Ksenija Cadajeva

I’m Russian and originally from Latvia where I spent my childhood pursuing professional sport. I participated in rhythmic gymnastics and actually graduated with a qualification in a Master of Sport. After this, I considered enrolling in a biotechnology degree. However I found myself really interested in financial markets, so I came to Australia to pursue a Bachelor of Business degree

I was inspired to study a Master of Quantitative finance because I wanted to see finance from a different scientific angle. My studies had been focused on traditional financial roles, with internships in equity research roles. This area of investing looks at decision making based on actual business and industry performance, looking specifically at the ‘fundamentals’ of the company and its management etc. However, I soon found myself engaging in the arguments between ‘quants’ and ‘fundamentalists’. This new ‘quantitative’ area of finance looks at financial markets using algorithm-driven models, which aren’t ground in human judgment.

I like reading about psychology as a hobby.  Believe it or not, I also enjoy undertaking research in finance and other areas, and I love sports and Sydney coastal walks.

The Master of Quantitative Finance at UTS is one of the best in the country because of its experienced academics. They have written hundreds of research papers and they are truly passionate about what they teach. I also checked to see where prior graduates are now working; they are all well positioned within the industry and that’s where I see myself in the future.

This course is incredibly practical. You can apply what you learn to specific areas in the industry, learning programming languages along the way and being exposed to interesting case studies. As somebody who was not a Science graduate, adding Science to my life definitely made my thinking process more logical and structured.

This degree is perfect for science students. It gives them great exposure to the world of finance and its quantitative applications. The best thing about the course is the breadth of study options available. There are nine different units in the course covering diverse areas. This is a great opportunity to find out what area of finance interests you the most.

As I move forward, I want to stay connected with ‘real world’ business and continue working in equity research. I am planning to apply quantitative finance research strategies with the fundamental approach taken in the sector. I want to find a synergy between the two different approaches and challenge myself by combining them together. I might even consider pursuing further studies at a later stage.

My advice to future students is to stay up to date with what`s going on in the financial industry. Find out what specific area are you interested in and then to keep exploring that area!

Learn more about the Master of Quantitative Finance at UTS.