Alternative Investments

Gabelli School of Business students have the option to pursue a secondary concentration in alternative investments. Coursework in this sub-area of finance covers private equity, venture capital, hard assets, commodities, real estate investment management and hedge fund investing.

Students may choose any three of the four courses related to alternative investments to complete the secondary concentration. Options include:

  • Hedge Funds
  • Real Estate Finance
  • Private Equity/Venture Capital
  • Alternative Investment Strategies

The latter course focuses on research related to various aspects of alternative investing and on additional alternative asset classes that are not covered in the other courses, such as real assets, collectibles, managed futures, commodities and structured products. It also prepares students for the Chartered Alternative Investments Analyst Level 1 Examination.

View Alternative Investments Requirements

This secondary concentration aims to prepare students to enter growth fields within the world of finance and diversify their expertise in ways that make them attractive candidates to employers. Professor Kevin Mirabile, who developed the sequence, said that the program helps Gabelli School students compete for coveted positions in alternative investment firms not often available to students coming out of an undergraduate program. It already has generated significant interest and job placements within the alternative investments industry.

Consider these other factors, too:

  • The New York metropolitan area has the nation’s highest concentration of alternative investment firms.
  • The capstone course on alternative investment strategies will cover about 60 percent of the content for the Level 1 Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst Association (CAIA) exam.
  • There is an Alternative Investment Club that offers students advanced skill-set training, networking and practitioner exposure in the field.

For more information on the secondary concentration in alternative investments, please email Professor Mirabile.