EMU Today

YPSILANTI – Starting fall 2019, students seeking to advance their business careers or get them off to a fast start will have an exciting new option, the Master of Science in Finance program in the College of Business at Eastern Michigan University.

Applications for the initial cohort of students are being accepted now, with an early admission deadline of December 1 and a standard admission deadline of February 1, 2019. Admission information can be found on the website. 

The new program, which the EMU Board of Regents approved last February, is one of only four such graduate programs in the state accredited by AACSB International, the premier accrediting body of business programs worldwide. Of the four, it is the only program with a STEM-designation.

The STEM-designation means the program focuses on enhanced quantitative skills, analytics and critical thinking skills. The program includes rigorous instruction in statistical analysis, probability theory and applied financial calculus.

“The demand for state-of-the-art knowledge and skills in financial analysis and management has grown tremendously in our region, across the nation and around the globe,” said Kenneth Lord, dean of the College of Business. “I am confident that the fluency students will acquire with the most sophisticated financial tools, the certified competencies they will bring to the marketplace, and their advanced understanding of theory and practice will quickly put a stamp on Eastern’s Master of Science in Finance program as a source of top financial talent for our region and beyond in the years ahead.”

The EMU MSF program features a 30-hour curriculum that allows students to be fully employed over the two years they are working on their degree. Students advance through the program as a cohort, building strong relationships with their classmates and benefitting from consistent faculty support throughout their studies.

In addition, the new Investment Learning Center will solidify the students’ practical application of the curriculum. The center will be home to 12 Bloomberg terminals, enabling students to analyze real world financial data and earn their Bloomberg Market Concepts certification.

Importantly, the program curriculum is built from the Chartered Financial Analyst Institute Body of Knowledge. This ensures a strong foundation that enables students to sit for all three levels of the prestigious Chartered Financial Analyst exams.

Demand for finance jobs is increasing due to the increase in regulation and visibility after the subprime mortgage crisis. Additionally, private sector employers require more specialization in areas such as finance, thus creating more demand for MSF degrees.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates a 12 percent increase in financial analyst jobs between 2014-2024, along with 30 percent growth for occupations related to financial advisory expertise. Average salaries for occupations in related finance disciplines range from about $70,000 to $120,000, according to the bureau.

The Princeton Review has named EMU's College of Business an "outstanding" business school every year since 2005. The education services company featured Eastern in the 2018 edition of its book "The Best Business Schools."

About Eastern Michigan University

Founded in 1849, Eastern is the second oldest public university in Michigan. It currently serves more than 19,000 students pursuing undergraduate, graduate, specialist, doctoral and certificate degrees in the arts, sciences and professions. In all, more than 300 majors, minors and concentrations are delivered through the University's Colleges of Arts and Sciences; Business; Education; Health and Human Services; Technology, and its graduate school. EMU is regularly recognized by national publications for its excellence, diversity, and commitment to applied education. For more information about Eastern Michigan University, visit the University's website.