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Engineering

MA Mathematics of Finance at Columbia University

Columbia University, United States

Programme overview

The MA in Mathematics with a specialization in the Mathematics of Finance (MAFN) prepares students for quantitative finance work such as portfolio management, trading, risk management and derivatives modeling. It is offered by the Department of Mathematics with the Department of Statistics.

Faculty: Graduate School of Arts and Sciences  |  Department: Department of Mathematics (with Department of Statistics)  |  Duration: 30 credits; 2-3 semesters full-time, up to 4 years part-time  |  Intake: Fall (deadline 8 April 2027; early 5 January 2027) and Spring (deadline 29 October 2026)  |  Study mode: full-time  |  Location: New York, NY, United States

What you will study

A set of mandatory courses plus approved electives reaches 30 credits. Topics include probability and random processes, statistics, partial differential equations, financial markets and instruments, valuation and hedging, and computational and simulation methods, plus a weekly practitioner seminar. Required courses are scheduled late afternoon, evening or Saturday for part-time students.

Career pathways

Quantitative portfolio management, quantitative trading, risk management, derivatives modeling and structuring.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Statement of academic purpose (programme-specific instructions), CV/resume, personal statement, three letters of evaluation (at least two academic), transcripts. GRE not required but GRE or GMAT scores are strongly recommended (GRE preferred). No writing sample. International applicants whose undergraduate degree is from an institution in a country where English is not the official language submit TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo English Test scores. Fall deadline 8 April 2027; early deadline 5 January 2027 (recommended for current undergraduates finishing after 1 December 2026); spring deadline 29 October 2026. Deferral of admission is not allowed.

Intake: Fall (deadline 8 April 2027; early 5 January 2027) and Spring (deadline 29 October 2026)

Duration: 30 credits; 2-3 semesters full-time, up to 4 years part-time

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