Financial Engineering is a multidisciplinary field involving financial theory, engineering methods, mathematical tools, and programming. At Columbia, the FE Program provides full-time training in the application of engineering methodologies and quantitative methods in finance. It is designed for students who wish to work in industries such as securities, banking, and financial management and consulting, or general manufacturing and service firms.

In addition to courses within the engineering school, students can also take electives from various schools within the university, such as the Graduate School of Business, the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, the School of Law, and the School of International and Public Affairs.