Finance and Investment Management, M.S.

Specific Objectives

Graduates of the program should be able to:

• Demonstrate understanding of quantitative methods, economics, financial reporting and analysis, and corporate finance as they relate to investment management.
• Determine market values of equity, fixed-income, derivative, and alternative investments using advanced investment tools.
• Apply the highest ethical standards to investment management consistent with the CFA Institute Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct.

Admission Requirements

Applicants seeking admission to the graduate program in finance and investment management are required to submit the following to the Graduate School.

1. An application for graduate admission.
2. Official transcripts of all college work (undergraduate and graduate).
3. Two optional online recommendations, including one from an employer or supervisor who can comment on the applicant’s potential for successful completion of a master’s degree.
4. Applicant’s resume and cover letter.
5. GMAT or GRE score required for applicants with undergraduate GPAs less than 3.00. Official test scores should be sent to the Graduate School no less than four weeks prior to the published program deadline. Test scores more than five years old at the time of application will not be considered.
6. The GMAT and GRE requirement is waived for applicants having completed any of the following professional designations:

• Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Level I
• Chartered Alternative Investments (CAIA) designation
• Financial Risk Manager (FRM) designation
• Certified Public Accountant (CPA) designation
• Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) qualification
• Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) qualification
• Certified Financial Planner (CFP) certification
• Certified Investment Management Analyst® (CIMA®) certification
• Certified Private Wealth Advisor® (CPWA) certification
• Advanced Financial Modeler (AFM) certification
• Certificate in Investment Performance Measurement (CIPM) certification

​The GRE or GMAT may possibly be waived based on work experience and academic background.

Applicants without a bachelor’s degree in business: Admission into the program will be provisional upon successful completion of a basic core of business coursework, including three credit hours each of:

• Statistics or Quantitative Methods;
• Microeconomics;
• Financial Accounting; and
• Corporate Finance.

These courses may be completed at any regionally accredited institution and may be waived with significant, relevant work experience in finance. Application and supplemental documents must be submitted by the published deadline. Applicants who have completed courses similar to the program’s required courses may petition the Graduate Coordinator for transfer credit, up to a maximum of 6 six (6) credit hours transferred from a regionally accredited college or university. Acceptance of transfer credit is at the discretion of the Graduate Coordinator

Applicants who have completed courses similar to the program’s required courses may petition the Graduate Coordinator for transfer credit, up to a maximum of six (6) credit hours transferred from a regionally accredited college or university. Acceptance of transfer credit is at the discretion of the Graduate Coordinator.

Degree Requirements (30 total credit hours)

1. A minimum of 30 credit hours of graduate coursework is required for the Master of Science in Finance and Investment Management.
2. Each student must successfully complete a written comprehensive ethics case analysis in the capstone course.  FIN 502 - Ethics in Decision Making serves as the capstone course in the MSF program.
3. Each student must complete the approved course of study within five years of the date of first registration for graduate study.

Required Courses

All MSF students will be required to take the following courses:

• FIN 501 - Ethics in the Financial Marketplace Credit Hours: 2
• FIN 502 - Ethics in Decision Making Credit Hours: 1
• FIN 530 - Equity Investments Credit Hours: 3
• FIN 531 - Alternative Investments Credit Hours: 3
• FIN 532 - Economics for Financial Professionals Credit Hours: 3
• FIN 533 - Derivatives & Risk Management Credit Hours: 3
• FIN 534 - Fixed Income Analysis Credit Hours: 3
• FIN 536 - Corporate Finance Credit Hours: 3
• FIN 538 - Financial Reporting and Analysis Credit Hours: 3
• FIN 540 - Portfolio Management and Wealth Planning Credit Hours: 3
• FIN 580 - Quantitative Investment Analysis Credit Hours: 3

Optional Applied Learning

Eligible students may earn 1 to 9 additional credits by participating in the following applied learning opportunities. These opportunities are available overseas and domestically by application to the program coordinator. Some opportunities have prerequisites or minimum work experience requirements and may have additional program fees beyond standard tuition and fees.

• FIN 598 - Internship in Finance Credit Hours: 1 to 6
• MBA 518 - International Applied Learning Residency Credit Hours: 3
• MBA 553 - Learning Alliance Integration Credit Hours: 3