Why an Accelerated Master of Engineering in FinTech was Developed

Our FinTech graduate program has garnered significant interest from professionals seeking a directed upskilling option at the intersection of finance and technology.  One key sticking point has been the time needed to complete the program, usually about 20 months.

This has been the key driver for our decision to offer an accelerated 12-month program that allows professionals with at least 2 years of work experience bypass the internship requirement, which was designed to help students with minimal work experience but not needed by our target early career professionals, many of whom are already in the financial services sector.  This new accelerated program is also more suitable for those candidates who are sponsored or subsidized by their current employers.

The internship is really the only difference between the traditional and the accelerated program.  The broad array of electives that Duke FinTech has come to be known for are still available to the Accelerated Program students.  Students also participate in the Fall seminar series and of course the networking events that Duke has always excelled at.  Lastly, they will be attending the same classes as all the other students, providing plenty of interaction with students from across the globe.

The Accelerated program allows students to start in mid-May, and graduate the following May, reducing their time out of the workforce.  While many schools don’t like to talk about ROI, we think it should be front and center.  By reducing your time at school, you are reducing the “opportunity cost” which is always a plus.

For more information on the program, application, or scholarships contact us at Pratt_FinTech@Duke.EDU.