Master of Finance
Master of Finance
Kickstart Your Finance Career
UMD Smith’s Master of Finance (MFin) program gives you the advanced knowledge you’ll need to launch an exciting career in finance. Our students are data-informed, analytical thinkers who are interested in applying the latest finance technologies to careers in corporate investment, risk management and asset allocation.
Why Get a Smith Master of Finance Degree?
UMD Smith's Master of Finance provides you with a sophisticated, high-level understanding of finance. We’ll help you acquire in-demand technical skills, critically think through financial obstacles and explore ways to communicate complex financial ideas to others.
Learn useful skills that can prepare you to take the Certified Financial Analyst (CFA) and the Financial Risk Manager (FRM) exams.
Combine the theories you learn in class with projects and experiences that mirror what you'll do in the workplace.
Explore key finance concepts and learn the latest industry technologies, such as Python and R.
Upcoming Master of Finance Events
Admissions, Info Session
Master's Programs Application Tips & Tricks
Monday, December 11, 2023
8:30 AM EST
View Event
Master's Programs Application Tips & Tricks
8:30 AM EST
Admissions, Info Session
Which Business Master’s Program is Right for Me?
Tuesday, December 19, 2023
8:30 AM EST
View Event
Which Business Master’s Program is Right for Me?
8:30 AM EST
Top 20 Public College for High-paying Jobs in Finance, U.S.
Wall Street Journal, 2023
Alumni Profiles
Our MFin students pursue competitive and exciting finance opportunities in their fields after graduating. Their experiences at UMD Smith helped them to expand their network, solidify their career goals and prepared them to perform their job responsibilities a step above the rest.
“The finance career coach, Pauline Ma, is like my mentor — or even family. Pauline helped me explore who I am as a person, which allowed me to find opportunities that triggered my interests.”
Fang Yu (Louis) Liu
Master of Finance ’21
“Professor Kozak went above and beyond to make sure I had a deep understanding of the material.”
Michelle Weinfeld
Master of Finance ’20
Forensic Investigation and Litigation Support Associate at BDO
“Doing hands-on projects allowed me to better understand model development, quantitative analytics and technical programming. I was more than prepared to explore the finance world after graduating.”
Xinyue (Sherry) Zhang
Master of Finance ’16
Risk Analyst at World Bank Group
Master of Finance at a Glance
2 or 3
Semesters
30
Credits
3.4
Average GPA
Available as a Plus 1 Program
If you’re a current University of Maryland freshman, sophomore or junior, you can pursue your Master of Finance degree through the Plus 1 program. You’ll save time and thousands of dollars on graduate tuition though this accelerated business master’s program.
Apply and Receive Admissions Benefits
Maryland Advantage can make it easier for applicants who have completed their undergraduate and/or graduate degree in the United States to transition into the business master’s program by helping them save money on tuition, skip graduate entrance exams and get personalized career counseling before starting their program.
Acquire Valuable Skills with STEM Designation
As a Master of Finance (MFin) student, you’ll lean into a wide range of concepts ideal for a career in corporate finance, risk management or asset management. You’ll also put your quantitative skills to full use as you explore concepts and tools, such as:
- Big data and machine learning in finance
- Climate finance
- Corporate and credit risk management
- Credit risk modeling
- Financial data analytics
- Financial strategy
- Institutional asset management
- Mergers and acquisitions
- Portfolio management
- Python
- Quantitative investment
- SAS
- Valuation and business modeling
- Venture capital and private equity
Specialized Career Tracks
Choose a specialized track to acquire the targeted skills you’ll need in your finance career.
Manage a company or individual’s investments and financial portfolio. Future career roles often include investment banking and financial advising.
Understand, quantify and manage the financial impacts connected to climate change. You will develop climate risk models, learn how to valuate assets factoring in climate-related risks and work closely with sponsors to solve a climate-related financial challenge.
Examine a company’s financial picture and learn how to identify, manage and mitigate risk to a company’s earnings. Future career roles often include risk and research analysis and financial consulting.
Learn from Expert Faculty
Your professors are savvy, well-connected finance leaders whose research has changed the world of finance. They will push you to take your skills to the next level and offer valuable guidance as you navigate your coursework and career.
His seminal 1985 paper, nicknamed Kyle '85 by Nobel laureates and others, changed the thinking on the way markets operate.
Co-creator of an entire field of finance research – market microstructure (The Kyle Model).
Expert in market microstructure, corporate finance, asset pricing and management, and private equity.
Founding executive director of the Federal Statistical Research Data Center at UMD Smith.
Expert in mergers and acquisitions, investments, and corporate governance.
Former finance executive at Citigroup, Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae and Washington Mutual.
Expert in climate, supply chain and health risk management; bank capital issues and housing finance reform.
Academic Director
Michael Cichello
Academic Director, Master of Finance & Master of Quantitative Finance Programs
mcichell@umd.edu
Faculty
Dean’s Professor of Finance
mfaulken@umd.edu
Assistant Professor
skozak@rhsmith.umd.edu
Senior Lecturer
skroncke@rhsmith.umd.edu
Distinguished University Professor
akyle@rhsmith.umd.edu
William A. Longbrake Chair in Finance
vmaksimovic@rhsmith.umd.edu
Professor of the Practice
crossi@umd.edu
Professor
unal@umd.edu
Paul J. Cinquegrana ’63 Endowed Chair in Finance
wermers@umd.edu
Associate Professor
lyang1@umd.edu
Where Your Degree Can Take You
$83K
Average starting salary for our MFin graduates*
74%
Percentage of our MFin grads who have secured within six months of graduating*
41%
Average salary increase of our MFin alumni three years after graduating
Source: UMD Smith’s Office of Career Services
*Data for 2022 graduates who reported their salaries to UMD Smith's Office of Career Services. Please note these figures do not meet the 75 percent MBACSEA reporting threshold.
Picture Yourself in These Job Roles
"There are professors at Smith who are renowned across the world for their theories in finance. It was a unique opportunity to learn material from people who were creating those theories.”
Yulia Ogorodova
Master of Finance ’15
VP of Asset Management; Independence Realty Trust, Inc.
Businesses who have hired our Master of Finance Graduates
- BlackRock
- Capital One
- Citi
- FreddieMac
- HSBC
- Morgan Stanley
- PWC
- RiskSpan
Boost Your Professional Skills
UMD Smith’s Office of Career Services (OCS) can help you bridge the gap between being a student and an employed professional. You’ll have one-on-one access to a career coach who will provide you with personalized tips on how to articulate your strengths when interacting with your future employer.
Connect With Your Classmates
You’ll have plenty of opportunities to make connections at Smith and engage in exciting social activities through the Smith Masters Student Association. You can join an accounting-related club or others that provide you with general connections and skills.
Contact Us
Business Master's Office
2303 Van Munching Hall
College Park, Maryland 20742-1815
Phone: 301-405-2559
E-mail: SmithMasters@umd.edu
Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday