Program Description

The master of science (M.S.) in finance is designed to provide quantitative and comprehensive examination of the finance field. Students will advance through corporate finance, investments, and market instruments and institutions. Additionally, students will experience significant exposure to supporting coursework in the closely related fields of accounting and economics. A capstone experience will tie together the major finance topics and expose students to literature, and the analysis thereof, pertinent to the field. After a comprehensive examination of the field, students may choose their electives to satisfy their specific career goals.

Program Curriculum

The M.S. in finance requires successful completion of 36 credit hours including 27 required credit hours and 9 credit hours of electives.
The following courses are required for the M.S. in finance:

• BUSN 6070 Management Accounting
• BUSN 6120 Managerial Economics
• FINC 5000 Finance
• FINC 5210 Investments
• FINC 5810 Capital Budgeting and Corporate Investments
• FINC 5830 Institutions and Financial Markets
• FINC 5840 International Finance
• FINC 5880 Advanced Corporate Finance
• FINC 6290 Financial Strategies

In addition, students will complete 9 credit hours of graduate electives (= 3 courses).

Prerequisites:

• BUSN 5600 Accounting Theory and Practice
• BUSN 5620 Current Economic Analysis
• BUSN 5760 Applied Business Statistics

Note: Program prerequisites are to be completed before beginning course-work for the M.S. in Finance for those students who have not completed prerequisite courses (or an appropriate equivalent) withing five years of entering the program and having earned a grade of B or better. If the approprate prerequisite course content was completed longer than five years prior to entering the program, the department will allow a waiver if the student demonstrates their command of the content area by successfully completing a waiver examination. The prerequisite courses BUSN 5600 and BUSN 5620 may not count as electives in the 36-credit-hour M.S. in finance.

Webster University St. Louis Graduate Thesis Guidelines

Course Descriptions

BUSN 6070 Management Accounting
The student examines advanced topics in management accounting as these relate to management information needs for planning, control, and decision making. Topics include interpretation of standard cost variances; application of quantitative techniques; evaluation fo divisional performance; activity-based costing; and the behavioral impact of accounting systems. Prerequisites: BUSN 5600 and BUSN 5760.

BUSN 6120 Managerial Economics
The student examines the application of microeconomic theory as applied to the managers' responsibilities within the organization. This course should emphasize the quantitative and qualitative application of economic principles to business analysis. Prerequisites: BUSN 5620 and BUSN 5760.

FINC 5000 Finance (Requisite Course)
The student examines the general nature of financial management, the American financial system, taxes, and the major financial decisions of corporations. Specific attention is given to present value and capital budgeting; risk and asset pricing; financial analysis and forecasting; financial decisions and market efficiency; and capital structure. Problem-solving methodology is used to illustrate the theories and tools in financial decision making. Prerequisite: BUSN 5600 and BUSN 5760 (BUSN 5200 cannot be substituted for FINC 5000.).

FINC 5210 Investments
Principles and methods of investing in securities of business and government. This course is a study of practical management of portfolios containing both fixed-income and equity investments. The course will examine the issues in and the procedures for security analysis and portfolio management. The emphasis is on the application of analytical techniques and portfolio management theories for individual investors. Prerequisite: FINC 5000.

FINC 5810 Capital Budgeting and Corporate Investments
The student examines the corporate investment decision process which includes working capital management, financial statement analysis, determination of cash flows, risk return analysis, forecasting, and asset investment. Prerequisite: FINC 5000.

FINC 5830 Institutions and Financial Markets
Students develop a unified framework for understanding financial intermediaries and markets. They examine the structure, regulation, and operation of banking and non-banking financial institutions; analyze how central bank operations affect financial institutions; and develop an understanding of money and capital markets, the flow of funds through the economy, and the role of financial and futures markets. Prerequisite: FINC 5000.

FINC 5840 International Finance
Course content focuses on the environment in which the international financial manager operates. Students study the risks of doing business overseas and the tools available to minimize those risks. Foreign exchange risk, political risk, working capital management, long-term investments and financing, and accounting and control are examined within this context. Prerequisites: BUSN 5600, FINC 5000, or equivalents.

FINC 5880 Advanced Corporate Finance
This advanced study of corporate financial analysis and planning includes capital budgeting, cost of funds, and capital structure and valuation. Selected topics that may be covered are leasing, mergers, takeovers, business failure, reorganization, and liquidation. A combination of problem-solving and case study methodologies is used to illustrate theories and techniques helpful in financial analysis and planning. Prerequisite: FINC 5000.

Capstone Course

FINC 6290 Financial Strategies

This course will be a final, comprehensive finance offering that will make use of cases and/ or simulations to enhance the real-world applicability of the finance degree and to integrate all previous coursework. Prerequisite: completion of all other required courses for the M.S. in fianace