Finance, M.S.

Mandeville Hall
Telephone: (203) 576-4805

The UB MS in Finance Value Proposition

The Master of Science in (MSF) is a 30-credit graduate program designed to meet the needs of a distinct type of professional in the finance industry. The MSF develops the ability of students whose career goals include specialist, technical, and management roles in financial enterprises. The program accomplishes its mission by developing student expertise in financial instruments, financial technology, financial analysis and financial management. Positive program outcomes will be achieved through the knowledge and skills the students will acquire from a comprehensive curriculum design, instruction in an effective learning environment, opportunities for inquiry, and professional development. This program largely leverages our existing offerings.

Students learn concepts in risk, finance, investments, and analytics that provide the basis for careers in finance. Students also develop the technical and quantitative skills needed to pursue a variety of careers in the finance industry. While more specific and analytical in nature, these learning outcomes are in line with our institutional mission, and our MBA program.

Students will learn how to evaluate and price a financial opportunity. They will learn how to gauge the appropriate level of risk to discount future projections. They will learn how to compare across investment opportunities at a given time and how to allocate among them in an optimal way. They will learn how to create useful tools for answering financial questions so that reports could be generated automatically and progress can be tracked. They will learn how to both assess and manage risk. Most importantly and most generally, they will learn how to solve financial problems with finely honed problem-solving skills via analytical capabilities and data-driven decision-making.

Program Characteristics

Although students with work experience will find maximum benefit from the MSF, no previous work experience is required. The curriculum is designed to recognize and accommodate substantial diversity in preparation and experience as well as the different goals and career expectations of students. For this reason, some students may be required to complete preparatory coursework to successfully graduate from the 30-credit MSF program. Flexible course delivery enables students to proceed at their desired pace. Most students complete the MSF program in 18 to 24 months.

Learning Outcomes

Students will demonstrate

1. knowledge in - evaluating and pricing financial opportunities, gauging the appropriate level of risk to discount future projections, comparing investment opportunities and allocating among them in an optimal way, creating useful tools for answering financial questions so that reports are generated automatically and progress is tracked, assessing and managing risk, analyzing and solving financial problems with finely honed decision making and problem solving skills;
2. the ability to communicate ideas clearly and persuasively in oral and written structures in both formal and informal settings;
3. interpersonal and professional skills that enable them to contribute within diverse sets of teams and build internal and external relationships that facilitate success in contemporary organizations;
4. information literacy, proficiency with technology, and analytical techniques for decision-making;
5. creativity and innovation when addressing current issues and case studies;
6. integrity in their actions, as well as an understanding of ethical theories, such as triple bottom line and corporate social responsibility;
7. critical and logical thinking that integrates concepts across disciplines enabling them to successfully lead in a dynamic global environment.

Learning Outcomes Will Be Assessed Using the Following Measures:

• participation in classroom activities addressing current financial events,
• preparing case studies,
• creating one-off back tests of financial hypotheses,
• performing simulations,
• developing reusable financial and risk management tools,
• performing due diligence research projects,
• writing 5-to-10-page papers on critical financial topics,
• presenting findings in a five-minute professional presentation,
• and one capstone exercise reflecting their accumulated knowledge and skills.

Language Requirement

Conditionally accepted international students with an undergraduate degree that was taught in a language other than English are required to successfully complete additional language-related coursework and third-party assessment testing before joining the program.

Academic Preparation

Students with undergraduate preparation in a non-business field may be required to complete up to 6 credits of preparatory course- work. Students with a strong academic record (B or better in each case) from an accredited university, or significant relevant work experience, may be able to waive preparatory foundation courses. ACCT 500 - Accounting, Business Law & Ethics  requires both managerial and financial accounting, as well as any course labelled business law that included contracts and tort law. MGMT 500 - Management & Marketing  requires organizational behavior, operations management, and marketing or any similarly named course that includes consumer behavior.