[Tim] Finance is getting more high-tech and quantitative,
and so by employing students with the right combination of the sophistication, allows
the companies to become more ambitious in terms of what they can pursue as a company.
We believe that we have a good curriculum that can serve not only students who are just
graduated from undergrad but also people who are working industry.
We really want to be able to serve a broader community and people in different life stages
or, you know, different stages of their career get the right training and then help them
advance in their career.
[Karen] The Computational Finance Risk Management
program is comprised of a master's of science degree as well as two certificate programs.
The certificate programs are two-fold, the Quantitative Finance certificate really gives
the student base knowledge and mathematics and statistics.
Typically, those students have completed their bachelor's degree, but they don't have any
foundation in financial mathematics.
The Computational Finance certificate is made up of three of the core courses that make
up the master of science degree.
[Reeta] Most industries are using more mathematics
and statistics in the form of data science and machine learning.
I wanted to use my knowledge about computer programming, and I wanted to explore more
about applied mathematics so I can combine these skills together.
[Aaron] I enrolled in their graduate certificate program,
so that while I was applying for the Masters degree and taking the GRE I was able to knock
out a couple of classes so that I could finish a little ahead of schedule, and then I was
accepted into the Masters program and became an on-campus student.
[Karen] Since the CFRM program is a professional master's
degree, meaning the assumption is students are going to go into industry, we take career
and professional development very seriously and make that sort of a core part of the student's
experience overall.
So I teach career and professional development workshops, work with students one-on-one,
mentoring, coaching, and consulting with them on their employment plan and where they want
to go in industry.
[Reeta] Computational Finance and Risk Management
was a completely new area for me, and the CFRM Career Counselor, Karen, helped me finding
the right job opportunities.
[Karen] We spend a fair amount of time developing
really strong partnerships with industry and companies really across the United States,
but of course locally as well and strong in the Pacific Northwest.
So some of the things that we can offer the students through those collaborations are
things like having those companies come on campus to give a seminar talk as well as interview
students for internships all in one day, so we can streamline the process for the employer
as well as streamline the process for the student.
[Aaron] Being a full time student is a full time job
and then looking for a job is a full time job as well.
So having someone who was looking out for you and trying to, you know, figure that part
of your life out was awesome.
It really allowed me to focus on school, and then you know when the time was right, then
to focus on the career search.
[Tim] Finance, you know, is ever-evolving and, but
it's evolving in the direction where more quantitative techniques is needed.
I know more programming skills is needed.
In a solid foundation, you know in math and statistics is needed.
So that's where our program is heading.
That is where the industry is heading.
So, you know, we hope to continue that.
[Aaron] I think it's really exciting, it's really
fast paced, and from a like a perspective of someone who likes to do really analytical
work and then also likes to do creative things, so it's really fulfilling work.
I couldn't see myself being anywhere else.