Tracks
The Finance Department has organized its programs around particular tracks to assist Eller College Master's in Finance students in career planning.
Planning your curricula around these tracks enhances your job opportunities. The department's tracks are designed to help you establish a plan and communicate your plan with recruiters through your resume, cover letters, and interviews.
Track Requirements
All three Master's in Finance (MSF) tracks require a total of 30 credit hours of graduate coursework in finance (or 10 courses total, 5 classes taken both Fall and Spring semester). Additional, MSF students must complete a master's project of 6 credit hours working in pairs (completed during the summer following coursework). Ideally, projects will be structured to add to students' knowledge gained in the coursework of their chosen tracks.
For details on a particular track of study, please scroll down or link below:
These tracks consist of specific required courses and other select alternatives as identified. Excel worksheets are available for each track to help students plan their program of study. Please check the MMF Course listing for a full listing of finance courses that may be selected to complete the 10 course requirement, in addition to the finance track requirements.
Investment Management
The Investment Management track is designed for students seeking a career in investment management/capital markets. The program will also help students prepare to take the levels I and II Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) exams. Students willing to devote additional CFA exam preparation time should be well qualified to sit for the CFA level 1 exam in June after the two MSF semesters of coursework.
Each year the Finance Department and the Tucson CFA Society identify a number of worthy candidates to receive scholarships for the CFA exam. These scholarships are awarded on a competitive basis.
Coursework
The following eight classes are required in this track:
- FIN 514. International Finance (Spring)
- FIN 516. Financial Statement Analysis for Investment Management (Fall)
- FIN 521. Investment Analysis (Fall)
- FIN 522. Advanced Risk Management and Derivatives (Fall)
- FIN 524. Applied Risk Management (Spring)
- FIN 525. Empirical Finance Methods (Spring)
- FIN 526. Portfolio Management Theory (Spring)
- FIN 542. Fixed Income (Fall)
In addition, it is recommended that students pursuing this track apply for admission to the following classes:
Students may also need to select additional classes from the master's level finance electives offered during the program to complete the 10 required courses.
An Excel worksheet is available to help students plan their finance courses within the Investment Management track.
Careers
The Investment Management track is designed to enable students to pursue a CFA designation and a career in professional investment management. Good starting positions are available at asset management and brokerage firms, bank trust departments, state and local pension funds, and insurance companies. Careers-in-Finance offers good insight into a few of the types of positions and day-to-day work in these fields.
Fixed Income
The fixed income track is designed to familiarize students with the fundamental theoretical concepts and relevant models of fixed income portfolio management and a set of tools to analyze fixed income markets. This track is geared for students with very strong quantitative and analytical skills and technical strengths.
Coursework
The following seven classes are required in this track:
- FIN 521. Investment Analysis (Fall)
- FIN 522. Advanced Risk Management and Derivatives (Fall)
- FIN 524. Applied Risk Management (Spring)
- FIN 525. Empirical Finance Methods (Spring)
- FIN 542. Fixed Income (Fall)
- FIN 544. Interest Rate Models (Spring)
- FIN 545. Credit Risk Modeling (Spring)
In addition, students pursuing this track must select at least two classes from the following list:
- FIN 513. Valuation Modeling (Fall)
- FIN 514. International Finance (Spring)
- FIN 515. Venture Capital (Fall)
- FIN 516. Financial Statement Analysis for Investment Management (Fall)
- FIN 518. Investment Banking (Fall)
- FIN 523A*. Applied Portfolio Management (Fall)
- FIN 523B*. Applied Portfolio Management (Spring)
- FIN 526. Portfolio Management Theory (Spring)
- LAW 611G. Financial Regulation (Fall)
*Students accepted to FIN523A make a one-year commitment and also complete FIN523B in the Spring semester.
Students must also select one additional class from the master's level finance electives offered during the program.
An Excel worksheet is available to help students plan their finance courses within the Fixed Income track.
Careers
The Fixed Income track is designed to enable students to pursue careers within the broad area of fixed income, including positions as fixed income analyst, mortgage securities analyst and risk management expert/consultant. Companies include financial institutions, utilities and industrials. Careers-in-Finance offers good insight into a few of the types of positions and day-to-day work in these fields.
Corporate Finance Track
The corporate finance track is designed to familiarize students with the financial decisions made and decision-making tools used by corporate financial managers.
Coursework
The following three classes are required in this track:
- FIN 512. Advanced Corporate Finance (Fall)
- FIN 513. Valuation Modeling (Fall)
- FIN 532. Corporate Finance Strategy (Spring)
In addition, students pursuing this track must select at least three classes from the following list:
- FIN 514. International Finance (Spring)
- FIN 515. Venture Capital (Fall)
- FIN 516. Financial Statement Analysis for Investment Management (Fall)
- FIN 521. Investments Analysis (Fall)
- FIN 536. New Venture Finance (Fall)
- FIN 560. Real Property (Spring)
Students must also select four classes from the master's level finance electives offered during the program.
An Excel worksheet is available to help students plan their finance courses within the Fixed Income track.
Careers
The Corporate Finance track is designed to enable students to pursue a wide variety of fascinating careers at the world's top companies whose main business is not finance. These companies need finance professionals in the treasury, planning and budgeting, and strategic planning and risk management areas. Careers-in-Finance offers good insight into the types of positions and day-to-day work in these fields.Real Estate Finance Track
The real estate finance track is designed to familiarize students with the financial decisions made and decision-making tools used in real estate development and finance.
Coursework
The following five classes are required in this track:
- FIN 513. Valuation Modeling (Fall)
- FIN 521. Investments Analysis (Fall)
- FIN 522. Advanced Risk Management and Derivatives (Fall)
- FIN 542. Fixed Income (Fall)
- FIN 560. Real Property (Spring)
In addition, students pursuing this track must select at least two classes from the following list:
- FIN 512. Advanced Corporate Finance (Fall)
- FIN 515. Venture Capital (Fall)
- FIN 516. Financial Statement Analysis for Investment Management (Fall)
- FIN 518. Investment Banking (Fall)
- FIN 532. Corporate Finance Strategy (Spring)
- LAW 611G. Financial Regulation (Fall)
- PLNN 559. Land Use and Growth Controls (Spring)
Students must also select three classes from the master's level finance electives offered during the program.
An Excel worksheet is available to help students plan their finance courses within the Real Estate Finance track.
Careers
The Real Estate Finance track is designed to enable students to pursue careers in the field of real estate, from development to mortgage banking. Companies in a wide variety of fields need finance professionals to evaluate development and credit risk, and to develop financial plans and budgets. Careers-in-Finance offers good insight into the types of positions and day-to-day work in these fields.
All courses are three units.
Course offerings are subject to change.
For additional information, please contact us.
