MSc Finance + Computer Science

Coronaddo:

I completely understand what you mean. I was already well aware that a CS degree goes way beyond coding, although admittedly some of the more EE-related stuff might put me off a little bit.

The thing is that I don't want to do CS just to make my CV look better or simply to learn how to code (for that I could just continue learning Python by my own and I'd be pretty much set). It's more of a learning curiosity of mine, if that makes any sense. Kind of what Serr Monk was saying below about doing it for "giggles and personal growth".

I don't want to spend my whole life tied to a specific kind of job. I love trading now, and I will most definitely keep enjoying trading 10 years from now too, but that doesn't mean that I want to spend my whole life working as a trader. I've always been the entrepreneurial kind, plus machine learning (well, AI as a whole) is a topic about which I am deeply passionate, and so I would love to have an actual solid learning foundation about the subject.

Having elaborated on this, do you still think I shouldn't pursue CS? In case you think I should, should I start at the undergrad level (taking into account that many top universities don't accept candidates for a second BSc) or go straight for a MSc, after doing some introductory courses?

P.S.: What options do CS degrees offer related to AI? When choosing modules/subjects, I could surely skip some of the EE-heavy courses (or "hardware" courses so to speak; sorry if I sound ignorant) and focus more on programming and AI, right?

Thank you for your answer!

I don't think there's a point to collecting a bunch of degrees for the sake of "learning." Everyone I've met who's done that has regretted their decision and wished they went into the workforce earlier. You don't need a university to tell you that you learned something if your goal is to learn for yourself. Unis exist for verification and validation.

I know you're in the EU and school is way cheaper there- my best friend is over there and paying like 600 euro a semester. If you were in the US, you'd be insane to even attempt to get another degree for the sake of personal growth because even the cheapest public schools are like 20k a year.

If it was up to me, I'd do the MFE degree and pursue CS on the side. Unlike business classes (I'm Finance double degree) where each professor from each school has a different idea of how to teach a concept, CS knowledge is fairly homogeneous and dispersed. You could learn every concept from every class I've taken by watching Youtube/KhanAcademy/Lynda/etc.

Assuming you get a position as an algorithmic trader somewhere, you'd be good to go for most tech positions if you wanted to switch and had the rest of the knowledge from your personal research. Don't quote me on that though.

You seem pretty set on doing another degree and on some level I understand that desire to stay in school- I mean I'm getting a Msc in Finance. But I'd honestly caution you against it. You don't want to be 28 and still in school watching your friends advancing their careers and lives. At least my PhD friends are getting a PhD while doing that- but even then, it feels really bad to them.

To answer your P.S., at least at my school, the basic level EE courses are required but you can choose more software oriented upper level electives. I haven't taken courses in A.I. or machine learning but most of my friends have. From what I hear, doing this stuff is way different than learning about it, and not in a good way.