FISF Comprehensively Pushes Forward Double-degree Cooperation with the School of Engineering, Columbia University

Release time：2022-05-25    

As approved by the university, recently FISF signed an agreement with the Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science, Columbia University (the Columbia Engineering School) to comprehensively push forward double-degree cooperation and carry out the double-degree joint cultivation plan of finance plus science.

Cooperation features

As a university-level cooperative program, the dual degree joint training program creates a cross-discipline training system of applied economics and engineering science, focusing on the application of engineering and data science in financial management. It not only cultivates students' hard skills in data analysis and modeling, but also improves students' financial literacy and international vision. This distinctive cross-training cooperation mode will help to explore diversified international exchange and cooperation modes and cultivate compound financial talents with more global competitiveness.

Majors in cooperation

The comprehensive expansion of majors during the period of stage connection at Columbia University is divided into 5 directions: Master of Science in Financial Engineering (MSFE), Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA), Management Science and Engineering (MS&E), Master of Science in Operation Research (MSOR) and Master of Science in Industrial Engineering (MSIE). Among them, MSBA and MS&E courses are jointly given by Columbia Engineering School and Columbia Business School, combining the disciplinary advantages of both schools to further provide students with top comprehensive education resources.

Master of Science in Financial Engineering (MSFE)

MSFE is a multidisciplinary curriculum involving financial theories, engineering methods, mathematical tools and programming practices. The core courses of the program include stochastic processes, optimization, numerical technology, Monte Carlo simulation, data analysis and etc., which are utilized in the learning of investment portfolio theories, derivative valuation and financial risk analysis so that students can achieve in-depth study and development in five fields of asset management, computing and programming, computing finance and trading systems, derivatives, finance and economy.

MSFE graduates tend to undertake quantitative analysis work in banks, hedge funds, asset management companies, rating and financial service consulting companies and can mainly give full play to their advantages in algorithmic trading and trading support, financial modeling and quantitative strategy, investment portfolio management, valuation, quantitative research and risk management.

Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA)

Business analytics is a field that focuses on big data and business intelligence and combines disciplinary subjects of optimizing, programming and statistics, aiming to solve practical problems. Jointly initiated by Columbia Engineering School and Columbia Business School, MSBA is designed for students wishing to learn modeling techniques and data science tools. It emphasizes on using advanced quantitative models and algorithms to acquire data for enterprises to make better decisions. Students majoring in this program will mainly study stochastic modeling and optimization, machine learning and data analysis tools which are used to process data and make business decisions; one of the highlights of the program is its Capstone Project lasting for a term, where each student shall provide intensive consulting services for customers and the actual business problems they are faced with according to actual data, fully exercising their capability of practical application.

After graduation, MSBA students generally tend to serve as analysts of consulting companies, business analysts and data scientists in the fields of finance and professional services, technology, advertisement and media, or other work posts that require in-depth understanding and practical application of data analysis.

Master of Science in Management Science and Engineering (MS&E)

MS&E is the first program jointly constructed by Columbia Engineering School and Columbia Business School that stresses solving problems and making decisions from perspective of management and engineering. Overall, with the fundamental study of probability and statistics, students majoring in the program will develop a deep understanding of engineering operation and its application in the management field, and can choose one from the six directions including operation and analysis, pricing and revenue management, entrepreneurship and innovation, logistics and supply chain management for further study. In addition, the course also contains a one-year enterprise consulting project where each student shall provide consulting services for actual customers ranging from start-ups to global 500 enterprises, helping them solve business and operational challenges and also accumulating industrial experience for themselves.

Most MS&E graduates serve as analysts in consulting companies, business analysts in the department of logistics, supply chain, operation or income management of large-scale companies, or financial analysts in various functions (such as risk management) in investment banks, hedge funds, credit card companies and insurance companies.

Master of Science in Operations Research (MSOR)

As a practical discipline aiming to solve practical problems with mathematical modeling and optimization thinking, MSOR can be applied in various aspects in modern business, such as the overall planning of logistics routes, the maximization of business profits of enterprises and the volatility modeling of financial asset returns. The core courses of MSOR of Columbia University include optimization models and methods, introduction to probability and statistics and stochastic model. By offering specific courses in eight branches like logistics, supply chain management, revenue management, financial engineering and innovative entrepreneurship, the course perfectly integrates the teaching of quantitative science, mathematics, statistics and data analysis and other disciplines, providing students with a wide range of learning and development orientations.

Master of Science in Industrial Engineering (MSIE)

MSIE first started in 1919 and has a brilliant history in Columbia University. The program mainly covers three training directions, including medical health management (applying operation research and industrial engineering methodology to the medical health system), regulatory industry (devoted to solving industrial engineering issues existing in the regulatory industry) and systems engineering (focusing on how to design and manage complicated engineering projects and mainly involving learning in fields of systems engineering, infrastructure and sustainable development, mechanical, electrical and computer systems as well as biological system).

*The specific courses shall be subject to the curriculum settings of the year of enrollment to Columbia University.

Form of cooperation

Students in FISF EMF Program can apply for the double-degree learning according to personal will. Applicants can only start the double-degree learning after having been admitted by the partner school. Students can learn at Fudan University in the first year and Columbia University in the second year. The total length of schooling is 2 to 3 years (depending on the EMF class and the major at Columbia University). Students participating in the joint double-degree cultivation are allowed to transform some of the credits earned by completing courses at Columbia Engineering School to EMF credits.

Introduction of the partner school

Columbia University, located in Manhattan, New York, is one of the five universities in the US with the longest history, and also one of the Ivy League schools, ranking top 5 in the US and top 10 throughout the world on multiple lists of global universities. Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science, Columbia University is the third engineering school in the American history, renowned for its teaching depth and width as well as its cutting-edge interdisciplinary research. The school plays a leading role around the world in the field of engineering and data science. Currently it has 173 professors, including 27 NAE (National Academy of Engineering) members and 1 Noble Prize winner. Among all the teachers and alumni, there have been a total of 10 Noble Prize winners. Equipped with advanced research facilities and educational resources outstanding both at home and abroad, it has provided a solid support for its teaching quality.

FISF attaches great emphasis on international development and is devoted to creating a sound platform for international exchange and promoting high-level opening-up and cooperation, aiming to build the best environment for the increase the global competitiveness of talent cultivation.

The application for the experience camp in June and summer camp in August of EMF is on. For specific procedures of application, please click to check the activity notice. Subsequently, FISF and Columbia University will jointly hold teach-ins of the double-degree program, please pay attention to relevant notices.