M.S. in Finance
Stay on Top of the Field
With globalization, emerging technologies, new regulations, and other factors, the world’s financial landscape is always shifting. Our MSF students succeed in this constantly evolving environment by mastering the enduring principles that underlie financial markets.
Our MSF program—ranked #3 in the country and #34 in the world by the Financial Times—helps students deepen their knowledge of finance, broaden their career opportunities, and make names for themselves in their fields. Finance professionals, recent undergraduates, and others who are considering new careers can choose from part-time or full-time options.
In addition, the MSF program offers a STEM-designated quantitative finance track. This 10-course track is highly quantitative and emphasizes financial analytical skills that students can bring to workplaces in corporate finance, asset management, and investment banking.
The following prerequisites must be completed prior to beginning the BC MSF program. These courses must be taken at an accredited 4-year, not-for-profit, college or university. Courses to satisfy the prerequisites may be taken online.
Students must earn a grade of “B” or better in order to meet the requirement. Most students with an MBA or an undergraduate degree in business meet the prerequisites.
Full-Time and Part-Time Prerequisites
Accounting
Students should have completed a course focused on the development and use of accounting information to evaluate the status and performance of business enterprises. Specifically, students should have a thorough grounding in the income statement, balance sheet, and statement of cash flows. The course should cover reporting of information for use by persons and institutions outside the enterprise as well as the use of accounting information in managerial decision making.
Calculus
Students should have completed an introductory course in Calculus covering a brief review of polynomials, trigonometric, exponential, and logarithmic functions, followed by discussion of limits, derivatives, and applications of differential calculus to real-world problem areas. The course concludes with an introduction to integration.
Financial Management
Students should have completed an introductory course in Finance that covers projected financial statements, the time value of money, capital budgeting, financial leverage, security valuation, risk/return, working capital management, and international finance. The course should also cover financial statistical analysis and tools of planning and control.
Statistics
Students should have completed a course focusing on the analytical tools of statistics that are applicable to management practice. The course should include descriptive statistics and probability and progress to inferential statistics relative to central tendency and dispersion. In addition to basic concepts of estimation and hypothesis testing, the course should include coverage of topics such as analysis of variance, regression, probability, hypothesis testing, Z-scores, P-values, the standard normal distribution, OLS regression, t-statistics, and Chi-square distributions.
Adjunct Course—Economics
The MSF Program also requires that students have a basic understanding of economics. Students must complete undergraduate- or graduate-level course work in microeconomics and macroeconomics before the MSF degree will be conferred. This coursework is not required to start the program.
Questions about graduate admissions or programs? Email us or call us at 617-552-3920.
#3
MSF program in the U.S.
Financial Times, 2017
Tuition and 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.
The full-time option allows you to complete the MSF in one full year of study. 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.
Seven 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) |
Three 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.
- Other elective choices require department permission from Professor Michael Barry (barrymj@bc.edu)
Course waivers: Read our Course Waiver Policy.
Course information: Look up course information and schedules.
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. Read our service guidlines.
The quantitative finance track is a STEM-designated track*, and allows you to complete the MSF in one full year of study. 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.
Eight Core Courses
| FALL |
| Investments (MFIN8801) |
| Corporate Finance (MFIN8807) |
| Management of Financial Institutions (MFIN8820) |
| Financial Econometrics (MFIN8852) |
| SPRING/SUMMER Four of the following five courses must be taken |
| Data Analytics (MFIN8870) |
| Quantitative Portfolio Management (MFIN8803) |
| Finance Seminar: Simulation & Optimization in Finance (MFIN6640) |
| Derivatives & Risk Management (MFIN8860) |
| Fixed Income Analysis (MFIN8880) |
Two 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.
- Other elective choices require department permission from Professor Michael Barry (barrymj@bc.edu)
Course waivers: Read our Course Waiver Policy.
Course information: Look up course information and schedules.
*STEM Designation
The STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) OPT Extension is a 24-month period of temporary training available to F-1 international students who have completed a degree program in an approved STEM field.
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.
For detailed information about STEM OPT, visit SEVP’s Study in the States’ STEM OPT Help Hub.
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. Read our service guidlines.
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 program will be approximately 20 months.
Seven Core Courses
| Investments (MFIN8801) |
| Corporate Finance (MFIN8807) |
| Management of Financial Institutions (MFIN8820) |
| Financial Econometrics (MFIN8852) |
| Derivatives & Risk Management (MFIN8860) |
| CHOOSE ONE OF THE FOLLOWING |
| Quantitative Portfolio Management (MFIN8803) |
| Fixed Income Analysis (MFIN8880) |
| CHOOSE ONE OF THE FOLLOWING |
| Financial Policy (MFIN8808) |
| Advanced Corporate Finance (MFIN8881) |
| Corporate Valuation and Restructuring (MFIN8821) |
Three 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.
- Other elective choices require department permission from Professor Michael Barry (barrymj@bc.edu)
Course waivers: Read our Course Waiver Policy.
Course information: Look up course information and schedules.
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 Carroll School graduate students must fulfill a requirement to serve others through meaningful work as volunteers. Learn more about community service guidelines.
2018 Entering Class Profiles
Full-Time
| Applicant Pool | |
| Applications Received | 955 |
| Class Size | 89 |
| Selectivity | 19% |
| Academic and Professional Profile | |
| Average Undergraduate GPA | 3.54 |
| Average GMAT Score | 703 |
| GMAT Score 80th Percentile Range | 657-740 |
| Average Full-Time Work Experience | <1 year |
| Work Experience 80 Percentile Range | 0–1 years |
| Diversity | |
| Women | 49% |
| AHANA* | 6% |
| International | 83% |
| Average Age | 23 |
| Age Range | 21-30 |
*African-American, Hispanic, Asian and Native American.
| Undergraduate Major | |
| Accounting | 9% |
| Business | 4% |
| Economics | 10% |
| Engineering | 1% |
| Finance | 36% |
| Math/Physical Sciences | 2% |
| Double Major | 17% |
| Other | 17% |
| International Enrollments | |
| People’s Republic of China | India |
| Pakistan |
R.O.C. Taiwan |
Part-Time
| Academic and Professional Profile | |
| Average Undergraduate GPA | 3.47 |
| Average GMAT Score | 578 |
| Average GMAT 80th Percentile Range | 534-646 |
| Average Full-Time Work Experience | <5 years |
| Work Experience 80th Percentile Range | 0-12 years |
| Diversity | |
| Women | 19% |
| AHANA* | 6% |
| International | 6% |
| Average Age | 29 |
| Age Range | 22-35 |
*African-American, Hispanic, Asian and Native American.
Note: All figures listed are for the class entering in Fall 2018.
Your Future Network
Carroll School MSF graduates leverage their educations in countless ways. Get to know a few alumni from your future network.