Which is better to pursue, a master’s in finance or MBA in finance?
Tuesday, January 23, 2024
Whether you choose a master's degree or an MBA in finance depends on what outcome you would like to achieve. While both are great options, one will give you in-depth, technical knowledge in investments and corporate aspects and the other gives you the opportunity to develop leadership skills.
Finance professionals have a general vision of organizational and personal financial management, so they know how to create strategies to plan and choose the best investment channels. However, many of them want to advance their careers by continuing their studies and aren’t sure whether it is better to study a master's degree or an MBA in finance.
Although both graduate options provide specialized knowledge of the finance industry, each program has a structure designed to achieve different objectives. For this reason, it is necessary to know what makes Southern New Hampshire University’s options different.
Should you study a MS in Finance or an MBA in Finance?
Both degrees are excellent choices, more so when studying online at SNHU - a pioneer in online and financial education. However, you’ll need to think about what you want to achieve with the degree, read on to see which may be best for you.
Master of Science in Finance
The main objective of the MS in Finance is to demonstrate the importance of financial analysis to make decisions with quantitative skills, thanks to the courses in National and International Corporate Finance, Investments and Financial Modeling, as well as Options Analysis and Financial Derivatives, among others.
This program’s curriculum is specially designed so that candidates develop the skills to:
- Analyze and evaluate corporate investment opportunities.
- Efficiently manage investment portfolios.
- Use financial data that serves for strategic decision making. Interpret the effect of events and market conditions on strategic objectives.
- Use risk management tools to maintain the relationship between risk and return in a balanced manner.
MBA with specialization in Finance
The MBA in Finance is highly sought after by investment brokers, small business owners, project analysts and senior executives, as it offers commercial training focused on corporate and short-term financial management, as well as portfolio analysis and management investment.
In addition, this MBA integrates leadership, ethics, innovation and strategy to combine financial management knowledge with business leadership to make any graduate a valuable asset for any organization. This mix of knowledge helps the graduate to:
- Analyze financial data using quantitative and qualitative techniques.
- Use data for strategic decision making.
- Evaluate and apply strategies and techniques to reduce risks in financial contracts and in sets of assets, liquidity, stocks and bonds.
- Master financial securitization, options analysis and derivatives analysis.
- Evaluate and implement different models and processes for the design of the continuous improvement process of organizations.
- Cultivate globally aware and culturally responsive teams and organizations.
If what you are looking for is to prepare at a higher level for the corporate and investment world, the MS in Finance is likely your best option. However, if the idea is to develop leadership in business management in a financial institution or focusing on finance, the MBA in Finance is ideal.
Both the MS in Finance and the MBA in Finance offered by SNHU for online study follow the same curriculum as on-campus programs do, but are specialized for the Indian job market. Each of these postgraduate courses come with the support of experienced Indian professors hired to campus standards, who have extensive experience and academic level.
If this has helped you decide which program you should pursue, we invite you to fill out our application today.
If you still have questions, reach out to us via email or give us a call.
Access learning that fits your life at SNHU, which has more than 25 years of experience in online education.