Is your dream to become the Chief Executive Officer of a Fortune 500 company? If you have always dreamed of being the highest ranking executive in charge of the day to day operations with a company, you will need to take the right educational path and forge through several years of work experience to show and prove that you are prepared to make major decisions that could lead to the success or failure of a company.
As an entrepreneur of your own company, you can take on the CEO title, but if you want to earn the position with an established company you will have to earn it. The first step towards becoming a CEO is to earn a degree that satisfies most company’s qualifications. While more than one degree program will satisfy requirements, more and more aspiring CEOs are taking Master’s in Finance programs to build their knowledge and business skills.
What is the Difference Between a Master’s in Finance and an MBA?
An MBA and a Master’s in Finance are two separate programs that take around the same amount of time to complete when students are enrolled in the programs full-time. While they require the same time commitment, a Master’s in Finance program is a degree program with an emphasis on corporate finance, investment management, and even analysis of finance. An MBA program, otherwise known as a Master’s in Business Administration, is also a graduate-level program, but this program has less of an emphasis on finance and covers a broad range of business topics. A Master’s in Finance is an MS degree suited for aspiring business professionals who want to be experts in a specific field, and an MBA program will cover finance but does not have an emphasis on this subject matter.
Who is a Master’s in Finance Right For?
If your ultimate goal is to become the CEO of a company, chances are you will need a Master’s degree. While the MBA is a popular choice, if your method to work your way up the ladder in an organization is to take positions in finance, the Master’s in Finance may be the best choice for you. A majority of CEOs with major corporations scaled their ways up the ladders of their organizations to get to the position they are in. It is not too common for candidates to be presented with CEO opportunities without any experience as an executive, or any prior work experience with the company in other management or executive positions. If your goals are to work in accountancy, auditing, financial management, or banking while you are gaining work experience, a MS in Finance may be the ideal choice for you.
