CAREER -Masters degree

[Carlos90]

Hi everyone
I work in a soft commodity trading company as analyst. I want to earn some decent money but not sure how to. I studied economics abroad, finished my degree 3 years ago. I want to retrain. Ideally I'd like to become a trader (no, I dont have own money)or a quantitative analyst -where salaries are high and my accent is no problem. As I got experience in commodities, I think that would be my career path. But if I dont progress in my company I might move to a fund or a bank, where money is better.
Work pays for a part time masters degree so I'd like to ask which would be my best choice:
*MSc in finance and commodities at Birkbeck
*MSc in mathematical trading and finance at CASS
*MSc in finance at LSE


I think at Birkbeck I'll learn more about commodities, both futures and physical, which is good. But not sure about the prestige and I am afraid it could be very academic and not real world. At Cass I think it will be very real world, and I will learn about derivatives in general but not sure about the prestige either. At LSE I will only marginally see derivatives but the prestige will be better, even despite the fact it is a master in finance and not economics (where LSE excels).
I am a bit confused but I think the question is, is it worth sacrifying the quantitative technices and especific knowledge for the prestige of LSE?

Thanks for any comment on these courses or on career path
Carlos

 

[Mr.J-Arthur]

No college education required to trade. Need capitol and wits.
You will learn a lot about yourself.

 

[Carlos90]

I understand that. Now, failing capital, which I dont have unless I kill my parents, and considering I'll have a paid Masters degree, which is the best option to be involved in trading?

 

[Magos]

MSc in finance at LSE

 

[Magos]

LSE will give you interview access, then you have to do FSA Unit 1 and FSA Unit 3 since you want to trade commodities.
Also the company which you will trade will provide you training

 

[alexmantra]

i did cass course mathematical finance + trading
its very good stochastic math course with trading focus
i got a lot of work in banks following this, there are a lot of cass post graduates working in city + they know the course standard is high. hard work.

 

[Magos]

LSE vs CASS

what do you think ?

 

[alexmantra]

i'm not sure, LSE has good kudos, CASS is very focused on knowledge required by quantitative practitioner. you will be able to price most exotic options on completion of CASS course. this can help with employment. guys who go CASS mostly seem to work in options risk or trading.

 

[Magos]

Is just a debate, in the end of the day in it?....
Anyway I would go for LSE, IB’s seems to like it better

 

[alexmantra]

maybe for postgraduate entry roles, u might also consider london business school MBA also for this. For roles requiring in depth quantitative knowledge where u might be questioned on this in interview i would think CASS can place u in a better position knowledge wise. CASS financial research is highly regarded.

 

[Magos]

maybe for postgraduate entry roles, u might also consider london business school MBA also for this. For roles requiring in depth quantitative knowledge where u might be questioned on this in interview i would think CASS can place u in a better position knowledge wise. CASS financial research is highly regarded.

London business school MBA that’s the best possible scenario in London
also more prestige
:smart:
very wise idea

 

[Carlos90]

Thank you all for all your views. I think now I'll stop considering Birkbeck MSc in Finance and Commodities, since I fear it might be too academic and the reputation is less than Cass and LSE. Besides, I will not learn more about soft commodities at Birkbeck than at my present job. I will have to decide between:
*Cass MSc in Mathematical trading and Finance Part Time (I was admitted already), because of the quantitative skills and because it is around my office. I was a teacher assistant for mathematics in my graduate degree in economics and do not fear the maths & stats. Besides I manage VBA and I am learning C++, so I think I can do well as a quantitative analyst for a fund/IB in the near future.
*LSE Msc in Finance Part time -no offer yet-, because of the prestige and because it will secure interviews if I need any in the future.

In case you could give me a rough estimate how much people earn after any of these courses, I will appreciate it.