Apr 20, 2024

2020-2021 Graduate Catalog

2020-2021 Graduate Catalog [Not Current Academic Year. Consult with Your Academic Advisor for Your Catalog Year]

Finance, MS

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C.T. Bauer College of Business > Department of Finance > Finance, MS

The C. T. Bauer College of Business at the University of Houston fuels the city’s workforce. Our graduate students have the benefits of an on-campus education, a world-renowned faculty that provides personalized attention in classrooms of diverse professionals, and a strong network of Bauer alumni that dominates the Houston workforce - giving our MS/Finance students an ideal setting for academic development and professional advancement.

The MS Finance program is primarily an evening program which may be pursued on a full- or part-time basis. The student is provided with a specialized course of study that is concentrated on financial markets and corporate financial management to enhance their understanding of the principles and practice of finance, and to develop their problem solving skills.

The MS Finance program is particularly relevant to those planning to work in the following areas:

Corporate finance and financial consulting
Investment banking, security analysis and brokerage
Funds management
Commercial and retail banking
Risk management

The Bauer College of Business has assembled a nationally renowned faculty in finance. The current members of the faculty have over forty years of full-time experience as faculty at the top 10 finance departments. Recent rankings place the UH finance faculty sixteenth in the nation and second in the State of Texas.

Our knowledge of what “works” at the top business schools in this country is being brought to bear on the task of providing the Houston community with the opportunity for training and advanced certification in finance commensurate with the fourth largest city in the United States.

The MS Finance admits students for fall and spring terms. (The MS Finance-Quantitative Specialization admits for fall term only.) The students range in age from 21-48 with average work experience of 4 years and average GMAT scores of 621.

Please visit the Master of Science in Finance program page for more information.

Admission Requirements

Admission eligibility for the Master of Science in Finance program requires a four-year undergraduate degree (or foreign equivalent) from an accredited institution. The undergraduate degree may be in any discipline. Applications are accepted for Fall or Spring terms.

A complete application should include:

Application for Graduate Studies
Transcripts
- Domestic transcripts - official transcripts from all higher education institutions attended
- International transcripts - one original transcript and degree certificate in the original language and the other must be an official English Translation of the transcript.
Test Scores
- Official GMAT or GRE scores, less than 5 years old
- International applicants must submit comply with English language proficiency requirements. Full details are found at http://www.uh.edu/graduate-school/admissions/international-students/english-proficiency/.
  - One of the following tests may be submitted to meet this requirement. Please note that scores over two years old will not be accepted.
  - Official TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) score above 603 on the paper-based test or 100 on the internet-based test.
  - Official IELTS (International English Language Testing System) score above 6.5.
  - Official PTE Academic (Pearson Test of English Academic) minimum of 70.
Non-refundable Application Fee(s)
- An application fee is required ($75 for domestic applicants and $150 for international applicants).
Additional Requirements for International Applicants can be found at http://www.uh.edu/graduate-school/admissions/international-students/
- NOTE: International students must have a four-year degree from an accredited university to apply for the MBA. Three-year degrees are not considered equivalent. There is no bridge program at UH. Students with a three-year degree will likely need to combine it with a completed master’s degree from their home country before applying.
Resume
Goal Statement - In one to two pages, discuss what motivates you, how your personal and professional experience has shaped you, and how will you maximize the specialized Master’s degree to reach your future goals.
Letters of recommendation for MS in Finance are not required, nor accepted.

Degree Requirements

Credit hours required for this degree: 30.0

The Master of Science in Finance consists of 30 credits of graduate study: 6 credits of required foundation courses, 3 credits of required advanced courses and the remaining 21 hours of electives.

Program information is subject to change.

Required Foundation Courses (6 Credit Hours)

FINA 6A31 - Analyzing Financial Statements Credit Hours: 1.5
BZAN 6310 - Quantitative Analysis for Business Decisions Credit Hours: 3.0
FINA 6A35 - Managerial Finance Credit Hours: 1.5
Note(s):
- FINA 6A35 - Managerial Finance is a prerequisite for all upper level finance classes

Required Advanced Courses (3 Credit Hours)

FINA 7A10 - Intermediate Corporate Finance: Valuation Credit Hours: 1.5
FINA 7A20 - Capital Markets Credit Hours: 1.5

Finance Electives (21 Credit Hours)

Students may select from a wide range of finance electives, as they determine an area of preference within finance.

Academic Policies

All coursework in the MS Finance Program is graduate-level, designated within the Finance Department. Any course that is not coded FINA before the number must be approved by the MSF Program Director, even if the course is part of a certificate program. The only non-finance course that is pre-approved is ACCT 7340 - Financial Statement Analysis (does not require a petition).