Instructor Insights

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Instructor Insights

Below, Gary Gensler describes various aspects of how he teaches 15.S08 FinTech: Shaping the Financial World.

We teach a lot more than knowledge, we teach a way of thinking and a way of analysis.

— Prof. Gary Gensler

 

Curriculum Information

Prerequisites

Permission of the instructor is required.

Requirements Satisfied

15.S08 can be applied toward a Master’s in Finance or  Master’s in Business Administration, but is not required.

Offered

Different versions of 15.S08 Special Seminar in Management are offered several times a year, in the second half of the spring, summer, or fall term or in the January Independent Activities Period.

 

Assessment

Grade Breakdown

The students' grades were based on the following activities:

The color used on the preceding chart which represents the percentage of the total grade contributed by group research paper. 40% Group research paper
The color used on the preceding chart which represents the percentage of the total grade contributed by individual write-up. 30% Individual write-up
The color used on the preceding chart which represents the percentage of the total grade contributed by class participation. 30% Class participation

Student Information

80 students took this course when it was offered in Spring 2020.

Enrollment

80 registered students, plus 38 registered listeners

Breakdown by Year

Graduate students

Breakdown by Major

A mix of graduate students in Master’s of Finance and MBA programs

Typical Student Background

The finance students in the class tended to be fairly young and computer-savvy; the MBA students were a mix of traditional students, mid-career students, and Sloan Fellows.

 

How Student Time Was Spent

During an average week, students were expected to spend 12 hours on the course, roughly divided as follows:

In Class

3 hours per week

Met online 2 times per week for 1.5 hours per session; 12 sessions total; mandatory attendance

 

Out of Class

9 hours per week

Outside of class, students completed assigned readings and the individual write-up assignment, and worked in groups on the group research paper.

 

Semester Breakdown

WEEK M T W Th F
1 No classes throughout MIT. No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No session scheduled.
2 No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No session scheduled.
3 No classes throughout MIT. No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No session scheduled.
4 No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No session scheduled.
5 No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No session scheduled.
6 No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No session scheduled.
7 No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No session scheduled.
8 No classes throughout MIT. No classes throughout MIT. No classes throughout MIT. No classes throughout MIT. No classes throughout MIT.
9 Class meeting. No session scheduled. Class meeting. No session scheduled. No session scheduled.
10 Class meeting. No session scheduled. Class meeting. No session scheduled. No session scheduled.
11 Class meeting. No session scheduled. Class meeting. No session scheduled. No session scheduled.
12 No classes throughout MIT. No classes throughout MIT. Class meeting. No session scheduled. No session scheduled.
13 Class meeting. No session scheduled. Class meeting. No session scheduled. No session scheduled.
14 Class meeting. No session scheduled. Class meeting. No session scheduled. No session scheduled.
15 Class meeting and paper due. No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No session scheduled. No classes throughout MIT.
16 No classes throughout MIT. No classes throughout MIT. No classes throughout MIT. No classes throughout MIT. No classes throughout MIT.
Displays the color and pattern used on the preceding table to indicate dates when classes are not held at MIT. No classes throughout MIT
Displays the color used on the preceding table to indicate dates when class meetings are held. Class meeting
Displays the color used on the preceding table to indicate dates when no class session is scheduled. No class session scheduled
Displays the symbol used on the preceding table to indicate due dates. Paper due