Degree Offered
- Master of Science in Finance
Nature of the Program
The M.S. Finance program is ideal for potential candidates with undergraduate degrees in Accounting, Finance, Engineering, Mathematics, Physics, Geology, or Economics, or those with industry experience and the drive to be successful. M.S. Finance graduates, especially those earning the Chartered Financial Analyst credential, enjoy careers with leadership positions across the gamut of financial positions. This includes investment banking positions, portfolio management, financial analyst, fund management, and corporate finance positions, among others.
Academic Standards
In addition to the University’s academic and professional standards, students enrolled in a John Chambers College of Business and Economics master’s degree program must also abide by the following standards:
- Students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 to earn a degree from their graduate program, without exception.
- A student who cannot mathematically meet the 3.0 GPA requirement to successfully complete the degree, within a reasonable period of time (as defined by the Program Coordinator or designee), will be dismissed from their academic program. Visit the Probation, Suspension, and Dismissal section of the University’s Graduate Catalog for more information about this topic.
- Students must follow the professional standards established by their college, degree program and/or department. A student who violates the established professional standards may be placed on probation, suspended, or dismissed from their program.
- A student whose cumulative GPA falls below 2.75 will automatically be placed on academic probation.
- A student will be suspended from their program, for up to one year, if their GPA is not raised to 2.75 by the end of their subsequent semester of enrollment. The program will reevaluate the student after the term of suspension to determine whether they may return to the program or be dismissed.
- A student will be suspended from their program if they earn a letter grade below C- in more than one required course.
- A student who earns a letter grade of D or F in any required course must repeat the course and earn a minimum letter grade of C-.
- Any grade earned in a repeated course at the graduate level is included in the calculation of a student’s overall and major GPA, along with the original grade earned in the course. Additionally, the original grade earned in the course will remain on the student’s academic transcript/permanent record. Visit the Grades section of the University Graduate Catalog for more information about this topic.
Any exceptions to the above standards must be approved in writing by the Associate Dean for Undergraduate and Graduate Programs and the Program Coordinator.
Faculty
Chair
- Ann Marie Hibbert - Ph.D. (Florida International University)
Behavioral Finance, Corporate Finance, Fixed Income Securities, Derivative Securities
Professors
- K. Victor Chow - Ph.D. (University of Alabama), C.F.A.
Portfolio Management, Investments - Ann Marie Hibbert - Ph.D. (Florida International University)
Behavioral Finance, Corporate Finance, Fixed Income Securities, Derivative Securities - Alex Kurov - Ph.D. (State University of New York, Binghamton), C.F.A.
Financial Market Microstructure, Future Markets - Paul Speaker - Ph.D. (Purdue University)
Associate Professors
- Ashok Abbott - Ph.D. (Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University)
Financial Institutions, Corporate Finance, Mergers and Acquisitions - Ruiyuan Chen - Ph.D. (University of South Carolina)
Empirical Corporate Finance, Banking, International Finance, Government Ownership. - Bingxin Li - Ph.D. (University of Houston)
Derivatives Modeling, Financial Risk Management, Empirical Asset Pricing, and Energy Finance - Gulnara Zaynutdinova - Ph.D. (Washington State University)
Empirical Asset Pricing, Institutional Investors, Mutual Funds and Investor Behavior
Assistant Professors
- Pawan Jain - Ph.D. (University of Memphis), C.F.A., C.F.P.
Stock Market Regulations, Blockchain - Helen Wang - Ph.D. (University of South Carolina)
Corporate Governance, Corporate Social Responsibility
Teaching Assistant Professors
- Frank DeGeorge, C.P.A. - M.S.A. (Duquesne University)
Financial Statement Analysis - Jiahao (Leo) Gu - Ph.D. (West Virginia University) C.F.A
Principles of Finance, Financial Markets and Institutions, and Portfolio Theory - Robert Brant Hammer - M.S. (West Virginia University)
Business Valuation, Disruptive Financial Technology
Admissions
To gain admission to the M.S. in Finance program, an applicant must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution. Admissions decisions are based on an assessment of expected success in the program shown by the application materials and according to space available. The Admissions Committee considers grade point average in all previous college-level work and also the grade point average in the last sixty hours of coursework. Applicants must have had a minimum undergraduate grade point average of 2.75 to be considered. Admissions decisions will be based on strength of the following application requirements:
- Academic transcript(s)
- GMAT test scores
- Applicants must provide two letters of recommendation from individuals who can provide information about the applicant's academic promise, ability to work with others, professionalism, and potential to succeed in this program.
- Statement of purpose
- Resume or CV
Note: The following prerequisite courses may be taken at other institutions but must be successfully completed prior to entering the M.S. in Finance program:
- Principles of Economics – six hours
- Principles of Accounting – six hours
- Investments
- Business Finance
- Statistics
- Calculus
The Admissions Committee reviews applications on a rolling basis, and students admitted to the program may begin in the fall. Please visit this program's webpage to learn more about the specific application deadlines and other important information. Students may also contact the John Chambers College of Business and Economics Graduate Programs Office for assistance at (304) 293-5505 or BeGradPrograms@mail.wvu.edu.
Admission Requirements 2024-2025
The Admission Requirements above will be the same for the 2024-2025 Academic Year.
Major Code: 2157
*Note- International Students are required to submit a TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo score. The John Chambers College of Business & Economics TOEFL requirement is higher than the University’s—applicants must have a TOEFL-ibt score of 92. If you have taken the IELTS, the minimum score must be 6.5, and the minimum Duolingo score is a 105. English language exam scores should be sent to the Office of Admissions, West Virginia University, PO Box 6009, Morgantown, WV 26506-6009.
Students are required to maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 in coursework applied toward their degree program, as outlined in the academic program of study. Students must also have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 to earn a graduate degree from this program.
M.S. Finance Requirements
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
A program GPA of 3.0 is required by the Chambers College. | ||
Core Coursework | ||
FIN 511 | Financial Economics | 3 |
FIN 512 | Ethical Standards in Finance | 2 |
FIN 513 | Macroeconomics and Financial Markets | 2 |
FIN 520 | Quantitative Finance | 3 |
FIN 521 | Financial Reporting and Analysis | 3 |
FIN 523 | Equity Investment | 3 |
FIN 525 | Derivative Securities | 3 |
FIN 526 | Portfolio Management | 3 |
FIN 527 | Alternative Investments | 3 |
FIN 528 | Integrated Financial Analysis | 3 |
FIN 529 | FinTech | 3 |
Total Hours | 31 |
M.S. Finance Suggested Plan of Study
First Semester | Hours | ||
---|---|---|---|
FIN 511 | 3 | ||
FIN 512 | 2 | ||
FIN 513 | 2 | ||
FIN 520 | 3 | ||
FIN 521 | 3 | ||
FIN 523 | 3 | ||
16 | |||
Second Semester | Hours | ||
FIN 525 | 3 | ||
FIN 526 | 3 | ||
FIN 527 | 3 | ||
FIN 528 | 3 | ||
FIN 529 | 3 | ||
15 | |||
Total credit hours: 31 |
Major Learning Outcomes
Finance
Goal 1: Students will demonstrate understanding of the ethical and professional standards in the securities industry.
Goal 2: Students will demonstrate understanding of how microeconomic and macroeconomic factors influence the values of financial assets.
Goal 3: Three: Students will apply appropriate quantitative investment analysis tools.
Goal 4: Students will interpret and analyze external financial information from the viewpoint of investors and creditors.
Goal 5: Students will master the fundamental economic techniques for valuing financial assets.
Goal 6: Students will construct, evaluate, and manage diversified portfolios and effectively communicate the process.