ADVANCED MASTER

IN

QUANTITATIVE
FINANCE
A M . S O L V A Y . E D U
 INTRODUCTION

“ The 21st century has seen a drastic quantification of the financial markets. With the
emergence of ever-faster computers, more complex products and trading strategies have
become omnipresent in finance. In order to be able to understand the current financial
environment, quantitative skills are nowadays no longer an asset, but a necessity.
Through a well-selected set of courses in Mathematics, Statistics / Econometrics, Finance
and Programming you will gain all the necessary skills and beyond to become a successful
financial professional.
The program covers quantitative asset management, derivative pricing and risk
management. It is particularly well-suited for students with a quantitative background,
obtained either from recent education or through professional experience.

JEROEN KERKHOF
“
Academic Director

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
The main objective is to train a new generation of financial professionals.
You will gain cutting-edge knowledge in quantitative finance and learn to apply
it to real-life problems. You will not only be exposed to some of the latest and
most-used techniques and models, but also understand their advantages and
limitations.

By the end of the program, participants will be able to:

BUILD ASSET MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES AND CONSTRUCT ROBUST

ASSET PORTFOLIOS BOTH WITHIN ASSET CLASSES AS WELL AS
ACROSS DIFFERENT ASSET CLASSES.

CREATE, PROGRAM AND BACK-TEST STRUCTURED DERIVATIVE

PRODUCTS. GAIN A BETTER OVERALL UNDERSTANDING OF THE
DERIVATIVES MARKETS COMPARED TO OTHER GRADUATE STUDENTS
AND MANY JUNIOR PROFESSIONALS.

EFFICIENTLY EXTRACT DATA FROM MASSIVE DATABASES AND

UNDERSTAND THE VALUATION ASPECTS OF COUNTERPARTY RISK IN
DERIVATIVES TRADING (ARGUABLY TWO OF THE HOTTEST AREAS
IN TODAY’S QUANTITATIVE FINANCE).

UNDERSTAND THE CONTEXT OF THE FINANCIAL MARKETS WHERE

THESE PRODUCTS EXIST AND ANALYSIS ARE FRAMED. BE MORE
EFFECTIVE AND CREATIVE IN THEIR PROFESSIONAL ENVIRONMENT
AND THEREFORE PROGRESS MORE QUICKLY IN THEIR CAREERS.
 PROGRAM CONTENT

This Advanced Master is a full-time course (60 ECTS) including:

• 48 ECTS of courses (September to May)

High-level coursework delivered by an exceptional cast of professors comprised of highly

respected academics and senior financial professionals.

Courses are in the afternoon and evenings to enable (advanced) participants to combine it with a
part-time professional activity.

Most courses are hands-on and you will learn by doing through multiple (computer) assignments.
For the computer assignments you will use the popular Python and C++ programming languages.

• 12 ECTS for a 3-month internship in a top-quality financial institution or a Master’s thesis

(Term 5, June to August).

TERM 1 TERM 2 TERM 3 TERM 4

ASSET PRICING: ASSET PRICING: BIG DATA & ALGO

PROBABILITY
THEORY PRACTICE II TRADING

OVERVIEW OF
DERIVATIVE PRICING: RISK & MODERN ROBO
FINANCIAL MARKETS
THEORY RISK MANAGEMENT ADVISORY
& REGULATION

FINANCIAL OBJECT-ORIENTED
FINANCIAL DERIVATIVE PRICING:
ENGINEERING & DATA PROGRAMMING
ECONOMETRICS PRACTICE
SCIENCE (FEDS) I USING C++

STOCHASTIC ASSET PRICING:

FIXED INCOME CREDIT RISK
CALCULUS PRACTICE I

ESTIMATION FINANCIAL FINANCIAL

THEORY & ENGINEERING & DATA ENGINEERING & DATA
NUMERICAL METHODS SCIENCE (FEDS) II SCIENCE (FEDS) III

* Program courses are subject to marginal

PARTICIPATION IN changes.
THE STUDENT TRIP (OPTIONAL)

STUDENT TRIP (OPTIONAL): PARTICIPANTS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO JOIN OUR STUDENT TRIP, WHICH IS
ORGANIZED EVERY YEAR, WHERE THEY GET THE CHANCE TO VISIT VARIOUS INSTITUTIONS AND COMPANIES
AND ATTEND TALKS FROM GUEST SPEAKERS.

INTERNSHIP

The career service assists with finding an internship. In previous years, students have found internships in
Belgium and abroad in places ranging from high-quality local players such as ING, Belfius, BNP Paribas Fortis,
GDF Suez, the European Commission to a Los-Angeles based hedge fund.

This 3-month hands-on internship at a top-quality institution will often serve as a starting point to a full-time
position.

In recent years over 80% of the graduates had found a job before graduating.
 PARTICIPANTS PROFILE
CÉLINE DE BROSSES
Belfius,
The Advanced Master in Quantitative Finance is aimed at: Alumna

“
THE HIGHEST-CALIBRE STUDENTS, DISPLAYING THE GREATEST
MOTIVATION TO TAKE AND COMPLETE THE PROGRAM

CANDIDATES WITH AN OUTSTANDING ACADEMIC BACKGROUND, The program is comprehensive

INTELLECTUAL CURIOSITY AND THE DISCIPLINE NECESSARY TO and goes deep in every subject.
SUCCEED IN A VERY DEMANDING ENVIRONMENT Consequently it is very demanding.
But you are not alone. Teachers are
CANDIDATES WITH AT LEAST A GRADUATE DEGREE OR always willing to push you forward
EQUIVALENT. THIS DEGREE SHOULD BE, BUT NOT EXCLUSIVELY, and students help each other a lot.
IN ECONOMICS, FINANCE, MATHEMATICS, PHYSICS, CHEMISTRY

“
OR ENGINEERING

PROFESSIONALS FROM THE FINANCIAL SECTOR WITH

EXPERIENCE IN QUANTITATIVE ACTIVITIES

Get real expertise

JOB OPPORTUNITIES in state-of-the-
Quantitative analyst, quantitative risk manager / analyst at a bank art financial
or asset manager,
techniques.
Quantitative portfolio manager at an asset manager, derivatives
trader at bank,

Asset liability manager, analyst at a pension fund or insurance

company,

and many more.

GILLES JACOBS

WHAT MAKES US DIFFERENT Nafora SA,

Alumnus

A MULTI-FACETED AND BALANCED COMBINATION OF THEORY

AND PRACTICE, WITH A LOT OF EMPHASIS ON HANDS-ON
ASSIGNMENTS OF REAL-LIFE PROBLEMS “ To me, what was very interesting
was the good mix between
TOP LECTURERS FROM BOTH THE ACADEMIC AND FINANCIAL practitioners and academics in
SECTORS the teaching staff. Furthermore,
the program is not focused on
A PLACEMENT RATE WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER GRADUATION OF academic teaching only, but more
NEARLY 100% on practical applications.

“
3-MONTH INTERNSHIP PROGRAM ORGANISED IN TOP-QUALITY
INSTITUTIONS IN BELGIUM OR ABROAD

CAREER SUPPORT: INDIVIDUAL CAREER COACHING

THE SOLVAY ALUMNI NETWORK: BECOME PART OF ONE OF THE

LARGEST BUSINESS NETWORKS IN BELGIUM
 WIM VAN HYFTE
SOLVAY BRUSSELS SCHOOL
Professor and Quantitative OF ECONOMICS
Portfolio Manager, Candriam
Asset Management AND MANAGEMENT

“
SBS-EM is the faculty of Economics and Management of the
Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), with a century-old tradition of
excellence in higher education. Our alumni represent a network of
The strength of this Advanced
more than 20.000 and are present in all sectors of activities in more
Master is that it teaches you the than 65 countries worldwide. Each year the School, which is EQUIS-
complete advanced skill set you and AMBA-accredited, welcomes more than 4.200 students.
need to work in the financial sector.

“ STUDENTS
4,200

PER YEAR

56th
IN EUROPE
FT EU BUSINESS SCHOOLS

1 st RECRUITERS
FAVORITE

43d
ANASTASIOS TALIOTIS
JP Morgan, WORLDWIDE
Alumnus FT MASTER IN MANAGEMENT

“ This program enabled me to

transform myself from a theoretical
41%
physicist to a hands-on researcher FOREIGN FACULTY
in a quantitative hedge fund in MEMBERS
a single year. It comes highly
recommended!
130
EXCHANGE
PROGRAM

“
PARTNERS

25%
INTERNATIONAL
STUDENTS
 ADMISSIONS

REQUIREMENTS
Eligible applicants must hold one of the following:

• Master or Master of Science Degree or equivalent (four or five years of study overall)
• Bachelor Degree with 180 ECTS credits or equivalent, preferably followed by 1-3 years of work experience.
HOW TO APPLY?
Please submit the following documents:

• Online application form

• CV/resume in English
• Copies of University degree or degrees and of all academic transcripts
• Proof of English proficiency (TOEFL, TOEIC or equivalent) for non-native speakers
• A cover letter in English
If the applicant deems it relevant, he/she can support the application with:

• Letters of reference
• Any other certificate (GMAT, GRE, etc.)
If eligible, applicants will go through an admission interview with the Academic Director.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

• START DATE: every September

• DURATION: 11 months
• FORMAT: Full time, evening classes, 60 ECTS
• LOCATION: Brussels, Belgium
• LANGUAGE: English
• TUITION FEE: 15,000 euros (contact us for more information on financial aid)
The fee does not include the optional Student Trip.
• APPLICATION DEADLINE: Non-EU students: May 31st, 2018 (recommendation related to visa procedures)
EU students: July 15th, 2018

DEGREE AWARDED

• “Advanced Master in Quantitative Finance” university certificate delivered by Solvay Brussels School
of Economics & Management - Université libre de Bruxelles.

CONTACT

Vasiliki Boukouvala, Marketing and Recruitment Officer

GRAPHISME : IDFIRST.BE

+32 (0) 2 650 39 15

[email protected]
The school organises regular information sessions in Brussels and online.
Check the website for more information.

AM.SOLVAY.EDU