The Masters in Finance programme of The Martin J. Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University (US) has obtained a STEM designation, effective May 15, 2017.
This is the second graduate programme at the Whitman School to receive a STEM designation after the Masters in Business Analytics programme.
“Business schools play a critical role in preparing students for success in STEM fields,” said Donald Harter, associate dean for Masters programmes. “Many of the degree programmes at the Whitman School include the development of these types of skills and we are pleased to have our coursework designated as STEM.”
STEM is an acronym for the fields of science, technology, engineering and math. The US has made STEM-related programmes a priority, concerned that too few college students are pursuing degrees in these fields. The US Department of Labor expects that there will be 1.2 million job openings in STEM related fields by 2018, but there won’t be enough qualified graduates to fill them. STEM is considered key to innovation and job creation in the United States, with former President Barack Obama repeatedly underlining the importance of STEM education in making the United States more competitive in the global economy.
STEM plays a key role in helping students land jobs after they graduate.
“Many of our students are international students who study under the student visa programme,” said Harter. “Graduates from STEM programmes are granted up to three years of Optional Practical Training (OPT) to facilitate job placement, longer than programs without the designation.”
Whitman's M.S. in Finance programme, ranked #30 in the country by TFE Times, is a nine- to 18-month curriculum that prepares students for the dynamic, fast-paced world of finance. The programme's core courses explore the nature of capital markets as they relate to organisational goals and provide an understanding of how broad principles of finance and quantitative methods can be applied to create investment strategies.
Check out: STEM Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)
The STEM designation of the programme is based on its curriculum, which is designed to develop and enhance analytical and quantitative abilities of students, as well as an increasing emphasis on data-driven decision making, from how to extract and manage large data sets to visualising and modelling data to draw meaningful inferences.
The programme allows students to customise their degrees by taking quantitative elective courses in areas such as derivatives, econometrics, financial modelling, financial statement analysis, programming and time series analysis. With a state-of-the-art trading room, students have personal access to current market data, live news feeds, software for analysis, and other resources used by professionals in the field, including Bloomberg terminals and Factset data through Whitman's Ballentine Investment Institute.
“Our M.S. in Finance programme goes well beyond the classroom to ensure our graduates are prepared for careers in finance,” said Tom Barkley, director, M.S. in Finance programme and professor of finance practice. “Many of them prepare for Bloomberg certification and professional exams, such as the CFA, FRM and CAIA designations. Many more participate in case and analysis competitions and Wall Street Prep Seminars.”
