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MS in Finance

Two student looking at a computer screen with a professor speaking to a student in the background.

Get graduate-level training in finance at a Research 1 university in the heart of Chicago.

The Master of Science in Finance at UIC Liautaud is a 32-credit-hour accredited program -- STEM designated -- at a Research 1 university overlooking downtown Chicago. MSF students gain a solid foundation in the principles of modern finance, and specialize in one of four areas: corporate finance, asset management, banking and capital markets, and commodities, derivatives, and financial exchanges. Students perform coursework in the Market Training Lab, a virtual trading center featuring state-of-the-art industry software.

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Important Dates

International Applicants

Fall Semester Deadline
February 15
Spring Semester Deadline
July 15

Domestic Applicants

Fall Semester Deadline - MSA, MSBA, MSF, MSM, MSMIS, MBA Priority
June 15
Spring Semester Deadline
November 1

Curriculum

The MSF program provides a strong foundation in the principles and practice of modern finance. The program introduces the latest concepts and issues affecting today’s financial professionals.  

STEM-designation: The program is STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) designated for its focus on advanced quantitative skills.

Fast-paced and flexible: Thirty-two credit hour degree program that can be completed in one year full-time study (or more than one year of part-time study). 

Areas of Specialization: 
The program offers tracks including:

  1. Corporate Finance
  2. Asset Management
  3. Commodities, Derivatives, and  Financial Exchanges
  4. Banking & Capital Markets

 

Market Training Lab: Virtual trading center featuring industry software products, and academic research data.   

Financial Certification Preparation: Preparation for professional exams. 

More Information

  • For a full list of requirements, including prerequisites, visit the UIC Catalog
  • For a full list of offered courses, visit the Course Catalog
  • For information about tuition and fees, visit the Tuition Office
  • To view the MSF brochure, click here.

Program Outcomes

Preparation for a range of finance occupations. 

View Degree Requirements

Required Courses (12 hours)
FIN510
Investments
FIN520
Corporate Finance
FIN570
Quantitative Methods in Finance
Electives (20 hours)
Elective courses will be selected in consultation with an advisor based upon student's educational and professional goals. Courses can be chosen from following list of approved electives; other courses may be chosen with approval of director of graduate studies. At most, 8 hours can be in disciplines other than finance.
FIN512
Portfolio Analysis
FIN516
Theory and Structure of Options and Futures Markets
FIN530
Money and Banking
FIN531
Capital Markets
FIN542
International Finance
FIN551
Financial Decision Making I
FIN571
Empirical Issues in Finance
FIN594
Special Topics in Finance
FIN596
Independent Study in Finance
ACTG502
Financial Accounting I
ACTG516
Financial Statement Analysis
ACTG585
Corporate Valuation and Accounting Information
IDS572
Data Mining for Business
IDS 582/ECON537
Time Series Econometrics
IDS 583/ECON538
Business Research and Forecasting II

Program Faculty

Ozgur Arslan-Ayaydin headshot

Ozgur Arslan-Ayaydin

Clinical Associate Professor of Finance
Head and shoulder photo of Gib Bassett

Gib Bassett

Department Head of Finance
Andriy Bodnaruk, Associate Professor of Finance

Andriy Bodnaruk

Associate Professor of Finance

Featured Courses

FIN 594: Energy Markets and Contracting

There is growing demand for business professionals and engineers alike who understand how energy is traded on the open market. This course will teach business majors how the energy industry determines pricing and market options, and will also teach engineers how financial markets operate. Students in both fields will learn how consumers use new technologies to minimize energy costs, and how they obtain their own energy contracts from marketing organizations.

Co-taught by adjunct professors in Business and Engineering.

For more information, contact: gib@uic.edu

FIN 594: Behavioral Finance

Standard finance theory assumes that market participants are rational, an assumption that leaves basic facts of the stock market unexplained. By assuming that some investors aren’t fully rational, behavioral finance better explains some financial phenomena. This course will focus on two areas: limits to arbitrage and how rational traders react to irrational traders, and investor psychology and the deviations from full rationality we can expect to find in financial markets.

For more information, contact Andriy Bodnaruk at bodnaruk@uic.edu.

FIN 594 Securities Markets and High-Frequency Trading

Learn how securities are traded in modern electronic financial markets. You'll uncover the design, operation, and regulation of trading processes with a special emphasis placed on trading simulations related to agency trading, liability trading, and market
making. This course is suited to people who plan to work or are interested in securities exchanges and trading.

Rahul Pipalia

The MSF program at UIC helped me get a thorough understanding of key concepts and how financial services industry works. The curriculum is very hands on and the professors follow a practical approach to problem solving. The courses are data driven and help you prepare for the rigorous demands of the industry. I highly recommend it i to anyone with a keen interest in finance and investments.

Rahul Pipalia, OneMain Holdings, Inc.
Class of '17

Student Organizations/Activities

The Graduate Finance and Investment Group (GFIG) sponsors talks by Chicago finance professionals on recent developments in Finance.

Students participate in investment challenge competitions against other universities. 

Career Placements

Financial Analyst, Portfolio Manager, Trader, Risk Management, Corporate Finance, Commercial Banking

Resources

The MSF program offers resources to enhance your educational experience including talks by executives from Chicago financial exchanges and trading firms. The market trading lab introduces software used by industry professionals.

Business Career Center

Job search facilitated by the Business Career Center. Professional guidance enables an efficient job search tailored to career goals.

Market Training Lab

The Lab offers tutorials that introduce trading and statistical software.