Finance program structure

The MSc program in Finance usually takes two years to complete. Students normally take four courses per semester, but may elect to enroll in only three courses during those semesters in which courses with particularly heavy work loads are taken. Courses numbered 5xx cover more basic material at an MBA or MA level, while courses numbered 6xx cover more advanced material at the PhD level. MSc students take a combination of Masters and PhD courses. These courses fall into three categories: required core courses, supporting/preparatory courses, and electives.

Finance General Stream 

• Five required courses are to be taken over the two year MSc period: Theory of Finance, Advanced Topics in Theoretical Corporate Finance, Advanced Topics in Theoretical Asset Pricing, Advanced Topics in Empirical Asset Pricing, and Advanced Topics in Empirical Corporate Finance.
• Supporting/preparatory courses include: Microeconomics, Statistical Methodology I, Forecasting and Time Series Analysis and possibly some mathematics courses. Students who can demonstrate adequate prior preparation in these areas, or who can receive equivalent material from other courses, can substitute electives for the supporting/preparatory courses.
• Up to twelve credits of electives can normally be taken from any faculty on any subject and at either the Master or PhD level. However, it is expected that finance MSc students will choose at least some of their electives from the many applied finance courses that are offered in the MBA program. With permission of the finance MSc advisor, students who wish to take fewer classroom courses and instead write an MSc thesis during their second year may do so as part of their electives in Terms 3 and 4.

With advice from the finance MSc advisor, each student designs his/her own individualized MSc program to reflect the students particular interests and background preparation. The outline for a typical program of study is given on page 4. Note that: (i) a student can take only three courses per term by dropping an elective--not a required course, and (ii) each MBA module is equal to half of a regular course in terms of classroom time and course credit.

Term 1

September to December 

COMM 671 Theory of Finance
ECON 500 Microeconomics
COMM 581 Statistical Methodology I
One Elective--Finance module, or a non-finance course

Term 2 

January to April 

COMM 673 Advanced Topics in Theoretical Asset Pricing
COMM 674 Advanced Topics in Empirical Asset Pricing
COMM 582 Statistical Methodology II
One elective--Finance module, or a non-finance course

Term 3 

September to December 

Four electives--Finance modules, or non-finance courses

Term 4 

January to April 

COMM 672 Advanced Topics in Theoretical Corporate Finance
COMM 695 Advanced Topics in Empirical Corporate Finance
Two Electives--Finance modules, or non-finance courses