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Financial/Commodity Trading: which MSc? : Have a Physics BSc

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  • 16-09-2014 2:53pm
    #1
    Schaeler2014
    Registered Users Posts: 5 ✭


    A programme was broadcast yesterday evening at 9pm on BBC2 entitled Traders: Millions by the Minute

    radiotimes.com/episode/c4y6xg/traders-millions-by-the-minute--series-1---episode-1

    Of particular interest was the group of people based in London, who were being tested to determine if they had the ability to trade live with real money which belonged to the company in question.

    I would have some interest in this field. I shall be graduating with a BSc Physics degree, and was wondering which MSc would potentially help in this role?

    Possible options are:
    1) MSc Materials Science (lower Russell Group uni)
    2) MSc Advanced Composities & Polymers (ex-poly uni)
    3) MSc Computational Finance & Trading (lower Russell Group uni)
    4) MSc Plasma Physics (lower Russell Group uni)

    Concern with option 1): would a MSc Materials Science be of interest to trading employers?

    Concerns with option 2): this is not a Russell Group uni, also would this degree be of interest to trading employers?

    Concerns with option 3): potentially this course will be of little use outside trading if I later discover I'm not suited to trading (as was the case last night with one guy who had an MSc Business). Also, possibly no point taking this course if going to be working in the field, since probably need to work in the field to genuinely understand it.

    Concern with option 4): there are considerably more jobs available in the field of Materials Science than Plasma Physics, therefore MSc Materials Science more useful if looking for a non-trading job.


Comments

  • Options
    #2
    andrew
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 3,368 Mod ✭✭✭✭andrew


    Schaeler2014 wrote: »
    A programme was broadcast yesterday evening at 9pm on BBC2 entitled Traders: Millions by the Minute

    radiotimes.com/episode/c4y6xg/traders-millions-by-the-minute--series-1---episode-1

    Of particular interest was the group of people based in London, who were being tested to determine if they had the ability to trade live with real money which belonged to the company in question.

    I would have some interest in this field. I shall be graduating with a BSc Physics degree, and was wondering which MSc would potentially help in this role?

    Possible options are:
    1) MSc Materials Science (lower Russell Group uni)
    2) MSc Advanced Composities & Polymers (ex-poly uni)
    3) MSc Computational Finance & Trading (lower Russell Group uni)
    4) MSc Plasma Physics (lower Russell Group uni)

    Concern with option 1): would a MSc Materials Science be of interest to trading employers?

    Concerns with option 2): this is not a Russell Group uni, also would this degree be of interest to trading employers?

    Concerns with option 3): potentially this course will be of little use outside trading if I later discover I'm not suited to trading (as was the case last night with one guy who had an MSc Business). Also, possibly no point taking this course if going to be working in the field, since probably need to work in the field to genuinely understand it.

    Concern with option 4): there are considerably more jobs available in the field of Materials Science than Plasma Physics, therefore MSc Materials Science more useful if looking for a non-trading job.

    I think it'd be challenging to find an MSc. which enhances your employability for both a physics based job and a trading based job at the same time.

    My understanding (and this is from a very limited sample of people) is that trading requires a good knowledge of mathematics and statistics, with some programming thrown in. As such, any potential employer would be indifferent between those physics degrees, except to the extent that they presumably involve varying levels of maths and stats.

    Option 3 sounds the most promising if you want to be a trader, seeing as it directly relates to that job.

    More generally, MSc's are pretty expensive. If applicability to trading is a factor in determining which Msc you choose, then it would probably be a good idea to base your decision off of more than a single radio show, so that you don't waste money. Also, an MSc isn't necessary to get a job in finance or trading. If you're not sure what MSc to do, you could put that decision on hold for a bit if you want to.


  • Options
    #3
    Schaeler2014
    Registered Users Posts: 5 ✭Schaeler2014


    If I was able to secure a research/analyst role, or investment fund adminstrator role, using option 1 or 2 (is either of these better than the other) could such a role be a gateway to later securing a trading role?

    The guy in the programme who realised that trading wasn't for him had an MSc Business yet he had been able to secure the try-out for a trading position. Therefore he obviously didn't need a technical MSc to secure a try-out.

    My concern with choosing option 3) MSc Computational Finance & Trading, is that if I later discover that I'm not cut out for trading, then the MSc may be of little use in other fields.


  • Options
    #4
    freeze4real
    Registered Users Posts: 2,540 ✭✭✭freeze4real


    Try the investment forum.


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