The majority of the courses required for the CFC involve substantial computing as an essential ingredient of the course. This computing involves the use of programming languages and applications software packages, as well as data provided by a variety of financial data service providers. Programming languages used include one or more of the industry standard JAVA, C and C++ languages, and a matrix or statistical programming language such as MATLAB or S-PLUS. Applications software packages include statistics and econometrics software such as EVIEWS and S+FinMetrics, and portfolio and risk management software such as BARRA, and RiskMetrics/CreditMetrics. Financial data will be obtained from financial service providers such as Reuters, Bloomberg, S & P, Moody's and Mergent.

These software and financial data resources will be made available through a virtual Computational Finance Laboratory (CFL) that leverages the following existing computing laboratory facilities and financial data services such as: (1) The Simulated Trading Room in the Business School, (2) The Math Sciences Computing Center (MSCC), (3) The Economics Department Graduate Student Computer Lab, (4) The Center for Social Science Computation and Research (CSSCR). (5) Financial data from a variety of financial data service providers, including Reuters, Thompson/Bridge/DataStream, Bloomberg, and CRSP. Students in the CFC program will have access to these computing facilities and financial data services.