Master of Science in Applied Finance, Investments Track

Master of Science in Applied Finance (MSAF)

This program is completed in three consecutive trimesters and has an optional fourth trimester. The degree is designed to prepare students for entry-level positions in financial services. Students enrolled in the Graziadio School’s MBA programs are not eligible to apply. Students in the MSAF program have the opportunity to select one of two tracks: Financial Management  or Investments .

MSAF program learning goals and outcomes state the educational expectations of student achievement for each degree program. These goals are defined by faculty members to clarify how they intend for graduates to be competent and effective as a result of successfully completing the program. 

Investments Track

This track emphasizes skills in such in-demand expertise as business valuation, equity analysis, and investment banking. It provides knowledge to prepare you for the Chartered Financial Analyst exam.

The curriculum for the MSAF Investments track consists of the following:

Required Courses

• ACCT 632 Financial Statement Analysis (2)
• ACCT 652 Accounting Information and Control Systems (4)
• BSCI 650 Personal and Leadership Development Workshop (1)
• DESC 656 Quantitative Analysis for Business Operations (4)
• ECNM 657 Prices, Profit, and the Market Economy (4) ¹  
• FINC 614 Corporate Finance (4)
• FINC 638 Financial Modeling (2)
• FINC 650 Derivatives and Risk Management (4)
• FINC 667 Global Capital Markets and Institutions (4)
• FINC 669 Investments and Portfolio Management (4)
• PGBS 560 Career Seminar (0) ²  

Optional Fourth Trimester

Students have the opportunity to enroll in an optional practicum to further apply and enhance their knowledge. The practicum will be completed in the fourth trimester and there may be additional tuition charges depending on the option selected.

Students must have a minimum CGPA of 3.0 to be eligible for the practicum and will need to submit a petition to the program office for consideration. There are four options, which is designed to span one trimester:

1. PGBS 695 Internship (0-8)  (0 units required) Students will be required to complete a full-time internship.
2. PGBS 696 Field Project (0-2)  (2 units required) Students will need to identify a field project topic to be approved by a sponsoring faculty and the chair of the MSAF program committee.
3. PGBS 697 Applied Research (2)  Students will need to identify a research topic to be approved by a sponsoring faculty and the chair of the MSAF program committee.
4. PGBS 691 Study Abroad (0-16)  Students may spend a trimester abroad as a full-time student at one of the Graziadio School international partner business schools. Upon approval by the program office, 12 units of course work of comparable scope and content may be taken at the international partner school. Students will enroll at the Graziadio School in the appropriate number of PGBS Study Abroad course units. When the courses are completed at the international partner university, their course designation will be added to the enrollment record so that they will appear on the student’s transcript. These courses will be graded credit or no credit only.

Electives

Students are required to complete 8 units of electives from the list below. The courses offered are subject to availability, which may vary from term to term.

• DESC 621 Valuation of Real Options (2)
• FINC 630 Private Capital Markets (2)
• FINC 641 Fixed Income Securities (4)
• FINC 643 Real Estate Investments and Finance I (3)
• FINC 671 Ethical Perspectives in Financial Analysis and Valuation (2)
• FINC 672 Introduction to Financial Econometrics (2)
• FINC 668 Valuation and Corporate Combinations (4)
• FINC 698 Contemporary Issues in Finance (1-3)
• PGBS 698 Contemporary Issues in Business and Management (0-4)

Notes:

1. Students who have passed Level 1 of the CFA exam are eligible to waive the ECNM 657 course. In lieu of ECNM 657, students will complete four additional units of elective coursework.
2. Students must complete career development requirements before registering for the final trimester of study.