Why did you choose to study this subject? 

The MSc Financial Analytics course combines mathematics, finance and computing - allowing me to build upon my already sound financial knowledge and providing a platform to introduce me to coding. Enhancing my coding skills was something that I was immediately drawn to.

I was also drawn to the applied research project that is undertaken over the Summer (Semester 3). This is an industry grade equity research report on a company of your choice. I thought that this would be very interesting, taking a deep dive into a company to analyse how I think the share price is going to move.

Having completed my undergraduate degree at Queen's, I was really impressed with the quality of teaching and facilities available to students. It was a no brainer when deciding where I would complete my Master's degree and the MSc Financial Analytics course sounded very interesting and something that I knew I would enjoy.

How has this course helped towards, or shaped, your future career goals?

I decided to take this course because I wanted to develop new skills that would be of great benefit to a career in finance and help to differentiate myself in the highly competitive job market. Most notably, I wanted to improve my coding skills and the MSc Financial Analytics course provided this opportunity through the use of R, SQL and Python coding languages.

I always knew I wanted to pursue a Master's, but after graduating in 2020 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, I did not want to undertake a Master's degree online. I wanted to have in-person lectures as I learn better this way. After working in Dublin as a Private Equity Fund Analyst for nearly two years, I knew that it wasn't a job that I wanted to do long-term, so I made the decision to come back to QUB and undertake a Master's. Having a Master's and the ability to code using different languages has definitely helped my career path and opened up more job opportunities.

Have you secured a job yet?

I secured a role with Aurel BGC in London as a Trainee Broker on the Cross Asset Sales Desk. I joined in November 2023 and have loved working in a fast paced, dynamic front office environment with very experienced industry professionals.

What were the highlights of your course and your time here at Queen's University? 

I thoroughly enjoyed the guest speakers during the Asset Pricing module in first semester. These were industry professionals from a wide range of jobs that helped us to understand how the theory we talked in the lectures was applied in their day-to-day jobs.        

The Computational Methods for Finance module in second semester was another highlight. Although challenging, this module really helps you to understand how you can model different financial problems through the use of the Python coding language. We learnt how to price options and bonds using Python. With a smaller class size than my undergraduate degree, I felt it was easier to ask lecturers questions and benefitted from many discussions in lectures between students and lecturers.

Another benefit of undertaking a Master's degree at Queen's is the use of the Graduate Library which is directly to the left of the main Queen's building.

Furthermore, some lecturers put on weekly drop-in sessions where you can meet either virtually or in-person to discuss any issues or questions that you may have - this is something I took full advantage of.

If you could give one piece of advice to potential applicants to this programme, what would it be? 

It is imperative to try and keep on top of everything. For me, that meant trying to do at least a couple of hours studying every day outside of lectures, whether that be reading a couple of textbook chapters or going over lecture slides.

Don't be afraid to reach out to lecturers if you are unsure of anything or want feedback - this was crucial to my success in this Master's degree.

I think the main thing is to know what you are signing up for. If you want to improve your financial knowledge, as well as your coding skills, then I would highly recommend this course. As there are many deadlines throughout each semester, some of them quite close to each other, it is crucial to manage your time well. It is a very rewarding course, but only if you are willing to put the effort in!

Did you join any clubs and societies while you were at Queen's University?

I was an ESG Sector Head in the Queen's Student Managed Fund, where I was able to use my skills from my undergraduate and postgraduate degrees.

Find out more:

• Postgraduate Taught Study
• MSc Financial Analytics

 

Rory Campbell

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