Finance Schools

Business and finance are popular fields of study, and there are finance schools to meet every educational level (associate’s degree, B.A., M.A, PhD) and every learning style (traditional, full-time, part-time or distance learning). A degree in finance is useful in almost every field a student wishes to enter, and can be combined with almost any other degree area of study to create rather interesting and valuable joint degrees. For instance, combining the disciplines of art and finance can allow one who has a passion for art to become an art dealer.

Finance schools usually have a large variety of courses to choose from. The standard first year course load at most finance schools includes classes in financial management, agency theory, financial math, stock and bond valuation, theory and practice of capital budgeting. These classes use problem solving and the case analysis method to gain knowledge and experience with situations in finance. Second year classes at most financial schools include: measurement of risk and return, capital asset, pricing, cost of capital, lease financing, derivative securities, project analysis, common stock and analyzing spreadsheets.

Those who wish to pursue a more advanced financial education after going to finance schools can enroll in an MBA program, although many believe that they have gained sufficient qualifications from a four year degree to enter into the work force. Many employers will agree to send their employees to finance schools by granting a loan for which a fee is deducted from salaries upon completion of the degrees. Many employees choose to attend finance schools at night rather than take advantage of these programs, since an employer who funds an employee’s degree will require him or her to work at the firm for a number of years afterward, and networking at finance schools might lead to better options.

Those who go to finance schools to obtain a Ph.D. are usually interested in becoming full-time instructors in the area of finance. Although many of these Ph.D. candidates have spent many years learning at financial schools, they usually have substantial experience in the business world as well.