Where can you earn the most prestigious master finance degrees in California? The best universities, schools are all over California, from San Francisco to the very southern tip of the state in San Diego and just about everywhere in between. Can you imagine earning your master’s degree while hiking among the gigantic redwood trees? Perhaps you can see yourself studying anywhere along California’s 840 miles of stunning coastline. The Golden State may be the best place in the world to get your traditional MBA in finance or your MBA in global finance. Just look at some of the finance MBA programs on offer from these prominent universities in California. And you thought California was just for vacations? Think again, the beach isn’t only for sun and surfing anymore. It is the best place in the world to study and to earn the MBA in finance you have been wanting for so long.

University of California at Los Angeles

Anderson School of Management

Established in 1935, The Anderson School of Management is highly respected for steadily maintaining its ranking among the top business schools in the world as well as for its superior learning environment. The learning environment is composed of state-of-the-art facilities, a tradition of selective admission, an award-winning faculty committed to research and teaching and the consistent success of graduates from the school.

Included among its most recent recognitions are its ranking as “Best Business School” by the Princeton Review 2014, “Best Graduate School” by the U.S. News & World Report 2013 and “Best College” by U.S. News & World.

Master of Business Administration/Finance

The Anderson School of Business offers a fully customizable MBA program. This means that you can complete it as a full-time student, which will require three quarters and a summer internship. However, you may also earn your MBA while you are fully employed. This option is referred to as the FEMBA. This method takes about three years to complete, or you can choose to fast-track and complete it in as little as 27 months. Graduates of the Master of Administration/Finance and graduates of the FEMBA earn and receive the same degree. FEMBA program students have all the same advantages as full-time MBA/Finance students such as the Global Access Program and the option of selecting the Track and Specialization of their choice.

The Finance Track, for either an MBA/Finance or an FEMBA, includes courses such as Corporate Finance, Investment Management, Venture Capital and Private Equity, Global Macroeconomics and Financial Statement Analysis. Additionally, you can choose your specialization based on the industry you are interested in building your career in, which will make you all the more attractive to a potential employer in that industry. Some of the specializations that you can choose from are Accounting, Corporate Finance, Entertainment, Entrepreneurship, and Global Management, among others.

Contact
Westwood Plaza, Gold Hall Suite B201
Los Angeles, CA 90095
Phone: (310)825-6944
Email: mba.admissions@anderson.ucla.edu
Website: https://www.anderson.ucla.edu/degrees/fully-employed-mba

Master of Financial Engineering

There are four required components to the Anderson School of Management’s Master of Financial Engineering program curriculum. They are core courses, financial institution seminars/career development workshops, a summer internship, and an applied finance project. The latter is designed to simulate a major and in-depth task comparable to what will be required of the graduate once he/she has entered the workforce. The MFE degree requires 52 units of coursework, and all of them must be graduate-level courses. It takes, on average, 13 months to complete this program.

The MBA and the MFE vary in that the MBA has a broader curriculum, while the MFE should be expected to be more demanding as well as provide a far more refined level of quantitative skills for success. This program is intensely and arduously focused on finance. Therefore, graduate students should have a solid foundation in linear algebra, multivariate calculus, and statistics. It will also be to the graduate student’s advantage to have experience in computer programming, differential equations, numerical methods, advanced statistics, and probability theory.

Contact
UCLA Anderson Master of Financial Engineering
110 Westwood Plaza
Entrepreneurs Hall, Suite C310
Los Angeles, CA 90095
Phone: (310) 206-3256
Email: mfe@anderson.ucla.edu
Website: http://www.anderson.ucla.edu/degrees/master-of-financial-engineering

Accreditations

  • Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)

University of California Riverside

A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management

The A. Gary Anderson School of Management takes pride in being among the fastest growing graduate business schools. It has a strong reputation for producing graduates who are leaders of business growth—leaders who are superbly capable of meeting the complex business challenges of today.

As part of the UCR School of Business Administration, the A. Gary Anderson School of Business Management is AACSB accredited. This is a major accomplishment as merely 5% of business schools worldwide receive this prestigious distinction and 20% of companies only recruit from AACSB accredited programs.

Master of Finance (MFin)

MFin graduates will find themselves in prime position for the jobs of their choice for careers in investment banking, corporate finance, private wealth management, asset management, quantitative research, and equities trading.

The program provides an all-inclusive synopsis of the field of finance. The degree requires 48 quarter units and three quarters, on average, to complete. The MFin program will prepare students for professional certifications such as CFA and GRP of all levels.

Accreditations

  • Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)

Contacts
Graduate Business Program
102 Anderson Hall, South
Riverside, CA 92521
Phone: (951) 827-6200
Email: ucr_agsm@ucr.edu
Website: http://agsm.ucr.edu/mfin/

University of Redlands

School of Business

The University of Redlands has a revered history as a private liberal arts university for more than a century. The School of Business consistently produces graduates that enjoy salaries comparable to the top 30 colleges in the U.S. The school’s Master of Business Administration classes are intentionally kept to around 30 per class so that each student can benefit from a high-level of consistent interaction with faculty. The School of Business employs instructors who are not only excellent professors, but who have spent time in the workforce themselves and are, therefore, capable of allocating the practical aspects of the field with their students, as well. Redlands School of Business places a strong emphasis on producing ethical global citizens and toward that end provides its students a variety of opportunities to work and intern internationally.

Master of Business Administration/Finance

The School of Business offers their MBA students the option of selecting from two tracks regarding the completion of the program. The first option is a two-year evening class MBA program, which was designed for the full-time working professional. The second option is a fast track, one-year program. Both MBA programs have the same curriculum and degree. The MBA program students of both tracks also have the option of choosing an area of emphasis from the five that are offered: Finance, Geographic Information Systems, Global Business, Information Systems, and Marketing.

MBA graduates can expect to be proficient in utilizing their business knowledge in a wide-range of situations. They will be confident and effective communicators as well as adept at recognizing all aspects of a problem, as well as potential solutions. Moreover, graduates will be skillful at applying principled reasoning and critical thinking to determine the best solution based on the outcome to the business as well as the community it serves.

Accreditation

  • Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)

Contact
School of Business
1200 E. Colton Ave
Redlands, CA
Phone: (888) 999-9844
Email: SchoolofBusiness@redlands.edu
Website: https://www.anderson.ucla.edu/degrees/fully-employed-mba

University of San Diego

School of Business Administration

For more than 40 years, the University of San Diego’s School of Business Administration has been living up to its mission of producing respected and sought-after professionals by providing students a value-based, globally pertinent and demanding program. It also provides its students practical and professional development and various industry association activities to meet each student’s specialization interest. Classes are kept small enough so that accessibility to instructors is available to every student. USD’s School of Business has achieved international recognition and holds the rare AACSB International accreditation.

Master of Business Administration/Finance

The Master of Business Administration offered by USD is 56 credits and takes 22 months to complete. The School of Business also offers an evening MBA program for working professionals. You can choose a specialization such as Finance. The teaching approach of this program is a diversified blend of experience and theory that includes projects, visits to company sites, guest speakers, working in teams and professional and leadership development seminars.

The program also allows you to select either the Traditional or International Business Track. The International Track requires two consulting projects in other global regions. There are also ample opportunities for studying abroad as well as connections with industry professionals both at the local and worldwide level.

Master of Science in Taxation

The Master of Science in Taxation is a 30-unit program that takes one year to complete. It requires an undergraduate degree in Accounting as well as coursework in both individual and corporate taxation. In order to complete the interactive work in this program, you will need a wireless laptop.

This program is intended specifically for accountants who want to specialize in Tax. Graduates will possess the qualifications to serve in mid-level or upper-level taxation positions including management positions. The MTax program also emphasizes communication, interpersonal skills, leadership and supervisory skills. Students with degrees in other fields may apply for the MTax program but should anticipate the need for additional coursework as well as extended time to complete their degree work.

Accreditation

  • The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) International
  • Member of the European Foundation of Development (EFMD)
  • Latin American council of Management Schools (CLADEA)

Contact
University of San Diego
School of Business Administration
Accountancy Programs
5998 Alcala Park
San Diego, CA 92110-2492
Phone: (619) 260-2975
Email: acctinst@sandiego.edu
Website: www.sandiego.edu/accountancy

University of San Francisco

The School of Management

Acting on its traditional Jesuit principles, USF’s School of Management strongly focuses on ethics in business as well as a rigorous curriculum, both theoretical and practical. The School of Management believes in and employs the practice of global immersion for teaching global business to its students. Therefore, students of this program can expect to travel for some of their coursework. Places such as Europe, Dubai, and South America, as well as Silicon Valley, are among some of the destinations students may expect to travel.

The faculty is diverse, multilingual, and they are esteemed for their teaching experience as much as their global corporate experience.

Master of Science in Financial Analysis/MBA

Graduates of this MBA program will be fully prepared for the quantitative demands of the financial field. It is a dual program and the Master of Science Financial Analysis/MBA may be earned as a full-time or part-time student. This makes it a feasible program for those who are already in the workforce to return for their master degree.

The MSFA/MBA combines all the necessary coursework for achieving well-honed numerical skills along with the coursework and practicum for business management. The program stresses teamwork and fosters the development of critical thinking skills necessary for dealing with managerial problems in all business settings including corporate.
This degree program is 36 credits and takes 18 months to complete. It is an intense program that meets 3 days per week. Work experience is not required though as it is for some other programs of this type.

Accreditation

  • Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)
  • Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business – International (AACSB)

Contact
University of San Francisco
2130 Fulton Street
San Francisco, CA 94117-1080 USA
School of Management
Phone: (415) 422-2221
Email: management@usfca.edu
Website: https://www.usfca.edu/management/programs/graduate/financial-analysis

University of Southern California

Marshall School of Business

Established in 1920, the Marshall School of Business believes in concentrating effort on providing each student a profound understanding of the underpinnings of the global marketplace so that every graduate can succeed in a constantly shifting business environment.

This school encourages innovative thinking, entrepreneurship, ethical business practices, collaboration and research. It is Marshall’s commitment to this mindset that results in its ranking at the forefront of business schools. So that each student can come to comprehend the intricacies of the global marketplace first hand Marshall provides extensive opportunities to its students for cross-cultural travel and collaboration.

Master of Science in Finance

Marshall’s Master of Science in Finance program will prepare students to achieve excellence in finance. The program takes one year to complete and will award the graduate the go-ahead to move to the front of the line in their business careers. This degree is a solid step up. It is ideal as either a first or second master’s degree.

Leventhal School of Accounting

The University of Southern California’s Leventhal School of Accounting believes first and foremost in the value of innovation and significant research in the field of accounting. The school aims to awaken the passion of these in every student, knowing that an innovative and research oriented frame of mind will endow the graduate to achieve the highest levels in the field of professional management and accounting.

Master of Business Taxation

Leventhal’s MBT program is a comprehensive one that is designed for students who are aiming for successful careers as tax professionals. The program is intended to provide the student expertise as both an individual and corporate tax professional. Graduates will be fully prepared and confident in their ability to comprehend and communicate to clients, the complex and constantly changing, local and federal tax legislations and regulations.

Program participants can expect to graduate with a firm understanding of all the underpinnings involved in taxation including law, economics, accounting, and politics.

Accreditation

  • Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) International
  • Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)

Contact
USC Marshall School of Business
University Park Campus, BRI 200
Los Angeles, CA 90089
Main Phone: 213-740-9000
MSFin Phone: (213) 740-3932
MSFin Email: ms.fin@marshall.usc.edu
MBT Phone: (213) 740-4838
MBT Email: macc.mbt@marshall.usc.edu
Website: www.marshall.usc.edu

There is no better time than now to keep your promise to yourself to earn your master degree. It is clear that some of the most respected universities and schools of business are in the beach-laden state of California. Why not follow the links and check out one of the accredited finance degree programs in California now and take the first step to bigger and better career?