College graduates with nonbusiness backgrounds can now earn a master of science degree in finance (MSF) from the McCombs School of Business. The 10-month degree, which is the newest expansion of McCombs’ specialized master’s degree programs, will launch in July 2012.
“We are looking for students from a wide range of backgrounds including engineering, natural sciences and math, economics and liberal arts, as well as business students from areas other than finance,” said Jay Hartzell, finance department chair. “It is those students for whom we can add the most value.”
Students in the full-time MSF program will complete 36 credit hours over 10 months in a lockstep curriculum designed to expose them to the full depth and breadth of knowledge from the McCombs finance faculty. Students will also participate in a practicum in finance, spanning the fall and spring semesters, in order to gain valuable experience with real-world financial issues and team problem-solving.
The University of Texas at Austin program joins a rapidly growing number of master’s programs in finance, both in the United States and abroad. The program will help meet the needs of employers seeking to hire students with both advanced training and a solid technical background in finance. Hartzell said graduates may find jobs in investment management, corporate finance and investment or commercial banking.
“These types of roles demand candidates with technical skills in finance, but also a broader, intuitive understanding of the issues that provide the ability to tackle a wide range of problems in the future,” said Hartzell. “Our graduates will not only be able to apply cutting-edge tools, they will have a broader framework for decision-making that will serve them throughout their careers.”
Program participants will have access to McCombs Career Services and can expect to take advantage of the school’s relationships with many prominent employers such as Dell, Deloitte, Advanced Micro Devices, Apple, General Electric, Intel and more.
Applications are now being accepted for the class of 2013, which is expected to include 30 students. The number is forecast to double over the next several years, eventually reaching the size of a typical MBA cohort, which will allow for the possibility of elective offerings. Costs for the degree, including tuition, fees and books, are $43,000 for in-state students and $48,000 for out-of-state students.
To find out more about the program or to apply, visit the McCombs Master of Science in Finance website.
