Here is a student perspective on the master in finance program at Johns Hopkins. I hope it helps.
1) Why an MSF and why Johns Hopkins:
I see a need for specialists rather than generalists in the finance industry and that is why I choose to pursue the master in finance. I want to be on the forefront of where the industry is going and I felt that an MBA alone would no longer make me a competitive candidate for a top position within finance. I interviewed several programs, much like how we students are interviewed, and what I liked about Johns Hopkins was their ability to quickly and concisely respond to all of my questions. I felt that this university would be more responsive to my needs as a student and it turns out that I was right. Let’s not forget that the brand name doesn’t hurt either.
2) Who would an MSF be good for in general and a JHU MSF specifically?:
A master in finance is for someone who wants to be able to navigate through life while always staying within the realm of finance. The MSF is both broad and deep and allows the student to be able to quickly add value to any firm which he/she goes in. I have noticed that I am able to get call backs for business analysis, consulting, equity analysis, and quant analysis jobs.
The Johns Hopkins University master in finance is good for someone who wants to learn more practitioners rather than only professors. A bulk of my instructors turned out to be working professionals which made the conversations more interesting and I knew that I was getting the skills which are being applied currently, rather than just theories. What else is interesting is that we learn Matlab and R in our program which enables the students to be able to land quant and statistical jobs jobs.
3) Pro’s and Con’s:
Pro’s:
– Brand name which is recognized globally and can allow the student to gain employment both domestically (US) and abroad.
– Location to the east-cost which enables the student to network with the DC, Boston, NYC, and CT employers.
– Instructors who are practitioners and can allow the students to know what is being done in the industry currently.
– The building! Brand new and well worth a visit.
Con’s:
– Career services isn’t the best because it’s a new program and employer’s haven’t started visiting the university as frequently.
– Students have to seek full-time opportunities on their own (isn’t this what happens once you are in the ‘real world’ also?)
Here is a link to the Johns Hopkins Master in Finance Program
