Master of Science in Finance

Master of Science in Finance

The Master of Science in Finance program provides an opportunity for highly motivated students to acquire the skills necessary to understand modern financial markets, instruments and decision-making. The program develops financial management professionals with the knowledge and proficiency to:

• Create sophisticated solutions to financial problems
• Design and evaluate new financial instruments
• Leverage resources for optimal profitability and productivity
• Develop strategic financial objectives
• Seize new business opportunities
• Mitigate corporate risk
• Improve investment decision making
• Analyze technical financial material

Individuals with an M.B.A. degree or students currently enrolled in the M.B.A. program may have up to six of their M.B.A. courses count toward the requirements of the Master of Science in Finance degree. The exact number of courses that can be double-counted in this manner depends upon the specific content and age of coursework.

CURRICULUM

Each candidate must be competent in financial accounting, economics, calculus and statistics prior to registration for the core courses. To ensure competence, students who have not completed the equivalent of principles of Accounting I and II at the undergraduate level will be required to take ACC 500. Students who do not pass a competency examination in calculus and statistics will be required to take GSB 420. Students who have not completed principles of macroeconomics and microeconomics will be required to take ECO 501 or ECO 555 ( GSB 420 is a prerequisite for ECO 555).

Students complete the Master of Science in Finance by taking nine core courses and three elective courses in addition to the program prerequisites. At least two of these electives must be taken in finance and the third elective may be taken in the fields of accounting, economics or real estate as stated below.

Required Core Courses

• FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT (FIN 555)
• QUANTITATIVE METHODS IN FINANCE (FIN 617)
• INVESTMENT ANALYSIS (FIN 523)
• FINANCIAL STATEMENT ANALYSIS (FIN 524)
• ADVANCED CORPORATE FINANCE (FIN 553)
• RISK MANAGEMENT (FIN 562)
• DERIVATIVES VALUATION (FIN 662)
• CASES IN INVESTMENTS AND FINANCIAL ENGINEERING (FIN 675)
• ETHICS IN FINANCIAL MARKETS (FIN 501)

Elective Requirement

Three elective courses are required, at least two of which must be Finance courses not numbered 798. One elective may be chosen from among courses in the departments of Accounting (except ACC 500), Economics (except 501 and 555), Real Estate and Finance, including FIN 798 or FIN 793 (Finance Internship).

Students who wish to take FIN 793 (Finance Internship) must receive approval from the Finance Department Internship Committee prior to enrollment. None of the M.S.F. Required Core Courses or required prerequisite courses are available for elective credit.

M.S.F. DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

1. Satisfactory completion of the college residency requirement.
2. Satisfactory completion of the nine required courses.
3. Satisfactory completion of three elective courses.
4. All courses for credit toward the degree must be completed within six calendar years after the candidate’s first term of enrollment in the Kellstadt Graduate School of Business. After a lapse of six years a course is expired. An expired course is not acceptable for the purpose of satisfaction of degree requirements and is not applicable to the degree without the written approval of the director of the program or the Kellstadt Graduate School of Business.

Admission

General Admission Requirements

• Completed application form and application fee

Apply online. There is a $60 application fee which may be paid with a check or money order payable to DePaul University. Online applicants may pay by credit card.

• Resume/curriculum vitae

Your professional resume should summarize your work experience and educational background. Please limit it to two pages.

• Official transcripts

Students must send official transcripts from any universities, colleges or community colleges attended. A student's application for admission is considered incomplete until all transcripts are received.

• Educational Credentials For International Students or Programs

Applicants must submit transcripts from all colleges and universities attended, including those attended but from which no credit was earned. Exceptions may be permitted for study-abroad credit when that credit is clearly defined and displayed on the home institution transcript.

• Applicants with non-U.S. educational credentials are required to submit their official educational credentials (e.g., transcripts, mark sheets, degree certificates, graduation diplomas) and evaluation fee directly to one of the three evaluation companies below:

- Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc.

- Educational Perspectives​

- One Earth International Credential Evaluation

These evaluators will then provide DePaul with a general evaluation of their studies and certified copies of their international educational credentials which will be used during admission review. Please direct any questions about required credentials to the evaluation company you have selected and not to the Kellstadt Graduate School of Business. DePaul will not accept evaluations from any other evaluation companies and will not accept any educational credentials without an evaluation from ECE, EP or One Earth.

• English proficiency

Non-native English speakers who have not completed a bachelor's or master's degree in the United States should submit scores from a recognized English proficiency test. The Kellstadt Graduate School of Business accepts results from TOEFL, IELTS and the Pearson Test of English (PTE).

• Essay Questions

Two essay questions, contained within the admission application, are required for all applicants.

• GMAT

Applicants must submit GMAT scores. GMAT information including dates, a list of test centers, and applications for the exam may be obtained at mba.com, or by contacting Pearson VUE at (951) 681-3000. The GMAT score report must come directly from Pearson VUE. A test taken more than five years prior to the date of application is not considered valid for admission purposes and would have to be retaken.

The GMAT can be waived online the following circumstances: applicants to the MBA program who have completed a J.D., M.D. or Ph.D.

• Letters of Recommendation

Applicants are required to submit two letters of recommendation. These are best received from current or previous employers. Be sure the name of the recommender and applicant name, applicant date of birth and program being applied to of interest are noted on each form.

• Interview

The Admission Committee may require applicants to schedule an interview if necessary.

Deadlines

Applications must be submitted by:

• July 1st for the Autumn Quarter
• October 1st for the Winter Quarter
• February 1st for the Spring Quarter
• April 1st for the Summer Quarter

Applicants educated outside the United States must submit their applications one month prior to the above deadlines.