There is an opportunity to do modules outside my degree and a friend of mine did Mathematical Methods for Theoretical Physics (Complex analysis, Variational calculus (Lagrangian mechanics), Greens Functions and Tensors) but I feel as if this would be in vain if I did it with the aim of being a quant?

Both UCL & KCL's Computational Finance MSc course have accepted people from my bachelor's course in the past but would my bachelor's hold me back even if I did have an MSc with substantial amounts of stochastic calculus, PDEs, Ito Integrals, etc?

 

[Camille.li]

You are just second-year, how young you are!

Impossible is nothing. I think Nike is saying something quite correct. I was major in Maths, worked as a teller, then Data Analyst, then Data Scientist. Now moving to a FI Developer. I believe I will be a Quant research someday, just like when I could see myself leaving the teller position years ago. I am not smart nor attractive or something. It's about whether you want to do it. Don't worry about the result, just work hard on what you need. It will come anyway.

 

[SD_]

Read a bit on finance too, you have the tools but you must understand how these are actually applied in finance. Hull's book Options, Futures, and other derivatives might help a lot.

With the tools that you have and a broader surface-level understanding of finance (derivatives, portfolio-optimisation, trading strategies, etc..) you will be able to understand not only how these mathematical and computational tools are applied in finance (again surface-level) but also where exactly do you want to fit in that equation (i.e. your desired role, not the name of the position as they can be too generic but your desired future job responsibilities)

Choose your master's very very carefully,
- look at the curriculum, does the program allow flexibility or not (electives, no. of subjects taught by industry experts, industry projects, independent study, etc.)?
- where do alumni usually end up working?
- what are the opinions of alumni regarding the career services, the curriculum, and the teaching (most importantly those who have the similar background as you, maybe from the same undergrad/university)

You basically have the perfect background to become a quant (CS undergrad), just make sure you understand/study the industry a little better before deciding on the quant program you wish to join.

Good luck!