Overview
The MSF is a graduate degree program with a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) designation. Due to the demand of graduates with expertise in STEM fields, the Department of Homeland Security permits international students graduating from STEM programs to apply for a 24 month extension of their initial year of Optional Practical Training (OPT). For more detailed information, please visit the ISSO webpage.
Curriculum
12-15 Courses
32-41 Credits
Program Length:
- Full-time in as few as 9 months
- Part-time in as few as 21 months
Required Introductory Courses (2 credits)
Must be taken on campus in first semester of program.
| SBS-700 | You As a Leader: Self-Awareness, Feedback, and Decision-Making | 1 |
| FIN-601 | Introduction to Statistics, Accounting, & Finance Intensive | 1 |
Required Prerequisite Courses (12 credits)
Must be taken or waived prior to enrolling in Finance Core Courses.
| SBS-603 | Managerial Economics | 3 |
| SBS-604 | Data Analytics | 3 |
| MBA-640 | Corporate Financial Reporting and Control | 3 |
| MBA-650 | Value Based Financial Management | 3 |
Finance Core Courses (15 credits)
Must be taken on campus unless permission to take online granted by Academic Program Director.
| FIN-800 | Financial Statement Analysis and Valuation | 3 |
| FIN-808 | General Theory in Corporate Finance | 3 |
| FIN-810 | Investment Analysis | 3 |
FIN-814
| | |
| FIN-818 | Financial Econometrics | 3 |
Capstone Course (3 credits)
Should be taken as late in the program as possible. Must be taken on campus, unless permission to take online is granted by the Academic Program Director.
Concentration Descriptions and Applicable Elective Courses (9-12 credits)
Choose four (4) elective courses from the approved MSF electives list. Choose three (3) elective courses if some or none of the prerequisite requirements are waived. Courses must be taken on campus, within Sawyer Business School, 800-level or above (exception MBA-740), unless permission to take online is granted by the Academic Director.
Students may declare a concentration in Corporate Finance, Financial Services and Banking, FinTech, Investments or Risk Management. If a concentration in Corporate Finance, Investments or Risk Management is declared, three electives must be in one concentration area.
If a concentration in Financial Services and Banking is declared students must complete FIN-816 and three approved Financial Services and Banking electives. If a concentration in FinTech is declared students must complete ISOM-730, FIN-830, one approved FIN elective and one approved ISOM elective. The schedule of when courses within a concentration are offered vary by semester.
Students who declare a concentration must submit an SBS Graduate Program Concentration Request Form. Students are encouraged to meet with their advisor before they declare a concentration.
The concentration appears on the transcript, not the diploma.
Corporate Finance Concentration
Choose three courses from the following list: (9 credits)
Financial Services and Banking Concentration
Required Course (3 credits)
| FIN-816 | Risk Management in Banking and Finance | 3 |
FinTech Concentration
Required Courses (6 credits)
Finance Elective Course (1 course, 3 credits)
Take one from the following list of electives:
| FIN-882 | Applied Risk Management | 3 |
| FIN-884 | Fixed Income Securities | 3 |
FIN-885
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FIN-887
| | |
| FIN-890 | Data Analytics & Credit Risk | 3 |
ISOM Elective (1 course, 3 credits)
Take one from the following list of electives:
| ISOM-801 | Solving Business Problems Using Advanced Excel | 3 |
| ISOM-821 | Data Management and Modeling | 3 |
| ISOM-825 | Enterprise Data Management | 3 |
| ISOM-827 | Data Warehouse and Business Intelligence | 3 |
| ISOM-835 | Predictive Analytics | 3 |
| ISOM-840 | Security and Privacy | 3 |
| ISOM-845 | Business Intelligence and Data Analytics | 3 |
Investments Concentration
Choose three courses from the following list: (9 credits)
Risk Management Concentration
Required Courses (6 credits)
| FIN-816 | Risk Management in Banking and Finance | 3 |
| FIN-882 | Applied Risk Management | 3 |
Elective Course: (1 course, 3 credits)
Approved Finance Electives
Note: Students wishing to take SBS-920 for an elective in the MSF Program must consult with the MSF Advisor for guidance on how to be considered for this option.
London Financial Services Travel Seminar is the only seminar approved as an MSF elective. Any other travel seminar requires MSF Academic Program Director approval.
Electives:
Waiver Policy
To waive an MSF prerequisite course, a student must successfully complete equivalent coursework at the undergraduate/graduate level in the seven (7) years prior to MSF matriculation, with a grade of “B” or better, and provide official transcripts (with English translations, if applicable).
To substitute an approved elective for an MSF Core Course, a student must have successfully completed equivalent academic coursework at the graduate level in the seven (7) years prior to MSF matriculation, with a “B” or better, and provide official transcripts (with English translations, if applicable).
All waiver requests are evaluated upon a student’s acceptance into the MSF program. Students may also elect to take a proficiency exam, for a fee, to gain a waiver for prerequisite coursework. Proficiency exams must be taken in the first semester and are administered on the Boston Campus.
All MSF students must complete a minimum of 32 graduate credits in the Sawyer Business School.
Transfer Policy
Any candidate seeking transfer credits, taken at the graduate level from an AACSB-accredited graduate program in business, will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. These credits may be considered for transfer if the credits do not apply to a previously completed degree.
Transfer credits must have earned a grade of “B” or better and be taken within seven (7) years prior to entering the Suffolk MSF program. However, at the discretion of the MSF program director, MSF required core courses may not be transferred if the subject material has changed significantly since completion. A maximum of six (6) credits may be considered for transfer.
Students Who Leave Boston Before Their Degree is Complete
Occasionally, Suffolk MSF students must leave the Boston area having not yet completed their degree. You may be able to transfer in six (6) credits of elective courses from an AACSB-accredited MSF Program close to your new place of residence. Courses must be pre-approved by Suffolk's Assistant Dean of Graduate Programs and have a grade of "B" or better.