Master of Science in

Finance

Wall Street in the Classroom

Launch or extend your career in finance. The MS in Finance at Golden Gate University (GGU) provides real-world and in-depth exposure to the principles and practices necessary for a career in investment management or corporate finance. The program focuses on specific, compelling areas necessary for success in careers in financial management, investment management, security analysis, corporate banking and portfolio management, among others.

*For F-1 and J-1 students, the next admission available is Fall 2020

Online
San Francisco
Hybrid

1,090 /unit
(See other rates)

30 Total Units

Get Started Now

Are you a U.S. Veteran?

Yes

Do you plan to study on an F or J Student Visa?

Yes

The Master of Science in Finance is a specialized, technical program providing in-depth exposure to the principles and practices of corporate finance and investment management. The main objective of the program is to provide the specialized knowledge needed to add immediate value to your organization as a financial manager or investment adviser.

Located in the heart of San Francisco's Financial District, Golden Gate University provides networking and internship opportunities through its 68,000-strong alumni network and relationships with the local financial community.

The MS in Finance program has been certified by the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Institute as a University Affiliation Program. This membership signals to employers that the MSF curriculum is closely tied to the practice of financial management, and helps to prepare students for the CFA exams.

The MS in Finance does not attempt to provide the broad overview of business that is typical of an MBA. Instead, it focuses on the specific areas of compelling interest to financial managers, security analysts, corporate bankers, and portfolio managers. 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 a comprehensive array of analytical tools and techniques.

You can choose to earn this degree entirely online or through a combination of online and in-class courses that are taught by the same professors and present the same material as the traditional format.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

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 12 units have been earned in the advanced program.

PROFICIENCY REQUIREMENTS

Math Proficiency

Intermediate Algebra (Math 20); See Graduate Mathematics Proficiency Requirement for more information.

Writing Proficiency

Students are expected to possess proficiency in writing to ensure they can be successful in their course of study. Students may meet this requirement by satisfying one of the screening criteria listed under Graduate Writing Proficiency Requirement.

The Master of Science in Finance requires completion of 6 units in the foundation program and 30 units of advanced program coursework, with a cumulative grade-point average of 3.00 or better in courses taken at Golden Gate University that are applicable to the program’s requirements. Courses carry three semester units of credit unless otherwise noted.

All course prerequisites must be satisfied prior to enrolling in a given course and are indicated in the the course description for each course. Individual foundation program courses may be waived if the student has previously completed comparable courses at a regionally accredited college or university. Students may enroll in advanced program courses before they have completed the entire foundation program (provided they have met any course prerequisites) but must complete the foundation program by the time that they have enrolled in 12 units in the advanced program.

TOTAL UNITS — 30

FOUNDATION PROGRAM — 6 UNITS (Not Included in Total Units)

ACCTG 201: Accounting for Managers
ACCTG 1A: Introductory Financial Accounting

MATH 240: Data Analysis for Managers

ADVANCED COURSES — 30 UNITS

Required Courses - 24 Units

ACCTG 351C: Analysis of Financial Information for Accountants
ECON 380: Financial Markets and Institutions
FI 300: Corporate Finance
FI 307: Financial Modeling
FI 312: Capital Budgeting and Long-Term Financing
FI 340: Investments
FI 346: Derivative Markets
FI 428: Business Valuation

Elective Courses - 6 Units

Select any two ACCTG, ECON, FI, or MSBA 300/400-level course, which may include FI 497 Internship: Finance.

PLAN YOUR SCHEDULE

Projected Schedule

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Graduates of the MS in Finance program will have the knowledge and skills to:

Evaluate and explain financial decisions regarding the firm’s investment and long- and short-term financing strategies by applying financial theory, quantitative decision-making tools, and analytical methods.
Apply economic analysis to the firm’s decision-making, taking into account the impact of markets, institutions, and international trends on these decisions. Understand whether or to what extent a financial market satisfies the conditions of an efficient market.
Define and measure business and financial risk. Describe the relationship between risk and return, and distinguish between expected and required returns. Explain how risk affects the valuation of real and financial assets, and describe techniques for managing risk.
Evaluate the corporate governance structures of firms and examine the interactions, from a governance perspective, among firm management, financial markets, and stakeholders.
Describe and evaluate the ethical implications of financial decision-making and financial practices, assess alternative recommendations for solutions to ethical financial problems, and offer appropriate resolutions to those problems.

FINANCE AND ECONOMICS DEPARTMENT

Andrea Anthony, Chair of Finance & Economics
Manish Arora, Adjunct Professor
Louis Barajas, Adjunct Professor
Nicholas Bergan, Adjunct Professor
Roman Bogomazov, Adjunct Professor
Scott Buchanan, Senior Adjunct Professor
Elissa Buie, Adjunct Professor
Katherine Chen, Adjunct Professor
Yvette Hollingsworth Clark, Adjunct Professor
Gregg Clarke, Adjunct Professor
Saundra Davis, Adjunct Professor
Vincent Deluard, Adjunct Professor
Marty Dirks, Adjunct Professor
Peter C. Freeman, Senior Adjunct Professor
Philip Friedman, Professor
Fernando Garcia, Adjunct Professor
Robert Gigliotti, Adjunct Professor
Kacy Gott, Adjunct Professor
Lewis Gridley, Adjunct Professor
Mohsin Hafeez, Adjunct Professor
Steve Hawkey, Professor Emeritus
Davin Hsieh, Adjunct Professor
Todd Jensen, Adjunct Professor
Todd A. Jensen, Senior Adjunct Professor
Elizabeth Jetton, Adjunct Professor
Giancarl Johnson, Adjunct Professor
David Kaczorowski, Academic Program Manager
Robert Kagan, Senior Adjunct Professor
Rick Kahler, Adjunct Professor

Margaret Kim, Adjunct Professor
Randall S. Lee, Adjunct Professor
Richard Lehman, Adjunct Professor
Richard Leonhardt, Adjunct Professor
Peter Lou, Distinguished Adjunct Professor
Darius Malekpour, Adjunct Professor
Thomas McAlone, Adjunct Professor
Martin Medeiros, Senior Adjunct Professor
Randy Merk, Adjunct Professor
Ashley Murphy, Adjunct Professor
Brian Pon, Adjunct Professor
Harry Portolos, Senior Adjunct Professor
Martin Pring, Adjunct Professor
Ross Richardson, Adjunct Professor
William C. Sarsfield, Senior Adjunct Faculty
Robert Scannell, Adjunct Professor
Larry Schimka, Adjunct Professor
Shahbaz Shahbazi, Adjunct Professor
Raj Sharma, Adjunct Professor
Hamid Shomali, Professor
Lawrence A. Souza, Senior Adjunct Professor
Brett Villaume, Adjunct Professor
Mark Walsh, Adjunct Professor
Douglas Weinstein, Adjunct Professor
Jon P. Yankee, Adjunct Professor
Dr. David Yeske, Director of Financial Planning
Iana Zemniakova, Adjunct Professor
John Zott, Adjunct Professor

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At Top Organizations

In High-Level Positions

Around the World

Featured Alumni

Anne (Williams) Trester

MS 13

Senior Finance Manager
Geo at Google

Dennis Lam

MS 12

Senior Consultant - Investment Banking & Corporate Banking Operations
Morgan McKinley

Garima Gupta

MS 11

Sr. Financial Performance Consultant
Stanford Health Care

Although I had moved away from San Francisco, I was able to finish my degree program online. I'm fortunate that GGU has portability in its programs so that I could continue my education and move elsewhere […] and I can proudly and honestly say it was worth every moment

Terry Everett Graduate Finance '02, Rockland Capital

I started to explore GGU for a master's degree in finance because of their great reputation in the fields of tax and accounting. Networking-wise, there are a lot of opportunities with fellow students and employers because of GGU's location within San Francisco's Financial District.

Taylor TsaoMSF '18