Getting a Master’s Degree in Finance may be a bit trickier than getting a Master’s Degree in other professional fields. First, there is the issue about the degree itself. It is very easy to confuse it with being an alternative to a Master’s Degree in Business Administration, and much more confusion arises when it comes to Master of Science in Finance and other programs with the Finance in the title. There are other specialized programs as well that you need to look out for, like Financial Engineering and Financial Economics.
With that said, for starters, you need to identify what you really need or want to gain in applying for a Master’s Degree program. For the Master in Finance or Master of Finance programs, it basically covers everything one needs to know about managing finances. It is said that it may overlap with the more popular Master’s Degree in Business Management, and some make a mistake that it is the same. The main difference is the career path that the two Master’s Degrees allow.
The Business Administration program may include courses on financial management, but has a more diverse course offering; everything one needs to know about running a business.
The Finance programs are more specialized and focus mainly on financial analysis and will not cover topics included in the Business Administration programs, such as operations management and human resources management. Then there is the issue of which school to go to. Though there are sources you can check online for a comprehensive list of schools offering different programs in Finance, you have to be careful to check them out.
Sort your list to specifically include only Master in Finance, Master of Finance, or in some cases Master of Science in Finance. Remember that there are other Master’s Degree programs in Finance that are specialized and may not actually be what you need. Then there is the issue of requirements. Most schools just require that applicants to Master’s Degree programs have finished any undergraduate course or have obtained at least a bachelor’s degree.
Some schools require that the undergraduate course is in Finance; some are lenient and allow those who have Economics as a background. So you might want to add those considerations in creating your shortlist of
prospective schools. When doing your research, do not solely rely on what you read on the internet, in advertisements and the lot. It would be great to seek advice from those who are already in the professional path.
Seek out particularly those who have already obtained their Master’s Degrees. Ask them about the course they took, the program at the school they attended. It would also be a great help to talk to current students in the particular program you are interested in. A Master’s Degree in Finance usually does not include a thesis to finish the program.
It usually includes a year or two of formal schooling. But having a Master’s Degree does not automatically mean you are already qualified for top positions in the financial industry. There are professional qualifications that you have to obtain such as licenses. There are a number of professional boards that give out particular licenses, so you might want to check that out as well.
If you need more infos and a available school list, try the FT.COM website
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