What activities take place during the Boot Camp?
After daily lectures about the process of trading and how financial markets are affected by macroeconomic fundamentals and by government policies, you will participate in practical activities covering different aspects of financial trading.
Manage a global multi-asset portfolio
An asset manager simulation enables you to manage a $20 million global multi-asset portfolio of stocks, government bonds, oil, and gold, through 12 months of real macro volatility. You decide on an initial asset allocation based on your assessment of research about economic prospects in different regions of the world. You then buy and sell assets in response to breaking market news. The simulation is based on actual historical prices and events, but with time speeded up, so 12 months of price action and news flow occur in one hour. The ability to predict how markets will respond to key events, and to maintain a diversified portfolio, are key success factors in this simulation.
Experience different trading roles
Another simulation enables you to experience different trading roles within an investment bank and a hedge fund and to interact with other participants. The simulation requires you to create prices for your clients and produces a lively trading floor atmosphere.
Experience live trading
The experience of live trading is created by a simulation that provides access to the world's leading marketplace for financial derivatives, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME). Using AmplifyME’s modified version of the software used by professional traders you will trade futures contracts on indices that track a variety of asset classes: stocks, currencies, bonds and commodities. Because AmplifyME’s software does not place orders on the CME but simulates the profits or losses that would be made if orders were executed, you are able to experience trading in real time without putting money at risk. Live news feeds and market commentary enable you to make decisions within an environment of uncertainty and risk.
At an awards ceremony that concludes the Boot Camp, awards are made to top traders based on their profit generation and management of risk.
Who can do it?
You’ll participate in the Boot Camp if you’re studying any of the following courses:
- MSc Investment Analysis
- MSc Finance
- MSc Finance and Risk Management
- MSc Finance and Data Analytics
- MSc Digital Banking and Finance
- MSc International Accounting and Finance
- BAcc Accountancy
- BAcc Accountancy and Finance
- BA Professional Accountancy
- BA Finance and BA degrees combined with Finance
When does it run?
The intensive one-week Boot Camp takes place in the spring semester and builds upon knowledge acquired in the classroom. It’s an integral part of your studies and is free of charge.
How can I benefit?
Our Boot Camp helps bridge the gap between academic theories of financial markets and how they behave in the real world.
You’ll gain first-hand experience of trading roles within investment banks and hedge funds, and how to trade the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. The skills you learn will help you understand how to trade in volatile markets, how to deal with inevitable trading losses, how to manage risks under pressure and how to make better decisions.
You will receive feedback on your trading performance, including data on technical and behavioural aspects of trading that can be used to market your skills, thereby supporting your transition into the workplace. Our innovative global financial trading Boot Camp will leave you better prepared for a future career in finance.
What students say
Our students consistently rate the boot camp week very highly with over 93% stating in spring 2018 that they were happy with the experience.
I couldn't fault the boot camp at all...it was run superbly and gave me great hands on experience of trading.
I thoroughly enjoyed the week and would most definitely recommend it to others. I have learnt so much over the week and have gained valuable knowledge and experience that I can use to stand out from the crowd when I graduate.
It was a really great experience and I would definitely recommend it to students who are looking to understand more about day trading and the buy and sell side aspect, putting the theory in practice and testing it out was just amazing!