The financial services industry has been experiencing a profound transformation, marked by regulatory reforms and structural changes, as well as an unprecedented surge in market complexity. These developments have significantly impacted companies and their workforce requirements.
By joining this program, you will dive beyond basic concepts into advanced derivatives and risk concepts through real-world examples, self-guided exercises, and live facilitated sessions with Northeastern University faculty, Acadia leadership, and other industry experts. You will be empowered with unique and practical experiences by working closely with and contributing to the Open Source Risk Engine (ORE), an industry-leading software toolkit used in production by several large banks, hedge funds, and asset managers, facilitated by ORE's authors at Acadia, a renowned global technology, quantitative finance and consulting firm and recently acquired the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG). Upon completion of the program, you will receive a Northeastern University digital credential that reflects the rigor of your experience.
Why join the Quantitative Derivatives Pricing and Risk Modeling program with Northeastern and Acadia?
Gain a competitive edge
In just 8 hours a week over 6 months, you will gain hands-on experience and a deep understanding of quantitative finance concepts. Our program is ideal for professionals with basic quantitative finance, risk management, and financial modeling experience, and some knowledge of C++ and/or Python.
Experience the Power of ORE
Our program leverages the industry-leading Open Source Risk Engine (ORE) – a free/open source platform for pricing and risk analytics of traded instruments, providing contemporary market and credit risk analytics that meet post-2008 heightened industry requirements. Alongside real-world risk practitioners, you'll explore the contextual and regulatory drivers of analytics, gaining insights that no other program offers.
Expand your network and make immediate impact
Join a cohort of quantitative analysts, financial engineers, risk managers, and more who will lead the derivatives market. You will leave the program with specialized skills that answer financial questions through mathematical models, use asset-class specific models to carry out relevant analysis, and implement results based on advanced methods.
The Northeastern/Acadia Collaboration
This program exemplifies the D'Amore-McKim School of Business's commitment to unique lifelong learning opportunities and industry collaborations. You'll benefit from the combined expertise of Northeastern University faculty and Acadia senior leaders, ensuring a well-rounded and transformative learning experience.
We believe this program is deeply embedded in Northeastern University's commitment to unique lifelong learning opportunities and industry collaborations. We are confident that joining together with Acadia, and its experienced leadership team, the course will benefit participants across all stages of the career spectrum by engaging them in a challenging, yet stimulating, learning experience. We look forward to welcoming the future leaders of the derivatives market, ranging from recent graduates, quantitative analysts, financial engineers, risk managers, and more.
David Madigan, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, Northeastern University
What you can expect
- Cohorts begin on November 6, 2023, April 1, 2024, and October 7, 2024.
- A flexible 8-hour-a-week commitment over 6 months.
- Six 4-week modules, allowing for in-depth exploration of each topic.
- Online guided videos and exercises for flexible learning.
- Weekly live, interactive sessions with Northeastern University faculty and Acadia senior leaders, offering invaluable insights and support.
- Globally accessible learning. Learn with online content and engage with the experts through interactive Zoom sessions. No in-person attendance required.
- Interviews, examples, and case studies from current professionals, providing real-world perspectives.
- Networking opportunities with peers, experts, Northeastern Faculty, and Acadia leadership, expanding your professional circle.
- Earn a digital credential demonstrating your career-advancing achievement.
- Signal your competency and program completion to current or prospective employers by sharing your digital credential on your LinkedIn profile.
- A highly interactive, intensive, non-credit, non-degree program.
About the lecturers
Scott Sobolewski
Partner, Acadia
Scott is a risk and finance professional specializing in capital planning, stress testing, derivatives pricing, and model development at large US banks. He advises financial institutions on risk management and regulatory compliance matters, helping clients accelerate development timelines and achieve high-value institutional objectives. Scott has extensive experience meeting Dodd Frank deliverables and managing regulatory relationships with the Federal Reserve, OCC, FDIC, and others through prior roles at Citigroup and Santander US. He holds a B.A. in Mathematics and Economics with Honors from Williams College, as well as active Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and Certificate in Quantitative Finance (CQF) qualifications.
Roland Lichters
Co-Head of Quantitative Services, Acadia
Roland is Co-Head of Acadia's Quantitative Services division. Prior to Acadia's acquisition in 2021, he was Co-Founder and CTO of Quaternion Risk Management. Roland has headed Risk and IT departments for over ten years in the banking industry – building teams, processes, pricing/risk methodologies, and systems. Roland is responsible for R&D and focuses on the company's pricing and risk analytics products, the development of industry-wide risk services, the Open Source Risk project (www.opensourcerisk.org), and propagates the application of Open Source Risk Engine in the industry as a standard model validation tool and core part of risk production systems. Roland holds a Ph.D. in Physics, has been lecturing part-time in Financial Engineering at Trinity College Dublin for five years, and is co-author of various publications, including the book “Modern Derivatives Pricing and Credit Exposure Analysis,” Palgrave Macmillan, 2015.
Felipe Cortes
Associate Teaching Professor, Finance
D'Amore-McKim School of Business
Professor Cortes's current research interests lie in the area of corporate finance and banking, with a particular focus on the determinants of corporate cash holdings and the effect of loan securitization on lenders' screening incentives and systematic risk. He has primary teaching interests in corporate finance and investments and has taught in the Olin Business School at Washington University in St. Louis. Professor Cortes holds a PhD in Finance from Washington University in St. Louis, an MBA from Washington University in St. Louis and a BA in Economics from Universidad de los Andes.
Program modules
- Module 1: Curve Building and Bootstrapping
- Module 2: Exotic Derivatives Pricing
- Module 3: Regulatory Trends in Derivatives, Margining, and Capital
- Module 4: Industrial Market Risk Calculations in ORE
- Module 5: Industrial Credit Risk Calculations in ORE
- Module 6: Object-Oriented Programming for Derivatives
For individuals
Embrace a competitive advantage in the quantitative finance derivatives risk management job market – a high-potential and high-demand niche in the financial industry. Our program equips you with specialized skills that make you a sought-after asset for top financial institutions.
For companies
Are you facing a scarcity of qualified professionals within your organization? Position yourself to grow and thrive in this lucrative market by sponsoring your employees in our program. Investing in your teams will empower them with the specialized skills necessary for success, fostering growth and stability within your organization.
Tuition
Join our inaugural class and seize the opportunity to save on tuition fees! The regular tuition for the program is $10,000. However, if you register by October, 20 2023, you'll be eligible for an exclusive discounted price of just $7,500. Don't miss out on this limited-time opportunity.
Secure your spot today
Advance your career and develop unique skill sets and expertise to navigate the quantitative finance derivatives risk management domain. Reserve your preferred spot in one of the next three cohorts using the form link below.
Program start dates
- November 6, 2023
- April 1, 2024
- October 7, 2024
About Acadia
Acadia is a leading industry provider of integrated risk management services for the derivatives community. Our risk, margin and collateral tools enable a holistic risk management strategy on a real-time basis within a centralized industry standard platform.
Acadia's comprehensive suite of analytics solutions and services helps firms manage risk better, smarter, and faster, while optimizing resources across the entire trade life cycle. Through an open-access model, Acadia brings together a network of banks and other derivatives participants, along with several market infrastructures and innovative vendors.
Acadia is used by a community of over 3,000 firms exchanging more than $1 trillion of collateral on daily basis via its margin automation services. Acadia is headquartered in Norwell, MA and has offices in Boston, Dublin, Dusseldorf, London, New York, Manila, and Tokyo. Acadia® is a registered trademark of AcadiaSoft, Inc.
Acadia is an LSEG Business within the Post Trade division.