Develop Financial Skills for a Prosperous Future

Offered on campus and online, the Master of Science in Financial Management (MSFM) at Boston University’s Metropolitan College (MET) provides a specialized education in global quantitative finance, including investment analysis and international finance. The program provides a hands-on, immersive financial analytics experience, including a significant amount of statistical analysis, forecasting techniques, and programming, preparing you for leadership roles in modern global finance. The MSFM is ideal for those seeking careers in corporate finance, financial management, investments, and multinational finance, and offers the option of choosing a concentration in one of the following areas:

The curriculum is constantly improving to meet current financial industry demands for contemporary skills and to prepare graduates for the highly competitive financial services environment. Meet the top demands of finance professionals today with a master’s degree in Financial Management from BU MET.

Program at a Glance

  • Top 10 Online Program
  • Online and On Campus
  • Part-Time or Full-Time Study
  • STEM Designated
  • 40 Credits
  • 12–20 Months to Completion
  • 7 Core Faculty
  • No GRE/GMAT
  • Tuition & Fees Range—Part-Time Study*: $35,900–$39,300

*Based on 2024–2025 Boston University tuition and fees. Merit scholarship may reduce cost.

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Advance Your Career in Financial Management

According to the Council on Foreign Relations, the world faces a recession more severe than that of the 2008 financial crisis. Coronavirus pandemic has created unprecedented uncertainty in the global stock markets, economy, trade, and entire industries—and financial organizations and networks are not immune. In order to negotiate risk and vulnerability within this highly interconnected industry, financial organizations and individuals alike need skilled, well-prepared financial managers and advisors. The master’s program in Financial Management at BU MET can help ensure that you have the finance education you need to navigate the choppy waters ahead.

The MS in Financial Management offers courses that require data organization, analysis, and visualization to aid financial decision-making and risk management. To prepare you for the analytical and programming curriculum, we also provide several laboratories that cover mathematics and statistics with applications in management, advanced Excel, R, and Python. Additionally, you are encouraged to work on projects and a master thesis involving various aspects of data analysis, using data to extract and present helpful information for financial and investment decision-making. You will use sophisticated tools to design comprehensive visualization of significant organizational trends and prepare convincing presentations.

BU MET is also a participant in the Chartered Financial Analyst® Institute University Affiliation Program. The Financial Management master’s degree curriculum embeds a significant portion of the CFA® Program Candidate Body of Knowledge™ (CBOK) and covers the Standards of Practice Handbook, offering excellent preparation for the internationally recognized CFA® Program exams. In addition, scholarships for the CFA Program exam are available to enrolled students.

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#6, Best Online Master's in Business Programs (Excluding MBA)

MET’s online master’s degrees in management are ranked #6 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report for 2024.

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CFA Institute University Affiliation Program

Our master’s in financial management degree is part of the CFA Institute University Affiliation Program

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Accredited member of AACSB International

The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (through BU's Questrom School of Business)

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What Is My Career Outlook as a Graduate of This Program?

1,185,897

Total number of US Jobs

155,927

Annual job openings

+4.1%

Annual job openings

8%

Projected ten-year growth in jobs
(faster than average)

$100.5K

Median annual salary

Common job titles include:

  • Financial Analyst
  • Finance Manager
  • Financial Planner
  • Investment Analyst
  • Wealth Manager
  • Equity/Credit Research Analyst

Employers seek expertise in:

  • Financial analysis
  • Risk management
  • Investment analysis
  • Corporate finance
  • Portfolio management
  • International finance

Source: Lightcast, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Headshot of Dezhen Liu, MS, Financial Management (MET’22)

“The financial management program exceeded my expectations because the courses introduced the finance realm in a practical and comprehensive manner rather than focusing solely on formulas and theories.[...]My master's degree not only qualified me for more job opportunities, but also broadened my career options by studying in another field.” Read more.

Dezhen Liu (MET’22)
Actuarial Analyst at Aetna
MS, Financial Management

Meet An Advisor

Why BU’s Financial Management Degree is Ranked in the Top 10

  • Active Learning Environment: BU MET’s Financial Management program focuses on practical, hands-on education, ensuring you are immersed in all aspects of financial management and related research—education you can apply on the job.
  • Career Counseling: MET’s Career Development office and BU’s Center for Career Development offer a variety of job-hunting resources, including one-on-one career counseling by appointment for both online and on-campus students.
  • Engaged Faculty: In BU MET’s Financial Management master’s program, you benefit from working closely with highly qualified faculty who draw from active research and substantial professional achievements in areas such as international finance, financial analysis, portfolio management, systemic risk analysis, investment analysis, mergers and acquisitions, economics, financial markets and institutions, and more.
  • Extensive Network: Study principles of finance alongside peers with solid business experience, learn from faculty who have valuable business contacts, and benefit from an alumni community with strong professional connections.
  • Exam Preparation: As a participant in the CFA Institute University Affiliation Program, the MS in Financial Management curriculum provides excellent preparation for the CFA Program exams. Scholarships for the CFA Program exam are available to enrolled students.
  • Waivers for Charterholders: Upon acceptance into the MS in Financial Management program, CFA Charterholders may waive two courses (8 credits), including Corporate Finance (MET AD 731) and one elective course, enabling them to earn the degree by completing just 32 credits.
  • Complimentary Analytics Labs: Two levels of self-paced analytics laboratories offer access to advanced tools and provide opportunities to hone analytics skills using cases that are populated with realistic data.
  • STEM Designated: Eligible graduates on student visas have access to an Optional Practical Training (OPT) of 12 months and an extension for up to 24 additional months.
  • 15:1 Class Ratio: Enjoy an exceptional student-to-instructor ratio, ensuring close interaction with faculty and access to support.
  • Valuable Resources: Make use of Boston University’s extensive resources, including the Center for Career Development, Educational Resource Center, Fitness & Recreation Center, IT Help Centers, Mugar Memorial Library, Center for Antiracist Research, Howard Thurman Center for Common Ground, George Sherman Union, and many others.
  • Flexible Options: Study at the pace that works for you, evenings on campus or fully online. Courses begin fall, spring, and summer; online courses have two starts per term.
  • Track Record: Learn from the best—since 2014, BU MET’s part-time master’s programs in business and management have been ranked among the top in the nation by U.S. News & World Report.
  • Merit Scholarships: US citizens and permanent residents are automatically considered during the application process and nominated based on eligibility. Learn more.

Master the Concepts of Global Finance

Offered through BU MET’s Department of Administrative Sciences, the MS in Financial Management program expands upon classic theory taught in traditional MBA courses, providing the insights, critical thinking, and analytical skills needed to solve problems in today’s changing financial landscape.

Graduate with Expertise

Metropolitan College’s Financial Management master’s degree will equip you with:

  • Understanding of quantitative analysis in financial management and investment decision-making.
  • Proficiency in application of mathematical and statistical modeling in financial analytics.
  • Mastery in forecasting techniques to the analysis of problems of business organizations and performance.
  • Comprehension of optimization theories and data analytics techniques in portfolio management.
  • Knowledge and ability to perform data organization, analysis, and visualization for financial decision-making.

Certificate-to-Degree Pathway

BU MET graduate certificate programs can serve as building blocks to a master’s degree. Each certificate shares specific courses with the master’s in Financial Management program and its concentrations, giving you the option to take one or two certificates on your path to a master’s degree. Students currently enrolled in a graduate certificate who are interested in transitioning into a master’s degree should contact their academic advisor to declare their interest in this pathway. A new master’s degree application is not required. Connect with a graduate admissions advisor at adsadmissions@bu.edu to learn more about this option.

The following graduate certificate programs can be applied to the master’s degree: Corporate Finance; Financial Management; International Finance; and Investment Analysis.



A total of ten courses (40 credits) is required.

Students not pursuing a concentration in International Finance or Investment Analysis must complete the degree core courses, specialization courses, and electives. CFA Charterholders may waive two courses (8 credits), including Corporate Finance (MET AD 731) and one elective course.

Degree Core Courses

(Four courses/16 credits)

Specialization Courses

(Four courses/16 credits)

Plus one of the following:

General Electives

(Two courses/8 credits)

Select two from the following list:

Or choose any other graduate-level course selected from other Administrative Sciences offerings or Metropolitan College departments as well as from other Boston University schools and colleges, with an advisor’s approval.

*Degree requirements may vary for those students transferring credits from previous coursework at Boston University or receiving course waivers due to professional designations.



Financial Management Faculty

“At MET, we teach our MS in Financial Management (MSFM) students that the real world is dynamic and global, and that they should expect to see that reflected in the financial markets as well. Throughout the curriculum, we think about and ask numerous intriguing questions. We teach our students to ask the hard questions addressing real-world problems that are often fuzzy and unstructured. We accomplish the real-world experience in the classroom through projects, assignments, and a master’s thesis. This approach, bringing to a close proximity the theoretical instruction and the real-world experiences, is well-suited to prepare our students to be competitive in the corporate world upon their graduation.”Irena Vodenska, PhD, CFA, Associate Professor and Director of Finance Programs

Tuition & Financial Assistance

Competitive Tuition

Our part-time rates are substantially lower than those of the traditional, full-time residential programs yet provide access to the same high-quality BU education.

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Comprehensive Financial Assistance

Our services include scholarships, graduate loans, and payment plans.

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BU MET programs offer the flexibility of part-time or full-time study, either on campus or online. Tuition, fees, and total program cost are determined by enrollment status. If you enroll in 1–2 courses (4–8 credits) in a semester, you are charged the part-time per-credit rate. If you enroll in 3–4 courses (12–16 credits) in a semester, you are charged the full-time semester rate.

MS in Financial Management (Online and On Campus)

Enrollment Status Part Time Full Time
Courses per Semester 2 courses
(8 credits)
4 courses
(16 credits)
3 courses
(12 credits)
Time to Degree 5 semesters
(20 months)
3 semesters
(12-16 months)***
4 semesters
(16-20 months)***
Tuition* $550-$975
per credit**
$33,335
per semester
$33,335
per semester
Fees per Semester* $60 $478 $478
Total Degree Cost* $35,900–
$39,300
$75,486 $105,399

*Based on 2024–2025 Boston University tuition & fee rates.
**Cost per credit is determined by course number (100–599 = $550/credit, 600–999 = $975/credit).
***Summer semester enrollment is not required for international students to maintain F-1 visa status. Enrollment in summer semester coursework will expedite completion of program and reduce total program cost.

International students seeking an F-1 visa for on-campus study must enroll full time and demonstrate availability of funds to cover the Estimated Cost of Graduate Study; those who wish to study online may enroll part-time but are not eligible for a visa. Learn more about International Student Tuition & Fees.

Questions? Please contact us to hear from an Admissions Advisor who can help you determine the best enrollment pathway. For information regarding financial aid, visit BU MET’s Financial Aid page.

Get started on your degree at BU MET.

Get Started

Please visit the BU MET admissions page for details on how to apply, financial assistance, tuition and fees, requirements for international students, and more.

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News & Events

Events

December 10th, 2024 at: 10:00am - 10:45am

The Inside Scoop: Graduate Admissions at BU MET (International Students)

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December 11th, 2024 at: 1:00pm - 1:45pm

The Inside Scoop: BU MET Graduate Admissions for Domestic Students (US Citizens & Permanent US Residents)

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December 18th, 2024 at: All Day

Financing your BU MET Graduate Education (for DOMESTIC students)

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