Degree Requirements
Cohort MS in Finance format
The Cohort Master of Science in Finance is offered in a 16-months format over four semesters (Fall, Spring, Summer, second Fall). The program is ideally suited for accounting, finance, banking, asset management, and wealth management professionals seeking to augment their professional expertise or students with an analytical background who wish to build expertise in finance. The program is focused on developing the decision-making, personal, analytical and technical skills required to compete in today’s everchanging financial environment.
Students proceed as a flexible cohort - a structure that fosters peer learning, collaboration and the building of lifelong business networks while allowing students to customize their program of study. The courses are taught at Robinson’s Executive Education Center in Buckhead and meet one evening per week from 5:30 p.m. to 9:45 p.m., and one evening every other week from 5:30 p.m. to 9:45 p.m. during the Spring and Fall semesters. Two classes are offered during the Summer semester with a month-long break in between. An immersive course, Financial Leadership - Leading the Finance Function, designed to promote interaction with senior level finance executives, takes place during the last semester of the program.
In addition, students build leadership skills and networks by interacting with senior executives in our guest speaker series, financial leadership symposia, internships, and professional and social gatherings.
Furthermore, there is an opportunity for students to be part of a formal mentoring program.
Applicants must hold a four-year undergraduate degree from an accredited college or university. Work experience is preferred but not required.
The 30-hour curriculum consists of an integrated first semester, in which all students take the same three classes. After the first semester students take a combination of required courses and electives, which allow for a specialized focus on certain areas such as Corporate Finance, Financial Services and Capital Markets, Asset Management, and Fintech. In addition to the 30-hour curriculum, students may need to complete the specialized master’s foundation courses referenced in section 7110.10.
Cohort MS Finance Curriculum
Required courses for all students
Electives
(students should choose six of the following electives for a total of 18 credit hours)
Three of the electives should be taken in the spring semester; one or two electives should be taken in the summer semester; and one or two electives should be taken in the second fall semester.
Students may also take courses from related areas, for instance accounting, subject to approval by the program director.
Flex MS in Finance Format
* This program is currently not offered in a Flex format, and is only available in the cohort format.*
The MS-Finance curriculum is designed to provide graduates with advanced knowledge of master’s-level finance, including particular expertise in their area of specialization (chosen from Corporation Finance, Investments, or Financial Institutions and Markets). The primary emphasis of the program is to provide students with the theoretical, analytical and technical skills necessary to examine particular financial situations, formulate alternative plans for action and develop policy initiatives. The program prepares graduates to understand the context for issues encountered in the rapidly evolving domestic and international financial environment. Quantitative and analytical course requirements in the areas of optimization techniques, computer modeling and statistical methodology complement the finance course requirements.
Regulations for the Degree
All Master of Science students will complete the Business Communication Skills Requirement explained earlier in this chapter. The regulations, policies and procedures given in the “Master’s Enrollment” and “Master’s Programs” sections of this chapter apply to the M.S.-Finance program. A maximum of six hours of transfer credit is permitted in this program only if 12 hours are taken in section B below; otherwise a maximum of three hours of transfer credit is permitted.
Course Requirements
The course requirements for the degree of Master of Science with a major in finance and the format of the program follow.
Foundation Courses
The courses in this list are in addition to the 30 semester hours required for the degree. They are assigned as part of the admissions process based on a review of each student’s transcripts. They can be exempted if equivalent course work has been previously completed with grades of C or higher.
Economics
Both
- ECON 2105 - Macroeconomic Principles
- ECON 2106 - Microeconomic Principles
Mathematics
- MATH 1111 - College Algebra
- MATH 1220 - Calculus
Required Major/Technical Support Courses (9-12 Hours)
These courses must be completed during the first 18 hours of 8000-level course work in the M.S.-Fi program.
Note: MBA 8135 may be exempted (with replacement) if FI 3300, FI 4300, and FI 4320 or their equivalents have been completed with grades of C or higher at the time of admission.
Specializations (18-21 Hours)
Students not exempting MBA 8135 are required to take 18 hours of Fi-prefixed courses; 21 hours if exempting MBA 8135 . These courses consist of the following:
(i) All M.S.-Finance students are required to take the following course:
(ii) All students are also required to take a minimum of nine (9) semester hours within a chosen finance specialization. Three areas of specialization are shown below along with various courses considered appropriate for each area that students may select from.
(iii) In addition to FI 8000 (3 hours) and the 3 courses (9 hours) comprising the chosen finance specialization, students must select an additional six to nine semester hours of any other Fi-prefixed courses (6 hours if MBA 8135 is not exempted; 9 hours otherwise).
The Department encourages all students pursuing the M.S.-Finance degree to take FI 8000 early in their program as it is a prerequisite for all electives except FI 8020 and FI 8040. FI 8000 is designed so that it may be taken concurrently with MBA 8135 to provide students greater scheduling flexibility.
Fi-prefixed courses comprising Specializations:
Financial Institutions and Capital Markets
Program of Study
Each student’s program of study must be planned in consultation with the M.S.-Finance program director prior to the completion of the first semester of enrollment. A copy of the program will be filed with the Office of Graduate Recruiting and Student Services (GRSS) for review and approval. Progress toward the degree, including clearance for graduation, cannot be confirmed without an approved program of study. Any changes in the program must be approved by the program director and a copy of the changes sent to GASS. Students always must consult the Course Descriptions chapter of this catalog to determine if they have met the prerequisites for any course to be taken.
Time Limit
The time limit for completing the M.S.-Finance program is five years from the first semester a course in section b or c (above) is taken.
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