Frequently Asked Questions

You must at least have the equivalent of a four-year U.S. bachelor’s degree before we can consider you for admission to the program. In some countries, a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree are needed to be equivalent to a four-year U.S. bachelor’s degree. For example, a student from India who has a BCom must also have completed both years of the MCom to have the bachelor’s equivalent. If you are uncertain about whether your academic background meets the minimum, please contact us.

No. In fact, some of our best students come from backgrounds such as engineering, math, statistics, physics and computer science.

You must scan your transcripts and degree certificates into the online application in order to be considered for admission. If admitted, you will then be required submit original or certified transcripts and degree certificates when you arrive on campus. Please note that the documents must be provided in a sealed envelope directly from the issuing institution.

You may be admitted on limited status for a variety of reasons. The admission letter will clearly indicate the admission terms and the steps that need to be completed before full-admission status can be obtained. Some possible reasons for limited-status admission are:

• Admission has been granted as long as a minimum grade-point average is maintained.
• Non-native English speakers admitted with English scores below 103 on the TOEFL IBT are required to complete an English placement test prior to their first semester of classes. Based on their performance on this test, they may be required to take English as a Second Language course(s) as part of their degree requirements.

If you are admitted on limited status, you will be allowed to enroll for the first semester. You must satisfy whatever restriction is indicated in your admission letter to continue in the program.

The M.S. in Finance is aimed at accomplished professionals choosing to return to business school at the master’s level, but who wish to follow a more focused program devoted to learning and excelling in finance. While the Broad M.S. program offers a wider spectrum of finance courses in comparison to most other institutions with such programs, Broad’s M.S. in Finance degree is not appropriate for students seeking to gain general management education. These students are better served by emphasizing finance courses within MSU’s Full-Time MBA program.

All students admitted to the program have some type of work experience. While the admissions committee places a strong emphasis on admitting students with at least two years of professional work experience following their undergraduate degree, applicants with less work experience and strong academic credentials are also encouraged to apply. High-quality summer internships and part-time work experience might be enough to compensate for less than two years of full-time work experience if other credentials are sufficiently strong.

M.S. in Finance students come from a variety of backgrounds, some with stronger math skills than others. The admissions committee evaluates quantitative skill as a factor for admission. Coursework in college algebra and calculus are strongly recommended for success in the program.

Interviews are conducted on an invitation-only basis. Please refrain from calling or emailing the program office to request an interview, as you will be contacted by the program office if an interview is necessary to make a decision on your application.

Your recommendation letters should come from academic and business sources. These recommendations should emphasize your strengths in the following areas: quantitative and analytical analysis, written and oral communication, spreadsheet analysis and relevant work experience.

Admission to the program is competitive. Each year the Admissions Committee admits the best applicants from the current application pool. If you are granted admission to the program, you may decline the offer and defer your application to the next year for consideration as part of the next class. You will not be penalized for deferring your admission, nor will you be given any special consideration beyond the strength of your application for admission during the next year.

Yes. Seats in the program are limited, and it is not uncommon to wait-list an applicant. Since not all applicants that are offered admission enroll in the program, the program wait-lists applicants that have strong credentials but for one reason or another were not offered admission. As the admission cycle continues and we find that some of the admitted applicants defer or decline our offer of admission, we are able to extend admission offers to some of the wait-listed applicants.

Yes, you may apply if you have an MBA. The Broad M.S. in Finance program offers a wider spectrum of finance courses in comparison to most MBA programs, so it is not uncommon for an MBA who wants more finance depth to apply to the program.

Yes, a laptop is required. The classrooms are equipped with ports for the laptops, and most of the faculty use the Internet to post course information, assignments, etc. Additionally, laptops are needed for group meetings and presentations.

The program is intended as a one-year program. Exceptions to this rule are made for students sponsored by specific organizations for which special arrangement has been made. These include Fulbright, American Council, and students sponsored by various governments and central banks. If you have a sponsorship and want to inquire about extending the program (after you have arrived on campus), please contact us.

Yes, you may apply, but note that work experience is considered by the admissions committee when evaluating your application for admission. Be sure to note all work experience, internships, and other certificates and activities in your application. In addition, you must have completed all requirements of your degree by June 1 so that you can arrive on campus in time to join orientation, which is held the first week of June.

It is important that you accept or decline your admission offer by the deadline provided in your offer letter. After the deadline, the admission offer is no longer valid. If you choose to accept the offer, you must also pay a deposit. This deposit is a prepayment of your tuition and can be paid online with a major credit card.