With its beautiful mountain ranges, coastal plains, and charming towns, North Carolina is an attractive place to live, work, and play. For those who are attending graduate school, the Tar Heel State can also be a great place to study. The state’s academic institutions offer several worthwhile master’s degree programs in financial mathematics and financial management.

North Carolina State University

Graduate School

The Graduate School at North Carolina State has been hosting graduate-level academic programs for more than 110 years, conferring its first master’s degrees in 1894. Based in Raleigh, the institution now offers 160 master’s degrees and 60 doctoral degrees through 10 academic colleges. Several of these programs bring together the resources of different colleges to offer interdisciplinary majors and minors and to conduct joint academic research. The university is known for this collaborative research and for its renowned roster of about 2500 faculty members.

Master’s of Financial Mathematics

Financial mathematics uses mathematical methods to solve financial problems, drawing from the study of economic theory, statistics, probability, financial markets, and stochastic processes. At NC State, the financial management master’s program is a joint venture with five departments in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, the College of Engineering, the College of Sciences and the Poole College of Management.

Graduate students will take core courses in topics such as mathematics, financial markets, and statistical and computational tools. Elective courses in business management and computer science also are offered as part of the degree program. Every student also must complete a one-semester internship or project. The program has a strong track record of placing students in financial internships as well as a strong record of post-graduation job placement.

Jenkins Master’s of Business Administration (MBA) in Financial Management

MBA students at the Jenkins Graduate School of Management can choose a concentration in financial management that focuses on corporate finance and investment finance. The goal of the program is to prepare students to understand these issues by combining financial theory with real-world applied learning. For example, the academic program includes a stock market class where students are challenged to manage an investment portfolio for the college worth $100,000.

Required classes include advanced corporate finance and investment theory and practice. Electives may include topics such as equity valuation, international finance, taxes and business strategy, or corporate risk management. Successful program graduates may find jobs as commercial development analysts, strategy planning analysts, or operations analysts for banks, accounting firms and other financial institutions. The MBA program offers both full-time and part-time options for study, and full-time students should be able to complete their degree within two years. NCSU’s MBA in Financial Management was ranked number five in the thirty best Master of Finance degree programs under $22,000 per year by our editors.

Accreditation

  • The Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS)
  • The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)

Contact

North Carolina State University Graduate School
1000 Main Campus Drive,
Room 2300A
Campus Box 7102
Raleigh, NC 27695-7102
Phone: (919) 515-2872
Email: graduate-school@ncsu.edu
Website: http://www.ncsu.edu/grad/catalog/grad-school.html

The University of North Carolina in Charlotte

Graduate School

More than 26,000 students attend classes at the University of North Carolina’s (UNC) Charlotte campus, located in the state’s largest metropolitan area. UNC is ranked among the top universities in the Southeast, and the city of Charlotte also gets high praise in national surveys. Forbes Magazine calls Charlotte one of the “best cities for jobs” because of its strong job growth. The campus offers about 100 graduate programs in a wide range of specialties, including financial management and mathematical finance.

Master of Science (MS) in Economics, Financial Management

The master’s program in economics is designed to prepare students for management or analyst careers in the public or private sector. Economics students can choose to specialize in financial management, where they learn to integrate advanced quantitative methods and economic analysis in preparation for business roles in corporate finance or financial planning.

The financial management concentration requires 30 hours of graduate credits and can be completed in one year of study. Students must complete a core curriculum in economics, as well as more specialized coursework. Classes include topics such as financial management, investment management, theory of corporate finance, and monetary and financial theory. A thesis or research project also is required for successful completion of the program.

Master of Science (MS) in Mathematical Finance

About 90 students annually enroll in the master’s program in mathematical finance through UNC Charlotte’s Belk College. The program focuses on preparing graduates for careers in commercial banks, insurance companies, investment banks, commodity firms, investment funds, regulatory agencies and other financial institutions. Students learn about the sophisticated financial tools and models used to identify and manage risk in the business world.

The multidisciplinary program draws faculty and coursework from the departments of finance and economics, mathematics, business information systems, and operations management, along with the College of Computing and Informatics. Graduate students must take 30 hours of advanced courses and must successfully complete a comprehensive final examination. Master’s candidates also must choose from one of three areas of specialization: computational finance, risk management, or financial data analytics. Specific class requirements vary depending on the student’s area of focus.

Accreditation

  • The Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS)
  • The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)

Contact

The University of North Carolina at Charlotte
9201 University City Blvd.
Charlotte, NC 28223-0001
Phone: (704) 687-8622
Email: gradadm@uncc.edu
Website: http://graduateschool.uncc.edu/future-students/programs?tid=18

No matter what professional path you choose, North Carolina is home to many exemplary academic institutions that can help you to get ready for a bright and successful future. The master of finance degree programs available within the Tar Heel state offer the kind of preparation that will give you a good head start on your career of choice.