What Major?

Discussion in 'Commodity Futures' started by drailing33, Jul 13, 2011.

  1. What major would all of you recommend for becoming an oil trader?
     
  2. bone

    bone

    Hard to say, some are engineers. T. Boone is a geologist from OSU.

    Geologist with an MBA might get your foot in the door as a quant.
     
  3. What kind of oil trader?
     
  4. For any trader, Mathematics. It's all in the numbers.
     
  5. As far as what type of trader, one of the people at firms like Glencore, formerly Enron, BP, Shell, etc.

    Would Mathematics just be the best for all?
     
  6. bone

    bone

    Listen, honestly, I am a nuclear engineer by training and I hold several international patents for radiation shielding design.

    If all there was to it was math, then every math major and physicist and engineer who could solve for an equation and develop a proof would be a trading genius - which is clearly not the case.
     
  7. I understand that it does require more than just the numbers skills.

    Would a petroleum engineer working for an oil company be able to transfer to trading within that firm? Does that sound reasonable?
     
  8. bone

    bone

    Please make sure that you can pass the core engineering coursework before you start gaming out intercompany transfer scenarios - calculus, differential equations, and functions are your biggest consideration at the moment.
     
  9. petroleum engineer with a minor at pyschology and electives at
    herd management will definitely rock as an oil trader
     
  10. If you want a trader job then core should be:

    - Mathematics
    - Computer Programming (Java, C++)

    Secondly (know something about):

    - Economics

    Lastly:

    - Geology (for oil)

    For fun:

    - Psychology (or decision sciences)

    The best way to answer this question is to find a job you like, such as oil trader, and see what skills the employer. What do you want to be? Hedge Exxon Mobil's portfolio? Execute trades for a small hedge fund? Market make in crude oil futures options?
     
    #10     Jul 18, 2011