Master of Finance
Master of Finance
Why Earn a Master of Finance at the Smith School?
Build the Finance Skills Employers Value Most
The Master of Finance equips you with the analytical and strategic thinking to solve complex financial challenges. You'll develop the financial judgment and critical thinking needed to help organizations make informed decisions, using emerging technologies to uncover deeper insights.
You can tailor your education through focus areas in Asset Management, Climate Finance and Corporate Finance and Risk Management, allowing you to deepen your understanding in areas that best align with your career goals.
Through experiential learning, industry engagement and guidance from award-winning faculty, we’ll prepare you to manage investments, risk and communicate insights that create measurable business value.
(U.S. News & World Report, 2026)
Why Smith?
- Develop foundational business knowledge through a top-tier, comprehensive graduate curriculum.
- Apply what you learn through experiential consulting projects with leading companies, financial institutions and public-sector organizations.
- Learn from faculty and advisory council members with experience across multiple industries.
- Collaborate with peers through team-based projects and applied learning experiences.
Who Is the Master of Finance For?
Designed for Analytical Thinkers Ready to Lead in Finance
The Master of Finance is designed for recent graduates from a diverse range of academic backgrounds who want to gain in-demand skills in financial analysis, evaluation and critical thinking. Most come into the program with quantitative abilities, but the strongest candidates also bring analytical curiosity, attention to detail, and an ability to translate numbers into business decisions.
Ideal candidates include:
- Individuals who want to bridge the gap between financial theory and application.
- Those who value face-to-face interaction with clients.
- Results-oriented analysts who want to leverage financial data to drive business decisions.
- International students seeking valuable work experience in the United States.
What Will You Learn in the Master of Finance Program?
Develop the Financial Expertise Today's Markets Demand
Learn to turn complex financial data into clear insights, sound decisions, and actionable strategies. Build the expertise to confidently navigate changing markets and create value for organizations and investors.
With a Master of Finance, you'll be able to:
Use data to evaluate financial opportunities, assess risks and develop strategic recommendations.
Use financial technology to build models, manage risk and evaluate investments.
Build and manage diversified investment portfolios based on financial objectives and risk tolerance.
Evaluate investment opportunities, optimize capital resources, predict market outcomes and assess long-term financial risk.
Evaluate potential mergers and acquisitions, negotiate transactions and identify opportunities for business growth.
Analyze large datasets more efficiently, identify patterns and trends and support business decisions with responsible AI.
Apply What You Learn
You’ll develop these skills through:
- Experiential learning projects with leading financial institutions and organizations, including Capital One, Deloitte, Google and more.
- Management of a portion of Smith’s Global Equity Fund, where you’ll learn how investment decisions are made in a professional asset management setting.
- You'll graduate prepared for analytical, strategic and client-facing roles across the financial services industry.
Doing hands-on projects allowed me to better understand model development, quantitative analytics and technical programming. I was more than prepared to explore the financial world after graduating.
Xinyue (Sherry) Zhang
Risk Officer at The World Bank
Career Outcomes
More than 4 in 5 of Smith’s most recent business master’s graduates secured employment within 180 days of graduation, reporting an average salary of $87K. As financial professionals advance in their career, they can earn a median annual salary of $161K in the U.S.
Sources: UMD Smith Office of Career Services (Class of 2025); Bureau of Labor Statistics (2024)
Career Paths
- Asset Management
- Financial Consulting
- Financial Planning and Analysis
- Investment Research
- Private Wealth Management
- Financial Risk and Compliance
- Treasury and Cash Flow Operations
Industries
- Asset Management
- Banking
- Financial Consulting
- Financial Services
- Investments
- Private Equity
- Securities Trading
Learn From Faculty Shaping the Future of Finance
Teaching That Translates into Real-World Impact
You’ll learn from faculty who are experts in the world of finance. Their research influences financial institutions, informs public policy and brings the latest in finance to the classroom.
Michael Cichello is the academic director of the program.
Albert “Pete” Kyle |
Liu Yang |
Russ Wermers |
How Is AI Integrated Throughout the Curriculum?
Support Stronger Financial Decisions with AI
In the Master of Finance program, you’ll learn how to use AI to analyze financial data, identify trends and evaluate risk. You’ll also learn how to enhance financial modeling, forecasting and investment research while reinforcing the importance of sound judgment, communication and decision-making – skills that AI can’t replace.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. A Master of Finance equips you with financial skills, technical expertise and hands-on experience that can help you stand out in a competitive job market. This degree also provides a deeper specialization into finance than at the undergraduate level, which can open the door to stronger career opportunities.
UMD Smith pairs finance education with collaborative learning, experiential projects and industry engagement. You'll learn from experienced faculty, work with real financial data and develop the practical skills employers value in today's financial professionals.
No. The Master of Finance welcomes students from a variety of academic backgrounds. While applicants do not need to have majored in business or finance, a foundation in quantitative coursework can help prepare them for the analytical rigor of the curriculum.
Have More Questions?
The Smith School's Graduate Admissions Office is here to help. Whether you have questions about the curriculum, admissions requirements, application process or student experience, we’re happy to help you determine if the Master of Finance is the right fit for your goals.
Graduate Admissions
2303 Van Munching Hall
College Park, MD 20742-1815
Phone: 301-405-2559
Email: smithmasters@umd.edu
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Connect With Us
Questions? Contact the MBA & Business Master's Admissions Office at 301-405-2559 or SmithMasters@umd.edu.