University of Pittsburgh, MS, Finance

Sound financial management is essential to value creation in organizations of all sizes and types. The Master of Science in Finance program provides students with broad knowledge of quantitative and qualitative aspects of financial decision making. The program begins with coverage of financial forecasting and time value of money techniques, operating and financial risk and their effects on investors’ required returns and firms’ costs of capital, and methods of valuation. These important tools and concepts provide the basis for understanding how corporations make financial decisions that maximize shareholder value, including which operating projects to invest in, how to finance those projects, when and how to pay operating cash flows out to shareholders, whether to engage in mergers and acquisitions, and how to deal with financial distress. Students with an interest in portfolio management can take advantage of Katz’s Financial Analysis Lab, a realistic trading room environment equipped with Bloomberg professional services software, S&P’s Capital IQ software, and a stock ticker board displaying breaking financial news. The 30-credit program is designed to be completed in nine months (August - April). The curriculum is comprised of core and elective courses currently offered to Katz MBA students. Other than an undergraduate degree, no prerequisites are required.