The MFE Experience
An Innovative Degree
The Master's in Financial Engineering program
at the Haas School of Business prepares students for technically
sophisticated jobs with financial institutions, financial
service providers, suppliers of financial consulting services,
financial software and systems providers, and in corporate
treasuries. The program serves students seeking comprehensive
technical knowledge of arbitrage, hedging, futures and
options pricing, portfolio management, trading, and dynamic
investment strategies in bond, currency, options, and
other financial markets.
One Year of Study
The MFE requires only one year of study, which makes it
attractive to students with strong quantitative skills
and focused career interests. To some extent, the MFE
may also be seen as an attractive alternative to a doctoral
program in finance for individuals interested in commercial
rather than academic careers. The combination of skills
--understanding of complex financial strategies, financial
modeling ability, and computational proficiency -- is
in high demand, and is difficult for employers to find
in graduates of standard MBA or engineering programs.
As an MFE student, you will learn how to combine modern
portfolio theory and computational methods with a practical
knowledge of the forums in which you can employ these
skills.
Quality Instruction
The MFE faculty is comprised of distinguished finance
instructors from the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley,
the Anderson Graduate School of Management at UCLA, and
UC Irvine's School of Management. The MFE Faculty performs
preeminent research in quantitative finance, research
that feeds directly into the MFE curriculum. Many of these
scholars also have practical experience in the creation
of financial instruments and software and the implementation
of innovative financial strategies. Their expertise is
widely recognized and respected.
Competitive Admissions
The MFE program office receives several
hundred applications during each admission cycle.
The sixty students who are accepted will have a high level
of intellectual curiosity, a strong interest in finance,
and strong analytical skills. Though there is no specific
degree requirement, most students will have backgrounds
in quantitative disciplines such as mathematics, statistics,
the physical sciences, engineering, operations research,
computer science, finance, or economics. It is also expected,
though not required, that applicants have work or research
experience in which they have applied quantitative skills
creatively. In order to screen for candidates that have
the ability to succeed in the program, the admissions
committee carefully reviews all parts of a student's application,
including grades, test scores, recommendations, and essays.
Tailored Curriculum
MFE courses are designed exclusively for MFE students,
and are seamlessly integrated with one another. This cooperation
between course material allows the mathematical, statistical,
and computer science methods to be integrated with the
theoretical framework and institutional settings in which
they are applied.
Upcoming Information Sessions
