MSC FINANCIAL ENGINEERING

A FINANCIAL ENGINEERING DEGREE BROADENS HER FINTECH CAREER

A financial engineering degree broadens her fintech career opportunities in Singapore

While studying for her MBA in Delhi, India, Juilee Save’s interest in finance piqued. She felt that she could learn more and became interested in pursuing another master’s degree—this time, in financial engineering.

“I wanted a course that would deep dive into advanced computational concepts, programming tools and models. These could help me embark on a career in fintech,” she says.

She began to look beyond her home country and set her sights on developing herself professionally in Singapore.

“Apart from being a leading global finance centre, Singapore has also become a key destination for fintech investments and innovations,” Juilee says.

Another main draw for her is the city-state’s emphasis on fintech for business expansion and regulatory compliance.

Juilee then decided on the Master of Science in Financial Engineering (MFE) from Nanyang Business School. She believes that the programme’s rigour in interdisciplinary education is crucial to establishing her fundamentals in mathematics, computing and finance at once.

The MFE also has “an excellent faculty with deep expertise across those multiple disciplines,” Juilee says.

It has been two years since Juilee graduated, and the MFE degree continues to open doors for her in Singapore’s fintech industry.

Upon graduation, she began her journey as a Murex consultant for a bank project, and then transited into a full-time role in the financial software consultancy firm FinSurge. Murex is an award-winning fintech solution that integrates trading, risk management, processing and post-trade operations into a single platform.

“My job as a Murex consultant involves understanding front office treasury products, forex and interest rate derivatives, their pricing models and P&L measurements,” Juilee explains.

“The MFE programme prepared me for this role in two ways,” she says. “First, it equipped me with the skills for both the technical and functional aspects of it. Next, it helped me see how my daily work impacts the functioning of a bank.”

The programme is known to be highly intensive comprising mini terms of seven weeks each, where participants engage in coursework, complete assignments, sit for quizzes and complete projects.

This tight schedule means participants pick up concepts and understand their applications quickly.

For Juilee, the professors make all the difference: they turn the challenging programme into a fun and exciting experience. “While I was in their courses, I could see their passion shining through,” she says.

Juilee is optimistic about her career prospects in Singapore. The Little Red Dot may be small, but like Juilee, it isn’t going to stop dreaming big or looking ahead. Juilee says, “I’ll keep doing my best. Thanks to my course mates, I’ve even managed to learn Singlish!”

Quick tip: Supplement your academic work with real-world financial knowledge.
“Keep abreast of financial news and current affairs. Set aside 30 minutes a day to read the papers. It will help you understand your coursework and be better prepared for interviews.”

For more information about the MSc Financial Engineering, visit www.mfe.ntu.edu.sg.