Finance (M.S.)
The global financial industry is evolving rapidly. To stay ahead, successful finance experts need to understand how the industry’s key players—commercial and investment banks, investment management companies, hedge funds, private equity firms, and regulatory agencies—operate and thrive in this environment.
At Stuart School of Business, students can study in a nationally-ranked Master of Science in Finance program in the exciting city of Chicago, home to the world’s largest markets in financial derivatives. They learn the latest industry-relevant ideas and technologies from faculty who are both practitioners and scholars, bringing their career knowledge and understanding of the marketplace directly to the classroom.
Partnerships with alumni and other leaders in the finance industry provide opportunities for students to gain valuable experience as they work on real-world projects, engage in internships at top companies, and network with finance professionals.
Program Overview
In the Master of Science in Finance program, students learn the latest industry-relevant ideas and technologies from faculty who bring their career knowledge of the marketplace to the classroom. As a leading financial center, Chicago offers abundant opportunities for internships and networking.
Career Opportunities
The Master of Science Finance program prepares graduates to step into a variety of specialized careers in the finance industry, including positions such as quantitative financial analyst, financial risk manager, financial engineer, derivative trader or originator, portfolio manager, hedge fund manager, corporate financial analyst, equity analyst, credit risk analyst, financial analytics or technology specialist, and more.
Companies that have hired Stuart School of Business finance graduates include:
- Chicago Board Options Exchange
- CME Group
- Eurex
- Federal Reserve Bank
- J.P. Morgan
- Morningstar
- Northern Trust Corporation
- Nuveen Investments
The finance program builds on a solid foundation in financial mathematics, statistics, and modeling. A selection of elective concentrations—ranging from corporate finance to high-frequency trading to risk management—allows students to build valuable expertise in industry specializations.
- Completed Online Application
- Official transcript submission with a minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
- GMAT or GRE score within five years of testing date. The GRE or GMAT requirement may be waived on a case-by-case basis for highly qualified applicants based on work experience and prior academic performance
- Official TOEFL or IELTS score, if required. A minimum score of 85 on the internet-based TOEFL, 600 on the paper-based TOEFL, or 7.0 on the IELTS exam is required for admission consideration
- A one-page professional statement of goals and objectives
- At least one letter of recommendation from an academic or professional reference
The Chicago Talent Pipeline Scholarship supports motivated individuals to advance their career paths in Chicago’s dynamic finance industry. Domestic candidates for the Master of Science in Finance program may apply for the scholarship, which awards students up to $20,000 toward this degree program.
In the classroom and through a variety of activities at Stuart School of Business, Veronika Shestakova developed the skills that are bringing her professional success.
Veronika Shestakova (BA/M.S. FIN ’18)
Ahsan Lodhika picked Illinois Tech because of its accelerated master’s degree program and strong finance program. As an intern at CME Group, he saw the value of his business studies in his on-the-job experience.
Ahsan Lodhika (BA/M.S. FIN '19)
There were reasons for Oscar Cazelez to give up. He never did, and then graduated from Illinois Tech with two degrees and a path toward success.
Oscar Cazalez (BA/M.S. FIN ’18)
Aiman Moizuddin learned quickly that her education at Illinois Tech would put her on the path to success. She made sure to take full advantage.
Aiman Moizuddin (BA/M.S. FIN ’19)
A capstone project with Associate Professor Sang Baum Kang gave Trevor Wheeler the chance to build on his classroom learning and to show his understanding of investments and trading.
Trevor Wheeler (M.B.A./M.S. FIN ’19)Featured Faculty
Yiwei Fang
Ricky “Rick” Cooper
Haizhi Wang
Benjamin E. Van Vliet
Sang Baum “Solomon” Kang
Michael Rybak
Li Cai
Excellence in Teaching
Associate Professor of Finance Sang Baum “Solomon” Kang is the recipient of the 2021 Stuart School of Business Excellence in Teaching Award. One of his students wrote that “I can tell that he truly wants to be an educator and see his students learn.”
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