Ph.D in Mathematical Finance vs. MFE?

[Aaron Pereira]

Basically, I'm in my final year of university and am at a bit of a crossroads. I have done numerous pure mathematics courses and would really love to get a Ph.D in the subject, focused in its applications towards mathematical finance. However, I would like to work in the industry a bit before moving on and getting a research position at a university and/or for a firm. Would it be feasible to get an MFE first and then go back and get the Ph.D after some years of experience/earning money in the industry, or do you think it would be best to go directly get the Ph.D? Is there any disadvantage to having a Ph.D when you apply to quant jobs when compared to an MFE, or would you be at worst seen as equal and at best seen as the superior candidate?

 

[Umnik]

if you are sure that you want to go to PhD, go to PhD directly and do not waste money on MFE
if you are not sure, go to Masters and then decide, if to go to PhD...

 

[Umnik]

Basically, I'm in my final year of university and am at a bit of a crossroads. I have done numerous pure mathematics courses and would really love to get a Ph.D in the subject, focused in its applications towards mathematical finance.

PhD in Mathematical Finance won't be loaded with a lot of pure math courses. You will have some stochastic calculus (which is a cool thing) and statistics, but e.g. there will also be a lot of economics courses (e.g. at BU PhD MathFin we have a year of microeconomics + a year of macroeconomics + a semester of econometrics),