University of Chicago - MS CS vs MS FM
Hello All,
I am new to WSO, but I have been reading a lot of posts on it and it has been quite a read. I have a personal dilemma and I was hoping I can get some advice/comments/tips. Anything will be greatly appreciated.
Issue: I got into University of Chicago's MS Financial Mathematics and MS Computer Science.
Concern: CS is more broad and flexible and can do MSFM jobs...while MSFM is more specific and enhances Stat MS - more interested in mathematics and i don't think MS CS will offer too much of an expertise in machine learning/algorithms (it's like 5 classes....). Read a lot of negative stuff about MSFM... :\
Background: MS & BS in Statistics ; BS Economics (more like Operational Study) Work Experience : ~5 years in Data Analytics/Financial Market Research aka Data Analyst dealing with Venture Capital/Private Equity data. Mostly work with R/Excel/SQL...not the sharpest tool when it comes to programming...Learning C++ and enhancing higher level language coding ability.
Hope: to make a move into quant jobs - valuations/ algorithms / portfolio management /risk management (ideally with exchanges...very interested in CME) OR more finance stuff...like recap/restructure have always been personal interest
Long version: Since I have a good amount experience working with VC/PE data and my company/manager has a few relations with investment firms, i was thinking of staying in the same realm. MSFM would enhance my finance knowledge and also be a good complement to my Stat background. Code hard on the side while studying math hard in class.
vs
CS - broad and flexibility if I get out of the financial services industries. Have interviewed as a data scientist in the past and gotten pretty far with big companies. Struck down often because my lack of IT knowledge/coding ability (i m working on it...) Plus..CS can also allow me to stay in finance and do quant jobs or go back being a data analyst or do search analytics (also interested).
THANK YOU!
it really depends on how you want your career trajectory to be. I'd take FM as synonymous to Financial Engineering. It'd be much tied up to Financial industry. with the BS/MS of Econ and Stats that you already have, actually MS CS seems more limiting.
for CS industry, people don't need a degree as much--you just need to know how to code well!
you already have a lot of degrees.... a MS in FM/CS will be an overlap for you, and you probably know it. I get that it's different from CS, but you might not need that many CS courses to fix your programming deficiency. Some intro classes would do (I understand that EdX/Coursera lectures are just endless video tapes, but they're much cheaper and faster).
I have that coding deficiency too, and I feel for you. I got admits from CS programs, but I decided to say no, and just do a few EdX courses to have basic fundamentals until I need more.
would tend to agree with the top poster, although i hear he is usually a troll this depends a lot on how good your coding skills already are
Thanks. i don't troll because it's a waste of my time, but it's possible that I think differently...
Thank you for your advice! I am going to take what you said at face value and consider it a big help. :D How do you feel about Financial Math degrees in general?
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