Marshall School of Business
Master’s Degree and Graduate Certificate Programs
Master of Science in Finance
The Master of Science in Finance (M.S.) is designed to provide individuals with the necessary skills and knowledge to become experts in finance and thus advance their careers. The program provides individuals with tools, ideas and frameworks that will aid them in applying finance principles to businesses.
The program lays the groundwork with core courses in accounting, economics, finance, and statistics. The foundation is supplemented with courses on the role of finance in corporations, investment analysis and portfolio theory, and forecasting and risk. In addition, students personalize their degree with a choice of elective courses covering topics like real estate, mergers and acquisitions, and international trade.
Admission Requirements
Applicants must satisfy most, but not all of the general admission requirements for Marshall graduate programs. GMAT or GRE scores are recommended, but not required. Full-time work experience is not required for admission to the M.S., Finance.
Admission decisions are based on consideration of the applicant’s previous academic record, resume, test scores (if provided), letters of recommendation and responses to several questions included in the application. Individuals who are admitted must have completed the equivalent of a four-year U.S. bachelor’s degree prior to the start of summer classes.
Application Procedure
Prospective students apply to begin the program in the summer term. Applications are submitted online through the Marshall School of Business Admissions Website at app.applyyourself.com/?id=USC-MBA. International applicants are advised to see the instructions for international students published in the USC Graduate Admissions Application Booklet.
A complete application includes the online application form, an application fee, responses to several questions, test scores (if applicable), two letters of recommendation, and transcripts from all institutions attended since the applicant last applied to USC. (Current USC students and USC alumni are not required to submit an application fee or transcripts from institutions attended prior to USC. Applicants who have never applied for admission to USC must submit official transcripts from all institutions of higher education attended.) For additional information, including application deadlines, visit marshall.usc.edu/MSF.
Degree Requirements and Sample Schedule
The Master of Science in Finance degree requires 36 units including nine required courses (27 units) plus 9 units of course work chosen from a list of electives. The schedule is designed so that the program is completed in one calendar year.
Students who have taken (at USC or elsewhere) one or more of the required GSBA core courses (at the graduate/post-baccalaureate level) may petition to waive out of the duplicate courses. It is expected that individuals holding accredited graduate degrees in related fields may be able to waive out of some or all four required courses, reducing the total number of units required to earn the degree to as few as 24. Waivers must be requested in an attachment to the application for admission and approved by the program director prior to the start of summer classes.
A cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 for all course work applied to the degree and an overall graduate GPA at USC of at least 3.0 are required for graduation.
* Class schedules may vary depending on scheduling considerations.
| SUMMER CORE | UNITS | |
|---|---|---|
| GSBA 510 | Accounting Concepts and Financial Reporting | 3 |
| GSBA 511 | Microeconomics for Management | 3 |
| GSBA 524 | Managerial Statistics | 3 |
| GSBA 548 | Corporate Finance | 3 |
| FALL SEMESTER* | UNITS | |
| FBE 531 | Corporate Financial Policy and Corporate Governance | 3 |
| FBE 543 | Forecasting and Risk Analysis | 3 |
| FBE 555 | Investment Analysis and Portfolio Management | 3 |
| Elective | Select one course from the electives list below. | |
| SPRING SEMESTER* | UNITS | |
| FBE 524 | Money and Capital Markets | 3 |
| FBE 529 | Financial Analysis and Valuation | 3 |
| Electives | Select two courses from the electives list below. | 6 |
| Total Units | 36 | |
| ELECTIVES | UNITS | |
| FBE 523 | Venture Capital and Private Equity | 3 |
| FBE 527 | Entrepreneurial Finance: Financial Management for Developing Firms | 3 |
| FBE 532 | Corporate Financial Strategy | 3 |
| FBE 533 | CEO Pay, Corporate Governance, and the Politics of Finance | 3 |
| FBE 535 | Applied Finance in Fixed Income Securities | 3 |
| FBE 540 | Hedge Funds | 3 |
| FBE 554 | Trading and Exchanges | 3 |
| FBE 557 | Business Law and Ethics | 3 |
| FBE 558 | Legal Environment of Business and Corporate Governance | 3 |
| FBE 559 | Management of Financial Risk | 3 |
| FBE 560 | Mergers and Acquisitions | 3 |
| FBE 562 | Current Issues in International Finance | 3 |
| FBE 563 | Theory of International Trade | 3 |
| FBE 565 | Economics of Urban Land Use: Feasibility Studies | 3 |
| FBE 571 | Introduction to Financial Analysis: Practicum | 3 |
| FBE 589 | Mortgages and Mortgage-Backed Securities and Markets | 3 |
| FBE 591 | Real Estate Finance and Investment | 3 |