The advanced study in the M.S. in Finance program provides the tools and skills to prepare students for careers in a variety of fields, including investment and commercial banking, asset and wealth management, insurance, trading, and corporate finance and treasury functions. Small M.S. in Finance classes, as well as courses taken with MBA students, maximize interaction and learning throughout the program. Graduate Certificates of Study that reflect the current demands of the job market offer the flexibility to tailor students’ learning experience to their career goals.
Check departmental information for additional requirements.
Admission
In addition to the College of Business standards listed under “Graduate Study in Business,” an applicant is required to have a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution. Students with non-finance undergraduate degrees may be required to take additional undergraduate and graduate courses, as determined by the department. Such courses do not apply toward the degree.
Early Admission
Senior students in their final term of undergraduate enrollment at NIU may apply for early admission to the Master of Science in Finance program. Students who apply for and receive early admission may enroll in up to six hours of graduate credit, with department consent, during their final semester in the undergraduate program. The NIU Graduate School requirements for “Early Admission of NIU Undergraduates” also apply.
Requirements
Students seeking the M.S. in Finance degree must complete 18 semester hours of required course work along with 12 semester hours of electives.
To be selected from the following courses or from among relevant graduate offerings elsewhere in the university with approval of the academic program coordinator.
This program leads to both the B.S. in Finance and M.S. in Finance degrees. Students who want to complete this program must identify themselves to the Department of Finance as majors who will complete the accelerated program. The program is open to all undergraduates who major in Finance and have at least 90 semester hours of undergraduate course work with a minimum grade point average of 3.00. Students who have met these standards in their B.S. in Finance degree program must also apply for admission to the M.S. in Finance program under the special provisions of this program and meet the application deadline. To qualify for this program, applicants must have a B or higher in FINA 320 and UBUS 223 and participate in an oral interview with the department chair or designated representative of the M.S. in Finance program. Admission will be on a competitive basis.
Students must complete all the business core requirements for the B.S. in Finance degree program as well as all general education requirements, FINA 330, FINA 340, FINA 350, and FINA 395, prior to their taking classes in the M.S. in Finance program. Once admitted into the B.S. in Finance/M.S. in Finance program and having completed all course requirements for entry, students will start taking classes in the M.S. in Finance program (up to 15 semester hours) which will also count toward 15 semester hours in the undergraduate degree. Upon receiving their undergraduate degree, students will then follow the standard timetable for receiving a M.S. in Finance.
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