Cynthia Plascencia
Admissions Officer I, Graduate Programs
Finance (M.S.)
Finance (M.S.)
Solve complex financial problems with a Master of Science in finance. Whether you are looking to advance your career or break into a new area of business, an advanced degree in finance will position you to compete for some of the most lucrative and competitive jobs on the market. This program is perfect for those with undergraduate preparation in business, economics, or STEM fields, and is open to others after pre-requisite coursework.
Why get a master’s degree in finance?
There is a critical need for finance professionals educated with the analytical, problem-solving and ethical skills necessary to navigate their fields and lead their organizations. An M.S. in finance is perfect if you who wish to build and deepen your foundation of financial knowledge and develop the highest level of skills in financial modeling, investment analysis, programming, and the communication of complex financial information. If you hold a bachelor’s degree from any major and have strong motivation and good quantitative skills, you can apply for the M.S. in finance program.
Why choose UNH’s M.S. in finance program?
STEM designated: Perfectly positioned for international students. With a STEM-designated focus on mathematical finance, you will graduate from the M.S. in finance program and be able to apply for a 24-month OPT STEM Extension to your 12-month Optional Practical Training Program (OPT) period, allowing you to work in the United States for up to 36 months after graduation with no additional visa requirement.
Flexible: The program is offered in two formats – a 12- or 18-month full-time format (18 months includes a summer internship) and a two-year part-time format.
Specialized: With three tracks, you can focus on financial analytics and fintech, investments, or design your own path.
CFA prep: The curriculum helps prepare you for the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) exam.
Convenient: Work part time or full time while you study, with late afternoon/evening in-classroom instruction plus hybrid courses that combine classroom and online components.
4 + 1 option: As an undergraduate student you can complete prerequisites during senior year, giving you a jump-start on your graduate degree.
AACSB Accredited: Learn at a school that is among only 5 % of business schools worldwide to meet the gold standard for the highest quality programs.
Potential career areas
- Financial analyst
- Hedge fund management
- Investment banking
- Personal financial advisor
- Risk management
- Securities, commodities and finance services sales
- Wealth management
Contact
Yixin Liu
Finance
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR
"We teach the theory and the practice of traditional finance, but we also challenge students to develop their creativity and critical thinking skills to understand asset allocation strategies, assess risk in a world of uncertain future payoffs, and evaluate capital budget techniques. Our MSF graduates will develop the skills they need to apply real-world solutions to global challenges related to corporate finance, risk management, forecasting and risk analysis, making them more attractive to employers looking for candidates with deep skill sets."
—Senior Lecturer in Finance Richard Kilbride
Curriculum & Requirements
The Master of Science in Finance, offered by the Peter T. Paul College of Business and Economics, develops students’ abilities to provide solutions to the increasingly diverse and complex financial challenges of modern organizations. The program can be completed in one year of full-time study or two years of part-time study by students with undergraduate preparation in business, economics, and/or STEM fields and is open to others after appropriate foundation coursework. Designed to develop the highest levels of skill in financial modeling, investment analysis, valuation, problem-solving, and the communication of complex financial information, the program offers specialized training in one of three non-mandatory options: investments, financial analytics & fintech, or a student-designed track. Students will also develop strong understanding of ethical considerations and professional standards necessary in the field of finance and will be well-prepared for a variety of roles including corporate finance, investment banking, and start-up enterprises.
Please note that full-time enrollment typically begins with entry in late June, with a full summer course load in an 8-week summer term.
Upon admission to the program, all full-time and 18-month students are required to complete at least eight required courses and three track elective courses. Part-time students take six required courses and four track electives.
All admitted candidates must have completed certain foundation courses. If you have not yet completed these courses you can take them as part of the Master of Science in Finance program. These courses include:
- ADMN 570 Introduction to Financial Management
- ECON 401 Principles of Economics (Macro) or ECON 402 Principles of Economics (Micro)
- ADMN 510 Business Statistics or MATH 425 Calculus I
The program is offered in two formats: full-time in 12 or 18 months or part-time in 24 months. The eight core courses below are required for full-time students. Students in the two-year part-time program do not take ACFI 874 Finance Experience; they take either ACFI 871 Financial Theory or ACFI 873 Cases in Finance. Students in the 18-month program could take an Internship and/or ACFI 874 Finance Experience. The program requires the completion of at least 33 credits for full-time or 30 credits for part-time.
Core Coursework
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ACFI 801 | Corporate Finance | 3 |
| ACFI 802 | Investments | 3 |
| ACFI 806 | Financial Modeling and Analytics | 3 |
| ACFI 870 | Programming in Finance with Quantitative Applications | 3 |
| ACFI 871 | Financial Theory | 3 |
| ACFI 872 | Corporate Financial Reporting | 3 |
| ACFI 873 | Cases in Finance | 3 |
| ACFI 874 | Finance Experience | 3 |
Select an option or electives below: 9 credits for full-time or 12 credits for part-time
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Financial Analytics & Fintech options electives | ||
| ACFI 810 | Big Data in Finance | 3 |
| ACFI 896 | Topics (Hedge Fund Analytics ) | 3 |
| ACFI 896 | Topics | 3 |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Investments options electives | ||
| ACFI 804 | Derivative Securities and Markets | 3 |
| ACFI 805 | Financial Institutions | 3 |
| ACFI 807 | Equity Analysis and Firm Valuation | 3 |
| ACFI 809 | Mortgage Banking and Fixed Income Securities | 3 |
| ACFI 896 | Topics (Investment Banking ) | 3 |
| ACFI 896 | Topics (Alternative Investments ) | 3 |
| (or other approved electives in finance, decision sciences, economics, or statistics) | ||
Student-designed option electives
Option and coursework chosen by student with consent and approval of the MSF Director or his or her designee.
All admitted candidates must have completed up to three (3) foundation courses, depending on academic background. If you have not yet completed these courses, you can take them as part of the Master of Science in Finance program.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ADMN 570 | Introduction to Financial Management | 4 |
| ECON 401 | Principles of Economics (Macro) | 4 |
| OR | ||
ECON 402 | Principles of Economics (Micro) | |
| ADMN 510 | Business Statistics | 4 |
| OR | ||
MATH 424A | Calculus for Social Sciences | |
or MATH 424B | Calculus for Life Sciences | |
| OR | ||
MATH 425 | Calculus I | |
Deadline
Applications must be completed by the following deadlines in order to be reviewed for admission:
- Fall: N/A
- Spring: November 1 (Accelerated Masters), December 15 (Regular Admission)
- Summer: May 15
- Special: N/A
Application fee: $65
Campus: Durham
New England Regional: No
Accelerated Masters: Yes (for more details see the accelerated masters information page)
New Hampshire Residents
Students claiming in-state residency must also submit a Proof of Residence form. This form is not required to complete your application, but you will need to submit it after you are offered admission or you will not be able to register for classes.
Transcripts
If you attended UNH after September 1, 1991, and have indicated so on your online application, we will retrieve your transcript internally; this includes UNH-Durham, UNH-Manchester and UNH Non-Degree work.
If you did not attend UNH, or attended prior to September 1, 1991, then you must request one official transcript be sent directly to our office from the Registrar's Office of each college/university attended. International transcripts must be translated into English. We accept transcripts both electronically and in hard copy:
- Electronic Transcripts: Please have your institution send the transcript directly to grad.school@unh.edu. Please note that we can only accept copies sent directly from the institution.
- Paper Transcripts: Please send hard copies of transcripts to: UNH Graduate School, Thompson Hall- 105 Main Street, Durham, NH 03824. You may request transcripts be sent to us directly from the institution or you may send them yourself as long as they remain sealed in the original university envelope.
Letters of Recommendation: 2 Required
Recommendation letters submitted by relatives or friends, as well as letters older than one year, will not be accepted.
Test Scores: GMAT Optional
GMAT test scores are optional. Applicants may provide their GMAT or GRE scores to supplement their application or to be considered for department scholarships and assistantships.
Please, request official test scores to be sent directly to the Graduate School by the testing service. Test scores more than five years old will not be accepted. Student copies and photo copies of scores are not considered official.
Personal Statement
- Please tell us about yourself and why you are interested in studying finance at the University of New Hampshire.
- Do you believe your college grades reflect your ability? Explain.
Resume
A current resume is required with your submitted application.
Important Notes
All applicants are encouraged to contact programs directly to discuss program specific application questions.
International Applicants
The University of New Hampshire recommends that international applicants who are living outside of the United States, and are planning on pursuing a research based degree, submit a preapplication form before submitting a full application. Your preapplication request will be carefully reviewed and a decision usually provided within 3 weeks. If your preapplication is approved then it is recommended you then submit a full application. If you are currently living in the United States (on a H1B visa, etc.), or you plan on pursuing a professional master’s degree, then you do not need to submit a preapplication.
Prospective international students are required to submit TOEFL, IELTS, or equivalent examination scores. English Language Exams may be waived if English is your first language. If you wish to request a waiver, then please visit our Test Scores webpage for more information.
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