M.S. in Finance
By mastering the enduring principles that underlie financial markets, MSF students broaden their career opportunities and make names for themselves in their fields. Our program emphasizes financial analytical skills that students can bring to workplaces in corporate finance, asset management, and investment banking.
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At a Glance
190,000+
Boston College Alumni
42,000+
Carroll School Alumni
#19
Financial Times Faculty Research Ranking
(Average ranking over the past five years)
Program Length
Students have 12 months to complete the 10-course program. Full-time students typically take four classes in each of the fall and spring semesters, and finish their degrees by taking two classes during the summer.
7
Core Courses
Fall
- Investments (MFIN8801)
- Corporate Finance (MFIN8807)
- Management of Financial Institutions (MFIN8820)
- Financial Econometrics (MFIN8852)
Spring/Summer
- Quantitative Portfolio Management (MFIN8803)
- Derivatives & Risk Management (MFIN8860)
- Advanced Corporate Finance (MFIN8881)
3
Elective Courses
These electives must be at the MFIN66XX or MFIN88XX level (MFIN77XX level courses are for Full-time MBA students only). Electives may have more than one pre-requisite. Please check Agora under "Course Information and Schedules" for specifics.
Program Length
The quantitative finance track is a STEM-designated track, and allows you to complete the 10 total courses required for the MSF in one full year of study (12 months). Full-time students can typically take four classes in each of the fall and spring semesters, and finish their degrees by taking two classes during the summer.
8
Core Courses
Fall
- Investments (MFIN8801)
- Corporate Finance (MFIN8807)
- Management of Financial Institutions (MFIN8820)
- Financial Econometrics (MFIN8852)
Choose four of the following spring/summer courses
- Data Analytics (MFIN8870)
- Quantitative Portfolio Management (MFIN8803)
- FinTech & Cryptocurrencies (MFIN6650)
- Derivatives & Risk Management (MFIN8860)
- Fixed Income Analysis (MFIN8880)
2
Elective Courses
These electives must be at the MFIN66XX or MFIN88XX level (MFIN77XX level courses are for Full-time MBA students only). Electives may have more than one pre-requisite. Please check Agora under "Course Information and Schedules" for specifics.
STEM Designation
Boston College’s Master of Science in Finance (MSF) Quantitative Finance Track is a STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) designated program. This classification allows international MSF graduates on an F-1 visa to potentially qualify for an additional 24 months of training in their field of study (called Optional Practical Training or OPT) beyond the standard 12 months. Eligible F-1 nonimmigrant students with a STEM degree from a Student & Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) certified U.S. school who participate in an initial period of regular post-completion OPT (typically 12 months) may be eligible to apply for a STEM OPT extension.
To qualify for a 24-month STEM OPT extension, an F-1 student must:
- Have completed a degree in an eligible STEM field from an SEVP certified U.S. school.
- Maintained lawful F-1 status during the standard 12 month period of OPT.
- Have employment through an employer enrolled in USCIS’s E-Verify employment eligibility verification program.
- Work with the employer to complete a formal training (I-983) and learning objectives.
- Be employed at least 20 hours per week in a position directly related to the STEM degree.
Program Schedule
The part-time option offers a flexible schedule, enabling you to earn your degree while continuing to advance your career. Part-time students take two classes per semester on average. At this pace, the total duration of the 10-course program will be approximately 20 months.
7
Core Courses
Required Courses
- Investments (MFIN8801)*
- Corporate Finance (MFIN8807)*
- Management of Financial Institutions (MFIN8820)
- Financial Econometrics (MFIN8852)
- Derivatives & Risk Management (MFIN8860)
* As Investments and Corporate Finance are prerequisite courses for most other finance classes, students should plan to take these courses first.
Choose One of the Following Courses
- Quantitative Portfolio Management (MFIN8803)
- Fixed Income Analysis (MFIN8880)
Choose One of the Following Courses
- Advanced Corporate Finance (MFIN8881)
- Corporate Valuation and Restructuring (MFIN8821)
3
Elective Courses
These electives must be at the MFIN66XX or MFIN88XX level (MFIN77XX level courses are for Full-time MBA students only). Electives may have more than one pre-requisite. Please check Agora under "Course Information and Schedules" for specifics.
Course Information and Schedules
Course Waivers
Incoming students who took an MSF core course as an undergraduate may be eligible to waive the course, and to replace it with an elective, by passing a waiver exam. Waiver exams must be completed no later than the deadline of August 1. Incoming students requesting a course waiver must submit requests to Professor Michael Barry. Students will be notified of the results of their waiver exam prior to the start of the Fall semester.
MSF students who received an undergraduate degree from Boston College and who achieved a minimum grade of B+ in an MSF core course taken at Boston College will be allowed to replace that course with an elective, provided they have taken the course within the past five years. Students who received a grade of B or lower or who took the course more than five years prior to starting the MSF program may take a waiver exam or they may retake the course with a professor other than the one who taught their undergraduate course.For more information please contact the Office for Graduate Programs at 617-552-3773.
Community Service
The Carroll School has a proud tradition of service to our community. In keeping with that tradition and with our Jesuit heritage, all M.S. in Finance students are required to complete 10 hours of community service in order to graduate.
Class Profile
Class entering Fall 2022
Full-Time Students
Academic & Professional Profile
| Average Undergraduate GPA | 3.55 |
| Average GMAT Score | 687 |
| GMAT Score 80th Percentile Range | 620–720 |
| Average GRE Score | 325 |
| GRE Score 80th Percentile Range | 318-335 |
| Average Full-Time Work Experience | <1 year |
| Work Experience 80 Percentile Range | 0–2.1 years |
Diversity
| Women | 25% |
| AHANA* | 12% |
| International | 80% |
| Average Age | 23 |
| Age Range | 21–35 |
*African-American, Hispanic, Asian and Native American.
Note: All class profile information is accurate as of September 9, 2022
International Enrollments
Canada
China
India
Indonesia
Italy
Peru
Philippines
Slovenia
Taiwan
Undergraduate Majors
Part-Time Students
Academic & Professional Profile
| Average Undergraduate GPA | 3.57 |
| Average Full-Time Work Experience | 2 years |
Diversity
| Women | 14% |
| AHANA* | 14% |
| Average Age | 25 |
| Age Range | 22-29 |
*African-American, Hispanic, Asian and Native American.
Note: All class profile information is accurate as of September 9, 2022
Tuition & Aid
An MSF from the Carroll School is an excellent investment in your future. We offer merit-based scholarships and financial assistance to qualified applicants. Loan and work study programs are also available.
Alumni Experiences
Peter Peirce ’20, AVP, Capital Strategy Manager, Citizens Bank
“Boston College is unique because of its professors, who are all widely successful in their own right and essentially donate their time to students because they want to see us succeed.”
Rosie Xue Rui ’20, Quantitative Financial Analyst, Zenith Stone Asset Management
“The BC MSF offers a perfect blend of quantitative and qualitative classes, industry exposure, and programming—all of which aligned perfectly with my goals.”
Madison Borrelli ’21, Ph.D. in Finance Candidate, University of Central Florida
“Not only was I being academically challenged inside of the classroom, but I was also strengthening my networking and communication skills, while making lifelong connections.”
Cole Conderman ’22, Advisory Associate, KPMG
“I chose to pursue my MSF at Boston College due to the reputation of the Carroll School name, BC’s proximity to America’s major financial hubs, and the program’s world-class educational experience.”
FAQ
Does the MSF program prepare students for the CFA exam?
<p>The primary purpose of the MSF program is to prepare students for careers in finance, not to pass the CFA exam. However, our students have achieved a high success rate on the exam in the past several years.</p>
bc:schools/carroll/admission/search-tags/msa-msf-prepare-cfa
How do I apply for the MSF Quantitative Finance (STEM-designated) Track?
<p>While filling out your application, you should just apply to the MSF program as a whole. Upon admission, we will ask you in the enrollment form to indicate if you are interested in pursuing the STEM-designated track.</p>
bc:schools/carroll/admission/search-tags/msa-msf-stem
Is work experience required for admission to the MSF program?
<p>The MSF program is open to both those with work experience and those without. For international students, however, we highly recommend that students have some work experience, particularly if they are seeking post-MSF employment in the United States due to the increasingly competitive US employment market. The MSF Program is designed to meet the diverse needs of finance professionals, career changers, and recent undergraduates. To learn more about our current students’ academic backgrounds and work experience, <a href="https://www.bc.edu/content/bc-web/schools/carroll-school/graduate/ms-programs/ms-in-finance.html">view the class profile</a>.</p>
bc:schools/carroll/admission/search-tags/msa-msf-work-experience-msf
Connect
Application Link & Deadlines
All applicants are required to pay a nonrefundable application fee of $100 USD.
For priority consideration, submit your application by the earliest date possible. Applications received after the last deadline are reviewed on a space-available basis.
Questions? Please email us at cgsomapp@bc.edu.
Full-time MSF
| Program Start Date | Apply By | Receive Decision By |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | October 18, 2022 | December 14, 2022 |
| January 10, 2023* | February 22, 2023 | |
| February 21, 2023* | March 29, 2023 | |
| March 21, 2023 | April 26, 2023 |
Part-time MSF
| Program Start Date | Apply By | Receive Decision By |
|---|---|---|
| January 2023 | October 11, 2022 | December 7, 2022 |
| December 6, 2022 | January 4, 2023 | |
| August 2023 | January 17, 2023 | March 22, 2023 |
| April 4, 2023 | May 10, 2023 | |
| July 11, 2023 | August 2, 2023 |
* International applicants are strongly encouraged to apply by these deadlines.
Boston College Fifth-Year BC Applicants
Boston College undergraduates currently in the second semester of their junior year or at any point in their senior year are eligible to apply to the Master of Science in Finance program as fifth-year applicants. Once enrolled, students can complete their MSA or MSF degree in as little as nine months from the program start date.
Résumé or CV
To be uploaded to your online application form.
Transcripts
Please include transcripts from every college or university where you were enrolled in a degree-granting program.
Standardized Tests
GMAT or GRE scores from within the past five years should be submitted.
GMAT school code: 44x-J5-96
GRE school code: 3033
Qualified applicants to the part-time MSF program may be eligible to waive the GMAT/GRE requirement. Submit the GMAT/GRE waiver request form before completing your application.
English Proficiency
TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE scores from within the past two years (if required). Applicants who submit a language test must meet the following minimum scores:
- TOEFL, iBT, and TOEFL iBT Home Edition: 100
- IELTS: 7.5
- IELTS school code: 3033
- PTE: 68
Letter of Recommendation
Submit a letter of recommendation from an individual who can provide an objective appraisal of your capacity for intensive graduate study and your potential for professional success.
Personal Essay
All applicants must submit a personal essay.
Questions
Please email Graduate Admissions or call us at 617-552-3920 with any questions.