Philip Engelenberg

Selecting the minor

Choosing a minor in Finance was one of the best decisions I made during my studies. I've always loved mathematics, but I struggled to find an area where it could be applied without being overshadowed by a physical application like what happens in engineering. When I stumbled upon the Finance minor offered by the Faculty of Applied Mathematics, I was immediately intrigued. The minor gave me a chance to explore the world of mathematics in a way that was truly meaningful, and I found myself completely in my element.

A full picture of the financial system

The financial system is one that touches all our lives, few people notice this until there is a downturn in the economy. In 2008 the whole financial system almost came crashing down and if you talk about it with people, few know why. At the TU Delft, nearly any person you run into can tell you how a computer works, how a rocket works, how the internet works etc. but few at this university and outside this university can tell you much about the financial phenomena that control our world. They can’t tell you how companies handle their finances and the stock market seems like an absolute chaos to many.

The minor in Finance provided a fresh and exciting application of mathematics through courses like Introduction to Mathematical Finance, Time Series, and Option Valuation Methods, as well as insights into major financial events via Risk Management and corporate finance principles taught in Principles of Asset Trading, Current Issues in Finance allows you to apply what you’ve learned to current financial situations, and finally, the new course Data Science for Finance allows you to apply new techniques to financial data in a way that aims at the future of the industry.

Further opportunities

The material I’ve learned in and the experiences I’ve had throughout this minor have opened me up to insights in a world that highly interests me, to companies that I’d gladly see myself working at in the future, and even to job offers. I’ve gone on in-house days and was able to have in-depth conversations with industry professionals. I see this world as a very interesting, very exciting, and new world that I’d never thought that I could possible work in but that has been opened up to me by this minor.

In conclusion, I cannot recommend the Finance minor enough to anyone who is passionate about mathematics and interested in the world of finance. The courses are diverse, the lecturers provide practical insights into the industry, and the extracurricular activities offer hands-on experience. All of these elements come together to create a truly enriching experience that has been invaluable in shaping my future pursuits