Masters in Financial Analysis

A Master in Financial Analysis (MFA or MSFA) is a specialized, post-graduate degree designed to give recent graduates and early-career professionals advanced technical, quantitative, and analytical skills in finance.

 

Core Focus and Curriculum

Unlike a general MBA, an MFA is deeply technical and focused on practical market applications. Programs typically cover:

  • Core Foundations: Accounting, corporate finance, financial statement analysis, and investment fundamentals.
  • Quantitative & Data Skills: Econometrics, financial modeling, valuation, data analytics (Python, R, or data mining), and machine learning applications.
  • Specialized Electives: Mergers and acquisitions (M&A), private equity, derivatives, behavioral finance, fixed income, and risk management.
  • CFA Alignment: Many programs (such as those at Rutgers Business School or the London Business School) are affiliated with the CFA Institute and structure their curriculum to help students prepare for CFA exams.

 

Program Length and Structure for MFA

  • Duration: Usually 1 to 1.5 years (12 to 18 months) of full-time study, though part-time or online options can take 2 to 2.5 years.
  • Format: In-person or hybrid tracks that often feature live business projects, global treks, or internships.

 

Common Career Paths for MFA grads

Graduates typically step into analytical and transaction-heavy roles, including:

  • Investment Banking Analyst
  • Equity or Credit Research Analyst
  • Corporate Finance Analyst
  • Asset/Funds Management & Portfolio Analyst
  • Risk Management or Private Equity Analyst

 

Several universities and business schools around the world offer MFA programs:

  • London Business School – The LBS MFA is a 12-16 months program for students with 0-2 years of work experience. The Masters in Financial Analysis (MFA) gives you a rock-solid grounding in state-of-the-art financial tools, financial markets and global business understanding. Balancing theory with practice and real-world business exposure, the MFA provides you with the chance to connect with international institutions and practitioners and build an international network. Contingent on career tracks, and subject to additional fees, MFA students may extend their learning to complete three additional electives courses at LBS or with one of our exchange partner schools to broaden their global exposure and understanding. International exchanges are available with other world-class business schools in Europe, North America and Asia.

 

  • USNW Sydney – The Master of Financial Analysis is a specialist qualification that builds on your prior degree and substantial studies in accounting and/or finance. It will extend your understanding and abilities in financial analysis, giving you a solid grounding in high-level skills for the development of a wide range of careers, such as investment analysis, funds management, chief financial officer role or almost any career involving business analysis. It draws on cutting-edge teaching and research from UNSW Business School, which is ranked in the top 30 globally for accounting and finance (QS World University Rankings by Subject, 2026). This degree will give you an advantage as you head towards any of your financial analysis career goals. You will expand your knowledge and skills in accounting and/or finance, making you stand out from the crowd. As a UNSW Business School student, you’ll have access to Career Accelerator – a portfolio of work experience, professional development and global business project opportunities to support your ambitions.

 

  • Rutgers Business School – As a partner school of the CFA Institute, our program objective is to prepare you to successfully take and pass all levels of the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) exam. Whether pursuing full-time or part-time study, our courses ensure you are learning the necessary materials to take the exam and begin an exciting career in finance.
    • MFinA is a STEM program allowing students up to 36 months of Optional Practical Training
    • You can complete the program in as little as one year as a full-time student or 20 months part time
    • Full-time and part-time course of study
    • CFA exam preparation
    • Career management and services

 

  • University of Canterbury – The Master of Financial Analysis (MFinA) at UC will build your expertise in financial analysis, portfolio management, risk management, and more so you can work with businesses and financial institutions to make informed investment decisions. This 18 months full-time degree is particularly suited to those from non-finance backgrounds but with numerical aptitude, to begin a new career in finance. The MFinA has two intakes per year. Choose your courses depending on whether you start studying in February or July.
    • Build skills in finance and financial analysis, including investments, risk management and probability theory, equity research, portfolio management, and more.
    • Strong focus on Financial Technology (Fintech), so you can work across a tech-driven financial workforce and deliver technical solutions and products.
    • Pathway to becoming a Chartered Financial Analyst through the CFA Institute. The course content is designed as preparation for L1—L3 CFA exams, and you will be able to complete the required CFA Ethics course as well as Practical Skills Module (PSM) (if you enrol for L1 CFA during your studies) as part of your MFinA coursework. UC also offers scholarships to enrol in CFA exams.

 

  • Temple university – The Master of Science in Financial Analysis in Temple University’s Fox School of Business emphasizes cutting-edge academic thinking and hands-on practical applications to prepare tomorrow’s finance professionals with the 21st-century skill set critical to advancing their careers. The science, technology, engineering and math (STEM)-designated Financial Analysis MS is a multifaceted and quantitative program through which students can reimagine their career opportunities with Fox’s forward-looking curriculum. You’ll form expertise in corporate finance, investments, and investment banking financial modeling and decision-making. Expand your skills with integrated data science for finance courses in programming, time series analysis, data visualization, machine learning and generative AI applications.