I’ll be graduating my undergraduate program next year with a bachelors of science in Accounting. I would like to get my Master’s Degree in Finance right after, but I don’t know what to expect. Do I just attend a class twice per week like I do for my undergraduate degree, do homework, and have an exam at the end of the semester, or is it more complicated than that? Thanks!
degree, Getting, Masters, pretty, similar, undergraduate
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#1 by repercussionist on September 7, 2010 - 3:04 pm
It depends where you go to school. My school and for most people I know, the class structure was similar to undergrad degrees — class meets two or three times a week. There will be a LOT more “homework,” but assignments tend to number fewer yet require much more work, and account for much more of your final grade.
As far as exams, that will vary by school and program. Some programs will favor final exams, some will favor final projects.
#2 by CoachT on September 7, 2010 - 3:49 pm
For an MS in Finance that’s pretty much it but the classes will function a bit different than they do in undergrad. You’ll have far more discussions and they’ll get deeper into the subject. When a professor asks you to read the text before the class – they actually expect you to come to class with the text read. They won’t be lecturing from the text so much as undergrads do.
When you complete assignments, they expect you to have your own interpretations and opinions as well as good support for them. It’s much less spewing back facts and a lot of using the facts you’ve learned to solve real problems. There is a lot of writing involved and it’s not stuff you can do at the last minute.
I find graduate study much more to my liking.
Add: Mac is correct about the lack of C students in grad school. It’s actually really nice to be in classes where most of your peers clearly understand what’s going on. As for the CPA exam, most states are now requiring 150 hours just to sit the exam – why get a 150 hour bachelor’s when you can get a 120 bachelor’s and about 30 master’s in the same time? Even if you want to do the CPA or CMA thing, get the master’s.
#3 by mac77 on September 7, 2010 - 3:58 pm
Structure same as undergraduate, however, the competition is tougher. In graduate school, the students accepted had been filtered through with a minimum of a B average. Thus most if not all students in grad school are those who received grades in the A to B level unlike undergrad where there are lots of C students. As an accountant major your top priority should be passing the CPA exam not grad school.
#4 by OrangeKitten on September 7, 2010 - 4:24 pm
MS Finance program will be very similar to a business undergrad program. The courses are structured and fairly rigid (though you can focus on what area to specialize such as corporate finance, investments, or whatever you choose); lots of focus on examinations and drawing up analysis through quant measures then using succinct English to summarize your results that a layman can understand. These are typically non-thesis based since the emphasis is on developing practical skills rather than theoretical.. There’s some theory you’ll learn but this is not an econ program so the emphasis is not on that. Like any grad program, you’ll be expected to produce higher quality work, with more developed ideas.
#5 by smallbizperson on September 7, 2010 - 4:40 pm
Talk to the graduate adviser for the business school and they can walk you through the requirements, the classes and what to expect. They should be happy, also, to introduce you to a couple of students currently in the program, so that you can get the student’s viewpoint as well.
Given the current job market, you may be better served to work a couple of years in accounting and then apply to graduate school. Finance people have been getting laid off in droves, but businesses still need accountants.