FT 724 Blockchain Applications and Decentralized Finance     (3 credits)

Pre-req: FI 305, FI 306, FI 623, or FI 625
Not open to students who have taken FT 324

This course introduces students to the rapidly evolving world of decentralized finance (DeFi). It explores the technologies, innovations, and disruptions shaping the financial services industry including blockchain, smart con-tracts, digital assets, stablecoins, and NFTs. The course also covers decentralized governance models and pre-pares students to explain, evaluate, and apply innovative insights in a DeFi context.

Typically Offered: Fall and Spring

FT 770 Investment Applications of Natural Language Processing     (3 credits)

Pre-req: (CS 230 or CS 602) and (FI 306 or FI 623); excludes students who have completed FT 370

This course introduces the application of Natural Language Processing (NLP) in investment analysis, teaching students how to analyze and interpret vast amounts of unstructured textual data relevant to financial markets. Students will gain skills to extract actionable insights for informed investment decisions through techniques such as sentiment analysis, topic modeling, and language models. Hands-on projects will involve using Python and specialized libraries to analyze real-world financial datasets, bridging the gap between theory and practice. By the end of the course, students will be equipped with cutting-edge tools to enhance data-driven decision-making in investment applications across dynamic financial environments.

Typically Offered: Fall and Spring