Master of Science in Finance

Edward S. Ageno School of Business

The master of science degree in finance is a specialized, technical program that provides in-depth exposure to the principles and practices of corporate finance and investment management. It is a primary objective of this program to ensure that, by the time you graduate, you will have acquired the specialized skills and knowledge that you will need to add immediate value to your organization in your role as financial manager or investment adviser. This degree is intended for students who have made a professional commitment to this key business discipline and who are interested in equipping themselves with the most comprehensive array of analytical tools and techniques. The MS finance does not attempt to provide the broad overview of business that is typical of an MBA; instead, it focuses with great intensity on the specific areas of compelling interest to financial managers, security analysts, corporate bankers and portfolio managers.

The four-course foundation of the MS finance emphasizes practical skills essential for success in this field: accounting, data analysis, economics and introductory financial management. It's a challenging beginning to your course of study (though it may be possible to waive some or all of these courses on the basis of equivalent undergraduate work), but it prepares you for the sophisticated analysis that this degree and this professional discipline demand.

The 15-unit core of the MS finance degree emphasizes five critical areas, fields of knowledge which are required of all financial professionals. Three courses in corporate finance, investments and capital markets represent the conceptual foundations of the discipline, the "three legs of the stool." Two courses in financial analysis and financial modeling build on and strengthen your background in accounting and computer applications, equipping you with the tools you'll need to pursue the more advanced and specialized studies in your concentration.

You may select a concentration in corporate finance or in investment management, or you may decide instead to choose the general concentration in order to maximize the flexibility of your program. All concentrations are 18 units.

In the 12-units of required courses for the corporate finance concentration, you develop the skills essential for careers in financial management, from financial analyst to CFO. These courses examine the tools and techniques of managing short-term assets and liabilities, fixed assets and capital investments, and long-term financing. In addition, courses in international finance and in financial strategy provide a high-level management perspective on the relationship between financial decisions, both domestic and global, and value creation.

The nine units of required coursework for the investment management concentration are appropriate for students who are planning careers as security analysts, portfolio managers and investment advisors. Building on the principles you acquired in your core investments course, work in portfolio management and derivatives exposes you to the most advanced technologies of the field. And you can choose between technical market analysis and fundamental analysis as you begin to refine your approach to security valuation.

The general concentration permits you to choose from among the full array of the university's course offerings in finance and economics. Students whose career objectives inspire them to a broad sampling of the various specializations of the field, as well as those who are not yet ready to declare a specific career focus, will find the flexibility of this concentration very attractive.

The range of electives associated with the corporate finance and investment management concentrations provides an opportunity for you to add a final, specialized emphasis to your program. In each case, a list of recommended finance electives that corresponds to the particular demands of the respective career tracks is suggested but you are free to select other finance or economics courses if you wish.

The MS finance requires completion of 12 units in the foundation program and 33 units of advanced program coursework, with a cumulative grade point average of 3.00 or better in courses taken at Golden Gate University. Courses carry three semester units of credit unless otherwise noted. Individual foundation program courses may be waived if the student has previously completed comparable courses at a regionally accredited college or university. Students may be admitted to advanced program courses before completion of the entire foundation program, but must complete the foundation program by the time that twelve (12) units have been earned in the advanced program.

COMPUTER PROFICIENCY

Applicants are expected to demonstrate a working familiarity and skill with computers and software applications appropriate for graduate studies. This includes knowledge of word processing, spreadsheet analysis, visual presentation software and network access capabilities. Faculty may require additional preparation for those students who have not achieved the needed proficiency.

MATH PROFICIENCY REQUIREMENT

Students admitted to this program are expected to possess a level of mathematical skill at least equivalent to College Algebra (MATH 30) or Mathematics for Management (MATH 200).

FOUNDATION PROGRAM - 12 units
· ACCTG 201 Accounting for Managers
· ECON 202 Economics for Managers
· FI 203 Financial Analysis for Managers
· MATH 240 Data Analysis for Managers

ADVANCED PROGRAM - 15 units
· ECON 380 Financial Markets and Institutions
· FI 300 Corporate Finance
· FI 305 Financial Statement Analysis
· FI 307 Financial Modeling
· FI 340 Investments

Students choose one of the following areas of concentration for 18 units.

GENERAL FINANCE CONCENTRATION - 18 units

Take six courses (18 units) of 300- or 400-level FI/ECON prefix courses. We recommend that students who may be interested in careers in corporate finance select their electives from among the following courses:

· ECON 340 International Economics
· FI 302 Topics in Financial Management
· FI 308 Management Control Systems
· FI 312 Capital Budgeting and Long-term Financing
· FI 314 Working Capital Management
· FI 317 Mergers and Acquisitions
· FI 318 Venture Capital
· FI 320 Financial Strategy and Value Creation
· FI 322 Financial Analysis of Industries and Competitors
· FI 343 International Corporate Finance
· FI 346 Derivative Markets
· FI 360 Behavioral Finance
· FI 382 Bank and Thrift Management
· FI 428 Business Valuation

CORPORATE FINANCE CONCENTRATION - 18 units

REQUIRED COURSES - 12 units
· FI 312 Capital Budgeting and Long-Term Financing
· FI 314 Working Capital Management
· FI 320 Financial Strategy
· FI 343 International Corporate Finance

ELECTIVES - 6 units
Take two courses (six units) of 300- or 400-level FI/ECON prefix courses. We recommend that you choose from the following courses:

· ECON 340 International Economics
· FI 302 Topics in Financial Management
· FI 308 Management Control Systems
· FI 317 Mergers and Acquisitions
· FI 318 Venture Capital
· FI 322 Financial Analysis of Industries and Competitors
· FI 346 Derivative Markets
· FI 360 Behavioral Finance
· FI 382 Bank and Thrift Management
· FI 428 Business Valuation

INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT CONCENTRATION - 18 units

REQUIRED COURSES - 9 units
· FI 346 Derivative Markets
· FI 350 Portfolio Management

ONE OF THE FOLLOWING:
· FI 344 Fundamental Analysis of Securities
· FI 352 Technical Analysis of Securities

ELECTIVES - 9 units
Take three courses (nine units) of 300- or 400-level FI/ECON prefix} courses. We recommend that you choose from the following courses:

· ECON 340 International Economics
· FI 344 Fundamental Analysis of Securities
· FI 347 Financial Engineering and Risk Management
· FI 352 Technical Analysis of Securities
· FI 354 Wyckoff Method I
· FI 355 Wyckoff Method II
· FI 358 Technical Market Analysis Strategies
· FI 360 Behavioral Finance
· FI 463 Real Estate Finance and Investment