The Master’s of Finance degree delivers the specialized skills and expertise needed to succeed in the fast-growing, complex asset management industry. Cutting-edge knowledge of best practices and ethics as well as a full range of strategies is essential to thrive in the industry. Students will move through a one-year, on-campus, 10-course curriculum (30 credits) at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

The program’s STEM OPT classification is ideal for international students, which allows extended time in the U.S. to gain practical work experience.

All Master of Finance students choose between two specialty areas of asset management.

Alternative Investments

This specialty prepares students for creating and growing wealth, and managing risk across a broad array of asset classes such as hedge funds, private equity, venture capital, commodities, and more.

Real Estate

This area of specialty includes practical, industry-relevant training to help prepare students for possible careers in Capital Markets, Development, Investment, Asset Management, Debt Lending, Advisory, Brokerage, and Corporate Services.

Isenberg's academic partnerships with the Center for International Securities and Derivatives Markets, Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst Association, and the Journal of Alternative Investments, extend the degree experience beyond the classroom, creating access to industry thought leaders and executives, conferences, research opportunities, and more. 

Students also have access to unparalleled resources including multiple Bloomberg terminals, the Morningstar CISDM Hedge Fund/CTA database, CRSP database for historical stock prices, Compustat, OptionMetrics, Morningstar Direct, and Thomson Financials 13F institutional holdings data.