Second bachelor's in Math & CS, after finance degree

[m_ch]

Hi,

I need some guidance regarding my current situation and think some of you probably have good advice to give me.

I am finishing a finance degree at an university in Canada, and could graduate either this summer or next fall.

I am interested in quantitative investing, asset management and, to some extent, risk management. I do not know programming but have always wanted to learn so I started to try and learn C++ on my own through different online resources.

I want to try and join a top MFE program but feel that, for admission in the top programs (Berkeley, CMU, NYU) my background would be way too light regarding mathematics and computer science. So my plan was to apply for a second bachelor's degree in a Mathematics & Computer Science at an university here in Canada (considered top 5 I would say) and apply for MFE programs in the U.S. as I'd really like to get out of my mediocre province (bad job market, no opportunities).

I guess my question is first: is this a good plan? Is there anyway I could have a chance at a top MFE program without doing this bachelor's? Could I achieve this by doing a master's program in math (if one would ever accept a finance major)?

The age thing is kinda making me hesitate but better to do it now than to wake up at 30 regretting it and then doing it, right?

And, any idea if I would have good chances at a program like CMU or NYU having that finance degree, probably all levels of the CFA by the time I graduate from my second bachelor's, and a Math&CS degree from a top canadian university? Would not having work experience (aside from potential internships during my second bachelor's) negatively affect my application?

I really would like to hear any thoughts anyone has.

Thank you!

 

[Magnus Jnr]

I'm in the same boat. I will be graduating with a finance degree next year and my plan is to do a second bachelor degree in math and/or CS.

I've seen people suggest just doing the basic prerequisite for most MFE programs (calculus, probability, linear algebra, c++ programming), but I think your profile will be more competitive with a full degree.

That's just what I think, so hopefully someone else can comment on this too.

 

[Kelvin Chui]

Could I achieve this by doing a master's program in math (if one would ever accept a finance major)?

In terms of level of difficulty, I think most MSc math programs are even harder than MFE programs

 

[Alexandre Chretien]

What about doing a certificate in math? I believe that would save you a lot of time, only choosing the prerequisite courses.

 

[Fenderbender]

Or you could just take math/CS courses that are prerequisites for a masters and go for that. It could take less time.

 

[moretodo]

Just do a Masters in Computer Science intended for non-comp science students in the US. There are many out there. And do the math pre-reqs as electives.

 

[DAK]

U Penn - Master of Computer and Information Technology http://www.cis.upenn.edu/grad/mcit/index.shtml
Concordia University - Diploma in Computer Science http://www.cse.concordia.ca/prospectivestudents/graduateprograms/diplomaincomputerscience/
University of London International Programmes (Lead College: London School of Economics (LSE)) - Diploma for Graduates in Mathematics http://www.londoninternational.ac.uk/courses/diploma-graduates/lse/diploma-graduates-mathematics
Stanford - Foundations in Computer Science Graduate Certificate http://scpd.stanford.edu/public/cat...eProfile.do?method=load&certificateId=1226709
UCF - Mathematics Graduate Certificate http://math.cos.ucf.edu/graduate/pages/Certificate.php

There are more you have to search for them. You should use Google or Bing and search for math/cs programmes for people from other disciplines or conversion programmes in math/cs.

 

[GoIllini]

I will give you the same advice I gave my brother.

To qualify for most quantitative MS programs, you need the following courses, regardless of your undergraduate degree.

-Calculus I, II, III.
-Calculus-Based Probability
-Linear Algebra
-An imperative programming course.

Strongly recommended but not necessarily required:

-Discrete Math/ intro to algorithms/CS proof techniques**
-Numerical Methods**
-Differential Equations
-Real Analysis
-Data Structures**

**:These should be treated as required for an MS in CS.

Actually for an MS in CS, I would strongly recommend a Junior/Senior level algorithms class.

If you have these, you can pivot to an MS in CS or ORFE. Beware- not everyone who can pull off a Finance degree can pull off Calculus-Based probability, let alone a CS Master's.