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MATH2881 Quantitative Risk (1 Viewer)

Raginsheep

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Anyone doing the course next semester or know alot about it? Is it pointless for a actuarial/maths major?
 

§eraphim

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Is anyone here doing (or know any other people doing) the Quantitative Risk major?

Any comments would be appreicated on how to improve the program.
 

jimmaths

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In my view (and I'm an academic) QR is useful for both actuarial and maths students. For actuarial, it gives an idea of risk in the bank (as opposed to insurance) area (where there are some specialised needs and lots of jobs). For maths, it shows one of the most useful areas of application of advanced maths, something not so easy to get elsewhere at the 2nd year level.
 

kickass91

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*revive*

anyone know if it is possible to combine the B Sc Advanced mathematics (quantitative risk) with the LLB?

or is the B Comm the only one u can combine with the quantitative risk plan
 

ninjapuppet

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Just got an email from James Franklin about this course.


Any comments from anyone who's done it?
 

PiGMAN

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If you're a serious maths student, I'd recommend doing something like PDEs, dynamical systems or linear models instead of QR. One of my biggest regrets as a student was taking this course instead of something with some content. Nothing against the lecturer (he was brilliant), but if you want to learn some mathematics there are far better options.
 

whoisurdaddy

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just wondering if I can do this course or MATH2871 as a general ed under my B Comm/Eco degree, looks interesting.
 

shinn

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Anyone can do this course if they meet the prerequisites (MATH1231 or MATH1241 or MATH1251 or ECON1203 (CR)).
 

whoisurdaddy

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I meet the prereqs but I am wondering if doing it will count under my degree(B Comm/Eco).
 

ninjapuppet

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I'm doing Commerce (Actuarial & Finance), hoping its at least half useful.... till i had a closer look at this program today:

School of Mathematics and Statistics - In Advanced Mathematics and Advanced Science

This Quant program seriously puts all of us actuarial students to shame!
If you look at it closely, it takes out all the tough subjects in my degree,
trim off excess fat like fins1612, actl1001, fins3616, fins2643

then repackages it by adding some more hardcore subjects.
and to top it off, forces you to get Distinction average or you get kicked out!

In Actuarial studies, you should aim for Distinction anyway but I certainly dont get kicked out if I dont maintain it....

and look at that course at the very bottom: "High Performance Students Plan".
get kicked out if you dont maintain at least a 90 WAM!?!?
you dont enrol in it.. it enrols you.


now any actuarials who thinks they're top shit is just having their heads stuck in the mud. I called he ASB today and they said QR wont count as an elective. but heck next year i'll do it anyway.
 
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cyl123

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I did MATH2881 last year.

It had absolutely NO maths in it ... i have no idea why it is a maths course. It seems to me it should really be a finance course. You do learn stuff, but nothing really challenging which you cannot read up by yourself. The assessments are basically comprehension exercises from textbook or lecture notes. I wish I did another maths course instead or MATH2871, where you actually learn SAS.

The fact QR major requires a distinction average to stay in implies that the standard of students in the program is generally better, but it does not immediately imply the courses are harder nor the quality of the program is better.
 

gurmies

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I did MATH2881 last year.

It had absolutely NO maths in it ... i have no idea why it is a maths course. It seems to me it should really be a finance course. You do learn stuff, but nothing really challenging which you cannot read up by yourself. The assessments are basically comprehension exercises from textbook or lecture notes. I wish I did another maths course instead or MATH2871, where you actually learn SAS.

The fact QR major requires a distinction average to stay in implies that the standard of students in the program is generally better, but it does not immediately imply the courses are harder nor the quality of the program is better.
How disappointing. I was looking forward to doing a challenging MATH course =(
 

cyl123

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How disappointing. I was looking forward to doing a challenging MATH course =(
Quantitative risk is meant to be mathematical, the textbook goes into detail on how VaR can be calculated parametrically. But the way it is taught means that you don't go through the maths, rather you go through pros and cons of using each methodology. Plus, with modern computer technology, most scenarios are simulated thousands of times to reach a solution rather than using analytical approaches. I suppose if you read up on it by yourself, you can learn loads more.

The most mathematical thing i did in this course was calculating skew and kurtosis...... wow.....
 

gurmies

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Quantitative risk is meant to be mathematical, the textbook goes into detail on how VaR can be calculated parametrically. But the way it is taught means that you don't go through the maths, rather you go through pros and cons of using each methodology. Plus, with modern computer technology, most scenarios are simulated thousands of times to reach a solution rather than using analytical approaches. I suppose if you read up on it by yourself, you can learn loads more.

The most mathematical thing i did in this course was calculating skew and kurtosis...... wow.....
Yeah, I just picked up the text today in the bookshop and it didn't look mathsy...
 

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