Online Master’s in Finance and Analytics
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- Complete in as little as 1 year
- 36 units of credit
- 10-12 courses
- One on-campus residency
- Expedited admissions pathway available for SCU alumni
- Two opportunities to start per year (fall and spring)
- Experiential learning component
- Admissions Requirements
Your Journey Starts Here
Considering a Master of Science in Finance and Analytics to take your career to the next level? Complete the form to get a program brochure for the Leavey School of Business’ Online MSFA.
Get valuable insights into the online experience, learn more about the school of business, and see where this degree can take you.
The Santa Clara University Leavey School of Business is proud to offer a dynamic Online Master of Science in Finance and Analytics (MSFA) program for modern finance professionals. Based in the heart of Silicon Valley, SCU Leavey is uniquely positioned to help you find success in today's exciting business landscape entirely on your schedule and at your convenience. In as little as one year, you can master the art and science of finance and complete the program without missing a step in your career.
As new markets and strategies continue to emerge, there's no telling where the industry will go. To stay ahead of it all, the Online MSFA faculty and staff at SCU Leavey draw from their own distinguished experiences and the far-reaching influence of our Silicon Valley neighbors. Together, they track upcoming trends in global markets and adapt the curriculum to meet the evolving needs of finance professionals. This dedication to excellence, combined with the esteem and connections for which Santa Clara is known, will make you a true organizational asset wherever you are, or wherever you plan to go next.
The Online Master’s in Finance and Analytics program will give you deep training in:
- Corporate finance
- Econometrics
- Investments
- FinTech
- Database management
- Programming languages (Python and R)
- Machine learning
- Database management
- Data visualization
To stay ahead of the competition in today's complex financial markets, you need to know how to maximize returns while mitigating risk. The STEM-designated Online MS in Finance and Analytics from the Leavey School of Business delivers powerful insights into capital allocation strategies that outpace global diversification trends and increase shareholder value.
Financial managers help their organizations reach their financial goals by providing essential insights derived from data analysis and generating detailed reports. Determined to make their portfolios as diverse, successful, and risk-averse as possible, they need the expertise to stay ahead of the most current investment strategies, investment opportunities, and portfolio management techniques.
With SCU’s in-depth Online MSFA, you can maximize shareholder value while managing financial risks—from changing interest rates to foreign exchange fluctuations and commodity price shifting—as you navigate the increasingly complex financial landscape.
A Look Inside the Online MSFA
Hear from Leavey School of Business alum Fiona Geisinger on why she chose Santa Clara University, what you can gain from an online MSFA vs. MBA, and her advice for MSFA students.
“What stood out for me with Santa Clara is the small classes and the individualized help...Having professionals teaching real-world situations set me up for the future.”
Video Transcript
Seoyoung Kim:
Hi, everyone. I'm Seoyoung Kim, Finance Department chair and MSFA program director at Santa Clara University, and I have here with me, Fiona.
Fiona Geisinger:
Hi, I'm Fiona Giesinger. I'm co-founder and president of Owl Search Partners. We're a retained search firm for finance, accounting and people roles. I am also a Santa Clara University MBA alumni, class of 2012.
Seoyoung Kim:
Thanks so much for joining us. I actually wanted to hit on that part first, the fact that you're an alum. What made you choose Santa Clara?
Fiona Geisinger:
It was a difficult choice. I went to San Jose State for my undergrad, and I initially decided not to go that direction and I wanted to choose one of the other MBA programs in the Bay Area. I did a lot of research, talked to a lot of alums, and what really stood out for me with Santa Clara is the small classes and the individualized help that I was getting through the process. I really felt like I was already part of the program as I was going through the process. I think that having professionals teaching and teaching real world situations in every class really was going to set me up for the future that I needed.
Seoyoung Kim:
So now, how might someone best use an MSFA degree as opposed to going the MBA route?
Fiona Geisinger:
The MSFA program will give you the opportunity to home in on those finance skills. I think what a lot of hiring managers look for from someone coming out of a master's program is the skills and the ability to jump right in. And if there's someone coming out of, say, engineering or marketing or some of these other areas that really want to get into the finance realm, they can leverage what they've learned in business from the other areas, but really hone in on the day-to-day skills on how to build out financial statements, being able to understand what the analytics around the finances, forecasting, those types of areas that they learned in the program, so that when they're interviewing, they're showing that they have a good foundation to build upon and continue to learn.
Fiona, throughout your career in finance, how have you seen the job opportunities evolve? What would you recommend to MSFA students who are entering the program or are currently in the program?
Fiona Geisinger:
I've seen a big translation in the finance world. The jobs have changed significantly. It's no longer a forecast out on an Excel spreadsheet, and that's the only skill you need. Because of the technology that has stepped into the finance world, it has made a lot of the day-to-day that we saw years ago, put into a system that kind of spits it out and does it for you. So a lot of the skills that people need to bring to the table now is the analytical side of things and the presentation side of things. So, how do you tell the story with the numbers? Finance is no longer just about the numbers. It's no longer just about being able to take the last five years and project what the next five years is gonna look like.
It's now more about the research, the analytics around it, and then the presentation and telling the stories. In a way, I would almost consider it like a marketing role. Like, how do you tell the story of what these numbers are gonna look like? And then you add the volatility to what's happening, you're also including research. So in the program, use that as you're doing your work, as you're evaluating what's being taught, and you don't always have to just listen to the professor. Be the devil's advocate. Step in and analyze it and actually tell a story back and forth with these conversations with the professor, with the people you're meeting, what these numbers actually mean and how you can use these numbers to grow a business or sustain a business.
Seoyoung Kim:
What can you say about specifically our online MSFA program? What specifically do we do at SCU, that you've noticed, to connect students who are online to our Silicon Valley career network?
Fiona Geisinger:
There's the programs that you go into just to get that degree. Santa Clara is not doing it that way. They're making sure there's networking going on. There's on-site, you have to come to the campus a couple of times to meet the students. There's still collaboration work. There's still those same case studies of showing different areas of Silicon Valley work, bringing people in-house to do lunch and learns and happy hour chats. There's still that connection to the Silicon Valley world and to CFOs and CEOs and founders and leaders that sets it apart from other master's programs, because they're essentially taking the in-person program and translating a portion of it online, but still having it as challenging as if you're sitting next to the person. And then you add these case studies and these group projects, and you still have to learn the management skills of working together. And you still have to learn how to deal with differing personalities and all the skills that you should be getting from a master's program.
Seoyoung Kim:
How does Leavey in particular prepare students for greater career success than they might find elsewhere? What is particularly important about us at Leavey?
Fiona Geisinger:
I think the number one is the professors. The people teaching the classes, they first of all care, but they bring in real world experience. Most of them have spent time in tech or are still in tech or something in the Bay Area, and if they're not, they've had enough involvement to be fully connected and bring people in. I remember a case study we had to do before Facebook was even public, and it was about what happens if Facebook went public. And there was the knowledge around it, because we were sitting in the pocket of it. And I think Leavey School of Business does a great job of making sure the people they bring in to teach these classes are successful professionals or successful leaders in the learning space, that are well connected across the board to be able to give each individual student the opportunity to learn as much about what work will really look like outside of the classroom.
Set Yourself Up to Succeed
Good news: Your passion for a finance career is perfectly timed. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects industry-wide growth between 2022-2032, with much faster than average growth for financial management roles.1,2 This is a decade of opportunity, so now is the time to earn top-level credentials that fuel your career ascent.
In the Leavey School of Business—a national leader in online finance graduate programs3—you’ll gain the expertise you need to advance in this lucrative, growing field.
Go in-depth as you study:
- Risk management
- Mergers and acquisitions
- Corporate restructuring
- Venture capital
Whether your future lies in capital markets, investment banking, financial analysis, or corporate finance, the strongest foundation for it is here.
What to Expect in the Online MSFA Program
To meet employers' expectations, financial leaders in today's world must also know how to use and derive insights from rapidly evolving quantitative tools. The Online MSFA program will teach you to use analytics tools like Python and R programming, machine learning, database management, and data visualization. Further, our unique “Finance Forward” program theme will train you to synthesize them into a wide-ranging strategic vision.
- Master modern financial analysis, using basic and advanced analytical tools, techniques, and methods to solve business challenges
- Refine your critical-thinking skills by using case-based assignments and reflection to determine the appropriate approach for each situation
- Develop the clarity to select the correct tool for the task at hand and the confidence to deploy it expertly
Resume-Worthy Classroom Experience
All MSFA students benefit from the unique opportunity to connect directly to leading companies and potential employers. Near the end of the program, you’ll have the option to complete a practicum project with an external partner and apply classroom learnings to real data sets and real problems. Past partners have included:
Our MSFA alumni stand out in Silicon Valley and Beyond.
- Cisco
- Tesla
- Deloitte
- Morgan Stanley
- Meta
- Hitachi
- Wells Fargo
Master Financial Management
Finance is more than counting numbers and balancing budgets, just as your journey to earning your Online MS in Finance and Analytics is more than academic. That’s why the Online MSFA program is designed for financial professionals who want to actively pursue senior positions, deepen their focus, or pivot into new opportunities. Armed with enviable credentials (and the skills to back them up), you’ll be ready to excel in a management or C-suite role in the financial sector, or in a finance leadership role in any organization.
That includes powerful career prospects as a:
- Senior financial analyst
- Portfolio manager
- Director of finance
- Chief financial officer
Online Master’s in Finance and Analytics Admissions Deadlines
Customize Your Path
In keeping with the flexibility and customizability for which the Leavey School of Business is known, the Online MSFA program gives you the opportunity to craft your own curriculum with 16 units of elective credit. Whether you want to drill down further into the technical tools at your disposal, expand your knowledge in specific subject areas like valuation and financial engineering, or complete an optional supervised practicum, our program can be shaped to meet your needs.
Example Electives
- Intro to FinTech
- Mergers, Acquisitions, and Corporate Restructuring
- Alternative Investments
- Partnerships and Venture Capital, Business Valuation
- Machine Learning
Residency Weekend
The Online Master's in Finance and Analytics program kicks off with an introductory on-campus residency weekend. During this three-day event, you will meet your faculty and fellow students face to face for the very first time and cover the first several modules of FNCE 2400 Corporate Finance.
Residency weekend is a phenomenal opportunity to start forming the bonds that make collaboration in Santa Clara's online programs so vibrant and productive, as well as a chance to begin growing your professional network with a dynamic group of like-minded peers.
Tuition and Fees
Tuition for the Online Master's in Finance and Analytics program is currently calculated at a per unit rate of $1,462. This rate is subject to change annually.
Online MS in Finance and Analytics Tuition | 2024-2025 Academic Year |
Cost per Unit of Credit | $1,462 (36 units) |
Total Tuition | $52,632 |
Application Fee* | $100 |
*Application fee waiver opportunity: The application fee for the Online MS in Marketing will be waived permanently for SCU students and alumni who apply in the SCU Alumni Pathway, as well as veterans and active-duty military!
Merit-based scholarships are available for the Online MS in Finance and Analytics. Please schedule a call with your admissions outreach advisor for more information.
1. Retrieved on March 14, 2024, from bls.gov/emp/tables/employment-by-major-industry-sector.htm
2. Retrieved on March 14, 2024, from bls.gov/ooh/management/financial-managers.htm
3. Retrieved on March 14, 2024, from usnews.com/education/online-education/mba/online-finance-rankings
4. Retrieved on March 14, 2024, from poetsandquants.com/2022/11/15/the-best-online-mba-programs-of-2023/5/
5. Retrieved on March 14, 2024, from poetsandquants.com/2022/11/15/the-best-online-mba-programs-of-2023/6/