William Paterson University

Programme overview

This online Master of Science combines discipline-based finance theory with hands-on use of industry platforms. The Finance Track is aligned with the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) exam and is delivered in an accelerated format with multiple start dates per year. The program uses software such as Bloomberg, eMoney, MoneyGuidePro and SAS and leverages William Paterson University’s Financial Learning Center for applied learning. The full program requires 30 credit hours; any required foundation courses may be taken as electives within that total.

What you'll study

Students complete 30 credit hours of required coursework in finance and financial services. The curriculum covers identifying financial scenarios and relevant data, applying models and tools to construct solutions, understanding financial instruments and measuring expected return and risk, and using trending industry technologies for analysis and simulation. Foundation courses are available for students who lack prerequisite preparation; an example foundation course listed is:

• ACCT 6065: Financial Accounting for Decision-Makers — an introductory course to accounting fundamentals and analysis of firm financial statements (duration: 7 weeks; credit hours: 1.5).

Entry requirements

Admission requires a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution, official transcripts from all colleges/universities attended, and a professional résumé. Applicants must submit an online application and a $50 application fee. Minimum undergraduate GPA criteria are: a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher, or a GPA of 2.75–2.99 subject to additional review (including a B or higher in business math, precalculus, or calculus). Documents may be sent to the Office of Graduate Admissions and Enrollment Services via the published email or mail address.

Career prospects

Graduates are prepared for senior-level roles across finance and financial services. Job titles cited by the program include:

• Chief Financial Officer
• Financial Risk Manager
• Investment Manager
• Credit Risk Analyst
• Financial Advisor

Scholarships & funding angle

The program lists per-credit and total tuition figures and delivers courses in a pay-by-the-course model. Prospective students should review William Paterson University’s graduate financial aid and scholarship resources and consider employer tuition assistance or payment-per-course budgeting; all program fees are noted as included in the published total tuition.