Skip to main content

Learn about the Finance Concentration

Finance provides the technical and analytical skills necessary to understand how financial markets function, as well as how businesses operate and make decisions within these markets. This concentration will help prepare you to enter the finance industry – whether in financial institutions and divisions or in government or non-profit institutions.

The finance curriculum can be divided into two subfields: corporate finance and investments/capital markets. Note that the material in several courses overlaps both subfields. If you are not concentrating in Finance but would like to have some exposure to corporate finance and investment/capital markets, Foundations of Finance (FINC-UB 2) followed by Corporate Finance (FINC-UB 7) provides an excellent overview of these two areas in finance.

This finance chart lists the advanced electives by the subfield to which they belong and the associated prerequisites.


    Finance Concentration Requirements

    To declare a concentration in Finance, you must fill out the concentration declaration form on Stern Life.


    Required Functional Business Core Course:

    • Foundations of Finance (FINC-UB 2)

     

    You are required to complete at least 12 credits of upper-level finance courses that consist of:

    • Corporate Finance (FINC-UB 7)
    • Any three (3) approved finance electives:
      • Any “FINC-UB” elective
      • Any "FINC-GB 6XXX level" elective
      • Financial Modeling & Analysis (ACCT-UB 23)*
      • Financial Statement Modeling (ACCT-GB 6300)*
      • Global Macroeconomics (ECON-UB 230)
      • Macroeconomic Foundations for Asset Prices (ECON-UB 233)
      • Business, Economy, and Policy in Midst of COVID-19 (MULT-UB 24)
      • The Financial System (MULT-UB 27)
      • Foundations of Fintech (MULT-UB 80)
      • Scientific Computing in Finance (MATH-GA 2048)
      • Algorithmic Trading & Quantitative Strategies (MATH-GA 2708)
      • Risk & Portfolio Management (MATH-GA 2751)
      • Financial Securities & Markets (MATH-GA 2791)
      • Continuous Time Finance (MATH-GA 2792)

    *If you are in the BS/MS in Accounting Dual Degree Program, you cannot count these courses towards a second concentration in finance as they overlap with program requirements.


    Additional Notes and Resources

    • You may import one non-Stern, MATH-GA elective to count for the Finance concentration.
    • A Stern elective course may satisfy only one concentration requirement. For example, Foundations of Fintech can count toward as an advanced Finance elective OR as an advanced Computing & Data science elective, but it cannot satisfy both requirements.
    • The Finance department provides useful resources such as the finance course chart and information on course scheduling.
    • Explore the Corporate Finance and Asset Pricing tracks to help you supplement your concentration with coursework in specific areas of finance.
    • Stern juniors and seniors can request enrollment access into an MBA (-GB) course by filling out the MBA Course Request Form. See the form for more information. If you have questions about how a graduate course can fulfill concentration requirements, please speak with your Stern academic adviser.

    NEED HELP?

    Meet with a Peer Mentor

    Speak with juniors and seniors with knowledge and experience in a wide range of popular industries.

    Meet with a Faculty Adviser

    Talk more about this coursework as well as academic or professional pathways in this field.

    Meet with an Academic Adviser

    Plan your concentration and degree.