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While the “Golden State” may be best known for its golden rays of warm sunshine, golden coastal sunsets over the Pacific, and magnificent Golden Gate Bridge, California is also jam packed full of golden learning opportunities for students wishing to attend accredited masters level finance programs. Boasting an economy larger than all but ten countries around our globe, California is home to booming sectors of employment in financial services, hospitality, trade, transportation, education, and business. In fact, California is home to more than 663,000 millionaires, which is more than any other state in the United States. In order to receive a master’s degree for a competitive edge in the high-powered field, read on to learn about the graduate schools in California that can take your finance career to the next level.
California Lutheran University
School of Management
Originally founded in 1959 as a comprehensive selective private liberal arts institution rooted in the Lutheran tradition of critical inquiry, California Lutheran University is home to over 4,100 students on a 225-acre suburban campus nestled in the hills of Thousand Oaks at the midway point between Los Angeles and Santa Barbara. Boasting a student-faculty ratio of just 15:1, Cal Lutheran is currently ranked as the 15th best college and 3rd top school for veterans in the West by the U.S. News and World Report. In particular, the School of Management is dedicated to producing graduates who think, lead, and communicate with sustained excellence to succeed in their personal and professional lives.
Master of Business Administration in Financial Planning (MBA-FP)
Considered among the most intensive and comprehensive master’s programs for financial planning in the United States, the Master of Business Administration in Financial Planning (MBA-FP) program is offered in an academically stimulating environment to encourage the highest standards of professionalism in preparation for taking the CFP certification exam. Within the 48-credit program, students are responsible for passing courses in strategic financial analysis, estate planning, risk management, insurance, employee benefits, tax management, retirement planning, investment management, behavioral finance, and managerial accounting. Featuring access to the same nationally recognized faculty, the program is flexible to accommodate the needs of students with fully online and on-campus format options.
Accreditations
Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)
Contact
60 West Olsen Road
Thousand Oaks, CA 91360
(805) 493-3335
clugrad@callutheran.edu
http://www.callutheran.edu/management/programs/mba-financial-planning/
Drexel University Sacramento
LeBow College of Business
As a satellite extension center of the major private non-profit research institution headquartered in Philadelphia, Drexel University Sacramento was opened in 2009 to serve the West Coast with a central location in the Capitol Mall overlooking the Tower Bridge spanning the Sacramento River. Named among the top 200 universities in the world by the Times Higher Education, Drexel is currently ranked as the 95th best college, 10th top up-and-coming school, and 18th best university for veterans in the nation by the U.S. News and World Report. With a shining reputation for maintaining a network of over 1,600 corporate, governmental, and non-profit partners for cooperative education, the LeBow College of Business is also acclaimed for having an award-winning faculty ranked among the top 75 in the world for research in finance.
Master of Science in Finance (MSF)
Offering a more focused curriculum than an MBA to enable qualified graduate students to further their education specifically in the field of finance, the Master of Science in Finance (MSF) program is intended for both domestic and international students who are interested in an advanced career for leadership in the financial services industry. Utilizing the technology available in the state-of-the-art facilities within close proximity to Silicon Valley, the program is completed in just 18 months of full-time year-round graduate studies in a hybrid format that blends face-to-face interaction with online learning. Students in the 54-credit program also collaborate with Drexel students in Philadelphia in preparation for taking the CFA exam.
Accreditations
Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
Contact
1 Capitol Mall Suite 260
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 325-4600
sacramento@drexel.edu
http://sacramento.drexel.edu/academics/master-finance/
Golden Gate University
Edward S. Ageno School of Business
Headquartered in the heart of San Francisco’s downtown financial district with satellite campus locations in Los Angeles, Santa Clara, Seattle, and online, Golden Gate University is a small private non-profit institution with more than 110 years of experience in helping adults achieve their professional goals in business-related areas. With a total enrollment of over 5,000 students, GGU is California’s fourth oldest private institution that is renowned for being a pioneer in adult education with an emphasis on hands-on learning. In the Edward S. Ageno School of Business, students are prepared for managerial and professional careers in a wide range of business disciplines through innovative programs that blend theory with practicality.
Master of Science in Finance
Established as an advanced technical degree to provide in-depth exposure to the fundamental principles of finance, the Master of Science in Finance program ensures that all graduates have acquired the specialized skills needed to immediately join organizations in the role of financial manager, investment adviser, portfolio manager, corporate banker, or security analyst. With concentrations offered in General Finance, Corporate Finance, and Investment Management, the program is designed for graduate students who have already made a professional commitment to this key business discipline. In addition to the on-campus program in San Francisco, there is the option for students to fulfill all 33 required credits online without setting foot in a classroom and confer with faculty 24 hours a day from the comfort of home.
Master of Science in Financial Planning
Intended to satisfy the educational requirements needed to achieve the premier Certified Financial Planner (CFP) designation, the Master of Science in Financial Planning program is focused on providing in-depth understanding of this rapidly growing field for graduate students specifically aspiring to become financial planners, investment advisers, or money managers. With a unique emphasis on the emotional and psychological predispositions that facilitate the development of successful financial plans, the program delivers the technical and relational skills necessary for supporting clients’ progress through important life goals. Students can choose to pursue the degree on the San Francisco campus or online with web-enhanced coursework in a self-paced flexible schedule.
Accreditations
Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)
Contact
536 Mission Street
San Francisco, CA 94105
(415) 442-6500
nabumustafa@ggu.edu
http://www.ggu.edu/programs/finance
La Sierra University
Tom and Vi Zapara School of Business
Founded in 1922 by the Seventh-day Adventist Church from the Rancho La Sierra Mexican land grant as a faith-based comprehensive private institution, La Sierra University is now home to more than 2,000 diverse students on a 100-acre suburban campus in Riverside within the Inland Empire metropolitan area. Recognized by the Corporation for National and Community Service for the Honor Roll with Distinction, La Sierra is currently ranked as the 56th best college in the West by the U.S. News and World Report. While developing a deeper relationship with God, the Tom and Vi Zapara School of Business delivers innovative programs that encourage moral responsibility, collaboration, entrepreneurship, and social justice.
Full-Time MBA with a Concentration in Finance
Designed to deliver the knowledge, abilities, values, and skills needed to build an advanced career for a more secure future, the Full-Time MBA program is available on-campus in Riverside for graduate students from around the world who are motivated by a commitment to social justice in the world of business. In the close-knit active community, MBA students benefit from a rich variety of cultural, ethnic, religious, professional, linguistic, and social experiences to enhance learning about shaping business practices in new ways. Students who choose a Concentration in Finance will build on the broad-based core to focus their studies on the management of money, risk, and time. Graduates with this concentration are well-equipped for entering the marketplace as financial analysts, financial advisors, investment bankers, security analysts, and financial managers.
Accreditations
Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)
Contact
4500 Riverwalk Parkway
Riverside, CA 92505
(951) 785-2064
mba@lasierra.edu
http://lasierra.edu/business/graduate-degrees/#full_time_mba
Pacific States University
College of Business
With an illustrious history in providing comprehensive education in the fields of business and computer science to over 12,000 graduates since 1928, Pacific States University is a nationally accredited independent institution situated in the heart of downtown Los Angeles. As a multi-purpose professional university, PSU prides itself on offering small class sizes, a well-educated faculty, extensive library collections, stimulating study abroad experiences, high-tech computer laboratories, and internships in the surrounding major global markets. The College of Business offers programs to students of varied backgrounds to cover the theoretical, technical, and practical sides of business for joining the field in changing times.
MBA with a Concentration in Finance
Since finance is playing an increasingly important role in meeting national goals, encouraging economic development, and globalizing our world’s economy, the Master of Business Administration (MBA) program offers a Concentration in Finance for graduate students seeking to build on their major business core with tools needed in financial management. In covering the economic, political, cultural, ethical, and social aspects of finance, the concentration combines financial theories with practical applications to ensure graduates have the knowledge needed to make well-informed financial decisions. Within the 60-unit program, students will take coursework related to intermediate accounting, personnel management, economics, managerial finance, organizational behavior, marketing, technology, investments, financial markets, business finance, and international finance.
Accreditations
Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS)
Contact
3450 Wilshire Blvd. Suite 500
Los Angeles, CA 90010
(323) 731-2383
admissions@psuca.edu
http://psuca.edu/node/68
San Diego State University
College of Business Administration
Strategically located on a culturally diverse 283-acre urban campus in San Diego within just one hour from the Mexican border, San Diego State University is a leading comprehensive public doctoral degree-granting research institution with a total enrollment of more than 35,000 students each year. Ranked as the 30th best university for veterans within Military Times Edge magazine, SDSU is currently named the 149th best college and 78th top public school in America by the U.S. News and World Report. As one of the top business schools ranked in the Global 200 Business Schools Report, the College of Business Administration is also acclaimed for being the 87th best business school with the 101st top part-time MBA program.
MBA with Finance Specialization
Offering flexible academic schedules for both full-time and part-time students, the MBA program at SDSU is built with a general management focus to assist graduate students in developing the professional capacities to formulate and communicate strategies for solving complex business problems. Within the 39-45 credit program, students can choose a Finance Specialization to supplement their masters degree with specialized skills that ensure organizations have the funding needed to compete in its served markets. Since career opportunities for finance graduates are quite diverse, the specialization also provides several tracks for students to choose from to concentrate their professional expertise in Business Corporations, Nonprofit Organizations, Brokerages and Investment Companies, Financial Institutions, or General Finance before completing the culminating capstone experience.
Accreditations
Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
Western Association of Colleges and Schools (WASC)
Contact
5500 Campanile Drive
San Diego, CA 92182
(619) 594-5323
Mehdi.Salehizadeh@sdsu.edu
https://cbaweb.sdsu.edu/finance
University of California – Santa Cruz
Economics Department
Combining the personalized attention of a small liberal arts college with the academic rigor of a major public research institution, the University of California – Santa Cruz is home to a residential learning community of over 16,500 students on a vast 2,000-acre suburban campus in the beach town of Santa Cruz overlooking Monterey Bay. As the recipient of many awards for its sustainability programs near the Silicon Valley, UCSC is currently ranked as the 85th best college, 35th top public school, and 21st best value university in the nation by the U.S. News and World Report. Within the accredited grad school, the Economics Department is acclaimed for hosting the 58th best economics masters degree programs in the United States.
M.S. in Applied Economics and Finance
Structured as a one-year program to prepare students for careers in business, international or domestic banking, consulting firms, non-profit organizations, and government agencies, the M.S. in Applied Economics and Finance program combines economic theories with meaningful practical applications that graduates are likely to face in their professional endeavors. With a more applied orientation than typical finance degree programs, the curriculum provides in-depth analytical training in economics, statistics, econometrics, finance, and financial engineering. The program has an emphasis on exposing students to large-scale financial and microeconomic datasets throughout their coursework. For completion, students must pass a comprehensive exam or work with a faculty member to complete a master’s research project.
Accreditations
Western Association of Colleges and Schools (WASC)
Contact
1156 High Street
Santa Cruz, CA 95064
(831) 459-4077
rfairlie@ucsc.edu
http://economics.ucsc.edu/academics/graduate-program/ms.html
University of Southern California
Department of Mathematics
Since opening its doors in 1880 when Los Angeles was little more than a pioneer town, the University of Southern California has grown considerably to become one of the world’s leading comprehensive private research-intensive institutions with more than 41,000 students in one of America’s largest metropolises. Well-known for fostering a vibrant culture by enrolling more international students than any other U.S. university, USC is currently ranked as the 25th best college, 41st top value school, and 5th best up-and-coming college nationwide by the U.S. News and World Report. Even more importantly, the Department of Mathematics is highly regarded for having the 46th best graduate math programs in the United States.
Master of Science in Mathematical Finance (MSMF)
Rooted in the objective of producing graduates with a rigorous foundation in economic theory and mathematical modeling to succeed in today’s volatile financial markets, the Master of Science in Mathematical Finance (MSMF) is an intensive advanced degree program that seeks to train a new generation of students with the requisite scientific skills necessary within the globalized financial industry of the 21st century. Unlike other programs offered at even the best finance schools in the nation, the MSMF is more focused on helping students acquire good mathematical knowledge of stochastic processes, an understanding of the structure of financial markets, and a professional ability in conducting numerical analysis. For completion of this finance major, students will need to accumulate at least 30 units of coursework on-campus.
Accreditations
Western Association of Colleges and Schools (WASC)
Contact
3620 South Vermont Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90089
(213) 740-2400
mathinfo@college.usc.edu
https://dornsife.usc.edu/mathematical-finance/
When you choose to attend one of these top-notch accredited graduate schools to earn one of the accredited masters level finance programs in California, you will benefit from unlocking diverse career opportunities in a field that is lush with great earning potential and growing at the fast rate of 23% over the next decade!
Another helpful resource:
Frequently Asked Questions about Finance Degrees and Careers
