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Finance Specialization

Online MBA in Finance Specialization

Take on finance with confidence

An MBA in finance can help any type of professional prepare to work more confidently with data investment analysis to make well-informed decisions about the financial operations of an organization. The addition of a finance specialization to your MBA can provide key skills and deepen your business knowledge for anyone with executive-level career ambitions or for those aiming to work in the finance sector or in a finance-focused role. The financial acumen you'll gain goes beyond technical knowledge—it builds your capacity to identify emerging opportunities, mitigate risks, and shape the financial direction of organizations in an increasingly dynamic business environment.

Because you can choose each of the finance courses you want to make up your 12-credit specialization, you can shape your MBA in finance curriculum to focus on the skills you need to fill the gaps in your knowledge. Choosing a specialization can also have the benefit of helping communicate to hiring managers that you have a clear intention for your career and can help you stand out in a competitive job market.

Specialization details

Career outlook for a finance MBA

$101,910
Median annual salary for financial analysts as of April 2025.1
9%
Projected rate of growth for financial managers from 2023 to 2033. Faster than the average rate for all occupations.1
$161,700
Median annual salary for financial managers as of April 2025.2
17%
Projected rate of growth for financial managers from 2023 to 2033. Much faster than the average rate for all occupations.2

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Discover how Marquette’s thorough coursework, flexible online format and supportive network can set you on the path to leadership.

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Invigorate your career with a highly applicable finance MBA

An MBA in finance can help any type of professional prepare to work more confidently with data and investment analysis to make well-informed decisions about the financial operations of an organization. Marquette’s customizable finance specialization can help you navigate your career journey—whether you work in sales and want to become more knowledgeable about the financial side of business, are aiming for a career in the C-suite and want a well-rounded degree, or are already working in business administration and want to pivot to an investment-dominant role or field (like the tech industry or startups).

Professionals with this degree and specialization could become:

  • Financial advisors
  • Bank managers
  • Product managers
  • Business analysts
  • Chief executive officers
  • Financial analysts
  • Risk management managers
  • Financial managers
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Prepare for what’s next in finance

Students pursuing this specialization can boost their resume with highly applicable skills such as:

  • Commercial banking management skills
  • Uses of capital and mechanics of finance in real estate
  • How to use statistical fintech software like R, Python and SQL*
  • Ethics and social responsibility involved in financial positions
  • Understanding the behaviors behind financial management decisions
  • Financial management for multinational firms
  • Knowledge of topics like corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions, and financial restructuring

*These courses count as MBA electives in addition to the Finance specialization.

Online MBA finance specialization curriculum

Students intending to complete the finance specialization should choose 12-credit hours of courses listed on this page in order to meet specialization requirements.

FINA 5370: Sustainable Finance (3 credit hours)

Objectives are to make students aware of the role and importance of making ethical and socially responsible decisions. Students acquire a thorough understanding of the Chartered Financial Analyst® professional standards of conduct in the application of ethics to the moral dimensions of money management. Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) factors and investor activism are explored. Involves team-based research projects and outside practitioners. Prerequisite: Admitted to graduate ACCO, BUAD, ECON, HCTM, HURE, LEDR and MBA 6010 and MBA 6020; or consent of MBA program director.

FINA 6130: Bank Management (3 credit hours)

Management of a commercial bank, including lending, loan pricing, liability management, liquidity and asset/liability management. Issues relating to the current bank regulatory environment, including bank failures and capital adequacy, are discussed. Prerequisite: Admitted to the graduate ACCO, BUAD, ECON, HCTM, HURE or NURS program and MBA 6010 and MBA 6020; or consent of MBA program director.

FINA 6140: International Financial Management (3 credit hours)

Examines the unique financial problems in managing a multinational firm. Financial principles are applied to a variety of multinational business issues including: hedging currency and interest rate risk, multinational capital budgeting, direct foreign investment, and managing a global business firm. Integrates financial theory with a case study approach. Prerequisite: Admitted to the graduate ACCO, BUAD, ECON, HCTM, HURE or NURS program and MBA 6010 and MBA 6020; or consent of MBA program director.

FINA 6163: Real Estate and Investments (3 credit hours)

Provides an in-depth knowledge of real estate finance, real estate investment and the operation of the real estate capital markets. The objective is to understand the many sources and uses of capital in the commercial real estate industry. Begins with the mechanics of mortgage finance, followed by a detailed presentation of mortgage underwriting, lender ratios and discounted cash flow analysis. Prerequisite: Admitted to graduate ACCO, ACAN, BUAD, ECON, HCTM or MGMT and MBA 6010, MBA 6040 and MBA 6060; or consent of MBA program director.

FINA 6165: Fixed Income Market and Securities (3 credit hours)

Focuses on the use of fixed income securities to fulfill investment requirements or accommodate corporate financing strategies. Covers fixed income markets and the securities traded in those markets, techniques used to value fixed income securities, and derivative strategies using fixed income securities. Prerequisite: Admitted to graduate ACCO, ACAN, BUAD, ECON, HCTM or MGMT and MBA 6010, MBA 6040 and MBA 6060; or consent of MBA program director.

FINA 6175: Fintech: Foundations and Applications (3 credit hours)

Presents a variety of financial technology topics. Covers fintech applications within banking, investments, insurance, and other financial sectors. Introduces the technical underpinnings, including basic programming, data analytics, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and blockchain. Emphasizes ethics and explores digital privacy and security. The objective is to understand the impact of the convergence of technology, finance, regulation and ethics. Prerequisite: Admitted to graduate ACCO, ACAN, BUAD, ECON, HCTM or MGMT and MBA 6010 and MBA 6020; or consent of MBA program director.

FINA 6190: Behavioral Finance (3 credit hours)

Provides students with the understanding of why investors, money managers and corporate managers often make suboptimal economic and financial decisions. Includes the identification of a variety of behavioral biases and the examination of the impact of those mistakes for security prices, corporate policies and aggregate economic outcomes. In addition, the course investigates whether the mistakes generate market inefficiencies that can potentially be exploited.

FINA 6200: Advanced Financial Management (3 credit hours)

From the perspective of a manager who must make two decisions: 1) which investment projects to take and 2) how to finance these projects. Learn about advanced topics in corporate finance including capital budgeting, short-term and long-term financing, financial and asset restructuring, mergers and acquisitions, and finally, corporate governance. Cases are used extensively. Blended with a mix of online and in-class instruction. Prerequisite: Admitted to graduate ACCO, ACAN, BUAD, ECON, HCTM or MGMT and MBA 6010, MBA 6040 and MBA 6060; or consent of MBA program director.

FINA 6931: Topics in Finance (1-3 credit hours)

Topics vary. Prereq: Admitted to the graduate ACCO, BUAD, ECON, HCTM, HURE or NURS program and MBA 6010 and MBA 6020; or consent of MBA program director. Prerequisites may vary depending on topic.

FAQs

If I choose this program, will I still graduate with an MBA?
Yes. The students who complete the finance specialization will get a specific specialization notation on their transcript. Their degree will still be an MBA degree (not a finance degree).

Does choosing a specialized MBA mean it will take longer to earn my degree?
No, choosing the finance concentration should not add time to your degree. Completion of the online MBA, with or without a specialization, requires 15 credits of electives. Students pursuing the finance specialization should complete at least 12 of those 15 elective credits within the finance discipline. Applicable courses are listed in the curriculum section of this page.

Is the tuition rate the same for an MBA with a finance specialization?
Yes. Tuition is the same for the online MBA, whether you pursue a specialization or not.

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Admissions Deadlines

Jul
14
Priority application deadline
July 14
Fall 2025 term
Aug
14
Application deadline
August 14
Fall 2025 term
Aug
25
Next start
August 25
Fall 2025 term
Sources
  1. Retrieved on April 30, 2025, from bls.gov/ooh/business-and-financial/financial-analysts.htm
  2. Retrieved on April 30, 2025, from bls.gov/ooh/management/financial-managers.htm

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