Applying for entry to accredited finance degree programs in New Jersey is a smart step for any student of business who wishes to obtain valuable skills for the workplace. Today’s businesses count upon the knowledge and experience of experts in finance. Many businesses prefer candidates with experience in finance for all sorts of vital roles within the company at the management and executive level. Additionally, programs in finance also often offer students the education credits they need to sit for the CPA exam and become licensed. New Jersey features a variety of programs in finance through study in MBA programs or other graduate programs.

Rider University

College of Business Administration

Rider University is a private school that was established in 1865 in Lawrenceville. The school has around 5,700 students attending classes, and many of its programs feature accreditation by respected accrediting organizations. The university is moderately selective in its admissions policy and obtained a rank of #18 on a list of the best regional universities in the north by U.S. News & World Report. In recent years, the university has undergone expansion with new buildings and renovations of existing classrooms. A new student recreation center and new residence hall were added in 2005 which featured a variety of equipment rooms, exercise studios, and a game room.

Master of Business Administration (MBA), Finance Concentration

Rider describes its MBA program as one that prepares students for a rapidly changing business world. Students benefit from Rider’s location near several major corporate centers in New Jersey, as well as those up and down the Route One corridor. The program emphasizes a variety of important concepts like advanced business theory, interpersonal skills, and hands-on experience via team projects and internships with local businesses. A concentration in finance requires that students take specific courses related to the specialization including Corporate Treasury Management, Financial Market Operations, and Portfolio Management. Students must also complete an independent study in finance. The university also offers classes in a variety of timeframes so that students who need to take classes at night are eligible to get this degree. Additionally, all classes required by the major are offered in the fall semester, as well as the spring semester. Students may also choose to specialize in more than one area and add classes to their curriculum.

Accreditation

  • The Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
  • The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)

Contact

2083 Lawrenceville Rd
Lawrence Township, NJ 08648
Phone: (609) 895-5557
Email: jcherney@rider.edu
Website: http://www.rider.edu/academics/colleges-schools/college-business-administration/graduate-business-programs/mba-master-of-business-administration

Rowan University

The Rohrer College of Business

Established in 1923, Rowan University came about due to a donation of 24 acres of land in Glassboro. The school was once known as New Jersey State Teachers College at Glassboro but became a university later in the 20th century. With around 12,000 students enrolled, Rowan is a large university with ample resources for students. Interestingly, the school was one of the first in the country to design a program to instruct teachers on how to teach students with developmental disabilities and other learning issues. The school is also the site of the second public medical school in New Jersey with the recently opened Cooper Medical School.

Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Finance

The MBA program at Rowan University prepares students to become leaders in business, rather than employees who take orders from leaders. Additionally, although the school is public and has a set of tuition requirements that differ between in-state and out-of-state students, the school eliminated this difference for the MBA program, which means all students from anywhere in the country can benefit from the program’s competitive tuition rates. After graduation, the school boasts that 20% of its students enroll while in a top managerial position while 61% of graduates obtain such a position within three years of graduation. The school features a program option for students that offers opportunities for students living in Philadelphia, New York City, and Washington D.C., and commuting students are able to take advantage of “ample” parking set aside for graduate students. Within the finance specialization, students will choose three finance courses from a list of approved electives including Capital Budgeting, Issues in Finance, and Financial Engineering.

Accreditation

  • The Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
  • The Association for the Advancement of Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)

Contact

Rowan University MBA Program
Bunce Hall
201 Mullica Hill Road
Glassboro, NJ 08028
Phone: (856) 256-4000
Email: mba@rowan.edu
Website: http://www.rowan.edu/colleges/business/mba/academics/curriculum.cfm

Rutgers University

Rutgers Business School

Established in 1766, Rutgers University has grown over its centuries to become the largest school in New Jersey with around 65,000 students enrolled. The school is considered one of the nine colonial colleges in the United States because it was founded before the American Revolution. The school got its name from a generous benefactor in the 1800s who gave the school a large sum of money to overcome a severe shortfall. For many years, the school only admitted male students and was associated with the Dutch Reformed Church. Today, however, the school is no longer affiliated with religion and also admits men and women.

Rutgers Master in Business Administration (MBA) in Finance

When enrolled in the MBA program at Rutgers, students are taught a variety of essential skills in business that will provide a solid base for obtaining management-level employment in the finance sector. A variety of interesting jobs are open to graduates with an MBA in finance including work at banks, employment with hedge funds, and work with insurance companies. Several industries are also open to finance experts since virtually no business can survive for long without someone taking care of strategic financial decisions. The school suggests that its program’s location near New York City offers students the benefit of classes from experts in the industry who have experience in global business and finance. Students get to attend guest lectures from speakers on a variety of essential topics like investment, borrowing, disbursement, and fund-raising. Students also have the opportunity to enroll in a full-time program or a flex program so as to find a schedule that works.

Master of Accountancy in Financial Accounting Program

Students enrolled in an accounting program who would like to become a CPA and are graduating with a bachelor’s degree in accounting are encouraged to investigate the Master of Accounting in Financial Accounting program at Rutgers. The degree program is designed to satisfy the requirement that students obtain 150 hours of courses to obtain certification as a CPA. The program is interesting in that it begins with a full-time course load in the fall and then finishes with a part-time course load in the spring. The program is specifically designed to be a flexible experience for students so that students can complete the majority of their training to become a CPA before they start working at an accounting firm. Then, after being hired, students can remain enrolled and complete the program while cultivating a new job. Some of the classes students will take include Advanced Accounting Research, Accounting in the Digital Era, and Decoding of Corporate Financial Communications.

Master of Quantitative Finance

Rutgers suggests that managers with finance experience are starting to become some of the most important people employed at the management level in today’s businesses. Finance experts and people with MBA degrees are tasked with a variety of essential projects in business like consolidation, expansion, mergers, and financing. Specialized knowledge in finance helps graduates add value to their future company by reducing the risks associated with various projects and also improving the eventual profits enjoyed by the company. Rutgers describes its Master of Quantitative Finance as a unique program that will provide a jumping off point for employment in any number of sophisticated fields within technology and business. Like other accredited finance degree programs in New Jersey that offer multiple schedules, the program starts in the fall each year and will take students three or six semesters, depending on the type of schedule used by the student. Finance-centric classes students will take include Analysis of Fixed Income Securities, Econometrics, and Financial Institutions & Markets.

Master of Financial Analysis

The Master of Financial Analysis at Rutgers is designed to help students eventually obtain their CFA charter, and is a one-year program. The school sits in a prime location only 41 kilometers from New York City, which places students near the financial center of the world: Wall Street. The program is also a partner program of the CFA institute, which means that the curriculum is specially designed to ensure students will be able to pass the test. In addition to the special program, instructors from the New York Society of Securities Analysts also teach sessions each May for the benefit of students in the Master of Financial Analysis program. Some of the classes students will take during their year in the program include Accounting for Managers, Data Analysis and Decisions, and Financial Management. All students in the program take the same classes together as the schedule starts in July with a six week financial accounting class. After completion of this class, students then take a set of five classes in the fall and then an additional five courses in the spring.

Accreditation

  • The Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
  • The Association for the Advancement of Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)

Contact

Office of Graduate Admissions
1 Washington Park, Suite 124
Newark, NJ 07102
Phone: (973) 353-1234
Email: admit@business.rutgers.edu
Website: http://business.rutgers.edu/

Seton Hall University

Stillman School of Business

Seton Hall University is a private school affiliated with the Catholic Church. It was founded in 1865 by an archbishop and is the oldest university associated with a diocese in the United States. It’s also the largest Catholic college in the state. The school has nearly 10,000 students enrolled for classes and features a healthy percentage of students studying at the graduate level. The school was ranked 128th in a list created by “U.S. News & World Report” on the best universities in the nation, and the business school was also ranked 78th best in the nation by “Bloomberg Businessweek” in 2014.

Master of Business Administration (MBA) Program – Finance Specialization

Students enrolled in the MBA program at Seton Hall is designed to accommodate students who must work full-time while enrolled in the program and features a streamlined program that requires fewer credits than traditional MBA programs. Students must complete 42 credits instead of the traditional 60 credits and will receive their MBA in 18 months instead of the standard two years of study. The school clarifies that the degree isn’t one that’s easier because it’s shorter, but that it’s faster with all the standard features that a student would expect in a traditional program. In addition to specializing in finance, students may also choose to obtain a dual degree alongside an MBA with a JD, MSN, or MADIR. Additionally, students may be granted a waiver on taking the GMAT through the school’s Alternate Route Admissions option. The school suggests that the school’s location in northern New Jersey ensures that students are just a quick ride away from New York City, the business capital of the world.

Accreditation

  • The Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
  • The Association for the Advancement of Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)

Contact

Seton Hall University
400 South Orange Avenue
South Orange, NJ 07079
Phone: (973) 761-9262
Email: mba@shu.edu
Website: http://www.shu.edu/academics/business/mba/

Stevens Institute of Technology

School of Systems and Enterprises

When it was established in 1870, Stevens Institute of Technology was one of the first colleges of its kind, and it was the first college in the United States that was devoted to mechanical engineering. The school has around 5,200 students enrolled and considers itself a private, coeducational research university. The school boasts that two of its members have been awarded the Nobel Prize. U.S. News & World Report also ranked the school #82 for the best universities in the country. The school also came in at a rank of #3 in a list of mid-career salaries for graduates and was the 5th best engineering college ranked upon the criteria of salary.

Master of Science (MS) – Financial Engineering

SIT suggests that the financial markets today require experts in the industry who understand the intricacies of modern markets, as well as the mathematical prowess to understand the patterns that exist in today’s markets. Some of the vital topics covered in the program include computational techniques, economic theory, and statistical analysis. To obtain their degree, students must complete 30 credits at the graduate level. At the close of study, students will have experience with portfolio management, trading, hedging, and pricing, which will help students make important financial decisions in whatever type of employment they choose after graduation. Some of the core classes required of the major include Stochastic Calculus for Financial Engineers, Pricing and Hedging, Computational Finance, and Advanced Derivatives. To obtain admission to the program, students must complete standard application elements like the application, transcripts, and recommendation requirements, as well as a personal statement, resume, and GRE or GMAT scores.

Accreditation

  • The Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)

Contact

Office of Graduate Admissions
Howe Center – 12th Floor
Stevens Institute of Technology
1 Castle Point on Hudson
Hoboken, NJ 07030
Phone: (201) 216-8044
Email: graduate@stevens.edu
Website: http://www.stevens.edu/sit/graduate/financial_engineering.cfm

William Paterson University of New Jersey

Cotsakos College of Business

William Paterson University was established in 1855 and has around 11,500 students enrolled. The campus is about 20 miles away from New York City and was founded as the Paterson City Normal School. The school first offered classes to future teachers but expanded upon its educational offerings in the 20th century. Today, the college boasts a variety of honors given to its students including grants for Fulbright Scholars, grants from the Guggenheim Foundation, and funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities, in addition to a variety of other recognitions and funds. Over 90 percent of the faculty at the school have a Ph.D. or the highest degree available in their field.

Master of Business Administration (MBA), Finance Concentration

The MBA program with a finance concentration at William Paterson offers students the classes and experience required to satisfy the CPA examination requirements for education. Like other respected accredited finance programs in New Jersey, the school’s intent with the MBA program is to ensure students are effective contributors within any competitive business environment. Students benefit from what the university describes as a dynamic curriculum that is never static and which continuously sees updates to accommodate new business theories and practices. The university describes the program as a cross-functional pedagogical approach to curriculum. Some of the topics students study during enrollment include perspectives on regulatory issues, social influences on business, ethical considerations, and political issues. Some of the classes students will take while enrolled include Management Process and Educational Theory, Statistics for Quantitative Analysis, and Financial Planning and Capital Budgeting. Some students may also want to take Mathematical Methods for Business or a computer class before starting the rest of the curriculum.

Accreditation

  • The Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
  • The Association for the Advancement of Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)

Contact

Office of Graduate Admissions
William Patterson University
Morrison Hall, 102
300 Pompton Road
Wayne, NJ 07470
Phone: (973) 720-3641
Email: mba-cob@wpunj.edu
Website: http://www.wpunj.edu/ccob/programs/mbaprogram.dot

Focusing on finance allows students today to travel further in their career because of the vital nature of finance in today’s business world. Schools in New Jersey also offer students a prime location for study that’s often less than an hour’s train ride away from New York City and Wall Street. Students who wish to move up the corporate ladder may want to consider a master’s degree in finance. Graduates who would like to be considered for roles at the executive level or in management will also want to consider enrolling in accredited finance degree programs in New Jersey as such knowledge is all but required by today’s top firms.

Related Resource: What Are the Best Jobs for Someone With a Master’s in Finance?