Student Spotlight: Musonda Katongo
Originally from Lusaka, Zambia, Musonda was working in the power system engineering field before he started the Master’s program at WorldQuant University. His deep interest in data science and its applications in finance led him to pursue the Master of Science in Financial Engineering. Apart from being free, he chose the program because of its in-depth content and broad exposure to the field of quantitative finance.
While WorldQuant University’s flexible, online program helped him balance other tasks and responsibilities, Musonda still dedicated himself to the program in order to fully grasp content and keep up with the program’s assignments and projects. Musonda credits his rigorous scheduling system with enabling him to succeed in the program, in which he would allot a specific amount of time each week to complete the coursework assignments – and he made sure to strictly follow this schedule. He also communicated his schedule to his family so that he could get their full support, which helped provide that added nudge to get things done when he said he would.
Musonda's favorite part of studying at WorldQuant University was the structure and delivery of coursework, particularly the Collaborative Review Tasks and Group Projects. These course tasks allowed him to research and read up on a wide variety of subjects. Working with individuals from different backgrounds during group work assignments also exposed him to unexpected experiences and built lasting relationships with other students around the globe.
For other students starting the MScFE program, Musonda recommends creating a thorough study schedule and actively participating in coursework. In his words, not only will this give you a diploma, but it will “empower you with valuable knowledge and hands-on skills.”
After completing his degree at WorldQuant University, Musonda published his final Capstone Project titled “The Use of Deep Reinforcement Learning in Tactical Asset Allocation” on SSRN. Moving forward, Musonda would like to explore options in the fields of asset portfolio management and quantitative research and analysis. He wants to leverage the skills and knowledge gained from the program to build trading and investment models that can be deployed and scaled. We look forward to seeing what he builds next!
To learn more about WQU’s MScFE program, visit the program page.
