Alumni Perspectives

Curriculum Delivers Cutting-Edge Research Skills

Ronald Kahn, BlackRock’s global head of equity research, taught my Equity class at Berkeley. Of course, he is very skilled and uses very sophisticated techniques, but he also was completely approachable. Thanks to him, we received an excellent education in current industry standards that was rigorous and practical.

If the Berkeley MFE were in the math department, theories would have been taught in greater depth. I appreciated being in the business school because the professors emphasize the practical aspects of every subject. The relationships with industry are invaluable for finding internships and jobs.

Big Data Plays a Role in Big-Picture Finance

After my undergrad degree, I had a couple of internships in data science roles to see if that was the right direction for me. Working in quant finance allows me to see how my work contributes to helping our clients reach their investing goals and the firm to make a profit.

Even though I am not working as a data scientist now, I love using big data in my job. What we learned about machine learning and optimization in the MFE program makes me a better contributor on my team at Blackrock.

Personal Attention in a Program with Global Reach

This may be a Bay Area program, but its reach is global. For one thing, half of the students are from outside the US. Plus, there are Berkeley MFEs in every major financial center around the world.

I considered other MFE programs, but was so very impressed with the personalized attention at Berkeley Haas. Faculty and the program office know each student very well. They are invested in our success.

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