One of the Institute's two study paths
The researcher path
How to become a quantitative analyst or researcher who derives models. For graduate students and practitioners: derivations, estimation theory and the literature, ending in a supervised written dissertation.
The path, stage by stage
Start with an Open course
Free, two to three hours. Introduction to Quantitative Finance and Monte Carlo Simulation are the natural starts.
Complete the Foundation mathematics
Probability, statistics and Mathematics for Quantitative Finance. The researcher courses build on these, and each course page lists exactly which ones it requires.
Take Researcher courses
Stochastic calculus, stochastic differential equations, volatility and regime models, and the researcher courses in each specialty. Each ends in a written, paper-style assessment.
Write the Fellowship dissertation
The Fellowship in Computational Finance ends in a 120-hour supervised dissertation on a question you propose.
The researcher path is for people whose job is to find out whether a model is right. It treats each method through its derivation and assumptions, asks you to estimate models on data and to state their limits, and assesses you in writing. It suits quantitative researchers, students preparing for graduate study, and practitioners who want to read the research literature without guessing. It is the route for anyone asking how to become a quantitative analyst who derives models rather than only running them.
Credentials on this path
- Certificate in Derivatives PricingDerivative pricing in five courses and a capstone, from stochastic calculus to stochastic volatility: how options are priced, hedged and calibrated to the market.
- Fellowship in Computational FinanceThe top credential on the researcher path. Nine courses, eight of them at researcher level, and a supervised dissertation, examined by two faculty members.
Questions applicants ask
Is the Fellowship a degree?
No. It is an unaccredited Institute credential. It certifies that you passed the listed courses and a supervised dissertation; it is not a master’s degree or doctorate.
What mathematics do I need to start?
Single and multivariable calculus and linear algebra at undergraduate level. Mathematics for Quantitative Finance reviews both with financial examples.