In this blog post, we talked to Sema Guler, final-year mathematics student, who discussed her passion for the subject, the things she enjoyed the most about her degree, as well as the Bloomberg Market Concepts course she has recently completed.
What made you choose to study maths at Queen Mary University of London?
Maths has always been my favourite subject throughout school, but for quite a while, I was not sure what I wanted to study at university. During my first year of A-Levels, I attended a UKMT event and met many other students with the same enthusiasm for mathematics. That event, along with the encouragement of my maths teacher at the time, led me to choose to study maths. I chose to study at Queen Mary because I really enjoyed visiting the campus during a Taster Day. I also heard good things from those who were maths students at Queen Mary at the time.
What did you enjoy the most about your degree?
I liked that there were many modules to choose from. Throughout the degree, the school also provided us with free access to a variety of resources such as SAS, Python and C and C++, as well as the ability to gain certifications in courses such as Microsoft Excel. I would say my favourite modules were Chaos and Fractals, Differential and Integral Analysis and Introduction to Differential Geometry.
Can you tell us about the Bloomberg Market Concepts course you have recently completed?
During the COVID-19 pandemic, I completed the Bloomberg Market Concepts course, provided for free by the School of Mathematical Sciences. It is a self-paced e-learning course that took me through the ways in which economic indicators are published and analysed; it also explored the history and the works of currency markets. I also had the opportunity to discover the bond market and all of its unique complexities, as well as exploring the concept of equity ownership. Within the BMC course, I also had access to the Terminal Basics and Portfolio Management courses in which I learned the basics of the Bloomberg Terminal and discovered the tools available on the Bloomberg to perform as a Portfolio Manager. I would recommend that other maths students take this course, particularly those who have an interest in finance. Upon completion, you will receive a digital certificate which you can share on your LinkedIn and include on your CV for employers to see.
What are your plans for the future?
After graduation this year, my plan is to take a gap-year and raise finances to be able to pursue a postgraduate degree the following year, ideally in Financial Mathematics.
Learn more about Bloomberg Market Concepts, offered by the School of Maths free of charge.