Finance
The Master of Science in Finance program at the Segal Graduate School equips students with the tools needed to manage investments and risk in a rapidly changing world. Designed to meet the increasing global demand for skilled risk management and investment management professionals, the program provides a unique blend of rigorous training and real-world experience. Visiting finance professionals contribute an invaluable practical component to the program. Students also have an unparalleled opportunity to gain hands-on experience by managing an investment portfolio with a market value in excess of $10 million.
Applicants should also refer to the program website .
¶¡ÏãÔ°AV Requirements
¶¡ÏãÔ°AV is based on the following:
- Students can apply online at ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV’s online Graduate Studies application for admission, found at http://www.sfu.ca/dean-radstudies/prosp_students/application_process/
- MSc in Finance program application essay, found at .
- Official undergraduate transcripts mailed directly from the granting institution. An undergraduate degree in business, commerce, economics, mathematics, physics or other suitable quantitatively oriented programs is required. Candidates holding a professional designation such as a PRM or FRM and evidence of strong mathematics competency would also be ideal candidates. Students with a strong mathematical aptitude who have completed the graduate diploma in business administration offered by the University would be qualified for admission consideration
- A resume
- Three confidential letters of reference mailed directly from the referees, preferably from supervisors or former professors
- Graduate management admission test (GMAT) results
- Applicants whose primary language is not English, or whose previous education was conducted in another language, must submit evidence of satisfactory completion of a standardized English test that is acceptable to the University (see )
- Interview (shortlisted candidates only)
Application
Students can apply online at ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV's online graduate studies application for admission, found at http://www.sfu.ca/dean-gradstudies/prosp-students/application_process.
Program Requirements
A minimum 3.0 grade point average (B grade) is required and completion of a minimum of 45 units from the following course list including BUS 870.
An introduction to elements of mathematics and computational techniques employed in finance and financial risk management. An introduction to programming tools, e.g. VBA, Matlab, and an object oriented programming language (e.g. C++).
An introductory course in the theory of finance and investor behavior, financial decision-making under uncertainty as well as capital market equilibrium.
Financial econometrics for testing asset pricing models and portfolio performance measurement.
Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
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Christina Atanasova |
Feb 8 – Feb 22, 2017: Wed, 2:00–5:00 p.m.
Mar 1 – Mar 8, 2017: Wed, 2:00–5:00 p.m. Mar 15 – Mar 22, 2017: Wed, 2:00–5:00 p.m. Mar 29 – Apr 5, 2017: Wed, 2:00–5:00 p.m. Feb 24, 2017: Fri, 2:00–5:00 p.m. Mar 10, 2017: Fri, 2:00–5:00 p.m. Mar 24, 2017: Fri, 2:00–5:00 p.m. Apr 7, 2017: Fri, 2:00–5:00 p.m. |
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A survey of asset pricing models including linear factor models, CAPM, and arbitrage models. Multi-period consumption, portfolio choice, and asset pricing models; continuous-time consumption and portfolio choice; behavioral finance and asset pricing; asset pricing with differential information.
An introduction to portfolio management, equity valuation, debt valuation, and performance and risk measurement.
The term structure of interest rates, fixed income returns, yield-spread analysis, sources of risk in fixed income securities, and embedded options.
An introductory course in derivative securities that includes pricing as well as the use of derivative securities in portfolio management and structured transactions.
Assumptions underlying the Capital Asset Pricing Model are relaxed to allow for specific views on asset returns, and to allow for the expected future consumption needs of a given investor to be considered at a strategic level.
A review of securities law in Canada, US and the EU. Overview of how, and by whom, financial intermediaries are regulated, Canada: Bank Act, Bank of Canada, OSFI. US: Federal Reserve, SEC, OCC, FDIC, etc.
Provides an understanding of the linkages between financial statements such as annual reports and prospectuses including the three principal financial statements (balance sheet, income statement and cash flow statement) and how useful information about a company can be extracted from them.
Four main topics are covered: portfolio theory, asset pricing, market efficiency, and performance measurement. The first two are cornerstones of financial economics, as, for the most part, portfolio selection models form the basis of models of asset pricing. The third cornerstone is the efficient markets hypothesis, which asks whether prices reflect information. Finally, asset pricing models provide the basis for many risk-adjusted measures of the performance of mutual, pension, and hedge funds.
Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
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Christina Atanasova |
Feb 6, 2017: Mon, 2:00–5:00 p.m.
Feb 20, 2017: Mon, 2:00–5:00 p.m. Feb 27, 2017: Mon, 2:00–5:00 p.m. Mar 6 – Apr 10, 2017: Mon, 2:00–5:00 p.m. Feb 16, 2017: Thu, 2:00–5:00 p.m. Feb 23, 2017: Thu, 2:00–5:00 p.m. Mar 2, 2017: Thu, 2:00–5:00 p.m. Feb 10, 2017: Fri, 2:00–5:00 p.m. |
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Computational tools for financial analysis, financial engineering and risk management.
Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
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Philip Goddard |
Jan 5 – Jan 12, 2017: Thu, 9:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
Jan 19, 2017: Thu, 9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. Jan 26, 2017: Thu, 9:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Feb 2, 2017: Thu, 9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. Feb 9, 2017: Thu, 9:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Feb 16, 2017: Thu, 9:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. Feb 23, 2017: Thu, 9:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Mar 2, 2017: Thu, 9:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. Mar 9, 2017: Thu, 9:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Mar 16, 2017: Thu, 9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. Mar 23, 2017: Thu, 9:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Mar 30, 2017: Thu, 9:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. |
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Credit risk management with emphasis on portfolio models, including probability of default and loss given default models, credit capital allocation, active portfolio management, credit derivatives, and structured transactions.
An assessment of the risk management practices of financial institutions. A survey of best practices with respect to enterprise risk management, including risk architecture and risk communication and disclosure within the organization.
Provides a comprehensive definition of all types of financial instruments and develops a thorough understanding of operational accounting and auditing for a broad range of financial instruments.
A risk management research project, completed within the final academic term, based on ideas generated in previous terms, with in-class sessions on topic development, presentation, and reporting of findings as well as regular meetings with a designated supervisor. Project may be done individually or in pairs. Graded on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis.
Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
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Peter Klein |
TBD |
Comparative systems of accounting. Evolution of multinational business and accounting implications. Prerequisite: BUS 871 and 346, or permission of the instructor.
Students in this course will manage the Student Investment Advisory Service (SIAS) fund which includes $10 million of the university's endowment portfolio, funded by contributions from HSBC Bank Canada and Lohn Foundation. SIAS fund follows a value investing mandate set by the client (¶¡ÏãÔ°AV) through a conservative investment policy statement. The fund is composed of four actively managed asset classes: Cash, Canadian Equity, Global Equity and Fixed Income. SIAS fund reports monthly compliance and performance to the client and faculty advisors. Additionally, performance review presentations are held on a quarterly basis. Students must be enrolled in BUS 880 no later than the second term of enrolment and throughout the program in order to successfully complete the course.
Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
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Derek Yee |
TBD |
Other graduate courses may be substituted for the courses listed above at the discretion of the academic director.
* students in the investment management stream complete BUS 826, 816 and 823
** students in the risk management stream complete BUS 864, 865, and 866
*** Students must be enrolled in BUS 880 no later than the second term of enrolment and throughout the program in order to successfully complete the course.
Graduate Diploma in Financial Engineering
The is designed for students in the MSc in Finance program who are seeking to deepen their theoretical understanding of relevant statistical and mathematical concepts.
Academic Requirements within the Graduate General Regulations
All graduate students must satisfy the academic requirements that are specified in the , as well as the specific requirements for the program in which they are enrolled.