Financial Engineering Course Alternative

Quantitative finance has become an essential feature of the financial industry’s landscape. Drawing on deep knowledge of finance, math, probability, statistics, and computer programming, career progression in quant finance generally requires study beyond a bachelor’s degree. However, Masters programs for Financial Engineering (MFE) typically take 1-2 years, require full-time commitment and, combined with the loss of income and break in career momentum, the tuition costs can be daunting.

The CQF is an exciting Masters in Financial Engineering alternative. The program is widely recognized by the financial industry, less costly than most MFE programs, and can be finished online in just 6 months, with a flexible option allowing for up to 3 years for completion of all six modules.

The CQF Program: Content

This financial engineering degree alternative encompasses a cutting-edge syllabus that addresses the essential areas of quantitative finance in a modular fashion. Prior to the start of each cohort, in-depth primers in Math, Finance, and Programming give all delegates the opportunity to refresh their skills and get up to speed quickly, ensuring that they will be able to keep pace with each of the modules and develop their skills and understanding efficiently as the course progresses.

CQF program structure

Preparation: Optional Primers
CQF Qualification: Modules and Electives
Lifelong Learning: Continuous education

The assessments for the program require delegates to accomplish three objectives:

Derive the theory on which the model is based
Build and implement the model from the ground up, and
Analyse the output of the model, offering a detailed critique of the results.

Throughout each module, students will work directly with quant models in numerous lab sessions to gain experience with direct implementation.

This learning process supports the development of “desk-ready” skills, a feature that has distinctive benefits to the delegates and is valued by employers. These skills are essential and staying current is a powerful advantage in today’s competitive job market. In this way, the CQF meets and exceeds the typical Masters in Financial Engineering requirements.

The CQF Program: Faculty

The CQF was founded by Dr. Paul Wilmott to fill the gap between academia and the use of quant finance in industry. The program is taught by world-renowned practitioners such as:

The CQF faculty members, senior alumni practitioners, and leading industry figures are consulted on a quarterly basis to keep the program syllabus up-to-date and ensure that new models, methods, and popular topics are added to the curriculum as relevant to the industry.

Based on the diverse strengths of its faculty and staff, the CQF program has some elements in common with a typical financial engineering course syllabus, but offers deeper dives and a strong practical focus, continuously blending theory with critique and implementation. In addition to the lectures, for example, the CQF faculty lead focused tutorial and labs that cover a range of technical skills, including specific topics in mathematical modelling and programming in Python.

Beyond the CQF: Lifelong Learning

The CQF is committed to lifelong learning. As part of the benefits of the CQF program, each delegate is granted access to a vast catalogue of theoretical and practical lectures on stimulating quant finance topics.

This collection of videos is being expanded and updated each year with content from prominent practitioners and academics who provide:

Lectures
Masterclasses
Focused programs covering mathematical methods
Programming in Python
C++
And more

These offerings are available to all delegates at no extra cost as part of the extended CQF experience.

The CQF Network: Local and Global

The success of the CQF is intertwined with the success of its alumni – from fostering peer networking and forming industry connections to providing an array of options for lifelong learning, the CQF leaders and staff encourage all delegates and alumni to stay connected and benefit from the growing quant community around the program. The opportunities for continued engagement include joining the CQF Institute, participating in local societies, and attending annual events, including the Quant Insights conference.

The CQF and the MFE: A side by side comparison

Clearly, some MFE programs provide a firm grounding in finance and serve as a springboard into industry or academia. However, students who have completed such a Financial Engineering course often report that the courses tend to be too theoretical, too dated, and were taught by people who had good academic credentials, but had never worked in industry.

In contrast, the CQF is a masters in financial engineering online alternative for those who are seeking to enter or continue a career in quant finance, with the assurance of a solid, hands-on educational experience.

For further information about the CQF program, contact us.