Master of Quantitative Finance
Master of Quantitative Finance
Why Earn a Master of Quantitative Finance?
Use Your Mathematical Abilities In Finance
The STEM-designated Master of Quantitative Finance program equips you with the advanced mathematical and programming skills toward financial modeling, investment analysis and financial risk management. Build the expertise to create financial models, communicate your findings and help organizations make stronger financial decisions.
Through experiential learning projects and guidance from our award-winning faculty, we’ll prepare you to turn your insights into measurable business value.
(U.S. News & World Report, 2026)
Why Smith?
- Develop foundational business knowledge through top-tier, comprehensive graduate coursework.
- Apply what you learn through experiential consulting projects with leading companies, financial institutions and public-sector organizations.
- Learn from faculty and advisory council members with experience across multiple industries.
- Collaborate with peers through team-based projects and applied learning experiences.
Who is the Master of Quantitative Finance For?
Mathematical Thinkers Ready to Apply Their Skills to Finance
The Master of Quantitative Finance is designed for students who want to turn strong quantitative skills into specialized financial expertise. Students who graduate from this program are well-positioned to understand financial markets, create complex financial models, and manage investment and financial risk.
Ideal candidates include:
- Individuals seeking specialized, quantitative roles in the finance industry.
- Analytical, detail-oriented thinkers who enjoy solving complex problems with data.
- Students with backgrounds in quantitative subjects – such as computer science, engineering, mathematics, or physics – who want to apply their quantitative skills to finance.
- Students interested in finance who want to build advanced quantitative, programming and financial modeling skills.
- International students seeking valuable work experience in the United States.
What Will You Learn in the Master of Quantitative Finance Program?
Build the Technical Skills Modern Finance Demands
Learn to combine quantitative methods with financial knowledge to evaluate markets, manage risk and turn complex financial data into useful insight.
With a Master of Quantitative Finance, you’ll be able to:
Apply financial engineering methods to complex financial problems.
Build and evaluate quantitative investment and portfolio models.
Use Python and financial programming tools to analyze financial data.
Apply numerical methods and simulation to financial modeling.
Use machine learning and big data techniques in financial analysis.
Analyze and model financial and market risk.
Apply What You Learn
You’ll develop these skills through:
- Management of a portion of Smith’s Global Equity Fund, where you’ll learn how investment decisions are made in a professional asset management setting.
- Competitions, like the Agentic AI Challenge and Datathon, where you'll analyze data, solve business problems and collaborate with peers.
- Experiential learning projects with a diverse set of industry partners, including Bloomberg, Capital One and Google
You’ll graduate prepared for the most quantitative, analytical and technical roles in finance.
My connection to my current employer is a direct result of the Smith faculty's deep industry ties. Professor Yang provided essential networking opportunities that led to my role at Freddie Mac. This seamless transition was made possible by a professor who wasn’t just an educator but an active leader in her field.
Kanglong Li
Master of Quantitative Finance Graduate
Quantitative Analytics Professional at Freddie Mac
Career Outcomes
Nearly 9 in 10 of Smith’s most recent quantitative finance graduates secured employment within 180 days of graduation, reporting an average salary of $103K.
Source: UMD Smith Office of Career Services (2025)
Career Paths
- Credit Risk Management
- Financial Engineering
- Hedge Fund Analysis
- Market Risk Management
- Quantitative Investment Research
- Quantitative Trading
- Risk Analytics and Strategy
Industries
- Asset Management
- Banking and Financial Services
- Financial Technology
- International Finance and Economic Policy
- Investment Banking
- Risk Analytics
- Wealth Management
Learn From Faculty Shaping the Future of Quantitative Finance
Teaching That Translates into Real-World Impact
You’ll learn from faculty who are experts in quantitative finance. Their research influences financial institutions and brings the latest in finance to the classroom.
Michael Cichello is the academic director of the program.
Albert “Pete” Kyle |
Steve Heston |
Russ Wermers |
How is AI Integrated Throughout the Curriculum?
Make Stronger Financial Decisions with AI
In the Master of Quantitative Finance program, you’ll learn how to use AI, machine learning and data analysis methods to evaluate financial information, identify patterns and assess risk. You’ll apply these tools to quantitative modeling and investment analysis while strengthening the human judgment, critical thinking and communication skills needed to interpret results and turn them into informed financial decisions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. A Master of Quantitative Finance gives you the specialized skills to turn complex financial data into decisions that affect businesses, markets and people. By combining finance, mathematics, programming and analytics, you’ll learn to evaluate opportunities, manage risk and navigate uncertainty while preparing for high-impact careers across the financial industry.
Smith challenges students to succeed through collaborative learning, industry engagement and hands-on consulting projects. You’ll also gain valuable insights from faculty and advisory council members representing a variety of industries.
No. The Master of Quantitative Finance welcomes students from a range of academic backgrounds. While applicants do not need a background in business or finance, this program requires a strong foundation in quantitative or technical coursework to help prepare you for the rigor of the curriculum.
Have More Questions?
The Smith School's Graduate Admissions Office is here to help. Whether you have questions about the curriculum, admissions requirements, application process or student experience, we’re happy to help you determine if the Master of Quantitative Finance is the right fit for your goals.
Graduate Admissions
2303 Van Munching Hall
College Park, MD 20742-1815
Phone: 301-405-2559
Email: smithmasters@umd.edu
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Connect With Us
Questions? Contact the MBA & Business Master's Admissions Office at 301-405-2559 or SmithMasters@umd.edu.