The Fast-Track Computational Finance Master's Programme is aimed to attract top students with a quantitative flair to the field. The programme will give them an opportunity to transition smoothly and quickly from the undergraduate Quantitative Finance (QF) major at SMU into the advanced Master's program in Computational Finance at Carnegie Mellon University . Selected students either in their second or third year of study at SMU will spend only 2 ½ years at CMU to complete one final undergraduate year program in the CMU Mathematical Sciences Department followed by 1 ½ year in the CMU Master's program in Computational Finance. The student will be awarded the SMU degree and the CMU Master's degree in Computational Finance.

Students enrolled in the Fast-Track Master's programme will be required to meet the standard admissions criteria of both universities and are responsible for paying tuition fees, accommodation expenses, and other incidental fees during the 2 ½ years abroad at Carnegie Mellon University.

Applications for the Fast-Track program are open to all SMU second or third year students who are majoring in Quantitative Finance. Short-listed candidates will be assisted in the application for scholarships under the MAS FSP. Self-funding applicants are also welcome.

Students who are sponsored under the FSP scholarship to complete this programme will be bonded to work for a Singapore based bank or company after they complete their Masters for a period of about 3 to 4 years. The details associated with the bonding requirements would be directly dealt with by students in conjunction with their sponsors and the specifics of the scholarships. The time period may vary depending on the sponsoring bank or company.

How to apply

Any 2nd or 3rd year SMU students who would have completed the following QF courses before the intended departure for the Carnegie Mellon courses can submit an updated CV, GRE results, CMU application form*, lists of courses to be taken during the next semester and an updated transcript showing grades of courses taken under the Quantitative Finance major with GPA > 3.6 by end September to:

Ms Audrey Lam
Administrative Manager, Quantitative Finance Unit
Lee Kong Chian School of Business
Singapore Management University
50 Stamford Road
Singapore 1778899
Fax: +65-6828 0777

•  Statistics B Stat101
•  Financial Accounting ACCT101
•  Management Accounting ACCT102
•  Finance FNCE101
•  Probability Theory and Statistical Inference STAT201** or Probability and Finance Theory QF204
•  Linear Algebra and Regression QF201
•  Differential Equations QF202
•  Real Analysis QF203
•  Structured Finance QF301
•  Global Financial Risk Management QF305
( This can be used to satisfy the Global & Regional Studies requirement)
• IS Software Foundations IS200 or one of IS201, IS202, or IS203
( This can be used to satisfy the Technology & Entrepreneurship requirement)

** only applicable when it is taken during or before AY2007/08.

*CMU application form downloaded from CMU MS Comp Fin website

The time-table for the application and administrative processes is shown below for planning purposes.