Master of Finance

A Finance Degree to Address the Ever-Changing Market Environment

Technological advances and economic and political events have greatly influenced the financial industry in recent years. As the marketplace becomes increasingly complex, financial managers and analysts need an in-depth understanding of how to maximize global diversification of financial portfolios, shareholder value, and return on financial assets while managing the risk exposure to interest rate, exchange rate, and commodity fluctuation. A master's degree in finance can help equip you with the skills you need to meet the demands of today's marketplace.

Why an Online Master of Finance at Penn State

Penn State's online Master of Finance degree gives you a well-rounded understanding of finance by covering practical business applications that you can use to manage current financial challenges, as well as advanced financial theory that can provide you with the tools you need to address future trends. This well-respected graduate degree program is AACSB-accredited and can help to prepare you for various professional certifications, such as the Chartered Financial Analyst® (CFA®) certification.

As a student in the program, you can learn about:

• financial modeling, including capital budgeting, basic statistics, and forecasting
• financial accounting and the principles underlying financial accounting and use of accounting information for decision making
• advanced topics involving strategic financial decisions, including capital structure and cost of capital, valuation, and corporate control
• multinational financial management for companies subject to foreign exchange risk exposure and different tax regulations in foreign countries
• financial derivative securities covering options, forwards, futures, and OTC derivatives

The Benefits of a Cohort Model

Penn State's online master's degree program in finance uses a cohort model in which all students in the cohort begin the program at the same time and progress through the courses together. The cohort model facilitates collaborative teamwork so that you can build relationships and network with other high-caliber individuals in the program, even while learning at a distance. It also allows the program course content to be integrated across courses so that you can learn to address the same financial scenarios from multiple perspectives.

Who Should Apply?

This program is designed for individuals who are interested in careers as financial professionals in financial management, or investment management, who have completed some course work in business statistics, financial management/corporate finance, and microeconomics.

Career Opportunities for Graduates

Because the Penn State online Master of Finance degree can give you a balanced perspective of all areas of finance, it can help you prepare for positions such as:

• asset/wealth or private equity manager
• investment banking or commercial lending officer
• financial model builder
• financial analyst
• mutual fund managers, portfolio manager
• financial planner
• financial risk manager
• corporate finance officer

Online Education at Penn State

Penn State has a history of 100+ years of distance education and more than a decade of experience in online learning. We create an online learning environment that offers you the same quality education our residential students experience in a face-to-face setting. Learn more about the benefits of taking courses online.