Is Cambridge Part III Suitable for Quant?

[matthelm]

Hi.
For some background, im currently studying Maths at Warwick (finished second year) and im interested in trying to break into quant trading.
I'm currently looking at what masters programs to do and atm the plan is Cambridge Part III > Oxford OMMS > Imperial Pure/Applied Maths (though still not sure about this last choice) and stay at Warwick for masters if i don't get any of these.
Firstly, would doing a more pure Maths (like Part III) Masters than Mathematical Finance put me at a big disadvantage for getting a Quant trading role? My interests do cover Probability and Stochastics among other things so its not like I'm just doing abstract algebra.
Secondly, I'm also considering a PhD after this (although I would only do it if i really want to research a topic more in depth, wouldn't do it just to get a job). Is it possible to get quant research roles with just a Masters?
Also, how much does your institution matter in getting a role? Talking about say Warwick compared to Imperial for quant, as they're both similar for maths but ofc Imperial is a better name in general. In terms of experience, I did a (non convertible) spring week at GS in the Engineering division (didnt do much other than talks and networking though) so my CV isn't empty. Does university reputation only matter to the point of getting an interview, or is it still considered after interviewing and doing tests etc?

 

[MikeLawrence]

I'm not sure what the course structure is like (how many you'd take, which ones you get to take, ect.) but there are some good courses on there, yeah. You could combine courses from many different sections and, if you're diligent about it, create a format not terribly unfamiliar to the field of financial mathematics. But a top MFE in the US would still be more specific and focused.

 

[Andy Nguyen]

Here is my notes from a recent conversation with a Part III student. In short, it's a super camp for math geeks. If you target quant roles, you better equip yourself with technical skills (coding, finance, etc). Coming out of Cambridge part III will open a lot of doors at firms otherwise unavailable to other programs.

Cambridge Part III is a unique and highly rigorous program, much larger than typical Cambridge cohorts, with around 250 students per year—about 100 from Cambridge Maths and 150 top math students from around the world. The program is extremely challenging and entirely exam-based, with students choosing 4–6 papers from over 100 advanced mathematical topics.

While Part III is world-renowned for preparing students for PhD research in mathematics, it is less well-known in the quant finance world because most students pursue academic paths. Practical finance training is limited: only one financial mathematics paper exists, focused mainly on stochastic calculus, while other courses are theoretical (high-dimensional stats, theoretical ML, lasso/ridge, etc.).

However, for students targeting quantitative research or trading roles—especially at top firms like Jane Street, Citadel/Citadel Securities, and Jump Trading—Part III is considered the strongest UK program and highly respected for its technical depth.