Alumni Newsletter September 2013
Western's New Master of Financial Economics
Recent years have driven home the challenges and risks posed by an increasingly complicated financial system. In part as a result of the recent financial crisis, finance professionals today face a new and extremely diverse set of challenges. Many policymakers, and even some in the private sector, have questioned whether traditional economic methods still work in today’s financial markets.
Here at Western we believe the answer is not to discard traditional methods, but to improve upon them. This September, we are proud to unveil the Western Master of Financial Economics (MFE). Housed in the Department of Economics, the MFE is a highly selective program developed in partnership with the Ivey Business School, the Department of Statistical and Actuarial Sciences, and the Faculty of Law. Our first class of around fifteen students has just arrived on campus to start the four-term, 16-month professional program, including a four-month summer internship.
The MFE curriculum is designed for the diverse set of challenges posed by the current financial system. The program breaks new ground by integrating courses in securities law, institutional finance and the history of financial crises with the traditional core analytical training of an MA in economics and a rigorous treatment of finance theory and quantitative modeling. Students will learn to apply their knowledge, along with communication, management, and leadership skills, to navigate the ever-changing landscape of modern financial markets.
Complementing the MFE is the formation of the Centre for Financial Innovation and Risk Management (CFIRM). The Centre will encourage and facilitate collaboration between researchers in Economics, Statistics, Actuarial Science, Law and Business on problems such as measurement and management of systematic risk and the role of regulation and innovation in the modern financial system.
The MFE and CFIRM are well poised to benefit tremendously from the support and insight of our alumni. We welcome feedback on our curriculum: your experiences are an important tool we will use to improve our courses and continue producing students who are successful in the business sector, in government, as academics, as entrepreneurs, and more. If you have any thoughts, or would be interested in joining our Advisory Board, or in sponsoring a student scholarship or one of our research initiatives, please contact the MFE coordinator or directors.
We also encourage alumni to network with our current students.
Finally, if your firm is interested in hosting an internship for the MFE program, or simply looking to hire highly trained and motivated students, be sure to let us know!
Alan Bester and Jim MacGee
Co-Directors, Master in Financial Economics
Return to the Economics Alumni Newsletter on the web.
