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    Oct 11, 2024  
American University Catalog 2024-2025 
    
American University Catalog 2024-2025

Finance (MS)


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Offered by the Kogod School of Business , the Finance (MS) program provides students an opportunity to obtain focused training in finance that will prepare them for professionally-oriented careers in finance.

Admission to the Program


In addition to meeting the minimum university requirements for graduate study, applicants must have earned an undergraduate bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution with a satisfactory grade point average and a satisfactory score on the GMAT or the GRE. Applicants who meet certain criteria may apply for a GMAT/GRE waiver; please visit http://www.american.edu/kogod/admissions/ for more information. Applicants whose first language is not English must have a satisfactory score on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).

Prerequisites (must be completed with grades of B or better):

  • 6 undergraduate credit hours of microeconomics and macroeconomics or 3 graduate credit hours in economics
  • 3 credit hours of statistics
  • 6 undergraduate credit hours of financial accounting or 3 graduate credit hours in accounting

These prerequisites can be waived or substituted with the approval of the Department Chair or Program Director, based on prior education or work experience (e.g. undergraduate degree in economics, engineering, etc.).

Degree Requirements


Course Requirements


Foundation (0 credit hours)


Note: ​​​​​​​FIN-060 Foundations of Finance (0)  may be waived without substitution for students who have completed at least 6 credit hours from finance coursework with grades of B or better.

Capstone (3 credit hours)


Complete 3 credit hours from the following:

Electives or Specialization (18 credit hours)


Complete one of the following:

Financial Analytics Specialization


Combined Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees


American University offers students the opportunity to earn both undergraduate and graduate degrees through its combined bachelor’s/master’s programs. Advanced undergraduates admitted to a combined degree program that includes a master’s degree from Kogod are eligible to take graduate-level courses and may apply up to 9 graduate credit hours earned as an undergraduate toward the requirements for both degrees. See Combined Bachelor’s and Kogod School of Business Master’s Programs  for more information.

Business Administration (MBA) and Finance (MS)


For approved dual degree program, see Business Administration (MBA) and Finance (MS) .

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