I was lucky enough to get my first student review of the Georgia State University MSF Program. I’ve tried to expand my coverage of southern programs as more and more students have been inquiring about them. I was just in downtown Atlanta a month ago and I would see the GSU logo from my hotel room. Their location is very central, with alumni working across a variety of industries.
I’ll continue to work to get more information on this program and other reviews. Until then I hope this review helps anyone looking into this great MSF program.
- Why a masters in finance? Why Georgia State University specifically?
Well, I have been in banking since 2000 and after spending 15 years in business development I wanted to expand my knowledge base and skills. The MS in Finance has helped me expand to other areas of banking like capital markets, investment banking and credit risk management. I never thought about to going back to school, but I wanted to do something else. So if I was going back to school, I wanted a program that would be quick and focused specifically in finance. The eleven-month term just focused on finance was very attractive to me. I never liked like marketing or management classes so I wanted a program that goes right into finance and not have to take the other classes that are not as interesting to me.
GSU is the only school in town that offers a specific finance master’s program. I looked into other executive and part-time MBA programs in Atlanta but I was not ready give 18 months to years of my time/life for a program so I picked GSU because it is quick and specifically finance focused.
- Who would you recommend to and why?
This degree is great for people interested in taking a deep dive into finance or professionals who want a graduate degree in the shortest time possible. Classes are every Monday and every other Wednesday which can work for many full-time working professionals. You don’t have to quit your job to complete this degree so you’re not losing any earning potential while in school.
I currently work in banking, and will probably stay in banking after I complete my degree, but I may look to shifting to a corporate finance division. Without this program and degree I wouldn’t have that option. I recommend this program to professionals looking to transition into finance or within the finance industry.
- Pros/cons of this degree?
The [Buckhead] location is great! Buckhead is home to many businesses in Atlanta, especially financial firms, and I work just a few blocks away which is really convenient for me.
I’ve already mentioned it, but the turnaround time from start to finish is really impressive. I started in January and will have my graduate degree in the same calendar year. They give us a month off from classes in the summer making the total in-class time just 11 months.
Besides the quick time line and convenient location, the professors are amazing! They truly care about students’ well-being and success which is very important to me. They also bring in lots of great class speakers, CFOs and treasurers from the biggest companies in Atlanta. I don’t get this type of personal interaction with financial leaders at my job so this has been a great networking and learning opportunity for me.
The 11-month timeline is great but you do have to be ready to commit yourself because it is a huge commitment. Having a full time job, a family, and especially my daughter, the program is taking time away from them. You have to make sure that everybody is on board – supervisors, friends and family – to support you during this program. But if you’re committed during those 11 months, it will pay off!
- Anything else
GSU wants us involved as much as you want, giving us networking opportunities, career advisement, etc. but I haven`t been able to take advantage of everything because of my limited time. Also, I’m not really looking for a job at the moment but I have met with my Career Coach a few times and I’m extremely pleased with her suggestions and coaching. As a GSU graduate I can also utilize their Career Center services even after I graduate so I may use them one day in the future if I decide to change jobs.
One thing that I am taking advantage of is the mentor program through the CFO Council at GSU. I was just paired with my mentor who is a CFO of a large, public company in Atlanta. I applied for this pretty lucrative opportunity through class and can’t wait to meet and learn from my mentor on a regular basis.
Here is a link to the Georgia State University Master of Science in Finance Program
