Primers - The Foundation for Success

CQF delegates join from diverse backgrounds in finance, economics, business, mathematics, engineering, IT, and the sciences.

If your skills in math, finance, or programming need refreshing, or if you have any gaps in knowledge, the primers are designed to help you strengthen those areas and get up to speed before starting the CQF qualification. These primers are accessible immediately upon enrollment.

Watch the video to learn more about the CQF primers.

Mathematics Primer

Kickstart your CQF journey with our Mathematics Primer. This primer includes 12 hours of intensive training covering all the essential math preliminaries you need to know, and will ensure that you are confident with the level of math needed for the qualification.

Calculus:

Functions and Limits
Differentiation and Integration
Complex Numbers
Functions of Several Variables

Differential Equations:

First Order Equations
Second and Higher Order Equations

Probability:

Probability Distribution Function
Cumulative Distribution
Expectation Algebra
Key Discrete and Continuous Distributions Including the Normal Distribution
Central Limit Theorem

Statistics:

General Summary Statistics
Maximum Likelihood Estimator
Regression and Correlation

Linear Algebra:

Matrices and Vectors
Systems of Linear Equations
Eigenvalues and Eigenvectors

Python Primer

Dive into Scientific Computing with Python. Perfect for beginners, this 8-hour primer covers the essentials of Python in a scientific context. Start writing numerical code, from screen output to simple computational programs, and set the foundation for your coding journey.

The primer covers:

Python syntax: variables; basic data types; control flow; functions, file input/output
Mathematical applications of Python: standard mathematical functions in the mathematics library; operations on numerical arrays; linear algebra; statistics; data plot
Good programming practices, documenting code; debugging.

Finance Primer

Perfect for industry pros seeking a refresher or newcomers looking to start a career in financial services, this 10-hour intensive primer covers the key concepts and asset classes crucial for the CQF program. Build the foundation you need to succeed in your CQF journey.

The primer covers:

Macro Economics
Capital Markets in Fundamentals
Introduction to Money Markets
Time Value of Money
Introduction to Equities
Introduction to Bonds
Introduction to Swaps
Introduction to FX
Introduction to Derivatives
Introduction to Commodities.

I knew there would be quite a bit of math to learn and I liked the maths primer prior to starting the course. It was so thorough and well taught that I believe anyone, even from a non-mathematical background, could learn the basics and jump in to the CQF.

Tabrez Syed

Associate - Model Risk Management - Morgan Stanley

Explore Tabrez's journey