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Master of Science in Quantitative Finance (MSQF)
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Program Overview
The Master of Science in Quantitative Finance (MSQF) prepares students to meet professional finance challenges in public, private, and not-for-profit organizations. Today's financial models and approaches are mathematically sophisticated, complex and exotic as a result of the dynamics of the theory and practice in the field. The MSQF program gives you the financial models, mathematics, and computer science preparation for these new and emerging financial models. The program is interdisciplinary and is designed for students with very strong quantitative backgrounds who have objectives of understanding, modeling, and determining solutions to complex financial problems such as uncertainty (risk) management and derivatives. The program is rigorous and requires completion of 30 credit hours of coursework. It combines strong quantitative skills such as calculus, probability theory and numerical methods, computer science such as algorithms, neural networks and computation with uncertainty measurement and management, as well as dynamic valuation and pricing from finance. The program emphasizes applied skills while providing sufficient theoretical background. The program is open to full- and part-time students. Students may enter the program directly having obtained an undergraduate degree or through the companion 3-2 BS/BA-MSQF program. Students may enter in August or January. Courses are typically offered during traditional class days and times. The program is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).
Program Requirements
The MSQF program consists of 30 semester hours for students with appropriate mathematical and finance undergraduate backgrounds. Of these hours 15 semester hours consist of specified preparatory courses in mathematics and computer science. The remaining 15 credit hours consist of financial modeling using these preparatory courses. Students will be expected to develop their expertise in solving and developing complex financial models by drawing upon and integrating their financial, mathematical and computer science knowledge.
Admission Requirements
In addition to meeting the admission requirements of the Graduate School, individuals seeking admission to the MSQF program must submit official scores for the GMAT and a current resume. Since students may be admitted from a variety of undergraduate backgrounds, students may not have the required background to immediately begin taking advanced courses from the required program of study. In such cases, the individual's background will be assessed and a program will be devised to prepare them for the advanced material contained in the program. Please see the Graduate School Catalog for a detailed list of the prerequisites.
Courses
The Master of Science in Quantitative Finance program is 30 credit hours at the 500 or 600 level as outlined below:
| Course Number | Course Name |
|---|---|
| FIN 633 | Quantitative Methods in Finance |
| FIN 636 | Fixed Income |
| FIN 637 | Advanced Financial Derivatives |
| FIN 639 | Uncertainty Analysis and Measurement |
| FIN 649 | Quantitative Finance Capstone |
| MTH 510 /CS 510 | Numerical Methods I |
| MTH 511/CIS 511 | Numerical Methods II |
| MTH 514 | Partial Differential Equations |
| CS 514 | Algorithms |
| CIS 588 | Expert Systems |
Department Contact Information
Program Coordinator and Department Chair
Philip Horvath, (309) 677-2313, hap@bradley.edu
Assistant Director of Graduate Programs in Foster College of Business
Susannah Gawor, (309) 677-2256, sgawor@bradley.edu