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Nov 23, 2024
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Graduate Catalog | 2017-2018 Previous Edition
Mathematical Finance, M.S.
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The Master of Science in Mathematical Finance program is designed to prepare students to pursue careers in quantitative finance. Increasingly firms of all types, but especially financial institutions, investment banks, and commodities firms, rely upon highly sophisticated mathematical models to identify, measure, and manage risk. The advent of these models triggered the emergence of a new discipline, Mathematical Finance. This discipline, sometimes also referred to as “financial engineering,” “computational finance,” or “quantitative finance,” requires professionals with extensive skills in both finance and mathematics.
The Mathematical Finance program at UNC Charlotte is a joint program of the Departments of Finance and Economics in the Belk College of Business and the Department of Mathematics and Statistics in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences. Students take courses from all three departments in an integrated curriculum. Students may use electives to tailor the program to their specific interests.
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Additional Admission Requirements
In addition to the general requirements for admission to the Graduate School, the following are required for admission to the Master of Science in Mathematical Finance program.
- A baccalaureate degree in a related field with a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
- Acceptable scores on each portion of the GRE or GMAT.
- For applicants from non-English speaking countries, a language requirement score of 557 on the TOEFL or 220 on the new computer-based TOEFL or 78% on the MELAB. Non-native speakers of English, may, at the discretion of either the Graduate School or the Program Committee for the MS in Mathematical Finance, be required to enroll in English as a Second Language (ESL) courses at the English Language Training Institute.
- Specific coursework equivalent to the following: introductory course in the Theory of Finance; a standard two-semester sequence in Calculus; Linear algebra; and at least one upper-level course in Probability and Statistics. Students are strongly recommended to be familiar with at least one programming language, most preferably C or C++. Students lacking this coursework may be admitted subject to the condition that they satisfactorily complete such coursework during the first two semesters that they are enrolled in the program and prior to their taking any program courses where prerequisites are missing.
Early Entry Program
Exceptional undergraduate students at UNC Charlotte may apply for the Early Entry Program and begin work toward the graduate degree before completion of the baccalaureate degree. See the Undergraduate Catalog for details and requirements. Also see the Degree Requirements and Academic Policies section of the Graduate Catalog for more information about Early Entry Programs.
Accelerated Master’s Program
Academically talented high school seniors and UNC Charlotte undergraduate freshmen are encouraged to apply for the Accelerated Master’s Program to begin work toward both undergraduate and graduate degrees in their Freshman year. See the Undergraduate Catalog for details and requirements. Also see the Degree Requirements and Academic Policies section of the Graduate Catalog for more information about Accelerated Master’s Programs.
Prerequisite Requirements
Students may enter this program from a variety of undergraduate backgrounds, including finance, mathematics, economics, computer science, actuarial science, statistics, information systems and engineering. As a result, many students admitted will not have the required background to immediately begin taking advanced courses from each of three areas of study. In such cases, the student may be required to take prerequisite courses prior to enrolling in advanced courses in specific fields. These prerequisites would be in addition to the advanced 30 credit hours required for the degree. In general students must have the following background in each field before taking advanced courses in that field:
- Finance: Have earned an acceptable grade in an introductory course in finance from an AACSB-accredited business school at either the undergraduate or MBA level.
- Economics: Have earned an acceptable grade in microeconomics at either the undergraduate or MBA level.
- Mathematics: Have earned acceptable grades in the equivalent of a two course sequence in calculus (differential and integral calculus), a course in linear algebra, and an upper-level course in probability and statistics.
Students are strongly recommended to be familiar with at least one programming language, most preferably C or C++. Again, students may be admitted to the program without meeting all of these requirements. The Program Director, in conjunction with the Departmental Graduate Coordinators, will evaluate each incoming student’s academic background to determine in which prerequisite courses the student will be required to enroll. A student who meets the prerequisites in a field may begin taking advanced courses in that field while still taking prerequisite courses in another field. A student must, however, be making satisfactory progress toward fulfilling his or her prerequisites in all fields to remain enrolled in the program.
Degree Requirements
A minimum of 30 credit hours of coursework beyond the bachelor’s degree is required to earn the M.S. in Mathematical Finance degree. Students must complete the required six Program Core courses and four Concentration courses corresponding with the selected concentration.
Concentrations
The degree program offers three concentrations leading to a M.S. in Mathematical Finance. Students who plan to pursue careers in quantitative modeling and pricing analysis are encouraged to elect the Computational Finance Concentration. Students planning to pursue a career in risk management and insurance are encouraged to pursue the program with the Risk Management Concentration. Students interested in a career in financial data analysis and applications are encouraged to elect the Financial Data Analytics concentration.
Concentration in Computational Finance
In addition to the six Program Core courses, the following four courses are required for a M.S. in Mathematical Finance with a Concentration in Computational Finance.
Concentration in Risk Management
In addition to the six Program Core courses, the following four courses are required for a M.S. in Mathematical Finance with a Concentration in Risk Management.
Concentration in Financial Data Analytics
In addition to the six Program Core courses, the following four courses are required for a M.S. in Mathematical Finance with a Concentration in Financial Data Analytics.
Advising
Advising is done by the Program Director, in conjunction with the Area Coordinators of each of the participating Departments.
Assistantships
A number of assistantships are available each year. In order to be competitive, applications should be submitted by March 15. Additional information is available from the Program Director.
Comprehensive Examination
Student will be required to pass a comprehensive examination. An examining committee will be appointed by the program director and will be constituted from the program’s faculty. The exam may be, at the committee’s discretion, either written or oral.
Application for Degree
Each student should make application for his/her degree by completing the online Application for Degree through Banner Self Service no later than the filing date specified in the University Academic Calendar.
Transfer Credit
No more than 6 credit hours and only courses with a grade of A or B at an accredited institution. Requires the recommendation of the Program Director and approval of the Graduate School.
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