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Finance Certificate in Alternative Investments

To earn a certificate, students must declare their candidacy. To do so, please use the button above.

The buy side, particularly private equity, hedge funds, and other alternative investment firms, remains an attractive and highly dynamic segment of the financial sector. As high-net-worth individuals and other investors continue to seek asset diversification beyond traditional investment choices, alternative investments are expected to continue to grow at a rapid pace and will continue to attract talented professionals from various disciplines and backgrounds.

The Certificate in Alternative Investments is designed to provide you with the skills and insights needed to join this growing and dynamic field in finance. You will learn about the broad range of alternative investments available, including private equity, hedge funds, real estate, and infrastructure, as well as the role such investments play in a well-diversified portfolio. Gain an understanding of the key elements of complex, sophisticated investment strategies used by hedge funds and other alternative investment managers. The courses in this certificate program are led by practitioners who are active in the alternative investments field who will teach you relevant and practical skills that are continuously applied in this field.

This rigorous certificate program is aligned with the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA®) Charter curriculum and is designed to deliver core knowledge in the area of alternative investments. Early-career professionals will find this certificate program a valuable foundation to enter this area of finance. The Certificate consists of two required foundational courses and two electives, and it is expected to take up to two semesters to complete.

For questions about the program, please contact sps.finance@nyu.edu.

Must be completed within

1 year

You'll Walk Away With

  • Recognize types of alternative investments as well as their role in a well-diversified investment portfolio
  • Explain the key characteristics as well as return and risk profiles of major alternative sub-asset classes, including real assets, hedge funds, private equity, and structured products
  • Describe the roles of key participants in the alternative investment industry

 

Declare Certificate Candidacy

Program Curriculum

COURSES THAT GIVE YOU THE SKILLS AND TRAINING YOU NEED TO START YOUR NEW CAREER

Program Curriculum

COURSES THAT PROVIDE FOUNDATIONAL INFORMATION IN THE FIELD WITH OPTIONS TO SPECIALIZE IN AN AREA RELEVANT TO YOUR NEEDS

FOUNDATION

All Courses Required

Alternative Investments

Gain the skills to diversify portfolios and exploit the inefficiencies in markets by focusing on nontraditional assets and investment strategies.

Hedge Fund Strategies

Explore investment strategies used by hedge fund managers in the areas of bonds, stocks, fixed assets, currency, options, and commodities.

ELECTIVES

Complete 2

Venture Capital and Private Equity

Become familiar with the sources and techniques of venture capital, and discuss preparing a business plan, raising venture capital, and going public.

Derivatives

Gain an overview of the derivatives markets and an introduction to the four basic types of derivatives.

Algorithmic Trading

Develop advanced skills in applying the most recent best practices in algorithmic (algo) trading to optimize returns.

2022 Summer
1 section
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Blockchain and Cryptocurrencies

Learn the fundamentals of cryptocurrencies, become familiar with Bitcoin, and gain a broad overview of blockchain concepts.

2022 Summer
1 section
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General Admission Requirements

For those who have completed some college Completion of 32 credits with at least 2 years work experience OR 60 credits with no work experience required

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