The courses in the 30-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. There is a one-week residency at the Penn State Great Valley campus near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, held soon after the start of the fourth course (BUSAD 526).
To view sample course syllabi and sample course lessons, view the Course Schedule page and click the schedule number for each course.
Please note: Starting in the Spring 2019 semester, the following courses will switch from 500-level to 800-level: BUSAD 526, FIN 513, BUSAD 528, FIN 505, and FIN 506. To avoid confusion, both the current and future course numbers are listed in the table below.
Course List - Master of Finance
| Title | Abbreviation | Description | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quantitative Methods in Finance | BUSAD 525 | Study of quantitative methods used in financial and investment analysis and modeling. | 3 credits |
| Analysis of Financial Markets | FIN 508 | Analysis of factors affecting price determination in financial markets. | 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 526/826 | Finance topics involving strategic financial decisions, including capital structure and cost of capital, financial forecasting, valuation, and corporate control. | 3 credits |
| On-campus residency | N/A | This interactive residency includes four days of course work for BUSAD 526. 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 |
| Multinational Managerial Finance | FIN 505/805 | Analysis of the international aspects of managerial finance. Emphasis on the environmental and institutional factors influencing capital acquisition and allocation. | 3 credits |
| Speculative Markets | FIN 513/813 | Analysis of derivative securities covering options, forwards, futures, OTC derivatives; topics include valuation, trading, hedging. Involves computer analysis. | 3 credits |
| Financial Decision Processes | FIN 532 | Financial decision making under uncertainty; positive and normative models and current issues in financial management. | 3 credits |
| Portfolio Theory and Policy |
FIN 506/834 |
Rigorous examination and analysis of asset-holder behavior under conditions of risk and uncertainty. | 3 credits |
| Mergers and Acquisitions | BUSAD 528/828 | Survey of drivers of success in M&A and develop knowledge and skills in the design and evaluation of M&A transactions. | 3 credits |
| 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.