Master of Finance
A High Quality, Affordable Path to a Career in Finance.
Whether you're entering directly from an undergraduate program, pivoting to a career in finance, or looking to deepen your expertise, the Isenberg Master of Finance (MF) equips you with the knowledge, skills, and experience to succeed in today's financial industry. Designed to be completed in as little as 9 months, this flexible program combines rigorous analytical training with hands-on projects and practical experience using industry-relevant tools and technologies.
The Master of Finance can be completed on campus in Amherst or online, full-time or part-time, allowing you to earn a respected graduate degree in a format that fits your goals and schedule.
Program Details
Full-time: 9-12 months
Part-time: 18-24 months
Amherst: Fall start
Online: Fall and Spring starts
Amherst Full-time: Yes
Part-time and Online: No
Built for Modern Finance Careers
The Isenberg Master of Finance equips students with the specialized knowledge, analytical expertise, artificial intelligence skills, and career coaching needed to succeed in today's increasingly complex global financial markets. Whether your interests lie in private markets, including private equity, hedge funds, and real estate investments, or public markets, spanning equities, fixed income, and derivatives, the MF curriculum provides a rigorous foundation and advanced training aligned with industry demands.
Through a blend of quantitative analysis, financial modeling, valuation, risk management, and portfolio management, students develop the technical capabilities employers seek, alongside a strong commitment to ethical and professional standards. Graduates are prepared to pursue a wide range of finance careers across the buy side, sell side, corporate finance, treasury, risk management, and investment management.
A Finance Degree Built Around Your Background and Career Goals.
The Isenberg Master of Finance offers flexibility for students at every stage of their academic and professional journey . Students with a finance background can earn their degree in just nine months, while those new to finance can gain the necessary foundation through convenient online prerequisite courses.
Flexible. Accessible. Career-focused. The Isenberg MF is designed around you.
The Isenberg Master of Finance combines rigorous academic training with real-world industry insight. Courses are taught by distinguished faculty who are recognized experts in finance, investments, and financial markets, bringing both scholarly excellence and practical experience into the classroom. The same expert faculty teach on campus in Amherst or online.
Through hands-on projects, case studies, and applied financial analysis, students gain the technical skills and practical experience needed to excel in today's competitive financial industry. The curriculum is aligned with the CFA® and CAIA® Bodies of Knowledge, helping students build expertise that is highly valued by employers and relevant to professional certification pathways.
Our graduates have launched successful careers across the financial services industry, securing positions with leading firms in investment banking, asset management, consulting, wealth management, venture capital, corporate finance, and risk management. Recent graduates have accepted positions:
Asset Management
State Street • Fidelity Investments • Bracebridge Capital • Cambridge Associates • Merrill Lynch • StepStone Group • Sun Life Capital Management • Windrose Advisors
Investment Banking & Capital Markets
Citibank • BNY Mellon • Goldman Sachs • Morgan Stanley • Nomura • UBS • Santander • U.S. Capital
Consulting & Advisory
McKinsey & Company • Bain & Company • EY • Protiviti • RSM
The full-time Master of Finance program in Amherst is STEM-designated and Visa compliant, providing international students with enhanced opportunities to gain valuable professional experience in the United States after graduation.
Through Optional Practical Training (OPT) and potential internship opportunities supported through Curricular Practical Training (CPT), students can apply their classroom learning in real-world financial settings while building their professional networks and career readiness. Combined with Isenberg's rigorous curriculum, industry connections, and one-on-one career coaching, the program helps international students develop the skills, experience, and confidence to pursue opportunities in investment management, banking, consulting, corporate finance, and other areas of the financial services industry.
* Class of 2025
90th percentile $132K*
*Average of MF classes 2022-25
4+1 Master's Degrees
UMass Amherst undergraduates and students from colleges within the Five College Consortium can take advantage of Isenberg's 4+1 programs, earning both a bachelor's and a master's degree in as little as five years. Eligible programs include the Master of Finance (MF), Master of Science in Accounting (MSA), Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA), and Master of Science in Management (MSM).
UMass Amherst students may also qualify for an accelerated option, allowing them to complete both degrees in fewer than five years. Students are encouraged to apply to their chosen master's program during their junior year or early in their senior year to maximize the benefits of the 4+1 pathway.
Career Services
Advance your career with dedicated support and resources from Isenberg. Through IConnect, Isenberg's career management platform, you'll have access to job and internship postings, employer and networking events, career development tools, and personalized guidance throughout your job search.
Explore resume and cover letter resources, LinkedIn and personal branding workshops, and interview preparation tools to help you stand out in a competitive marketplace. Students can schedule one-on-one career coaching appointments through IConnect for individualized support on career exploration, job search strategies, and professional development.
Message from the Program Director
As the global financial markets become increasingly complex and investors seek greater diversification along with increased return on investments, there has never been more demand for expertise in the field of asset management. In one short year, the MF will provide you with both the cutting-edge knowledge and the credentials you need to accelerate your career in this thriving field.
GET A UNIQUE DEGREE FROM A TOP, AACSB-ACCREDITED BUSINESS SCHOOL.
The Isenberg School of Management simulates the real-world challenges you’ll face on the job so you’ll be equipped to handle the ever-changing issues of today’s financial world.
ENJOY THE BENEFITS OF ONE OF THE BEST FINANCE DEPARTMENTS IN AI WORLDWIDE.
Isenberg faculty are recognized around the globe for their leading-edge research in Asset Management, and particularly Alternative Investments (AI). Isenberg Finance faculty also serve as editors of The Journal of Alternative Investments (JAI), the preeminent journal in the field. As a result, the department has an established reputation for excellence in scholarship as well as real-world application.
TAP INTO OUR UNPARALLELED ACADEMIC PARTNERSHIPS.
The Center for International Securities and Derivatives Markets (CISDM), located at Isenberg, hosts conferences, connects academic and business communities, and provides access to the Morningstar CISDM Database. In 2002, CISDM co-founded the Amherst-based Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst Association (CAIA), which supplies credentials and support for alternative investment professionals.
MF Faculty
Apply Now
Follow our step-by-step process to complete your online application.
- Review the program specific admissions requirements.
- Click Apply Now to go to the University's Graduate School site where you can find a link to the secure online application.
- First-time users will need to create an account to start a new application. Note: You can submit your application before you have all your materials ready, simply save and resume your application as you gather required materials.
- After submitting, track your application at the Graduate School Status of Application page.
Take the first step.
Fill out the form to start the conversation and one of our program specialists will follow up with you directly.