With The Right Program, You Can Become More Than Just A Master of Finance

You’ve just completed your undergraduate business training, or you’ve spent the last few years carving out a position with an exciting company. You’re now ready to take your education, financial acumen, and earning potential to the next level — you’re ready to leap into the rewarding world of a graduate finance degree. Specifically, you look to enroll in a Master of Finance (MFin) program at one of the country’s best business schools and surround yourself with a cohort of like-minded students and award-winning faculty.

You’ve done the research. You know that the most prestigious financial positions at top investment banks, equity firms, and government organizations require you to earn your graduate degree and pass the rigorous CFA exams, so heading back to school is an exciting prospect — regardless of how long it’s been since you’ve sat in a classroom. But before taking the plunge, take a moment to consider how leading Canadian schools are changing the way students approach degrees and designations. Today, an increasing number of excellent institutions now offer students the option of taking multiple graduate-level business degrees at the same time. These multi-degree programs save students tuition, time, and the hard choice of choosing between appealing degrees. They’re also frequently offered on alternating weekend schedules with summer months free, meaning busy professionals and parents can juggle the stresses of work, family, and other obligations — even with a demanding master’s degree.

One of the most popular routes for those with financial ambitions is to pursue a Master of Finance along with an MBA. The more generalist, wide-ranging focus of the MBA is a perfect complement to an MFin,which focuses on investment banking, corporate governance, managerial finance, financial ethics, stocks and bonds, and other related fields. The MBA gives students a strong footing in all other aspects of business, especially in terms of leadership, human resources, and teamwork, but it also allows MFin students to focus on financial management electives and to conduct financial analyses of real-world companies in applied, practical scenarios. Students benefit from the mentorship of financial experts, but also interact with MBA students from diverse backgrounds and specializations, giving those enrolled a more complete business education.

In addition, the best schools incorporate a thorough CFA exam preparation throughout (often involving helpful mock exams and extra assistance) and allow students to emerge from the program with a passing grade on the first two levels of this notoriously difficult test. Once completed, students can claim coveted positions in their chosen field, and can even pursue a PhD in finance should they wish to remain in school and focus even further. Some of the top programs will also hold courses in Toronto’s financial district, meaning students learn, network, and interact in the heart of the Canadian financial community.

Pursuing an MFin is a great way to achieve your ultimate career goals, but remember—you might be able to do more with your education in the same period of time. If pursuing an MBA with a Master of Finance in under 4 years sounds too good to be true, you simply haven’t found the right school! In today’s inter-disciplinary and international world of business, diversifying your training and taking advantage of every opportunity is the surest path to success. Become the kind of resourceful, well-rounded employee any good organization would seek out, and think outside of the one-degree box!