School of Business and ManagementThe Hong Kong University of Science & Technology
BSc in Quantitative Finance (QFIN)18 February 2020
Prof. Ekkachai SAENYASIRIUG Coordinator
Department of Finance
Alex LIUQFIN Student
Year 4
Today’s Speakers
QFIN Team
Prof. Ekkachai SAENYASIRI
UG Coordinator
Department of Finance
Email: [email protected]
Prof. Veronique A. LAFON-VINAIS
Executive Director, Career
Development & Corporate Outreach
School of Business and
Management
Department of Finance
Email: [email protected]
Ms. Miki YEUNG
Assistant Manager
Student Advisor
Department of Finance
Email: [email protected]
▪ Finance program with additional focus on quantitative skills. Provide knowledge on Finance, Statistics, Mathematics, Programming
▪We are equipped with skills to pursue most careers in finance Investment & portfolio management
Risk management
Development and pricing of Equity and debt securities
Derivatives & structured products
Fintech
What is Quantitative Finance Program?
▪ Designed for students with a strong interest in the finance industry
▪ Indicative quota = 40 students per year
▪ Close interaction among students and faculty
▪ Resources and supports from both HKUST and finance professionals
BSc in QFIN at HKUST
Currently have 148 from Indonesia, Philippines, Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, China and Hong Kong
Required Courses
▪ FINA 2101 Introduction to Finance
▪ FINA 3103 Intermediate Investments
▪ FINA 3203 Derivative Securities
▪ FINA 3303 Intermediate Corporate Finance
▪ FINA 3810 Bloomberg Market Concepts Certification
▪ FINA 4803 Quantitative Trading
▪ ECON 3334 Introduction to Econometrics
▪ ISOM 3230 Business Applications Programming
▪ MATH 1014 Calculus II
▪ MATH 2023 Multivariable Calculus
Electives
▪ Area A: Finance course [at least 3 credits]
▪ Area B: Programming and Data Analysis [at least 6 credits]
▪ Area C: Quantitative Skills [at least 9 credits]
Finance
Quantitative Skills
Programming &
Data Analysis
QFIN Curriculum
• Declaring additional major is possible
• Most popular one is BSc in Computer Science (COSC) Students have to take at least one COMP course before applying for QFIN/COSC double major
• Other additional majors such as Accounting (ACCT) and Mathematics (MATH)
We currently have 21 QFIN students with additional major in COSC.
(Updated as of Dec 2019)
Humanities & Social Science
Engineering ScienceJoint-school
Program22 Minor Programs Available
MATH, Actuarial Mathematics, Info Tech, and Humanities are popular minors among QFIN students
Additional Majors & Minor Programs
How to join QFIN program?
Program-based admission JUPAS + non JUPAS
School-based admission Major Selection Exercise (MSE)
Indicative quota for each cohort 40
Requirements and Ranking Criteria of QFIN
CGA 3.0 or above
B- or above in MATH 1012 / MATH 1013 / MATH 1020 / MATH 1023
If you take MATH 1003, you have to get at least A- in MATH 1003 and get at least B- in MATH 1014
If you transferred MATH 1013, you don’t have to take any other MATH course to apply for QFIN, we will treat it as passing the MATH requirement.
Holistic assessment based on CGA, selected course performance, CV profile, interview performance, personal statement
Currently in QFIN To be admitted in July 2020 and January 2021
Year 1 (quota: 40) 20 17+3
Alex: My QFIN Curriculum
Primary Market & Corporate FinanceFINA3303: Corporate FinanceFINA4013: ValuationCase study, spreadsheets, project
Secondary Market & InvestmentFINA3103: InvestmentFINA3203: DerivativesFINA4103: Fixed Income SecuritiesMore quantitative calculation
Traditional Finance
MATH & StatisticMath2411 Linear Algebra, MATH2421 Probability TheoryISOM4530 Financial Data Analysis with RECON3334 Econometrics
Programming:ISOM3230: Excel VBACOMP1021: PythonCOMP2011: C++
Quantitative Skills
InvestmentBanking
Asset Management
Quant TradingTech
Business Analyst
PotentialCareer
1 2
3 Graduate Studies
Business sense, analytical skills, communication, teamwork
Numerical skills, programming skills
1 Develop good understanding of corporate strategy, how company raise money, and how investor invest
2 Be able to conduct data-driven quantitative analysis and work comfortably with tech, algo, and AI
Cohort TermYear 3
(number of students participated in the exchange program)
%
2017-18Fall 2017 8
58%Spring 2018 15
2018-19Fall 2018 7
65%Spring 2019 19
137 Exchange Partners
3rd Year
Fall
3rd Year
Spring
4th Year
Fall
Examples of exchange-out universities
Canada - UBC, McGill France - HEC, ESSECGermany - U of MannheimSwitzerland - U of St. GallenSweden - LundSingapore - NUS U.K. - LSE, WarwickU.S.A. - UPenn, U of Michigan, NYU, UC Berkley, Cornell, U of Virginia, USC, Boston College, Carnegie Mellon, Emory, Ohio State U, U of Maryland
Exchange-out Opportunities
Alex: My Spring 2019 Exchange @ Boston College
Travel
Social
Academic
• Society: Join a BC public speaking club• Friends: Exchange with 2 QFIN friends. Met my best friend
of exchange from Ecuador
• Courses not offered in UST: American Economic Policy, Business Law in US
• Courses not dare to take in UST: Mathematic Analysis• Courses for credit transfer: Probability, Fixed Income
• Out of Boston: Peru, Cuba, NYC• In Boston: art museum, local bookstores, classical music
concerts
Exchange builds my cultural awareness and makes me a more outspoken person
Sep
• QFIN Orientation• Finance Speaker Series• Career Mentor Link (CML) Program• QFIN Networking Event• QFIN Peer Mentoring
Oct
• Finance Speaker Series• QFIN cohort event• CML: Mock Interview & CV Workshop
Nov
• Finance Sport Day• CML Program: Mock Interview & CV
Workshops• Finance Speaker Series• CML: Presentative Skills Workshop
Feb
• QFIN Family BBQ• Finance Speaker Series
Mar
• Finance Speaker Series• CML: Networking Workshop• QFIN Alumni-Student Event
May
• QFIN Senior Sharing Event• QFIN Graduation Lunch
QFIN Extra-Curricular Activities
Finance Talk / SeminarOur alumni are successful entrepreneurs, who are eager to share and have passion to inspire our students
QFIN Extra-Curricular Activities
QFIN Peer Mentoring 2017/18
QFIN Peer Mentoring 2018/19
QFIN Peer Mentoring 2019/20
QFIN Extra-Curricular Activities
Career Mentor Link Program (CML)
Our mentors are successful professionals who want to help our students
1
1
QFIN Extra-Curricular Activities
Finance Sport Day
To bringQFIN students, professors, faculty
members and PhD students together to the field and
create an opportunity for students to see a different side of each other
QFIN Extra-Curricular Activities
Most Common
Types of Job
Banking / Finance (92%)
Others (8%)
Some graduates pursued further studies at top universities such as….
MIT, Princeton, Columbia, Carnegie Mellon, U of Chicago, etc.
QFIN Career Prospects
Alex: My Work Experiences
2019 Summer Goldman Sachs Securities Division
Pitch trade ideas weekly Automate backtesting on different products Catchup with seniors
2018 Summer ICBC International Sales & Trading Division
Present morning meeting notes Facilitate urgent IPO investors onboards
In my year 1, I read financial news every day
2
3
In year 2 Join Traders @ UST. Practice a lot of technical and presentation skills
Realize I am passionate about market and like fast-paced environment
1
I wasn’t sure about my career in year2. Don’t be anxious if you have no idea. Take opportunity to explore
Alex: How QFIN Supports my Personal Development?
FINA TECH Peer Professional
CS & Math courses Close & Collaborative Generous & Supportive
QFIN Network
Be well-rounded and prepared for the career you like
Business sense Analytical skill Communication
Numerical skill Data analysis Problem solving
Case comp Mock interview Internship
QFIN career mentor
Alumni network
Diverse student choices
Apply learning to practice
Soft skills Career-driven: prepare for your career Learn from others’ experience
QFIN Curriculum
Finance courses
Technical skills Understand business Work with technology well
Alex: Tips for Students
Persist in something for a long time
Pay more attention to communication skills
Join QFIN helps you on all the dimensions
But don’t put too much pressure your self and have fun
Explore your Passion
Build your network
Final tip for QFIN MSE: in the interview, be sure to show you are passionate about finance, about the market
Quantitative Finance
Department website: http:// www.bm.ust.hk/fina
QFIN Facebook Page QFIN Alumni LinkedIn Group