If you want to become a quant at an investment bank or hedge fund, a traditional master’s in computer science won’t always do. Universities have responded to the high demand for quant traders and analysts and have rolled out specialized programs that combine finance, mathematics and engineering. These programs have relationships with top banks and hedge funds and often act as a direct feeder of talent. As such, getting into the right program is a critical step for anyone who wants to be building algorithms and systematic trading strategies.