The University of Scranton - Online Master of Science in Finance (MSF)

The Kania School of Management at The University of Scranton offers an online Master of Science in Finance (MSF) degree. The program prepares students to take exams for various certifications such as the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) certification and Certified Financial Planner (CFP). Combining the Jesuit values of the University of Scranton with the CFA Institute’s key areas of focus, the MSF offers graduate education in areas such as ethical and professional business standards, equity investments, economics, quantitative methods, portfolio management, wealth planning, and corporate finance.

The online MSF comprises 30 credits and can be completed in just 12 months of full-time study, or 18 to 24 months on a part-time basis. The University of Scranton offers three start dates per year for the MSF degree. The program is 100% online with no campus visits required, although students have the option of participating in a 2-day campus immersion which usually takes place the week of the graduation ceremony. The residency is held in the Alperin Financial Center which simulates a trading floor where students can simulate and analyze real-time stock exchange trades. Successful completion of the residency earns students the Bloomberg Market Concepts (HMC) certificate of completion. In addition, MSF students receive a discount on the Wiley Certified Financial Analyst (CFA) Exam Review program.

The University of Scranton uses the Engage Learning Management System (LMS) to deliver courses asynchronously, with individual and group assignments having set deadlines. Terms span eight weeks per session and take place six times per year. Students interact with peers and professors through email, discussion threads, virtual chat sessions, and instant messaging (IM). MSF students need Microsoft Office programs including Excel, Word, and PowerPoint, and possibly Microsoft Access.

Accepted students in the MSF program may need to complete six foundation modules: Statistics; Financial Accounting; Managerial Accounting; Microeconomics; Macroeconomics; and Finance. These foundation modules may be waived based on work experience and/or prior education. The modules may be taken alongside the MSF courses so as not to add more time to degree completion. The modules are one credit each. In addition, applicants must have at least three years of professional or supervisory work experience to apply.

Core courses for the online Master of Science in Finance degree include Financial Management; Portfolio Theory; Advanced Financial Management; Investment Analysis; Managerial Economics; Responsibility, Sustainability & Justice; Derivative Securities; and Quantitative Analysis of Finance. Students then choose two electives from the following list: Financial Institutions; Treasury Management; Financial Reporting and Research; International Finance; and Macroeconomic Analysis: A Global Perspective.

The University of Scranton is accredited by The Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE). The Kania School of Management, which houses the MSF degree program, is accredited by The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International).