the different areas of finance
hello everyone, I am a french student in engineering and am interested in graduating in finance. I checked all the possible masters in the quantitative fields of finance in France and the UK. But there are so many masters with all fancy names! in the end, I have gotten a bit lost. So I came here to understand the different areas of finance. I listed below the different masters available
- mathematical finance
- financial mathematics
- quantum finance
- quantitative finance
- financial engineering
- stochastic finance
- computationnal finance
- financial computing
- financial economics
Sorry for the length of the list. Can someone explain me the basic differences between those fields? Thanks for your answers
Quantum finance? Wow, I think I wouldn't mind a degree in that meself...
Where the heck did you get that list. Just focus on the name of the univ you will do you master. The content doesn't matter that much. Look at the Master El Karoui, Laure Elie & Poncet in France and anything quantitative at Oxford, Cambridge, LSE, Imperial.
No idea what quantum finance is. Cool name though...
Financial economics is not as quantitative as the others. Still a good degree though, depending on what you want.
The rest are all more or less equivalent. Different names for different schools but similar courses.
I might add Dauphine 203 in France, it's gotten a little less competitive from what I've heard whereas El Karoui is still horrendously difficult to get into.
What area of Finance should I go into? (Originally Posted: 06/16/2016)
A little background information.. I am a rising junior at one of the top three undergrad business schools in the country pursing a degree in finance and economics. I have a great resume (3.7+ gpa, top business societies and other clubs) and meet the job requirements for almost any internship interview. The only problem is that I have no idea what I want to do. I am currently working in corporate finance as an internal auditor intern, and while I've learned a lot, I know that corporate finance is not for me. I'm looking to go into banking or even consulting since I love the stock market, but even then there are so many different areas to go into.
The majority of the companies recruiting at my school are BB NY banks and some pretty good consulting firms. I have connections at several of these, majority of which are in either Investment Banking, PWM, or Corporate restructuring (consulting). I love the idea of Investment Banking, but the lifestyle is just not for me - I don't desire to work that much. PWM looks very attractive to me, but I've heard a lot of people talk poorly of it because the exit ops aren't great and it can be hard to build a solid client base. I'm considering Asset Management, but I don't know if I'd rather do that or PWM. I plan to get my MBA sometime down the road, but I'm just looking to make good/decent money and live a happy lifestyle while I'm still young. I think my problem is that I'm reading too many forums and too many people have different opinions on these areas of finance. Just looking for advice based on past experiences to help someone who has no idea what area to go into.
Shit boy, so you want to be a banker? In my days bankers were beaten up and spited and dragged in the mud boy. In my grandfathers days Bankers were shot like the pigs they are boi. I literally can hear their screams. Fuck. I remember my dads debt; it was 2 million acres with some caws and mules. Dad was furious about those fuckin bankers and so we waited for them. Just as the buss of greedy financiers and bankers was parking me and my 9 brothers came out the bushes and shot those damn greedy shitheads. We killed 4 of them and 1 escaped. Afterwards we burned the fucken truck with the bloody bodies all over in it.
Now let me tell you something boi, i never went to school but i got myself a decent job in the financial sector. What you are telling me is that you are shit and your grades just show you know nothin of the real world. You think your friends are getting you a job? BULLSHIT. Get over your insecurities. College was and will alawyas be for pussis. You think you are but you are not holding as much cards as you think so. MAN UP. Let your sorrows drown in your nearest tavern. You will wake up and realize how the world really is.
Why did you choose your specific area of finance (or for students,whatever you want to do)? (Originally Posted: 10/22/2017)
What made that particular line of work interesting to you, or made you pursue it above other possible options?
Hi nicoca, whoops, looks like nobody chimed in here.... maybe one of these discussions below is relevant:
More suggestions...
You're welcome.
What do you want to be doing day after day and what do you think you'd be good at?
What field of finance to pursue with my degree (Originally Posted: 06/17/2015)
Hello everyone, I just recently joined WSO and need some assistance on what area of finance I should focus on with my degree. I am a rising junior and I am pursuing a double major in finance and international business. With that being said I am not sure how my international business major can give me leverage while looking for a specific field/internship.
definitely major in finance. your second major should either be economics, or computer science/information systems if offered. computer skills will put you ahead of so many other people, and econ is just generally a good concept to know
I agree with the post above, however this is a question that only you can answer for yourself. Talk to your career center.
Finance areas (Originally Posted: 12/29/2013)
Hello, I'm new to Finance. I know there are tons of different finance jobs. (PE, VC, HF, IB, Asset Management, etc...)
Could you explain these fields briefly and list top firms for all areas? Thanks!
WSO has a great finance dictionary explaining the main points of all areas of finance you have listed. As for top firms, use the search function of WSO or google.
Thanks a lot! I'll definitely do that.
And how do these rank according to pay?
Best "field" of finance currently and in the future? (Originally Posted: 05/05/2014)
Im going to college and im interested in hedge funds and private equity business..(i know you wont get straight in..or at all :/). So which one would be better in the future? In terms of availability and SALARY and overall.. And would there be any other good "fields" in the future(or currently).
Thanks!
How to find out which type of finance work is best for you? (Originally Posted: 06/06/2014)
So I've been looking into IB and S&T for the past few months just as career opportunities after college, but I'm unsure of which one I'd like more. And to add to that, I'm not sure what I'd like between all of the different jobs that are finance related, whether it be PE, IB, S&T, CorpFin, etc. Is there anything specific I should do to find out which branch interests me the most? Where should I look for information on each of the different career choices?
You will find that anything will become interesting once you become good at it. I never thought I would be interested in leasing dump trucks to mining companies in Africa, but that's what I fell into..
Most people don't really choose the path they follow, just do your best to make yourself employable (top grades, extracurricular, etc) and take the best opportunity that comes your way.
When I discovered finance and all the different fields in it, one thing got my attention. My girlfriend at the time said "you should be an investment banker, it would be really hot." So I began finding out what banking was and discovered that it was indeed awesome, and set out to get into I-banking.
A strategy consulting internship in China, an ER internship in NYC, and an actual M&A internship in NYC later, I would have knowledge of only 2 things: first is that I absolutely love financial modeling, and second is that I am definitely not a transactions kind of guy.
That should illustrate my point pretty clearly: people (bosses, coworkers, family, girlfriends, whoever you listen to) will influence your path more than you will immediately realize, and your internships (assuming you do a variety and not just 1 field) will open your eyes to what you enjoy and what is and isn't for you.
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