Why Choose a Financial Management MBA

Earning your MBA in financial management will ready you for a rewarding career that offers many opportunities for personal and professional growth. With this advanced, specialized business degree, you should be able to secure a prestigious position in many Fortune 500 companies and other types of organizations where financial management is critical for the bottom line.

A financial management MBA will provide you with the deep knowledge of finance and financial principles that you need to succeed in our global economy today.

What We Do

Business professionals with an with an MBA in financial management often work in large corporations in some of the busiest and most hectic financial centers in the world. You will work on complex financial problems that are faced by international companies in today’s diverse and global business world.

Why It’s Hot

Earning your MBA in financial management is smart because of all of the new laws regarding domestic and international finance, it is very important for large corporations to stay up to date and in compliance with all new and existing financial laws. By earning an online MBA in this specialty, you can go to work for some of the most successful companies in the world, including Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Hewlett-Packard, JPMorgan Chase and Morgan Stanley.

Work Environment

Most professionals who earn their MBA in financial management work in large corporations in a typical office environment. Most people with this type of MBA will work for private corporations, although there are some graduates that may work in the public sector as well.

How to Do It

To earn your financial management MBA, you should complete your bachelor’s degree in business, finance or a related field, and then apply for an online or on campus MBA program. Financial management MBA programs tend to be highly competitive, so you will probably need to have at least two years of related business experience and also have an excellent record in your bachelor’s degree program.

Some online and campus based MBA programs may require you to submit scores to the GMAT or GRE examination for admittance. You also should have a good background in accounting, finance and mathematics, and this should be reflected in your college transcripts.

Many busy professionals today opt to complete their MBA program online, so that they can complete it in as little as one year while continuing to work full time.

Online Financial Management MBA Programs

We’ve listed some of the best online MBA programs in Financial Management below:

  1. Master of Business Administration in FinanceSouthern New Hampshire University – The Southern New Hampshire University program Master of Business Administration program offers a major in Finance that anyone seeking a Financial Management career can adapt to their purposes. Southern New Hampshire University is rapidly developing into one of the most known and recognized names in the world of online Master of Business Administration study for a variety of reasons. The university is known to be highly affordable and is focused on providing each student with a personalized experience that includes flexible, accessible, small classes. This helps to ensure that you can get all the help that you need.
  2. Master of Business Administration in FinancePost University – The Post University program is distinguished by the high level of recognition that it has achieved from various very reputable sources such as U.S. News and World Report, which releases a prestigious annual ranking of various online and traditional schools. The University program is tailored for those who are already within the world of finance and will also be helpful to individuals who want to build up their credentials to achieve high level positions in a financial center. Post has been operating for more than one hundred years and offers its Online MBA in Finance through its Malcolm School of Business.
  3. Master of Business AdministrationWalsh College – The Walsh College Master of Business Administration program offers an unusual amount of 13 different specialization areas, including finance and financial management. You can achieve the program using completely online-only methods or opt to go on campus instead, entirely at your discretion. No GMAT is required, although students will be expected to maintain a minimum score of 2.0 (“C”) on all of their course work while they are enrolled in the program. In addition, students will find that they can easily use the program as part of their professional advancement plans even if their career has already begun and they must balance school and work.
  4. Master of Business Administration in FinanceD’Amore-McKim School of Business at Northeastern University – Northeastern University provides a completely online Master of Business Administration that includes topics such as entrepreneurship financing, investment analysis, leading the financials of mergers and acquisitions, risk analysis, capital budgeting, foreign direct investment, and many other subjects. In addition to a firm grounding in investment theory, you will get to see how the various topics in the world of finance relate to each other. As a result, many students are strongly positioned for a career in Financial Management when they complete their program.
  5. Master of Business Administration in Finance, Concentration in Financial ManagementW. P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University – The Arizona State University program is one of the most flexible that is available in the world of Finance and Financial Management today. There are many different  options that you can choose from, including a completely online option that will allow you the maximum flexibility possible. When you are enrolled in this program, you will be able to select Financial Management and Markets as your specialization area. This allows you to get a firm grounding on all areas of corporate risk management.
  6. Master of Business Administration Program for Banking and Financial Services ProfessionalsThe University of Tennessee at Martin – This specialized Master of Business Administration program is intended for anyone who is a current financial services or banking sector professional. Students include loan officers, branch managers, human resources professionals, financial analysts, accountants, auditors, adjusters, insurance specialists, and all types of analysts and brokers. This program is uniquely structured to take advantage of the needs of banking professionals by developing a cohort of classmates who work together for the full 20 months of the program.
  7. Master of Business AdministrationKaplan University –  Offering specializations in Finance and other areas, this Master of Business Administration program provides four key courses that anyone seeking to enter Financial Management will find to be of value. These special classes include Financial Institutions and Markets, Risk Analysis and Management, Corporate Financial, and Financial Statement Analysis. The total number of credits required for this totally online degree program is 76, which in terms of Kaplan’s four-credit system, provides you with a total of nineteen full-length classes in a program lasting about three years. Students can graduate sooner by taking additional courses or summer courses.
  8. Master of Business AdministrationUpper Iowa University – The Master of Business Administration with concentration in Finance is available completely online. The Upper Iowa University program distinguishes itself through its focus on management occupations, including Financial Management. The program does require that the student has already achieved an undergraduate degree, and they should come to the program with a solid foundation in areas such as microeconomics, principles of accounting, principles of marketing, business law, corporate financial management, and elementary statistics. The total length of the program is thirteen 3-credit hour courses, which typically works out to about two full years of study.
  9. Master of Business Administration with Focus in FinanceNorwich University Online – The Finance program at Norwich is intended to provide students with a national and international perspective on all of the intricacies of Finance. Combined with the core classes available from the main MBA curriculum, this is an excellent preparation for a career in Financial Management that is available entirely online. It will satisfy the goals of even the most demanding mid-career and emerging financial professionals who would like to be at the top of their fields. Norwich University Online caters to the needs of working professionals by making its programs available in a fully online, modular format.
  10. Master of Business AdministrationGolden Gate University – The Golden Gate University Master of Business Administration program includes twelve units of required coursework. After completing these requirements, students are able to select a variety of classes intended to suit their needs and professional goals. Individuals seeking to become Financial Management pros will find that there are several options that might be suitable for them. They can go with the Accounting or Finance concentration to develop the skills that they need. For students who are coming to the field from an unrelated background, it is possible to take remedial courses through Golden Gate to catch up.
  11. Master of Business AdministrationSt. Leo University – With courses available in Financial and Managerial Accounting as well as in Corporate Finance, students wishing to focus on a Financial Management concentration will find St. Leo’s program suitable for them. St. Leo University is one of the top universities for online degree programs and has been acclaimed for the quality of its programs. Because St. Leo is also a traditional brick and mortar university, it is very effective in ensuring the highest quality of instruction and accreditation for those who are concerned about making sure their degree will be accepted and recognized in the professional world.
  12. Master of Business AdministrationSouth University – South University’s program offers eleven specializations, which include several tailored to the needs of those who would like to become leaders in Financial Management. You can choose, for example, from a Finance or an Accounting course of study. You will also be able to select classes from several other areas of specialization so that you can round out your education to be a more effective business leader. Around for more than 100 years, South University was a pioneer in the use of online education in its Master of Business Administration program.
  13. Master of Business AdministrationUniversity of Maryland, University College – The University of Maryland program consists of seven 6-credit seminars, giving it a different structure than many other Master of Business Administration programs. This allows students to spend more time focusing on the various topics and absorbing their nuances before moving on. As part of the program, students can also choose to acquire a Master of Science in Financial Management and Financial Information Systems. As one of the only programs with a dual degree option, University of Maryland distinguishes itself by offering you the power of two degrees instead of one. UMUC is featured in America’s Best Online MBA programs report for 2017.
  14. Master of Business Administration – Colorado State University Online – Students who are concerned about accreditation issues frequently seek to get a degree from a state university that they know is completely accredited and worthwhile. The master of Business Administration from Colorado State University Online meets these needs and also prepares students to become trailblazers in the world of Financial Management. You will be able to complete this degree plan in as little as two years or take as long as five years according to the particular needs of your schedule. High level classes are available in principles of financial management to make you an excellent Financial Management leader.
  15. Master of Business AdministrationKelley Direct School of Business at Indiana University – Kelly School of Business is a highly ranked “Top 20” business school that is associated with Indiana University. This makes it one of the most prestigious schools available to offer a Master of Business Administration degree and allows you to meet your goals much more easily than some other degree programs might. The program is highly rigorous, but offers flexible scheduling and the highest class of instruction available for all its concentrations, including Finance.
  16. Master of Business AdministrationUniversity of Massachusetts at Lowell – “UMass Lowell” provides an excellent online MBA program for working professionals. Programs include concentrations in Finance or Accounting, both of which will be of great value to anyone who would like to achieve an online MBA relating to Financial Management. UMass Lowell was one of the very first state schools to launch a fully online MBA program in these areas and may be more suitable for students who would like the most rigorous instruction possible. There are sixteen required courses total, but up to six can be waived if you have an undergraduate degree in business.
  17. Master of Business Administration with Concentration in Finance – St. Joseph’s University, Erivan K. Haub School of Business – Students may elect to earn a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in finance if they choose to fulfill all three of their elective courses from within the field of Finance. This may provide students with the backing they need to transition directly into a financial management professional position once they complete the program.

Pros & Cons

Earning your MBA or master’s degree in financial management can offer you many exciting benefits in your business career. Consider:

Pros:

  • You will gain vital financial and management skills in business strategy, corporate finance, international risk analysis and international financial markets and banking.
  • You also will learn the latest theories, practices and strategies for financial investment management and analysis.
  • Strong demand for experts in financial management at large corporations.

Cons:

  • Earning an MBA online while employed full time can be challenging for some students.
  • In a downturn, financial managers can be subject to layoffs.
  • Finance-related MBAs tend to be among the most competitive to enter.

Financial Aid

Here are several scholarships that can help to pay for your MBA in financial management:

  • American Association of University Women Scholarships: This organization has been awarding grants to women since 1972 who are pursuing an advanced business degree.
  • Military MBA: The military recognizes today how important it is to earn an advanced business education. It now offers scholarships for prospective MBA candidates who may not have the resources to attend. Up to a $20,000 award.
  • Consortium for Graduate Study in Management: This organization has promoted inclusion and diversity in business since 1966, by awarding scholarships to minority MBA students.
  • Russ Griffith Memorial: This scholarship can be used to obtain any type of business graduate degree, including an MBA, but you need to have been out of school for at least five years. Awards are in the amount of $2000.

Career Paths

There are several exciting career possibilities for a professional with a financial management MBA:

  • Senior financial analyst
  • Chief financial officer
  • Financial controller/director
  • Commercial banker
  • Real estate finance manager
  • Finance department manager

Further Reading

Below are some publications pertaining to business and and finance that you may find helpful:

Suggested Websites

Below are some websites that are useful for people earning an MBA in financial-related topics: