How NYU Plans to Create the 'Super Quant'

Greenberg: Do you expect other business schools to start rolling out programs like this? Are you going to be a trendsetter?

Cooley: We're definitely a trendsetter, because what we're doing that's different from a lot of business schools is combining the general management education with the possibility of a lot of depth in the field of finance with the kind of mathematical skills that Courant brings to us.

A lot of schools have created what they call M.S. degrees in quantitative finance. So [these programs are] very narrowly defined master of science degrees -- somewhat like what Courant was doing, but to my knowledge, we're the trendsetter in terms of combining the mathematical training with the general management training.

Greenberg: With number of quant funds blowing up on Wall Street, what do you think the view is going to be from Main Street about NYU trying to develop a super quant?

Cooley: I would hope that it gives the individual investor some confidence to know that the people that are designing these financial instruments are extremely well-trained, not just in the purely quantitative aspects of it but also in the broader economic and general management aspects of it.

I think there has been a lot of concern precisely because people don't understand the investment vehicles that are being created. But I would hope that it would give [individual investors] some comfort to know that they are being created by some really well-trained students.

To learn more about this program, visit the NYU Stern and NYU Courant Web sites.

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