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, one course in the first-year summer semester and two courses in the second-year 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).

Required Courses (30 credits)

3

credits

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

Study of quantitative methods used in financial and investment analysis and modeling.
3

credits

Measurement and reporting of financial information for external purposes, with particular attention to current problems in asset and income measurement.
3

credits

Finance topics involving strategic financial decisions, including capital structure and cost of capital, financial forecasting, valuation, and corporate control.

On-campus required residency
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.
3

credits

Analysis of factors affecting price determination in financial markets.
3

credits

Analysis of derivative securities covering options, forwards, futures, OTC derivatives; topics include valuation, trading, hedging. Involves computer analysis.
3

credits

This course focuses on the various income securities including bonds, mortgage-backed securities, asset-backed securities, interest rate derivatives, and credit derivatives.
3

credits

Analysis of the international aspects of managerial finance. Emphasis on the environmental and institutional factors influencing capital acquisition and allocation.
3

credits

Survey of drivers of success in M&A and develop knowledge and skills in the design and evaluation of M&A transactions.
3

credits

The course is designed to expand the student's knowledge of the broad field of financial and investment analysis.

Culminating Experience (3 credits)

3

credits

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.

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.

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