Master of Science in Finance

Our Master of Science in Finance’s curriculum covers established and emerging concepts, practices, and technology in the financial industry with a focus on preparing you for your choice of specialization within the field.

Core courses are taught at the FIU Pines Center in Pembroke Pines, Florida, at Modesto A. Maidique Campus in West Miami, and at the Downtown Miami Center.  The specialty tracks and course locations are noted below. You may select whichever specialty and campus you prefer.

Core courses

Corporate Finance 
Quantitative Methods in Financial Analysis 
Securities Analysis 
Financial Markets and Institutions 
Financial Futures and Fixed Income Investments 
Financial Risk Management 
Global Financial Strategy 
Portfolio Management 
Financial Planning and Statement Analysis

Specialty Courses

Financial Management track is offered at the Modesto A. Maidique Campus

Financial Software 
Capital Budgeting 
Financial Management Policies 

Investments track is offered at the Pines Center

Financial Management Policies 
Advanced Risk Management 
Advanced Fixed Income Analysis 

International Banking & Financial Institutions track is offered at the Downtown Miami Center

Commercial Banking 
International Bank Management 
Credit Analysis 

Developed for professionals to expand their understanding of the domestic and global financial industry, this twelve-month, intensive, accelerated Master of Science in Finance program will sharpen your knowledge of financial strategy and will strengthen both your technical and analytical skills.

As a student in this exceptional graduate program in finance, you will examine the dynamic and often risky nature of today’s financial markets and learn how to leverage data and information to guide your clients’ (or your own) organization’s financial and other strategic decisions. The program provides excellent preparation for Level I of the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) exam and a wide spectrum of strategically important positions in finance.

Our Master of Science in Finance is the only one-year weekend graduate finance program in South Florida. The program offers convenient scheduling of weekend classes taken at the main campus or Pembroke Pines Campus or weekday (Tuesday and Thursday) night classes taken at the FIU College of Business Administration’s Downtown Miami Center.

Most importantly, the time you invest in earning your graduate finance degree has a recognized value that can only be conveyed by a school with a strong reputation for quality like the Chapman Graduate School of Business—ranked by BusinessWeek in the top 15% of business schools nationally.

In this master’s program in finance, you will

• acquire a strong base of knowledge in finance covering financial theory, strategy, methodologies, analysis, and practices
• complete the program in one year
• be prepared for the CFA exam (Level 1 Chartered Financial Analyst)
• use the latest technology and financial software to conduct financial analyses, valuation analyses, derivative pricing and risk management, securities trading portfolio management, bank management and merger analysis
•  gain hands-on experience with financial software like Excel, @RISK, BARRA, Trade Station, Stock Trak, Pro Banker, and Trading Game
• have your choice of specialization tracks: Financial Management, Investment, or Financial Institutions
• learn from senior, full-time faculty with PhDs from some of the top universities in the U.S. and in the world, and with more than 200 collective years of teaching experience in specialties like banking, financial risk management, portfolio management, corporate financial decision making, and fixed income
• Two faculty members have CFA® designations

Additional benefits:

• Cohort based, lock-step program, in which all students begin the program at the same time and process through the courses together, allowing you to develop relationships that will enrich your personal and professional lives during the program
• A joint degree option enables you to combine a Master of Science in Finance with other graduate business programs
• A finance workshop is offered to all incoming students in order to refresh financial skills
• Access to highly-ranked career services, including interview preparation and career planning assistance
• Support services include “no-red-tape registration,” catering, and more

At the Chapman Graduate School we care very deeply about how well we are accomplishing our mission, how our programs contribute to our overarching goals and how we assure that the institution conforms to specified industry and academic norms.  Consequently we are committed to measuring the effectiveness of our programs using a well-defined Assurance of Learning process that ensures “accountability and transparency”.

Student Learning Outcomes

In recent times there has been a preponderance of student learning-based models which emphasize that Faculty should model the learning process in consultation with all our stakeholders.   Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) detail what we aim for our students to know, what they can actually do, and what are their vocational attitudes. These are:

• LO1: Apply financial concepts. Practices and quantitative skills to analyze financial problems, and conduct applied financial research.
• LO 2: Recognize how institutions create and apply financial instruments in different financial markets and related ethical issues.
• LO 3: Analyze and evaluate global financial issues.
• LO 4: Apply theory and practices to the analysis of investment and financial risk management.
• LO 5: Use and apply financial software. Construct spreadsheet and financial modeling applications.

Program Outcomes

Given our mission, this program has defined the benefits to students as you gain new knowledge, increase your skills, change your values, and modify your behavior through the following program outcomes:

• PO 1: Graduating students are satisfied with program value and potential for career advancement.
• PO 2: The program will admit well-qualified students who will successfully complete the program.
• PO 3:  The curriculum is relevant, coherent, and improves skill development in human resouce management.
• PO 4: The program will provide quality instruction. 
• PO 5: The program will provide quality advising, program administration, academic and student support services, and facilities.
• PO 6: Maintain sufficient gross revenues to cover all program expenses and be self-sustainable.
• PO 7: Graduating students will see an increase in salary as a result of obtaining degree.

Curriculum will be reviewed and updated.
Feedback on the curriculum will come from several sources:

• Students
• Advisory board
• Faculty
• Program review

Our Master of Science of Finance program, which you can start either in the fall or spring requires 36 credit-hours (two courses per eight-week session).  Our schedule offers convenience in terms to times and locations:

Fall (August) start of the program


Classes are offered at:

Modesto A. Maidique Campus (11200 SW 8th St, Miami, FL 33199) every Friday  from 5:00PM to 9:40 PM and Saturday from 9:00 AM to 1:40PM

Downtown on Brickell Center (1101 Brickell Avenue, Miami, FL 33131) every Tuesday and Thursday from 5:30PM to 10:00PM.

Spring (January) start of the program 

 
Classes are offered:

Broward Pines Center (17195 Sheridan St  Pembroke Pines, FL 33331) Friday  from 5:00PM to 9:40 PM and Saturday from 9:00 AM to 1:40PM 

Q. Where should I send my application? 

A. Please send your application materials to:

Chapman Graduate Admissions Office
Master of Science in Finance
Chapman Graduate School of Business
Florida International University 
11200 S. W.  8th Street—CBC 213-B
Miami, FL  33199-0001

Q. Do all application materials have to be submitted by the deadline?
A. Yes, all materials have to be turned in by the deadline. Only those applicants who have submitted complete packets will be considered for acceptance.

Q. Where can I obtain an application form for the MSF?
A. The application form is available online.

Q. Do I include my certified transcripts with the application?
A. No. Florida International University requires that official transcripts be sent directly by the college(s) or university(ies) you attend(ed). You cannot send in copies of these transcripts yourself. If you are an alumnus (ae) of this university, there is no need to have transcripts sent. If you attended a university outside the U.S. and the transcripts are not in English, they must be translated by a certified translator. The translation and an official copy of the transcripts must be submitted.

Q. When do I pay for courses?
A. You pay for courses at the beginning of each semester. You are registered for two sessions, or four courses, each semester.

Q. What kind of undergraduate degree must I have to qualify for this program?
A. The university requires you to have an undergraduate degree from an accredited university.

Q. What are the required scores for the GMAT/GRE?
A. GMAT minimum is 500; GRE minimum (combined score total) is 1,000. Test scores are valid as follows:
GMAT scores - five years
GRE scores - five years 
TOEFL scores - two years
Institutional TOEFL scores- one year

Q. Are there any pre-requisites for non-business majors?
A. Non-business majors must take an accounting class  and attend a finance tutorial before beginning the program.

 Q. Are there any special requirements for international students?
A. International students need to take the TOEFL test; they will need to score at least 550 on the paper-based or 213 on the computer-based test. Please visit http://www.toefl.org for more information.

Q. Can I start the program in any semester?
A. We begin three tracks of this program each year. Typically, they begin in January, and August.

Q. Where, when, and at what time are classes held?
A. Classes are held in three locations FIU Broward Pembroke Pines Center (January start), Downtown Miami Center (August start) and Modesto A. Maidique Campus (August start).

Q. Are the courses held in a certain sequence?
A. The course listings on this site provide one desired sequence. This sequence may be changed at the discretion of the administrators. However, certain prerequisites will be built into any sequence.

Q. How many students are there in classes?
The maximum number of students per class is 40.

Q. Is a thesis required in the program?
A.  No, there is no required thesis.

Q. Can I prolong the MSF program for more than twelve months?
A. No, you cannot prolong the MSF for more than twelve months. Since it is a lock-step program, you must remain with your class throughout the entire sequence until the program is concluded.

Q. Can I apply for financial aid?
A. Yes, you can apply for financial aid. You can apply online at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov or pick up an application at any high school, college or university. For specific information regarding financial aid or to find out the status of you application please, contact our  Chapman Financial Aid Coordinator at 305-348-1647. Visit the university's Financial Aid web site for more information. It is advisable that you begin the process as soon as possible.

The program admits students every fall and spring term.

Candidates applying to our Master of Science in Finance program must adhere to the following deadlines:

For all applicants

• Complete the online application for admission (www.fiu.edu/ugs). Scroll down, under “Quick Links” click “Apply online”.
  • To begin the online application you will need to click on the icon that says “Create Account” in the User Login section.  After you create the PIN, you will use the PIN to enter the system and complete the online application
  • You may complete the online application and submit it, even without having taken the GMAT, GRE or TOEFL.  We prefer that you mail supporting materials (essay, letters of recommendation, etc…) to us rather than uploading them onto the online application
• Pay a $30 application fee.  Most major credit cards are accepted.  Checks or money orders are also accepted and should be made payable to Florida International University.
• Send official transcripts from all previously attended universities, in a sealed envelope
  • A four year Bachelors Degree from an accredited institution as well as a minimum upper division grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 are required
  • The original transcripts must be submitted in an envelope sealed by the degree-granting institution
  • Students whose official transcripts are not in English will be required to submit translated transcripts.  If this applies to you please ask your university to provide two original transcripts.  The first set of transcripts must remain in the sealed envelope.  The second set of transcripts should be sent to an official translation company for translation
  • Applicants who already possess a Masters degree from an accredited institution may be eligible for a GMAT waiver provided that the graduate degree GPA is 3.0 or better
• Earn a score of at least 500 on the GMAT (www.mba.com) or 1000 on the GRE(www.ets.org) and achieve a minimum of 25 in the verbal and quantitative percentile sections. For calculating the Minimum Admissions GRE totals from the new GRE scale, click here. Scores are considered official when sent by the testing center directly to our school
• If you earned your Bachelor Degree in a country whose official language is not English, you must demonstrate English proficiency by taking either the TOEFL or IELTS.  Minimum scores for the TOEFL are:  550 paper-based, 213 computer-based and 80 internet-based.  Minimum score for the IELTS is 6.5.  When requesting the official scores, please refer to the Florida International University Institution code 5206
• Submit a current resume of professional experience. (Internships and part-time employment may be included)
• Submit a statement of purpose:  a one-page essay describing your professional goals and reasons for pursuing the MS in Finance degree at Florida International University
• Submit a copy of your passport or Alien card

For international students

International students applying for the F-1 student visa will be required to submit financial documentation. Financial documents must be recent (6 months or less from the program start date).

• Request a letter from your bank or the bank of your sponsor (a parent, for example) stating that you or your sponsor have sufficient funds of at least $52,000 for tuition and living expenses. The types of accounts from which these bank letters are accepted are: savings, checking or money market accounts. Bank letters must be original and contained in a sealed envelope
• If the bank account and aforementioned letter are in the name of a sponsor, the sponsor will need to submit a signed sponsor letter stating that he or she will fund your education and expenses while you are enrolled in the MS in Finance program.  Click here to see a sample sponsor letter
• Submit a completed and signed Declaration of Finance (DCF) form. Please note that the minimum amount in the DCF must be at least $52,000 for the academic year 2010-2011

Mailing Address: 
Submit all materials to
MS in Finance 
Chapman Graduate School of Business
Florida International University 
11200 SW 8th Street CBC 200
Miami, FL  33199-0001

Apply now.

Tuition for the MS in Finance Program that starts in August 2012 is $30,000.00 for Florida residents and $33,600.00 for non-residents.

Once you are accepted into the program, you will be required to submit a $300 non-refundable professional development fee, which will be applied toward the fees for the first semester in the program.

Students pay for courses at the beginning of each semester.

Those who leave the program receive no refunds.

MS in Finance tuition covers:

• tuition
• course materials and software
• university fees
• parking decal
• meals on class days
• professional development seminars
• special events

Because state law prohibits the university from extending credit, fee payment cannot be delayed beyond the start of classes or financed by the MS in Finance or the university. An exception to the advance payment policy will be made only for those who have been awarded financial aid by the university (scholarship, fellowship, loan) and granted a deferment. To find information on scholarships and aid, please visit our financial aid page.

If you expect to receive aid from other sources, for all or part of the program, but will not receive aid in time to meet the advance payment deadline, you should arrange for financing through a bank or other financial institution to ensure that your program fees are paid on a timely basis.

All fees are subject to change.

We recommend that you begin thinking about your financial aid needs and options during the initial admissions process to the Chapman Graduate School of Business. 

Read More