If you are debating whether to choose Finance or Quantitative Finance, here are the major points for your consideration:

• Finance and Quantitative Finance (QFIN) are two different degrees. Finance is a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration (B.B.A), and QFIN is a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree. The QFIN program is classified as a STEM program. In the US, there is only a small number of STEM Quantitative Finance programs at the undergraduate level.
• The B.S. in Quantitative Finance is designed to prepare students for careers in financial engineering, structured finance, financial modeling, securitization, actuarial science, financial analysis and portfolio management. The focus of this major is on problem solving in the quantitative areas of finance with an added emphasis on the application of complex securities to a variety of financial situations.
• Rather than taking B.B.A. core courses that aren't financial in nature (such as interpersonal skills, managerial accounting, computer information systems, COB 300, etc.…), Quantitative Finance majors take math courses like calculus, linear algebra, and an introductory coding class. At the 400 level, QFIN majors take classes focused on risk management, volatility, options pricing, etc. In this sense, the Quantitative Finance major is a more focused degree.
• Finance has a more substantial focus on corporate finance, while Quantitative Finance has a great focus on investments, data analysis, and risk management (which you need the greater math exposure to understand properly).

If you enjoy solving problems and think the world of investments, computational finance, and risk management is an interesting one, Quantitative Finance can be a wonderful fit.

Students interested in the QFIN-BS program at JMU are highly encouraged to complete the equivalents of these JMU courses: MATH 235, MATH 236, ECON 200 and ECON 201. These 4 courses are prerequisites for the first QFIN course, FIN 250, which is only taught in spring semesters.

The foundation courses that are essential to success in the Quantitative Finance major are macro- and micro-economics, accounting, statistics, and calculus. We recommend that students take the highest level and more challenging courses. Additional computer programming or statistics electives help to prepare students for analytical majors such as finance or quantitative finance.

QFIN is a “lock-step” program, meaning QFIN-specific courses are not taught every semester, however they are prerequisites for each other. Most transfers spend a minimum of 3 years at JMU before completing the major.

• Create a schedule for all required courses, pay attention to prerequisites and when courses are offered, complete your first math and English courses in your first year
• Connect with an advisor at your community college and James Madison University within your first year via College Connect

• Quantitative Finance (QFIN) majors have an easier time undertaking certain double majors. The QFIN major, by design, comes with minors in Math and Economics, simply due to the number of Math and Econ courses required in the major, so students often choose to double major in one of these fields. In recent years, there has been increasing interest in the double major with statistics. The demand for Quantitative Finance/Math double majors has actually been high enough that we have specifically designed a QFIN and Math double major.
• QFIN students have opportunities to join the Career Treks offered by the College of Business to explore their industry interests and various career path. In particular, the College organizes one Career Trek each May focusing on New York City and Wall Street Opportunities. Students get opportunities to network with alumni working in the industry and have a first look at their future career paths.
• The department is proud to present the Madison Investment Fund, a student-lead equity investment fund that manages a six-figure portion of the James Madison University endowment. The Fund focuses on providing students with a real-world, professional forum to learn the fundamentals of investments and basics of financial theory while fulfilling the fiduciary duties associated with diligent portfolio management.
• All QFIN finance courses are held at the Gaglioti Capital Market Lab. The lab offers access to important financial industry software applications such as SAS, Analytic Solver and Crystal Ball. Students will also have opportunities to use Bloomberg Terminals, and earn Bloomberg Market Concepts Certificate while at JMU.
• Department faculty is active in advising student groups participating national competitions. Each year, we participate CFA Investment Research Challenge, and Community Bank Case Competition. Please check major website for more information. https://www.jmu.edu/cob/quantitative-finance/index.shtml

• The QFIN concentration on Financial Analysis prepares students for CFA Level I exam. As a CFA University Affiliate, we offer CFA scholarships each year to graduating seniors who participate in the CFA Level I Exam.
• Based on College of Business class of 2019 data, 97% of the sample population of College of Business graduates are employed, in graduate school, continuing education or are engaged in other career-related endeavors within 6 months of graduation. Based on Departmental Assessment Day Survey conducted in Feb 2020, 73% of May 2020 QFIN graduate have received full-time offers with an average salary of $68,500 (the majority of the remaining students intend to go to graduate school).
• Established in the mid-1990s, The Quantitative Finance Program has a long and impressive history of placing students with top employers and at top graduate programs. We have alumni at places like Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, Fannie Mae, Capitol One, Freddie Mac, Google, Vanguard, and even The Cleveland Indians. Our alumni have gone on to graduate school at outstanding universities such as Columbia, Duke, the University of Virginia, New York University, and Boston College.

• Completing your Associate transfer degree post-high school satisfies all lower division general education requirements and increases the chance of completing your bachelor's degree?
• Exceeding 3 years or 90 credits at your community college means you may have exhausted your financial aid at that college and have limited your future financial aid at: James Madison University