OT: UCONN FINTECH Offering

[Rich]

So I see UCONN is offering a Master's in Fintech. The curriculum is really split into two pieces as of now; first builds a foundation in coding (R, C Sharp, Python) and the other on practical application of analytics to various functional aspects of an organization (finance, sales, (Gulp) HR, logistics etc.

Looks like 36 credits at $1500 per. Interesting. But I wonder what something like this is actually worth? Isn't it....less costly to for instance learn these languages via Code Academy, Coursera etc? The only value proposition I can think of here is that the commercial connections must be really outstanding and grads won't have any trouble getting jobs.

One of those things that looks really awesome on its face but 45K later you might be kicking yourself. Not denying that Fintech isn't a big deal right now and a real opportunity field but I wonder if this is the best way to gain access, especially for those without an undergrade computer science or engineering background.

 

[8893]

I thought Blumenthal was trying to shut down the Finsta? Is this the same thing?

 

[Rich]

I thought Blumenthal was trying to shut down the Finsta? Is this the same thing?

No. This is a brand spanking new graduate degree taught through the graduate center in Hartford (and next year Stamford).

Fintech-'Financial Technology'. It's sort of directed at blockchain applications.

 

[8893]

No. This is a brand spanking new graduate degree taught through the graduate center in Hartford (and next year Stamford)

I was trying to make a funny.

But in all seriousness, I have never heard the term "fintech" until just now.

 

[Waquoit]

But in all seriousness, I have never heard the term "fintech" until just now.

I thought it was used to manufacture safer fishing nets.

 

[bendm]

No. This is a brand spanking new graduate degree taught through the graduate center in Hartford (and next year Stamford).

Fintech-'Financial Technology'. It's sort of directed at blockchain applications.

 

[Zionn]

I would say worth it. My wife works in Fintech and they pay HUGE salaries.

 

[Letsgohuskies11]

So I see UCONN is offering a Master's in Fintech. The curriculum is really split into two pieces as of now; first builds a foundation in coding (R, C Sharp, Python) and the other on practical application of analytics to various functional aspects of an organization (finance, sales, (Gulp) HR, logistics etc.

Looks like 36 credits at $1500 per. Interesting. But I wonder what something like this is actually worth? Isn't it....less costly to for instance learn these languages via Code Academy, Coursera etc? The only value proposition I can think of here is that the commercial connections must be really outstanding and grads won't have any trouble getting jobs.

One of those things that looks really awesome on its face but 45K later you might be kicking yourself. Not denying that Fintech isn't a big deal right now and a real opportunity field but I wonder if this is the best way to gain access, especially for those without an undergrade computer science or engineering background.

You can probably just take programming classes for a fraction of that price through other ways like a coding camp or general assembly. Having a "master's" is nice but if you have the programming skills and can speak "the language" in interviews. I imagine you'd be fine.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I was trying to make a funny.

But in all seriousness, I have never heard the term "fintech" until just now.

Fintech is eating the world. FinTech is Eating the World It's more than blockchain, and blockchain goes beyond fintech.

Ask yourself if your daughters actually expect to have checking accounts 5-10 years from now. I remember when ATMS came out while we were in Storrs. We had a senior guy at CBT (I think that was the bank) come in to finance class, saying the top 3 ATMs in usage rate in the state were all on UConn's campus. Yet our parents always cashed checks and went in to the banks back then. We are now our parents in relation to what future payment systems will look like. Venmo is just early stages of what will come.

 

[8893]

CBT

Barney!

 

[ClifSpliffy]

So I see UCONN is offering a Master's in Fintech. The curriculum is really split into two pieces as of now; first builds a foundation in coding (R, C Sharp, Python) and the other on practical application of analytics to various functional aspects of an organization (finance, sales, (Gulp) HR, logistics etc.

Looks like 36 credits at $1500 per. Interesting. But I wonder what something like this is actually worth? Isn't it....less costly to for instance learn these languages via Code Academy, Coursera etc? The only value proposition I can think of here is that the commercial connections must be really outstanding and grads won't have any trouble getting jobs.

One of those things that looks really awesome on its face but 45K later you might be kicking yourself. Not denying that Fintech isn't a big deal right now and a real opportunity field but I wonder if this is the best way to gain access, especially for those without an undergrade computer science or engineering background.

ya know who really understands 'fintech?' cpa's. them folks are the only 'traditional' professionals who are consistently professional. students would be better advised to get that degree.
an older bud of mine, a cpa, "some say he caused the '08 crash by inventing (?) (at bear, lehman, or goldman, i forget which) the collateralization and standardization of mortgage backed securities,' the fintech gold standard of finding something there, legally, that everrone else was sleeping on. guy knows jack squat aboot 'programming,' but he has a real good analytical brain.
lately, he's been working on another legal 'angle' of pinching off a bit from the mortgage servicing fees that many pay, packaging them in volume, and then selling that pile as some kind of 'guaranteed income stream' product, which is a great idea iffn everrbody is paying their mortgages. iffn they aren't? well......
irs called him down to the swamp last spring to ask aboot it. prolly went sumthin like 'wait, whut?'
and as far as 'tech,' this was a monumental week in world history, as, for the first time to my knowledge, the chinese took that horrible personal credit/health certification nonsense, and arbitrarily and surreptitiously changed the health score for some guy who talked too loud. no greenlight, no movement. guy couldn't leave his house. mebbe we should call sum of this 'fraudtech.' cf, the movie 'running man.' arnold was great in that one.

 

[Rich]

Fintech is eating the world. FinTech is Eating the World It's more than blockchain, and blockchain goes beyond fintech.

Ask yourself if your daughters actually expect to have checking accounts 5-10 years from now. I remember when ATMS came out while we were in Storrs. We had a senior guy at CBT (I think that was the bank) come in to finance class, saying the top 3 ATMs in usage rate in the state were all on UConn's campus. Yet our parents always cashed checks and went in to the banks back then. We are now our parents in relation to what future payment systems will look like. Venmo is just early stages of what will come.

This is such a good reply it should be in The Boneyard Posting HOF, if one exists. And if not let's start one.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Barney!

Yeah, we called them that. I had forgotten. I tried to get into banking after graduating, and the banks were starting to eat each other like mad at that point. Every decent sized bank in New England except Citizens in RI eventually became Bank of America.

The article I linked is a good one for an introduction to the sector. And Genevieve's substack is a good follow. How can attractive Canadian financial advisors be wrong?

 

[Rich]

You can probably just take programming classes for a fraction of that price through other ways like a coding camp or general assembly. Having a "master's" is nice but if you have the programming skills and can speak "the language" in interviews. I imagine you'd be fine.

That's what I was thinking. I've been in finance/accounting for 20 years plus or minus, CPA and MBA, thinking about changing careers. Just trying to figure out my ROI.....and of course how to break into the field.

 

[HuskyHawk]

That's what I was thinking. I've been in finance/accounting for 20 years plus or minus, CPA and MBA, thinking about changing careers. Just trying to figure out my ROI.....and of course how to break into the field.

I have passed up many opportunities to change jobs over the years. But Coinbase had an appealing opening in the legal dept. for a job based in Boston and I found myself tempted for the first time in a long time.

 

[Get a Job]

I don't know anything about fintech, but I know about programming. In my opinion, there's no need to spend a ton of time on different languages in school. Chances are you'll specialize once you're out in the field, so any time spent learning unused languages could have been more beneficially used elsewhere. I did almost no coding in college, and do tons of coding now. There is a learning curve for every language and platform, but at the end of the day, coding is coding.

 

[Letsgohuskies11]

That's what I was thinking. I've been in finance/accounting for 20 years plus or minus, CPA and MBA, thinking about changing careers. Just trying to figure out my ROI.....and of course how to break into the field.

I only have my undergrad degree but there is no chance i'd go for an MBA, especially if I had to pay for it. I think learning programming languages like SQL, Python, R, UX, etc is the way to go. However you can do it. The amount of money we pay our tech employees is insane.

 

[Rich]

I have passed up many opportunities to change jobs over the years. But Coinbase had an appealing opening in the legal dept. for a job based in Boston and I found myself tempted for the first time in a long time.

Coinbase stock got blasted last night after their earnings report. Substantial decline in crypto trading Q over Q. The book on this stuff has not yet been written, and we need to see what the Fed's 'Digital Dollar' will manifest as.

 

[Rich]

I only have my undergrad degree but there is no chance i'd go for an MBA, especially if I had to pay for it. I think learning programming languages like SQL, Python, R, UX, etc is the way to go. However you can do it. The amount of money we pay our tech employees is insane.

Do you hire tech employees only out of school? If so, traditional or do you accept on-line on the resume? I understand that in tech the skill is the more important item vs. educational institution imprint and that's what I'm struggling with.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

But in all seriousness, I have never heard the term "fintech" until just now.

Who is impersonating elder boomers for $1,000? Just bustin' 'em, but here's someting related, DeFi (Decentralized Finance).

 

[HuskyHawk]

Coinbase stock got blasted last night after their earnings report. Substantial decline in crypto trading Q over Q. The book on this stuff has not yet been written, and we need to see what the Fed's 'Digital Dollar' will manifest as.

Yeah, I didn't go for it. I recognized it was a desire to be part of something "cool" again. I was in Silicon Valley from 96-99 and that was pretty fun and exciting. But I was a lot younger then.

 

[Letsgohuskies11]

Do you hire tech employees only out of school? If so, traditional or do you accept on-line on the resume? I understand that in tech the skill is the more important item vs. educational institution imprint and that's what I'm struggling with.

A lot of our first level software engineers come right out of school or come from our internship program. Only because you can get them "cheap" out of school. At the Senior Software Engineer level, we are losing out to companies paying in the mid $200ks plus equity and a bonus. Its absolutely nuts. But no we hire them however we can get them. The market for tech workers (or a lot of different roles) is crazy right now. I've looked at resumes and a lot of people have gone back to get online degrees or done programming boot camps. It doesnt matter, as long as you can do the work, you'd be ok.

 

[ClifSpliffy]

I have passed up many opportunities to change jobs over the years. But Coinbase had an appealing opening in the legal dept. for a job based in Boston and I found myself tempted for the first time in a long time.

cheese and crackers man, go for the interview!
you can always say 'no. nevermind. and im late for my lunch of bbq chicken pizza, washed down with a glass of curly fries vodka.'
or mebbe 'heck no.' whaddaya think they're gonna do, put a mark on ur permanent record card? serial interviewer? puhleeez...

 

[Rich]

A lot of our first level software engineers come right out of school or come from our internship program. Only because you can get them "cheap" out of school. At the Senior Software Engineer level, we are losing out to companies paying in the mid $200ks plus equity and a bonus. Its absolutely nuts. But no we hire them however we can get them. The market for tech workers (or a lot of different roles) is crazy right now. I've looked at resumes and a lot of people have gone back to get online degrees or done programming boot camps. It doesnt matter, as long as you can do the work, you'd be ok.

Thank you. Do you mind if I ask what industry?

 

[HuskyHawk]

Do you hire tech employees only out of school? If so, traditional or do you accept on-line on the resume? I understand that in tech the skill is the more important item vs. educational institution imprint and that's what I'm struggling with.

I don't think you need to be a programmer, or would want to be. To create software, you need someone to write the code, debug, test etc. But you also need somebody to design it. As an old ex-finance guy I think the sweet spot for someone like you is to learn enough about the technology and some light coding skills that you can be in the design roll. Your experience very much matters there. No CS major coming out of college has the slightest idea what a financial transaction system needs to actually do. How it has to work. The regulatory compliance pieces it has to solve for. So they need people who can speak both languages so to speak.