Jon M. Huntsman School of Business
Department of Economics and Finance
Description
The Master of Financial Economics (MFE) is designed as a terminal, professional degree in financial economics. The curriculum includes courses in the key areas of finance and the supporting areas of economics and quantitative methods. It is intended to prepare students for a wide range of careers both within and outside the financial industry, including risk management, asset management, macroeconomic and financial forecasting, trading, and financial and economic research. In conjunction with their program of study, students may pursue well-known external certifications, which include the Certified Financial Analyst (CFA) or Certified Financial Planner (CFP).
CFA: The Certified Financial Analyst specialization is designed to help students pass the first CFA exam (i.e., Level I exam) at the end of their second semester in the program. The CFA is the most internationally recognized and credible credential for financial professionals and is earned by passing a series of analytically rigorous exams.
CFP: The Certified Financial Planner specialization is designed to help students pass the CFP® exam at the end of their second semester. The CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification is the standard of excellence in financial planning. CFP® professionals meet rigorous education, training, and ethical standards, and are committed to serving their clients’ best interests today to prepare them for a more secure tomorrow. The CFP® specialization offers courses that have been approved by the CFP® Board to meet the education requirements to sit for the CFP® exam.
Bloomberg Terminals and Training: Bloomberg is synonymous with real-time financial information. Every major financial institution hosts Bloomberg terminals. Due to the expense, however, very few universities provide access to Bloomberg. The Department of Economics and Finance at the Huntsman School of Business is one of these select few. These terminals not only support classroom instruction and faculty research but provide a means for students to become certified in the use of Bloomberg – a skill that provides value to future employers on day one of your professional career.
Opportunity to help manage real money: Students may take courses where they make asset allocation, trading, risk management, and credit decisions under the direction of a faculty member who is an experienced financial professional. This valuable experiential learning will help you apply what you learn and allow you to stand out in the marketplace.
Degree Requirements
The MFE program requires a minimum of 30 credits from an approved program of study with at least 15 credits from 6000-level courses with an FIN/ECN prefix or higher. More information about courses and specific fields of study can be found at https://huntsman.usu.edu/mfe/.
Graduate School Requirements
A bachelor’s degree from an accredited U.S. college or university or a similarly recognized international university is required for admission to and completion of a graduate program.
Graduate students are required to maintain at least a 3.0 GPA for degree-program courses. Grades of C- or lower will not be accepted for a graduate degree.
A master’s degree must be completed within six years of entering the degree program. Additional time may be requested by the student’s committee and submitted to the Vice Provost of Graduate Studies for review. Coursework over eight years old at the time of degree completion may not be used for a graduate degree unless it is revalidated.