Distance Learning MSc / MBA - University of London

Hi All, Does anyone of you how helpful or how the reputation of the Distance Learning Degrees of the University of London are? e.g. http://www.soas.ac.uk/cefims/programmes/ I am considering the MSc in Finance (Quantitative Finance) or the MBA in Banking. It would be great, if you could give me some advices what I should do, or if I should do it at all. Here a little background of me: My objective is to secure an Entry-Level Trading position within a “good” Institution (maybe Tier I). I studied International Management (Bachelor) in Germany. Since I received a scholarship from an electronics company (they paid my university & paid a salary), I was not able to do an internship in e.g. a Bank. Nevertheless, I realized, that trading is where I really want to be (traded on my personal account ~1000 futures trades,…). I passed already CFA LII. I don’t want to leave my company for a full-time master, since I am already in a pretty good position. But as I said, my real passion is trading!!! Maybe someone can give me some advices, if such a degree could help me? I guess for my aim, the “Quant” MSc, would be most helpful. I am not too sure, if I can do so well in it, since it is actually designed for Math-undergrads. I was always very well in math, but finally I didn’t studied it :wink: But, if I complete it with 2:2, then I guess all the work would have been for free. Every comment is welcome :slight_smile: Thanks!

Just one more information, I don’t regard the MBA in Banking as an alternative for a “real” MBA at a Top School. I just think my chances of obtaining a good grade a potentially higher. I think one of the main values of a MBA is certainly the network you build up. what is your opinion about the value of the network you build up in a full-time MSc finance degree and what do the recruiters think. Is it for a MSc maybe only the knowledge you obtain? At least the University of London claims that the knowledge, etc. you obtain in a distance learning program is the same as if you do it full-time…

I looked into these courses but if I am right the MBA (Banking) requires experience in the field. There is an alternative offered by Royal Holloway college within the Univ of London which would be more appropriate. The quality is said to be the same and the UoL is well respected in UK. You will many off the other benefits traditionally associated the MBA - it is not simply academic content. I did my undergrad at one of the constituent colleges (King’s) and it was received with respect by recruitment agents on graduation. I don’t think the graduation certificate for so-called “External” programs alludes to the fact that it was completed online. One question CFA + MSc = overkill? I dont know - maybe someone else does

I 've heard good things about the the MSC programmes and I think UOL is well recognised in europe and Asia …but not so much in north America . I wd pick the MSc over the MBA though . You can always do a ful time MBA later on and reap the true benfits …i.e network and campus job oppurtunities . This is something I am considering as well however I was looking @ the MSC financial sector management option .

CFA + MSc (quant fin) is seriously an overkill and i think very much of an overlap No doubt uni of london is well-reputed i was considering the same option from uni of london. but in the middle-east and even in Asia, MSc degree is not much spoken about, the leaning is towards a CFA…so i decided to do a CFA Plus, by reading occupational profiles and guides from vault.com and efinancial careers i gather that in trading experience counts most not post-graduate studies…

Well, I am mainly concerned with landing a job at a good financial institution! I always had problems with getting an interview due to my CV. After completing the CFA L I & II it started getting better. I got scheduled a interview for Bear Stearns, the weekend after, they collapsed :-/ Now I had a 1st round interview at JP Morgan (not due to my Bear app, just new online application), received good feedback and now the put everything on hold due to the financial crisis. Now I feel, if one more year passed until I can apply again, my CV has not improved much in terms of Finance/Trading. Okay, I may have passed CFA LIII by that time, but I think a MSc (Quant) may help me the get me over the edge. But this is only my opinion, maybe somebody of you knows more. Or does anyone has any suggestion for me? I guess the next year, there will not be many off-cycle opportunities, especially for someone without finance internships or a top-tier university…