Double-Major B.S in Math & Finance?

[Saidice]

Hello everyone!

I'm currently enrolled as a freshman double-major in Math and Finance. I was wondering what the Quant community thought about the validity of this degree path as well as whether or not I am headed in the right direction

Thanks!

 

[boneil]

Depending on what type of Quant work you want to do, the volume of computer science courses you should take differs. Take some intro classes in Java and C++ (or whatever they have in your comp sci department) and see how much you like it. You have plenty of time! I'm a junior and I haven't even started taking programming classes yet

 

[IlyaKEightSix]

No, no, and no. Academic finance courses are worthless. If you want finance, go pick up a financial textbook and code some of the problems from said textbook instead of solving them like ye olde typical excel analyst.

Trust me, your time will be much better spent with more technical coursework. There's a reason that Goldman Sachs yawns and hires English majors to be investment bankers.

 

[chiadam]

I got a good job at an options market making firm out of college with the same background. It was NOT a quant role but was, nevertheless, a very good job.

 

[kamikade]

No, no, and no. Academic finance courses are worthless. If you want finance, go pick up a financial textbook and code some of the problems from said textbook instead of solving them like ye olde typical excel analyst.

Trust me, your time will be much better spent with more technical coursework. There's a reason that Goldman Sachs yawns and hires English majors to be investment bankers.

I do not agree with you because every school differs.

My business faculty offers at least 4 courses that are quantitative: Mathematical Finance, Option and Futures, Derivatives, Fixed income analysis. The prerequisites for Math Finance is Cal 3 and 1 courses in Series. You must pass this one before you can take Option and Futures. Option and Future and 1 courses in CS are the prerequisites for Derivatives. Fixed income analysis courses is more theoretical however it does cover part of interest rate derivative valuation. The school plans to offer Simulation application in Finance in Spring 2013. I do not know about topics it will cover but what I heard is the course would cover Monte Carlo method, sampling technique and pricing option. However the prerequisites for it will be: 1 course in ODE, Mathematical Statistic and Probability Theory. Department announced the prerequisites so that students can prepare for the course in the future (if your curious how I know :D )

Those courses are not offered by Math or Science Faculty, they are offered by a Business school. Are they considered worthless?

Again, it very depends on what courses in Finance that your school/faculty offers.

 

[IlyaKEightSix]

....that's some finance coursework...which school do/did you attend?

 

[Saidice]

What more technical Coursework would you recommend? I was considering changing to Math and Comp Sci because many of my courses double up and it would actually be less work. I just really enjoy academic finance and that was the source of my reasoning.

I have Freshman Orientation on Sunday, and that is when I will be able to finalize my courses.

Thank you everyone for your input

 

[AWilliams]

What more technical Coursework would you recommend? I was considering changing to Math and Comp Sci because many of my courses double up and it would actually be less work. I just really enjoy academic finance and that was the source of my reasoning.

I have Freshman Orientation on Sunday, and that is when I will be able to finalize my courses.

Thank you everyone for your input

That's exactly how it is at my school. I'm majoring in both Computer Science and Computational Mathematics which are both offered by the computer science department. Together, they have great overlap.

(Note: like this post because i'm trying to keep my likes-to-post ratio high)

 

[Tsotne]

No, no, and no. Academic finance courses are worthless. If you want finance, go pick up a financial textbook and code some of the problems from said textbook instead of solving them like ye olde typical excel analyst.

Trust me, your time will be much better spent with more technical coursework. There's a reason that Goldman Sachs yawns and hires English majors to be investment bankers.

Do you mean to self-learn?

 

[euroazn]

(Note: like this post because i'm trying to keep my likes-to-post ratio high)

That's just pathetic...

 

[AWilliams]

That's just pathetic...

Relax.

 

[euroazn]

Relax.

Oh no, another unliked post! Can't you see the ratio dropping before your very eyes?!

 

[AWilliams]

Oh no, another unliked post! Can't you see the ratio dropping before your very eyes?!

You do understand it was a joke right?

 

[euroazn]

You do understand it was a joke right?

[sarcasm]You do understand that my reply was completely serious, right?[/sarcasm]

 

[MSFHQ]

Goldman Sachs hires english majors because they went to Ivy League schools, not because investment banking is stupid (not saying it is hard mentally). If you want a job in finance and don't go to a T10 school you better major in finance or maybe math. Yes, you can break in with other backgrounds, but it becomes much harder and you better have a good story as to "why".

 

[Saidice]

So Finance or Computer Science as my second major?

 

[vashok]

just take some courses see what you like.. you are just a freshmen correct? you have plenty of time to decide. if you wanna break into finance, it doesnt matter what major you are ( like anthony said). But if you wanna break into quant finance, you better know some programming as you come out. i studied math and econ. Unfortunately, I didnt get too much exposure to programming, and im having to learn programming on the job.