Financial Analysis Graduate Certificate

Certificate in Financial Analysis

Jeff Jones, Program Director
Glass Hall, Room 300; Phone 417-837-5504

Email: MBAProgram@MissouriState.edu
Website: MBA.MissouriState.edu

Elizabeth Reger, Graduate Program Coordinator
Glass Hall, Room 223; Phone: 417-836-5616
Email: ElizabethReger@MissouriState.edu

Program description

The Graduate Certificate in Financial Analysis is designed for students who wish to pursue a career in financial analysis.  The certificate will help prepare students to pass the Level I Chartered Financial Analysis (CFA) Exam and will provide a foundation for further study in preparation for the Level II and Level III CFA Exams.

Admission requirements

  1. The student must hold a bachelor's degree from a college or university accredited by agencies recognized by Missouri State University or equivalent education from a foreign university.
  2. A student must meet one of the following criteria for admission to the Graduate Certificate in Financial Analysis program:
    1. Satisfy the following condition: (Undergraduate GPA X 200) + GMAT ≥ 1200.
    2. Achieve an average GPA of 3.50 in the following three undergraduate courses: FIN 390, FIN 485, FIN 586 (or FIN 686 equivalent).
    3. Achieve an average GPA of at least 3.50 in the following three graduate courses: FIN 685, FIN 686, FIN 787.
  3. The student must submit an application online.
  4. Application Fee:
    1. For first-time degree-seeking graduate students, pay the non-refundable graduate application fee.
    2. Students applying online will be prompted to pay the fee by credit cared or electronic check.
    3. NOTE: applications will not be processed if the graduate application fee has not been paid.
  5. Transcripts:
    1. Submit to the Graduate College one (1) official transcript showing all course work for the bachelor's degree and any graduate-level work. At minimum, the bachelor's transcript must show grades for the last 60 hours of course work. Missouri State University transcripts do not need to be requested.
    2. NOTE: transcripts are not considered official unless they are received directly from the institution where the coursework was completed. A transcript that is hand-delivered by a student is considered unofficial even if it does have the seal from the institution or received in an unopened envelope. In addition, students sending transcripts while coursework for a bachelor's degree is in progress will need to send another official copy showing that they have been awarded a bachelor's degree.
  6. Acceptance into this certificate program does not imply acceptance into any other Missouri State University master's program.

Prerequisite courses

The following foundation courses (or their equivalents) are considered prerequisite courses for the Graduate Certificate in Financial Analysis program:

A student that has completed an undergraduate degree in finance or a related field will generally have satisfied most or all of the prerequisite course requirements.

Required courses (12 - 18 hrs)

Course Code Course Title Credit Hours
FIN 6821 International Financial Management 0-3 hrs
FIN 6851 Portfolio Management and Alternative Assets 0-3 hrs
FIN 6861 International Financial Statement Analysis 0-3 hrs
FIN 6871 Security Valuation 0-3 hrs
FIN 787 Seminar in Derivatives 3 hrs
FIN 699
OR
FIN 799
Directed Study for CFA Level I Exam
OR
Directed Study for CFA Level II Exam
3 hrs

1 Up to 6 hours of these 600-level classes can be waived if the student has completed the undergraduate version of the course with a grade of B- or better. If the student has completed three of the four classes at the undergraduate level with a grade of B- or better, they must also take QBA 775.  If the student has completed all four classes at the undergraduate level with a grade of B- or better, they must also take FIN 670 and QBA 775. The Graduate Certificate in Financial Analysis requires a minimum of 12 hours.