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Why Earn a Master's in Finance?

If you’ve already earned a bachelors, a master’s in finance is a great next step to help you earn top-dollar in your industry. You could also use this higher-level degree to help you move from one industry to another or as your first step into a secondary career in teaching. You could get into investment banking, earn a position at the top of a firm that already exists, start teaching in a business school, or start your own accounting firm. With a master’s, your previous limitations will cease to be an issue. Or, if you haven’t earned your bachelor’s yet, you could always enter a combined bachelor’s/master’s program and get a head start on your future career. Skip years of necessary experience by earning both degrees in less than the usual 6 years you’d need to earn them separately. The choices are yours.

Business Degrees & Career Paths

PROS

Like everything else in the world, there are pros and cons to earning a degree. It’s always a good idea to take a look at your options before committing to anything.

While the pros are nice to know about, your main concern should be with the cons, if you can’t get past one of them you may have to switch your goals. For instance, if you must have a certain grade point average and you don’t have anywhere near that score, you may need to rethink your educational plans.

Some of the pros of earning a master’s degree in Finance are:

• Earn a higher salary than with a bachelor’s

• Expand your job options

• The ability to earn more certificates

• Higher level of respect

• Ability to earn a doctorate

• Finance is one of the most popular degrees earned, and therefore, the industry will be more competitive. A master’s will help you earn your place.

• You will be confident and prepared, with all the skills you need

CONS

Another thing that’s great about being able to look at the pros and cons of things before signing up is that it gives you an idea of what you can expect, as well as what is required so that you can decide if the benefits outweigh the bad. For example, one of the pros is that you can expand your job options, but, as you’ll see, it also takes longer to earn a master’s than it does a bachelor’s. You’ll need to decide whether or not having more job options is worth your time. Of course, there won’t be many cons when it comes to earning any kind of degree, since learning and increasing your education pretty much always pays off.

• A lesser return on investment is possible

• Takes longer to earn than a lower level degree

• Earning a master’s in finance includes complex courses and a lot of focus

What Finance Master’s Degrees are Available

• Master of Business Administration (MBA):

Studying for an MBA will include core classes in finance, management, accounting, business law, and marketing. It will take one to two years of graduate training to obtain an MBA, which can qualify you for a chief executive position in finance.

• Master of Finance:

Also known as a Master of Science in Finance (MSF), this graduate degree is for those interested in the field of finance. Students will gain knowledge of financial methods, concepts, theories, and models that they can use in finance managing roles in a corporate environment.

• Master in International Finance:

Designed to give students the knowledge and skills to prepare them for global business dynamics, the Master’s degree in International Finance is a good stepping stone for someone who wants to study various aspects of international trade.

• Master of Financial Analysis:

This broad postgraduate program provides students with the skills and knowledge needed to conduct financial analysis for companies by evaluating a business’s budget, projects, and more. Students will get a broader and deeper exposure to finance to determine suitability and performance.

• Master of Science in Financial Analysis and Investment Management (MS-FAIM):

The MS-FAIM provides you with the qualitative and quantitative skills of analysis involved with quantitative techniques used in risk management, corporate financial analysis, investment portfolio management, and more.

Admission Requirements

Those who earn a bachelor's degree in finance will find a wide range of opportunities available to them in public, private, and non-profit organizations. Earning a master's degree in finance, or a Master in Business Administration (MBA) with a focus on finance, will give you an advantage in the finance industry.

The Prerequisites to getting a master’s finance degree are:

• A Bachelor's Degree: Most finance master's degree programs require a bachelor's degree.

• Some Professional Experience: Some master’s degree in finance programs require applicants to have from one to two years of professional experience.

• Minimum GPA: Most graduate programs in finance require that students have, at a minimum, an undergraduate GPA of 3.0.

How long does it take to earn a Master’s Degree in Finance?

Depending on your level of previous education, your dedication to studying, and the program you take, a master’s degree in finance can take anywhere from one to six years to complete.

To earn your master’s you will first need to obtain a bachelor’s degree that provides entry-level opportunity and can take anywhere from two to four years to complete. Moreover, if you decide to study full-time then you may be able to earn your master’s in finance in as little as one year, as there are fast track programs available. However, if you decide to study part-time while taking an online class, then it can take up to six years to earn your master’s in finance.

Associate’s in Finance

Cost range from $6,000 to $26,000

Earning an associate degree in finance usually takes two years. The associate degree will give you the fundamental skills you need for an entry-level position in the finance industry. However, it can also be used as a foundation of your education and you can move on to the next level and further enhance your knowledge, skills, experience, and education with a bachelor’s degree.

ASSOCIATE’S DEGREE SAMPLE COURSES

• Legal Aspects of Finance

• Investments and Banking

• Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable

• Accounting Fundamentals

• Bookkeeper

• Business Statistics, Laws, and Trends

• Tax Preparing

• Managing Financial Risks

• Auditing

• Financial Statistics and Research

Bachelor's in Finance

Cost range from $24,000 to $75,000

You can usually earn your bachelor’s degree in four years. When pursuing a bachelor’s degree in finance, students will learn how to manage a business’s money while making important investment decisions and will qualify for many entry-level positions in the finance industry.

Students will gain the skills and knowledge needed to pass the CFP (Certified Financial Planner) or the CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) exams.

You will also be able to advance your career and move on to a Master’s degree in finance.

BACHELOR’S DEGREE SAMPLE COURSES

• Principles of Finance and Investment

• Banking, Finance, and Money Management

• Accounting

• Microeconomics

• Personal Finance Concepts

• Fundamentals of Marketing

• Introduction to Project Management

• Macroeconomics

• Key Financial Concepts

• Computer Modeling of Finance

• Introduction to Business Law

Concentrations available in finance include Investments, International Finance, Risk Management, Financial Accounting, Corporate Finance, International Finance, and Money & Capital Markets among others.

Master's in Finance

Cost range from $30,000 to $120,000

The Master’s in Finance program usually takes one to two years to complete. It can help students pursuing a leadership role in finance to gain employment in many sectors.

At this higher educational level of finance, students will learn advanced skills in money management and investing using financial methods and technology models.

MASTER’S DEGREE SAMPLE COURSES

• Financial Math Programming

• Business Communications

• Risk & Derivatives Management

• Managerial Economics

• Strategic Management Seminar

• Accounting for Managers

• Organizational Behavior

• Macroeconomics

• Marketing Concepts and Practice

• Corporate Finance

• Qualitative Finance

• Quantitative Management Methods

Concentrations available in finance include Finance and Economic Systems, Trading Systems, Financial Computation, Derivatives, and Asset Management among others.

What Can I Do with a Finance Degree?

A degree in Finance can give you access to the highest levels of the corporate power structure. Every company needs to know which way the financial winds are blowing, and this will be your specialty. You’ll be able to plan out investments, track every penny spent, tell leaders when they are making a bad move and when they can make a good one, and increase profits for shareholders and the company as a whole. You may even find yourself in the C-suites making the hard decisions when financial information and options are brought to you.

Finance Fields of Study

Corporate Finance: If you focus on this type of finance, you will be well prepared to deal with the entire financial structure of a corporation. Your main goal will be to increase the value of the company for both the leadership and for the shareholders.

Financial Evaluation: Financial evaluation allows you to tell a company how stable their newest project or product line is likely to be. You can give them an overview of an entire system of finance and tell them where they stand. This can allow leadership figures to make the best move for their company.

Econometrics: By using this complex form of statistical analysis, you will be able to tell the leaders of your company what any single or group of financial data points actually means for the company. Some growth is good, but if you grow too quickly you can run into serious problems. This can give you insight as to what constitutes a good piece of financial data or a bad one.

Investment Management: Investment management is the practice of carefully controlling a company or accounting firm’s investments. You might track ongoing investments or keep an eye out for new investment opportunities. If you head the department, you will do both while also keeping an eye on any investment moves your workers bring to your attention.

Financial Modeling: This process requires that you be able to track every piece of financial info coming through a company. You will process it in such a way that you know what the likely outcome of making a financial decision is. This will let the CEO or board assess the risk of a move and gauge whether sudden growth is positive or negative in the long run.

Finance Careers and Salary

Those who pursue a career in finance generally earn lucrative salaries that are more than the national average. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts that by 2026 employment for financial managers will grow by 19%. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, those who hold a master’s degree generally earn $17,776 more annually than those who hold a bachelor’s degree. Also, those who hold a bachelor’s degree earn $16,605 more than those with an associate degree. Another way to climb up the ladder of earnings potential is with experience. You will always start out at an entry-level position, then after gaining some experience, you will move on to a mid-career level than late-career status where each level will earn you substantially more salary.

Finance Career Options

Financial Analyst: This is often the first job for a budding Investment Banker. Analysts spend long hours crunching numbers and running financial models to ascertain corporate value. A large part of the job is concerned with assessing the value of companies that are comparable to the client for various business reasons including mergers and acquisitions.

Personal Financial Advisor: This position requires a Series VII license which allows you to trade securities. In addition to trading activities, you will work with clients to help them secure their wealth for the long-term. This can involve establishing trusts and making other wise investments that are shielded from taxation.

Budget Analysts: Professionals in this career help companies, government agencies, and non-profit organizations assess their assets, revenues, and debts so that they can project budgets for the quarters and years to come. It will help to have a strong background in accounting as well as economics.

Finance Scholarships

Because careers in finance are growing and are currently one of the highest paying business majors in the global marketplace, more associations are investing in financial leaders with next-generation scholarship programs under their belt. If you always enjoyed creating monthly budgets, balancing your checkbook, or weekly allowances, then a degree in finance might be the right choice for you. There is a wealth of opportunity available in the finance industry, such as government finance, venture capital, financial planning, investment banking, commercial banking, insurance, hedge funds, corporate finance, and much more.

Here are just some of the many scholarship programs available to students majoring in finance

• “ALPFA National Hispanic Scholarships”

Amount: $2,000 to $10,000

The “Association of Latino Professionals in Finance and Accounting” (ALPFA) has collaborated with the “Hispanic Scholarship Fund” (HSF), to offer an annual scholarship to students of Hispanic heritage pursuing a full-time degree in finance, business administration, or accounting.

To be eligible, candidates must be enrolled in a four-year program in an accredited university with a minimum junior status level, possess a GPA of at least 3.0, and be a U.S. citizen or permanent legal resident.

Contact: ALPFA National Hispanic Scholarships

Address: 801 South Grand Avenue, Suite 400, Los Angeles, CA 90017

Phone: (213) 243-0004

Email: carmen.cardenas@national.alpfa.org

• “Daniel B. Goldberg Scholarship”

Amount: $12,000

Through the “Government Finance Officers Association” (GFOA), the Girard Miller Foundation funds this scholarship program.

To qualify you must be a full-time student, pursuing an advanced preparation degree for a career in local government and/or in-state finance with a bachelor’s degree already obtained. In addition, students must be a citizen of the U.S. or Canada and express a strong desire for a career in government.

Contact: Daniel B. Goldberg Scholarship

Address: 203 North LaSalle Street, Suite 2700, Chicago, IL 60601

Phone: (312) 977-9700 ext. 2273

Email: rkotchen@gfoa.org

• “FWSF Scholarship Fund”

Amount: $5,000 awarded to undergraduates and $10,000 to graduates

The “Financial Women of San Francisco” (FWSF) has been providing this scholarship fund annually since 1985, to assist women who pursue a career in financial services.

To qualify, applicants must have a junior status at a minimum, maintain at least a GPA of 3.4, enroll in an independent accredited university, major in finance, and attend school or reside the San Francisco Bay Area.

Contact: FWSF Scholarship Fund

Address: P.O. Box 26143, San Francisco, CA 94126

Phone: (415) 586-8599

Email: info@financialwomensf.org

• “J.P. Morgan Launching Leaders Scholarship”

Amount: up to $15,000 each

This scholarship is available to talented Hispanic, black, and Native American students seeking a career in finance with a world-leading financial firm.

To qualify, applicants must be enrolled in a financial services program at an accredited university, have at least a GPA of 3.2, and express interest in a career that involves financial services.

Contact: J.P. Morgan Launching Leaders Scholarship

Address: 1321 Murfreesboro Road, Suite 800, Nashville, TN 37217

Phone: (800) 345-1833

Email: ContactUs@applyists.com

Just head over to our position of optimum Online Master's in Finance Degrees. Students are brought in to the diverse world of money for countless factors. Finance is an area filled with opportunity. Students might want assisting solution what is broken on a worldwide range in addition to create much better choices for the future.

Whatever the reason you are attracted to a Masters level in Funding as well as whatever requirements you most worth in a scholastic program, this checklist will certainly help you analyze a little bit a whole lot more concerning what each establishment uses prospective students as well as additionally make a decision that will certainly assist you get the greatest return on your scholastic financial investment.

Students will definitely also have the choice of picking a focus in their researches, in either monetary engineering, company money, or funding markets. Harvard University's Expansion College supplies a Master's level in Finance that is tailored to fit the needs of various student populations.

International students are able to finish their finance level with a mix of online job and on-campus training at Harvard Summer period Organization. There are 12 training programs required for level verdict. Pupils in the finance program are used a complete understanding of the extremely intricate world of cash with Harvard's challenging and likewise fascinating coursework.

This comprehensive program is gone through the really lauded Wharton Institution of Company. Finance degree trainees obtain a remarkable deepness of knowledge in areas of expertise such as theory and likewise analytics, mathematics and statics along with more. Proficiency examinations need to be masqueraded degree verdict. Coursework in this program prepares students for a big range of possibilities in banks, charitable organizations, around the world financing, brokerage firm as well as additionally numerous other places of the increasingly difficult economic landscape.

Whether curious concerning a career in cash or other market, this level provides educational quality in all elements. An interdisciplinary program, endurances are drawn from the Department of Computer Technology, the Departments of Operations Research and additionally Financial Design, and also the Department of Business economics, amongst others. Programs are developed with the understanding that cash is an increasingly intricate landscape.

These include Financial Engineering along with Danger Management, Quantifiable Residential or commercial property Tracking along with Macroeconomic Projecting, or Details Scientific Study & Financial Technologies. A Masters Work of research can be taken as part of the program for trainees. Teaching fellowships are actively scheduled trainees along with encouraged. New trainees are invited to the program with a two-week Mathematics Camp along with 3 day Boot camp enrichment programs.12.

Online masters in finance degrees are becoming more popular due to the increased availability of high quality, affordable training that can be done on the Internet. With a traditional MBA, you typically have to wait four years to complete your degree, pay significant fees to go to school in a classroom, and often work full time while attending classes. Online masters degree in finance degrees are much faster to complete because students can take the class at their own pace. In addition, with an online MBA, there is no need to move to a campus to attend classes, which makes the program more affordable. Students also save money by not having to drive to school each day to take their classes.

The best online masters in finance degrees generally take two to three years to complete. Online programs are especially attractive to working professionals who wish to pursue a doctoral program in finance but do not have the time to attend a traditional university. Many online graduate business schools offer accelerated graduate programs in finance that can be completed in as little as a year. These accelerated programs to enable working professionals to complete their master's degrees in a shorter period of time while working, but without having to stop work to go back to school. This type of program is perfect for professionals who have family obligations or who are already full-time workers.

Online masters degree in finance classes generally require students to hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited university. The minimum GPA requirement for graduates is a 3.0, although some classes may require a higher minimum GPA. The classes are typically divided between core classes and elective classes, which cover the variety of topics that are included in the finance major.

Core classes typically consist of financial classes such as mathematics, statistics, and accountancy. Students will also learn about business leadership, risk management, global economics, and portfolio theory. Elective courses often include financial markets, personal finance, time management, advanced mathematics, international relations, entrepreneurship, and private investing. Many online master's finance programs also allow students to choose from electives. These include environmental policy, health care, public policy, and estate planning.

Online masters in finance degrees are just as solid as their physical counterparts. They provide the same amount of information and knowledge. However, since they are taken online and taken at your own pace, many students take advantage of this flexibility. In addition, many online master's programs are accredited, so graduation results will appear on your diploma.

When choosing the best online masters in finance degree programs, keep in mind what your specific goals are. Some people use these degree programs to start a new career, while others use them to further their education. If you have already spent some time working in the financial services industry, an associate's degree might be best for you. If you are looking to move up in the company and want more responsibility, you could opt for a bachelor's degree or even a master's degree.

Online finance degrees are offered at several colleges and universities across the country. Each one of these schools will have its own unique curriculum. Most will emphasize the skills needed to be successful investors or business managers. However, not all of them will focus on the financial aspect of the industry. The programs vary widely, so it is important to shop around and find the school that best fits your needs.

Overall, an online college degree program is a great way to get the education you need for a fulfilling career. An online master's in finance degree can help you succeed in many different aspects of the financial planning field. With these skills, you could become an investment analyst, a financial planner, or even a financial attorney.

Choosing an Accredited College

The accreditation status is one of the most important facets of a college or university since being accredited means the school has been approved by a highly reputable accrediting association that verifies the integrity and quality of their programs. Furthermore, it is important for many students to be able to receive financial aid and transfer their grades, which is not available in unaccredited colleges or universities.

Online vs On-Campus vs Hybrid

The world has changed so much since previous times that you can now either attend college the traditional way; by going to classes on the campus, attend class full or part-time online, or both; spending half of the time attending classes at campus and the other half taking classes online (hybrid).

Students who work, have a family, or a disabled parent to care for, may find online classes ideal for their situation as they can set their own study schedule and also choose where they want to study (i.e. at home, in the library, at the park, from a friend’s house, or other).

Those who enjoy studying in the company of others will find attending classes at a campus, more appropriate for their studies.

Others may find it more convenient to do some of their coursework from home online while also visiting campus along with others for face-to-face learning and networking.

Note: Even though you choose to take an online course, you might still be required to take tests and exams on campus or at a learning center near you.

Additional Questions

Does the College Have Post-Graduate Job Placement Help & Assistance?

The chances to gain hands-on experience by participating in an internship program is very beneficial to your career since, the more experienced you are the more you will earn and the better your resume will look to potential employers.

Moreover, having a number of possible employment opportunities lined up for you upon earning your degree, can make it a lot easier on your job search after graduating. Therefore, it is important that you check into the school’s postgraduate job placement program to ensure it offers the assistance you will require after earning your degree.

Why You Need to Consider that Rating/Accreditation Can Affect Your Salary

One thing a potential employer will want to know is if the school you earned your degree from was accredited and, if so, by whom. For some employer’s it’s not enough that the school you attended received accreditation since the more reputable the accreditor is, the more respected you will be. Another thing to take into account is the school’s rating, the higher their rating the better you will rank.