Courses

The courses in the 33-credit Master of Finance program are designed to provide you with a common body of knowledge, with topics centered on financial accounting theory, quantitative methods, corporate financial modeling, financial and speculative markets, and multinational finance. As you progress through the courses, you can develop additional expertise in corporate finance and investments. A 3-credit capstone course provides a culminating experience for you to develop your analytical abilities to identify strategies that enhance value creation, by building on knowledge you have acquired from the core courses.

Along with your cohort, you will take two consecutive courses in the fall and spring semesters and one course in the summer semester, to complete your degree in two years. Almost all of the courses are offered asynchronously online, providing the flexibility you need to study at the times most convenient to you. A one-week required residency at the Penn State Great Valley campus near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is held soon after the start of the fourth course (BUSAD 826).

Course List - Master of Finance

Required Courses
Title	Abbreviation	Description	Credits
Foundations in Finance	BA 831	This course provides a foundation in finance from the perspective of the firm. The objective is to show students that basic financial principles can be useful no matter the type of job	3 credits
Quantitative Methods in Finance	BUSAD 525	Study of quantitative methods used in financial and investment analysis and modeling.	3 credits
Financial Accounting Theory and Reporting Problems	ACCTG 512	Measurement and reporting of financial information for external purposes, with particular attention to current problems in asset and income measurement.	3 credits
Current Issues in Corporate Finance	BUSAD 826	Finance topics involving strategic financial decisions, including capital structure and cost of capital, financial forecasting, valuation, and corporate control.	3 credits
On-campus required residency	N/A	This interactive residency includes four days of course work for BUSAD 826. Work closely with the program faculty to receive hands-on, model-building experience, using a complex simulation tool. Analyze a range of possible financial risk outcomes and the probabilities that they will occur for any choice of action.	N/A
Analysis of Financial Markets	FIN 808	Analysis of factors affecting price determination in financial markets.	3 credits
Speculative Markets	FIN 813	Analysis of derivative securities covering options, forwards, futures, OTC derivatives; topics include valuation, trading, hedging. Involves computer analysis.	3 credits
Fixed Income Securities	BUSAD 827	This course focuses on the various income securities including bonds, mortgage-backed securities, asset-backed securities, interest rate derivatives, and credit derivatives.	3 credits
Multinational Managerial Finance	FIN 805	Analysis of the international aspects of managerial finance. Emphasis on the environmental and institutional factors influencing capital acquisition and allocation.	3 credits
Mergers and Acquisitions	BUSAD 828	Survey of drivers of success in M&A and develop knowledge and skills in the design and evaluation of M&A transactions.	3 credits
Portfolio Management	BADM 834	The course is designed to expand the student's knowledge of the broad field of financial and investment analysis.	3 credits
Research in Security Valuation (Capstone Course)	BUSAD 585	Focuses on the analysis and valuation of a firm's equity securities in the financial market using a fundamental analysis. The course integrates topics discussed in various finance courses to help students to develop their analytical ability to identify strategies that enhance value creation.	3 credits

Culminating Experience
Title	Abbreviation	Description	Credits
Research in Security Valuation (Capstone Course)	BUSAD 585	Focuses on the analysis and valuation of a firm's equity securities in the financial market using a fundamental analysis. The course integrates topics discussed in various finance courses to help students to develop their analytical ability to identify strategies that enhance value creation.	3 credits

Course Availability

If you're ready to see when your courses will be offered, visit our public LionPATH course search (opens in new window) to start planning ahead.