Financial Engineering
Objectives
Financial engineering is a multidisciplinary field of finance, using economic and financial theory, statistics and applied mathematics, as well as computer tools, to solve advanced questions related to investment, risk management or corporate finance problems.
If you are attracted to high-tech jobs in finance... If you want to work in the quantitative departments of financial institutions, in the development of new financial technologies (fintechs), in functions related to the structuring of financial transactions (investment banking) or the management of investment funds, or in the technical departments of insurance companies and pension funds, as well as in the field of data science, this specialization is for you.
The specialization is organized around the major themes of modeling, valuation and management of financial assets and risks. It is also a springboard on the road to a doctorate on topics related to corporate finance, sustainable finance, quantitative finance, financial data science, asset management or financial economics.
The + of the specialization
- Certified as a Financial Risk Manager (FRM) academic partner by the GARP (Global Association of Risk Professionals), the leading certification for risk managers. To obtain this certification, HEC Liège had to demonstrate that its program covers at least 70% of the technical aspects of level I and 100% of the ethical aspects. The certification offers the opportunity for Master students to obtain a scholarship (worth 750 EUR) to pass the first level.
- Allows you to obtain a degree that is in high demand both in Belgium and abroad (Luxembourg, Brussels, London, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, New York);
- Is based on the scientific expertise of a high-level academic team with numerous collaborations with the world of finance, particularly with fintechs, banks, consulting firms and investment funds involved on the international scene.
- Entirely in English
- 1 double degree: in Belgium (Universiteit Gent)
Skills acquired at the end of the specialization
- Detailed knowledge of financial markets and assets, their operating principles and/or use, as well as quantitative methods (such as machine learning) and computer tools (R, Python, Matlab) used in financial institutions;
- Mastery of concepts and issues specific to asset management, risk management and corporate finance ;
- Ability to identify price formation and risk emergence mechanisms in order to control the conceptual and technical aspects of market and bank finance ;
- Mastery of the technical aspects of financial operations through the development of innovative procedures for statistical analysis and optimization;
- Application of the tools and techniques developed during their studies, in quantitative and methodological aspects, through projects and applications on real cases;
- Ability to make managerial decisions based on data collection and analysis as well as innovative statistical and data science techniques.
This is a great opportunity for HEC Liège students as the added value of this international certification for employers is high. Employers are assured that students are prepared for the demands of the global financial sector and acquire a first class quantitative background. Thanks to our participation in this program, we will receive several scholarships each year that will allow students to take the GARP exams at a lower cost.
Professional openings
Careers are open to you in the following areas:
- quantitative departments of financial institutions
- risk management
- technical departments of insurance companies
- pension funds
- structuring functions in trading rooms
- investment fund managers, including hedge funds
- all asset management functions (mutual funds, pension funds, hedge funds, etc.) with a view to portfolio structuring
modeling and management of complex risks (use of derivatives, liquidity, credit, operational, business analytics) in the financial sector - investment banking activities related to the preparation and implementation of complex strategies, including in the context of mergers and acquisitions.
Are you interested in finance and numbers? Do you have an appetite for numbers? Does becoming an auditor appeal to you?
Discover the profession of auditor, the access to the profession and how HEC Liège prepares you for it
Examples of jobs held by our graduates:
- Equity Research Analyst, Degroof Petercam (Belgique)
- Capital Market Consultant, Deloitte (Luxembourg)
- Asset Management Analyst, AXA (Belgique)
- Quantitative Analyst, Gambit Financial Solutions (Belgique)
- Business Intelligence Engineer, Amazon (France)
- Private Banker, ING (Belgique)
- Trading desk quantitative research, Credit Agricole (Hong Kong)
- Investment Manager, Queen Park Equity (Grande-Bretagne)
- Trade surveillance technology office, Scotia Bank (Canada)
Learn more about this specialization of the Master in Business Engineering