Finance (Great Valley)

The Master of Finance (M.Fin.) program offered at Penn State Great Valley is designed for intensive and focused study in finance. The program is fully accredited by AACSB International. Classes are offered in a schedule convenient for working professionals who have demanding time commitments. Students can choose from the base program focusing on Financial Analysis or the Financial Data Analytics option.

The program provides an advanced and specialized graduate education in finance for individuals with career interests as finance professionals in financial management, or investment management. The curriculum reflects a balanced combination of advanced financial theory and practical business applications. Major emerging concepts and practices in the finance field are introduced and discussed throughout the program. The base program focusing on Financial Analysis is designed to help graduates to become proficient in technical and analytical skills in finance and to develop expertise in financial problem solving and financial decision-making preparing them to advance their finance careers in organizations such as investment and commercial banking firms, mutual funds, other financial firms, non-financial businesses, consulting firms, government agencies and non-profit organizations. In addition, students will find a substantial number of courses in the M.Fin. program to be helpful in preparing for tests required for various professional certifications in finance, such as the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA). This program is offered as a resident program at the School of Graduate Professional Studies (Great Valley) and through the Penn State World Campus.

The Financial Data Analytics option is an interdisciplinary program designed to prepare graduates with the knowledge and skills to analyze financial data and extract valuable insights to facilitate financial decisions. The option is offered as a resident program at the School of Graduate Professional Studies (Great Valley).

Admission Requirements

Applicants apply for admission to the program via the J. Jeffrey and Ann Marie Fox Graduate School application for admission. Requirements listed here are in addition to Graduate Council policies listed under GCAC-300 Admissions Policies.

The language of instruction at Penn State is English. English proficiency test scores (TOEFL/IELTS) may be required for international applicants. See GCAC-305 Admission Requirements for International Students for more information.

Applicants should:

1. Have a 3.0 or better (on a 4.0 scale) junior/senior grade-point average.
2. Submit a completed online application.
3. Submit a GMAT or GRE score. Applicants can request a waiver if they meet one of the following criteria:
   • An undergraduate junior/senior GPA of a least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale at a regionally-accredited university with AACSB, EQUIS, or AMBA accredited business programs or an undergraduate junior/senior GPA of a least 3.3 on a 4.0 scale from a regionally-accredited university. without AACSB, EQUIS, or AMBA accredited business programs AND demonstrated effective communication and quantitative skills based on course work.
   • An advanced degree (master’s or higher) from a regionally-accredited university with AACSB, EQUIS, or AMBA accredited business programs.
   • Membership in Beta Gamma Sigma, the business honorary society recognized by AACSB.
   • One or more professional certifications including a C.F.A., C.P.A., F.R.M. and/or C.M.A., or doctoral degree (e.g. Ph.D., M.D., or J.D.).
4. Submit a statement of intent or career path objective (one page).
5. Submit one confidential evaluation form letters.
6. Submit official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended. International applicants must submit official university records (transcripts/marksheets and diploma if date conferred does not appear on transcripts/marksheets), with attested English translations if the record is not in English. Notarized copies are not sufficient.
7. Submit a current resume.
8. Submit a visa application document if they are in the U.S. on a student or work visa.

Admission decisions are based on the quality of the applicant's credentials in relation to those of other applicants who meet the requirements for admission outlined above.

Application Filing Dates: Applications to the Penn State Great Valley's Master of Finance program are reviewed on a rolling basis. New students are admitted and begin their studies in early January and late August.

Degree Requirements

Master of Finance (M.Fin.)

Requirements listed here are in addition to Graduate Council policies listed under GCAC-700 Professional Degree Policies.

Thirty-three (33) credits are required to complete the M.Fin. degree. The course work includes:

• six required core courses (18 credit hours) which provide a body of knowledge in finance;
• four prescribed courses (12 credit hours) designed to help students develop additional expertise in financial analysis or financial data analytics;
• and a capstone course (3 credit hours) which provides a culminating experience for students.

1

The electives allow students in the base program to choose from a menu of courses maintained by the graduate program office, or to select prescribed courses that meet the requirements for the option.

2

All students will complete their program of study with a capstone course corresponding to the base program (BUSAD 885) or the option (BUSAD 888).

For the base program, students may enroll in the Master of Finance program at the Great Valley Campus, taking courses in a face-to-face and blended format. Alternatively,students may enroll in the online Master of Finance program offered through the Penn State World Campus. A one-week residency at Great Valley is required as part of the online program.

Base Program

(Offered at Penn State Great Valley and through World Campus)

The program provides an advanced and specialized graduate education in finance for individuals with career interests as finance professionals in financial management, or investment management. The curriculum reflects a balanced combination of advanced financial theory and practical business applications. Major emerging concepts and practices in the finance field are introduced and discussed throughout the program. The program is designed to help graduates to become proficient in technical and analytical skills in finance and to develop expertise in financial problem solving and financial decision-making preparing them to advance their finance careers in organizations such as investment and commercial banking firms, mutual funds, other financial firms, non-financial businesses, consulting firms, government agencies and non-profit organizations. In addition, students will find a substantial number of courses in the M.Fin. program to be helpful in preparing for tests required for various professional certifications in finance, such as the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA).

Base Program Electives

Students are required to take 4 courses (12 credits) from a list of electives maintained by the graduate program office. The electives allow students to focus in a selected field of finance such as corporate financial management or investment management. Students may also choose one non-finance course (3 credits) with the approval of the adviser.

Base Program Capstone Course

BUSAD 885 Research in Security Valuation

Financial Data Analytics Option

(offered at Penn State Great Valley)

This option prepares graduates to learn necessary knowledge and skills to analyze financial data to extract valuable insights in order to facilitate financial decisions. The courses in this option focus on how statistical methods and data mining techniques can be used to analyze real financial data.

Students are required to take 4 courses (12 credits) as indicated below.

Financial Data Analytics Option Capstone Course

BUSAD 888 Applications of Financial Data Analytics (3 cr.)

Integrated Undergrad-Grad Programs

Integrated B.S. in Finance and M.Fin. in Finance

This Integrated Undergraduate/Graduate (IUG) degree program combines the B.S. in Finance with the Master of Finance offered at the following campuses:

Undergraduate Degree

• Abington
• Harrisburg

Graduate Degree

• Great Valley

A significant portion of this IUG is currently offered as residential instruction. Please discuss the feasibility of completing the IUG with Dr. Qiang Qiang, Professor-in-Charge of the Master of Finance program, before beginning the application process. Dr. Qiang will be responsible for providing general advice to ensure IUG students follow all relevant undergraduate and graduate school policies, as well as providing admission guidelines and academic advice to ensure IUG students meet their personal educational goals.

Requirements listed here are in addition to requirements listed in GCAC-210 Integrated Undergraduate-Graduate (IUG) Degree Programs.

The IUG program offers exceptional students the ability to receive a B.S. in Finance and a Master of Finance (MFIN) within a five year period. Students are typically admitted into the integrated program at the end of their second year of their undergraduate studies, and then complete the IUG program over the next three years. Students must have completed no less than 60 credits to apply, and transfer students must have completed at least 15 credits at Penn State to enroll in the IUG.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Applicants apply for admission to the program via the Graduate School application for admission. Requirements listed here are in addition to Graduate Council policies listed under GCAC-300 Admissions Policies.

Students must apply to the program via the Graduate School application for admission, and must meet all the admission requirements of the Graduate School and the Finance graduate program for the Master of Finance degree, as listed on the Admission Requirements tab. Before applying to the Graduate School, students must have completed entrance to their undergraduate major and have completed no less than 60 credits. Students must be admitted no later than the end of the second week of the semester preceding the semester of expected conferral of the undergraduate degree. Transfer students must have completed at least 15 credits at Penn State to enroll in an IUG. 

The GMAT/GRE requirement is waived for IUG applicants whose undergraduate degree will be awarded by Penn State.

In consultation with an adviser, students must prepare a plan of study appropriate to this integrated program, and must present their plan of study to the head of the graduate program overseeing the integrated program prior to being admitted to the program. The plan should cover the entire time period of the integrated program, and it should be reviewed periodically with an adviser as the student advances through the program.

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

Students must fulfill all requirements for each degree in order to be awarded that degree, subject to the double-counting of credits as outlined below. Degree requirements for the B.S. in Finance are listed in the Undergraduate Bulletin. Degree requirements for the M.FIN. degree are listed on the Degree Requirements tab. 

The following is the list of courses which will double count for both the B.S. in Finance and the Master of Finance. Up to 12 credits may be double counted towards the degree requirements of both undergraduate and graduate degrees; a minimum of 50% of the double counted credits must be at the 500 or 800 level.

Students must sequence their courses so that all undergraduate degree requirements are fulfilled before taking courses to count solely towards the graduate degree. Students must complete the undergraduate degree requirements within the typical time to degree for the undergraduate major. In the semester in which the undergraduate degree requirements will be completed, IUG students must apply to graduate, and the undergraduate degree should be conferred at the next appropriate Commencement. If students accepted into the IUG program are unable to complete the M.FIN. degree, they are still eligible to receive their undergraduate degree if all the undergraduate degree requirements have been satisfied.

Minor

A graduate minor is available in any approved graduate major or dual-title program. The default requirements for a graduate minor are stated in Graduate Council policy GCAC-218 Minors.

Student Aid

Refer to the Tuition & Funding section of the J. Jeffrey and Ann Marie Fox Graduate School's website. Students in this program are not eligible for graduate assistantships.

Courses

Graduate courses carry numbers from 500 to 699 and 800 to 899. Advanced undergraduate courses numbered between 400 and 499 may be used to meet some graduate degree requirements when taken by graduate students. Courses below the 400 level may not. A graduate student may register for or audit these courses in order to make up deficiencies or to fill in gaps in previous education but not to meet requirements for an advanced degree.

Finance (FIN) Course List

Learning Outcomes

1. The students will demonstrate enhanced analytical and critical thinking skills. They will be able to:
   1. THINK: Quantify financial risk exposure.
   2. APPLY/CREATE: Use appropriate financial derivative instruments to mitigate financial risks.
2. The students will understand the impact of global influences on financial decision-making. They will be able to:
   1. KNOW: Describe global financial and foreign exchange markets.
   2. APPLY/CREATE: Assess their impact on multinational enterprises.
3. The students will be ethical financial decision makers. They will be able to:
   1. PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE: Recognize ethical issues in financial decision making.
   2. PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE: Resolve ethical issues in financial decision making.
4. The students will be effective communicators in finance. They will be able to:
   1. COMMUNICATE: Effectively present analytical results in written formats that are professional and insightful.
   2. COMMUNICATE: Effectively present analytical results in oral formats that are professional and insightful.

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