Admission Requirements
The Master of Quantitative Finance is an interdisciplinary program. Students are registered in one of the three participating departments and must adhere to the requirements of their home department:
David R. Cheriton School of Computer Science
Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science
School of Accounting and Finance
Admission requirements for students admitted into the Master of Quantitative Finance program are as follows:
- A four-year honour's Bachelor's degree (or equivalent) with a strong background in quantitative methods. Such a background may be in mathematics, statistics, actuarial science, computer science, economics, engineering, physics, provided there is a strong component of high level mathematics in the program. Strong communication skills are also highly desirable.
- An overall B+ (80%) average from a Canadian university (or its equivalent).
- Three letters of reference, of which at least two are from academic sources.
- Proof of competency in English (if applicable), including a TOEFL score of at least 600 and TWE of at least 4.5 for students required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language or an Internet Based score (IBT) of at least 100 is required with a minimum of 24 in Speaking and Writing. (See Academic Regulations - English Language Proficiency Certification for other acceptable tests of English.)
- Applicants will initially be assessed by a special interdepartmental committee consisting of faculty from the participating departments.
- Interested applicants should consult with the MQF Program Coordinator or the Director of the Centre for Advanced Studies in Finance. The admission process is administered by the Centre for Advanced Studies in Finance.
Application Deadline for September admissions is February 1st.
Degree Requirements
Master of Quantitative Finance (Course Work Option)
The Course Work option is offered by:
a) David R. Cheriton School of Computer Science
b) Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science
c) School of Accounting and Finance
Normally, this program consists of two academic terms (Fall and Winter), followed by a work term with an industrial partner in the Spring term, and then one additional academic term (Fall).
The academic requirements are:
- nine one-term (0.50 unit weight) courses
- and the Master's Research Paper
The required courses are: ACC 770/ACTSC 970, ACC 771/ACTSC 971, ACC 772/ACTSC 972, ECON 727, and STAT 850, 901, 902, 906.
In addition, students are required to take one additional graduate level course approved by the student’s academic advisor. Recommended course electives include ECON 601, CS 676, ACTSC 845, ACTSC 846/STAT 846 or CO 778/ACTSC 973.
Master of Quantitative Finance (Thesis Option)
The Thesis option is offered by:
a) David R. Cheriton School of Computer Science
b) Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science
c) School of Accounting and Finance
The academic requirements are:
- four one-term (0.50 unit weight) courses
- and the Master's Thesis
The required courses are: ACC 770/ACTSC 970, ACC 771/ACTSC 971, plus 2 elective courses approved by the student’s academic advisor. Students will be required to submit a thesis proposal by the end of their second term of study.
A special interdepartmental committee, consisting of faculty from the David R. Cheriton School of Computer Science, School of Accounting and Finance and the Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science, will review the record of a candidate whose cumulative average at the end of any term is below B (75%) and the candidate may be required to withdraw from the program.