The Golden State hosts a broad assortment of higher education institutions that are well-outfitted to fulfill the needs of aspiring finance specialists. The following accredited finance degree programs in California, alphabetized from H to S, cater to many backgrounds and can lay a firm foundation for professional success in a field where competition is exceptionally vigorous. Prospective students can look forward to enjoying a lovely, sunny climate while benefiting from the wisdom of professors with superior experience in the financial arena. Opportunities abound whether one is looking for employment with a corporation, an investment firm, a small business, or an independent venture.
Holy Names University
Department of Business Administration
At HNU in Oakland, students can enjoy a flexible graduate experience with an emphasis on core business area preparation. Ethical conduct and social responsibility are also high on the school’s priority list. Many aspects of the school’s class structure are beneficial to students who need autonomy in how they conduct their work:
- Classes start in six different months of the year
- Schedules vary greatly with the option to take consecutive classes over a seven-week span or over weekends
- Program can be finished in between 12 to 24 months
- Non-cohort-based curriculum, facilitating independence in course work
MBA Degree in Finance
HNU states that it has refocused its academic aims in its finance MBA program in recent times in order to emphasize the modern economy’s focus on the acquisition and transfer of information. The program is built to inform adult students in the ways of handling complex, shifting situations in business environments. The curriculum enables students to either train toward a corporate position or one in a smaller business or independent venture. Analysis of modern concerns is promised including mergers and acquisitions, e-commerce, leadership, global management and marketing, and other aspects of the financial discipline. Upon completion, a student of HNU is expected to develop the strength to fluidly maintain current knowledge of the business environment, apply sound ethical judgment in difficult situations, and aid organizations in maintaining their marketplace footholds and running smoothly.
Accreditation
- Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)
Contact
3500 Mountain Blvd.
Oakland, CA 94619
Phone: 510-436-1000
Email: AdultEd@hnu.edu
Website: http://www.hnu.edu/academics/graduatePrograms/finance.html
La Sierra University
Tom and Vi Zapara School of Business
The curriculum at La Sierra University in Riverside is intrinsically tied to the Seventh-day Adventist Christian faith at its core while maintaining a focus on preparing its students for the modern world. La Sierra’s goals include studious academic inquiry and the pursuit of scholarly publication and recognition; innovation in industry that leads to higher standards of living worldwide and an altered understanding of business; and a co-curricular program which nurtures the talents of its student base to fulfill their potential.
Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Finance
The MBA program at La Sierra is built to emphasize the school’s belief in the continuous application of acquired knowledge. Professors are not only highly educated in finance but they are also active contributors to the world of financial research and journalism. The school’s goal is for students to acquire keen analytical skills, quality conduct in both leadership and following capacities, respectable ethical standards and effective communication skills. Class size is capped at thirty in order to encourage a valuable dialogue between students and professors that provides maximum knowledge acquisition potential. Outside of the classroom, La Sierra works hard to provide its students with opportunities for internships as well as steady paid work. These efforts are facilitated by the fact that the school is located within a part of California with an especially fast rate of growth.
Accreditation
- Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)
- Adventist Accrediting Association
Contact
4500 Riverwalk Pkwy
Riverside, CA 92515
Phone: 1-800-874-5587
Email: info@lasierra.edu
Website: http://lasierra.edu/school-of-business/mba-finance/
Pacific States University
College of Business
PSU’s curriculum in business courses offers MBA degrees with concentrations in international business, management of information technology, accounting, and real estate management in addition to finance. The program s designed with flexibility in mind. Basic theories and techniques are explored and expounded upon in the classes. Understanding of the material is fortified through the efforts of the school’s faculty to provide top-quality education through class work, simulations, lecturing, and trips to relevant sites in the outside world.
Master of Business Administration (MBA), Finance Concentration
With an MBA that is concentrated on finance, a graduate of Pacific States University can acquire a broad knowledge background that will prove invaluable upon stepping into the world outside of academia. Practical applications of classroom work are investigated and disseminated by the professors. Problem-solving skills and the good judgment to make effective decisions are a primary focus of development for the students in this curriculum. The curriculum covers the following specific areas:
- Trade theory
- Planning of Profits
- International Investing
- Handling Portfolios for Individuals and Institutions
- Analyzing and Determining the Performance of Management Staff
- Integration of Capital and Money Globally
The critical value of effective financial specialists in the global arena is not lost on the staff at PSU, and they are determined to bring their graduate students up to speed with the world outside.
Accreditation
- Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS)
- Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA)
- Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA)
Contact
3450 Wiltshire Blvd 5th Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90010
Phone: 323-731-2383
Email: admissions@psuca.edu
Website: http://psuca.edu/node/68
Pepperdine University
Graziadio School of Business and Management
The Graziadio School is focused on values, collaboration, experience, entrepreneurship and globalism. Students are given the opportunity to study abroad during their graduate time at Pepperdine with programs that are variably one week, two to four weeks, and a trimester in length depending on the program. The school’s faculty is highly respected in the business world, with experience in innovative startups and companies ranked on the Fortune 500. Many are still active in their chosen fields, enabling the information students receive to stay as current as possible. The school’s Education-to-Business Applied Learning program enables MBA students to work within companies and contribute their own ideas while in the midst of their education.
Master of Science in Applied Finance
Pepperdine’s MS in Applied Finance program is designed to fully immerse its students in the corporate world as they seek their degrees. The goal is to accommodate students who have recently completed undergraduate degrees with a curriculum that is flexible yet demanding and that provides preparation for a diverse assortment of possible financial specializations. The school emphasizes that its student body is filled with highly motivated individuals and a staff with rich knowledge and high-end experience that is committed to the success of the people who they instruct. It is designed around a core curriculum with instruction in multiple business disciplines in addition to finance, and it allows students to follow three separate specialized tracks consisting of investments, financial management, and capital markets.
Accreditation
- Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)
- Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
Contact
6100 Center Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90045
Phone: 310-568-5500
Email: gsbmadm@pepperdine.edu
Website: https://bschool.pepperdine.edu/programs/masters-finance/
San Jose State University
Lucas Graduate School of Business
SJSU’s Lucas Graduate School of Business offers four MBA degrees. The school’s focus is on providing students with a program that can be adjusted to meet each individual’s needs. The school is able to boast some impressive statistics. Over 230 of the school’s alumni are now chief financial officers in various organizations. Silicon Valley is full of SJSU alumni; Apple and Cisco have a particularly high hiring rate for graduates from this university. The school also ranked well among California universities regarding the rate of CPA exam applicants who passed their tests on their first attempt.
Master of Science in Taxation
Tailored to educate new prospects in the tax field as well as those who have amassed experience and are looking to expand their knowledge, SJSU’s MST program is offered in both full- and part-time capacities. The university has more than 20 courses related to the program with some required and some elective. Classes are scheduled to work around tax season, aiding students involved in the field and the professors as well. Their advisory board is rich with experienced individuals who manage taxes for Silicon Valley organizations, so students are certain to find a curriculum that is full of valuable information. For those who have completed an MST degree, SJSU offers the chance to obtain an advanced certificate through completion of an additional five courses beyond those required for the degree.
Accreditation
- Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)
- Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
Contact
Business Tower 950
One Washington Square
San Jose, CA 95192
Phone: 408-924-1000
Email: admissions@sjsu.edu
Website: http://www.sjsu.edu/lucasschool/prospective-mst/
Santa Clara University
Leavey School of Business
SCU’s Leavey School of Business enjoys a high level of prestige on the West Coast. The 450-year-old Jesuit college has nurtured the careers of many Silicon Valley and Bay Area standouts. Its students regularly participate in internships and mentoring, and they frequently find victory in business-focused competitions. The school’s faculty is filled with members whose opinions and analysis are considered to have immense value in their respective fields. Students who are admitted to graduate programs in the Leavey School of Business are groomed for considerable success from the start.
Master of Business Administration (MBA), Finance Concentration
The MBA program with a finance concentration at Santa Clara is designed to enhance the understanding of promising professional students in the deepest intricacies of financial theory. It provides students with two tracks. One is focused on teaching students the most important skills to thrive in companies that help with investment, lending itself to earning a position as a chief investment officer among other prestigious goals. The other is focused on embedding the skills needed to excel within corporate environments and potentially acquire a job as a chief financial officer. Each track emphasizes training in interpretation of information and development of decision-enabling financial models, understanding the impact on the economy of the world’s financial entities and the various markets, and studying the effects of valuation.
Master of Science in Finance
Students in pursuit of a Master of Science in Finance degree at Santa Clara have the distinction of working towards a degree that has helped many Silicon Valley CFOs, analysts, managers of funds, and treasurers obtain respected and relied-upon positions. The students in this program are given the opportunity to choose a specialization in either capital markets, investment management or corporate finance, and the school promises that its accelerated courses prepare its qualified students in a year’s time. The prestigious school offers its students the chance to establish valuable network connections as they complete their training, and the Master of Science in Finance curriculum utilizes the services of professors who are highly respected in the field as well as effective and devoted mentors to their students. Among accredited finance degree programs in California, Santa Clara’s MS in Finance may be at the top.
Accreditation
- Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)
- Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
Contact
Leavey School of Business Graduate Admissions
Lucas Hall 109
500 El Camino Real
Santa Clara, CA 95053
Phone: 408-554-4539
Email: gradbusiness@scu.edu
Websites:
- http://www.scu.edu/business/msf/
- http://www.scu.edu/business/mba/academics/concentrations.cfm#finance
The Bay Area and Silicon Valley have proven magnetic to ambitious entrepreneurial spirits in recent times and the schools in the area emphasize that fact. The accredited finance degree programs in California are highly diversified and promise richly rewarding experiences to well-prepared students of any age and background.
