Time flies so fast! It has been four years since I graduated from my bachelor and words cannot express how grateful I am to work and live in this beautiful country. Through my previous experience in retail banking, mortgage investment, and prime brokage, I realized how crucial risk management plays in the finance industry. Thus, the MFRM program came into my eye, and I firmly believe that this is the pathway to become a risk management professional. 

Moving from the West Coast

I have been living in Vancouver for about 8 years. Frankly speaking, I really enjoy the weather except when it is raining all day during the fall. Unsurprisingly, you will not have the same experience in Toronto, but you should not expect sunshine and beach in Toronto either. It is easy to tell that the city vibe is quite different than any city in west side. This is a fast-paced and diversified city with a large population and space. What's more, if you are a foody, welcome to heaven! There are various kinds of authentic foods from all over the world and I am sure you will be impressed.  

Curriculum and schedule  

MFRM is a 10-month program which determines its intensity. The curriculum is designed to equip students with the most cutting-edge risk management skills and exceptional story-telling ability to be a successful risk management professional. Many of the courses are challenging but you know that these are the necessary knowledge that you will use in the real-world setting. Furthermore, it is expected that students should have a good command of fundamental knowledge in finance and statistics to understand materials taught in the class. Building a solid foundation in both areas will provide tremendous help on your MFRM journey.  

Cohort  

One of my favorite features of MFRM program is that all students in cohort share the same class schedule. Our cohort is super cohesive, and we get to know each other very quickly. After all, classmates today may become colleagues and even lifelong friends in the future, so this is a rare opportunity to expand your friend circle and networking.  

Life besides the class 

Rotman provides extensive resources to fulfill student's school life. There are tons of clubs for graduate students to join and many of them frequently hold case competitions which provide additional learning opportunities for students to hone communication skills and gain new insights. I am proud that I just won the 2nd place in the SLC Portfolio Management Case Competition held by Rotman Asset Management Association with a team formed by MFRM students, and it is truly a fantastic experience for me to learn how to research and solve issues for a buy-side firm in a real-world setting. In my spare time, I'd love to try different restaurants together with my cohort friends and we even go karaoke! I can't believe how talented my cohort is!  

Studying in the MFRM program is like driving on a highway, you will reach the destination sooner, but you must hit the gas deeply at the same time. Fortunately, you will have great classmates and professors as your catalyst to escalate the process. I look forward to my rest Rotman journey and I am ready to embrace my changes! 

The Master of Financial Risk Management is a full-time program designed to prepare ambitious young professionals for careers in risk management and finance.