Master's level Finance courses-what do you really need to know?

Horric

That's nice, except that it should say "MBA Ellis/NYIT expected 9/06" or some other notation to indicated that you have not actually received the degree yet.

 

This is a good reference (very high level)

www.quickmba.com

 

At the Masters level, it depends on the school. It can run from not much (college algebra or equivalent level quantitative course) to a full-year of calculus.

Typically though - not much. But some MBA programs require calculus regardless of concentration.

 

That's true here at Imperial College. With Quantitative Decision Making, Economics, Finance, being their core modules. One can hardly finish the DL MBA degree without any knowledge in calculus, statistics, and linear algebra.

 

It sounds like Rhonda is most likely considering the MBA degree as a path for career advancement.

Yet the great range of questions she raises makes me wonder if career counseling - usually involving task preference tests - isn't appropriate? I mean I cetainly found such feedback very helpful when facing the multitude of decisions involved: a given skill-set, a set of underdeveloped interests, and an uncetain range of (career advancing) options to fit oneself into!

Am I wrong, Rhonda?

I'm just doing a little Amazon.com searching, but nothing on this sub-sector of career counseling jumps out at me - anyone else know better?

Rhonda - I do know that most large colleges and cetainly public universities offer a career counseling or testing package. If my questions are on-target, put a few calls into them and ask about "career services" - typically, they'll help anyone for one or two-hundred bucks. If your firm is large enough, HR will refer you.

Or perhaps you have already decided that managerial accounting is right for you?

-Orson

PS thank you mbaonline: you are quite right to contextualize these contemplated options.

 

I don't know what you need, however, I do know you need more then I have.

I'm in the process of completing my MBA finance concentration classes and they are very math intensive. I was able to muddle my way through my undergrad finance classes but the graduate level classes are really testing me.

A good grasp of algebra is a must.

 

I am finishing up my Masters in Finance at Golden Gate University and have taught finance courses at the graduate and undergraduate level.

I would say that the overwhelming math manipulation is in the area of calculating present values, future values, and annuity payment amounts. These calculations are used in capital budgeting, determining the value of investments, make, buy or lease decision analysis and other forms of computations common in finance curriculums.

Someone else mentioned the statistics when you get to portfolio theory. This is true as you will need to calculate variances, standard deviations, and the like. If you take a course dealing with simulation and real options, the statistical knowledge requirement increases. But this really depends on the program you choose. A masters in finance at MIT or Stanford will probably be very heavily number oriented. Other programs may not be.

 

Hi Rhonda!

Just because you do not have a background in Math and Statistics does not mean you can not learn them.

Are they required? In my opinion yes (absolutely).

The good news is that it is vocational in that if you put forth the effort, you will likely see the rewards.

But let me be clear - it is not the easy route.

Greg

 

The personal finance route would be quite a bit less math intensive. You can go here for sample syllabi of both personal finance and corp, etc finance courses. As you can see personal finance is more related to tax and pension laws. The math should be pretty simple. Also, they have you do problems on financial calculators.

http://www.cffp.edu/portal/alias__Rainbow/lang__en-US/tabID__3365/DesktopDefault.aspx