WorldQuant University


WorldQuant University is an American online university. It has 14 courses, attended by 890 students from 75 countries. It is non-profit tuition-free. It is licensed by the Board of Regents of the State of Louisiana.

History

WQU was established by Igor Tulchinsky in 2015 and is funded by the WorldQuant Foundation. In 2015, when the WorldQuant Foundation launched WorldQuant University, it enrolled several hundred students in a free online master's degree program in financial engineering. Sarah McCue, PhD, conceptualized, led the launch of and served as the first President of WorldQuant University. Daphne Kis was hired as CEO of the WorldQuant University program, and the first class was announced to have a 2018 graduation date. In late 2016, the university was awarded the 2016 Dive Award: Startup of the Year by the publication Education Dive. It had enrolled 700 students from 40 countries by June 2017, and was licensed by the Louisiana Board of Regents and seeking recognition from the U.S. Department of Education.

Overview

The university's stated mission is to advance global education through a tuition-free master's degree program in Financial Engineering. Although the university does not charge tuition, students are advised to buy course materials for around US$1000.00 over two years, and small fees for two required proctored exams in the Master of Science in Financial Engineering program.

Accreditation

WorldQuant University is not currently accredited by any recognized accrediting body in United States but is applying for accreditation through DEAC. WorldQuant is approved to operate by the Board of Regents of the State of Louisiana which makes it a state-approved university.