I was excited to report on the starting of the Santa Clara University Master in Finance Program a while back and I now have the first of many student reviews. This one comes from their first graduating class and it is very positive. California has been an under served MSF area and the Santa Clara program filled a much needed void. I hope anyone researching the program finds it helpful and I will keep you all posted as additional information comes along.
1) Why a Masters in Finance in general? Why the Santa Clara MSF in particular?
The main reason why I selected Santa Clara University’s MSF program was it’s location and its close proximity to both San Francisco and Silicon Valley. In addition , Santa Clara University is a smaller school which means a closer-knit is developed among students and faculty. This also means that when you reach out to already working investment professionals, they’re more than willing to help you out because there is a sense of pride at SCU for both alumni and current students.
I selected to pursue a Master’s in Finance because I wanted to be an Investment Analyst but I had only majored in History. It was really difficult to prove to potential employers that I had the quantitative skills that are necessary to succeed as an Analyst. Also, I believe by pursuing a Master’s in Finance, it would be a great opportunity for me to develop a network of professional people that are only focused in the same area as I am.
2) Pros/Cons (if any) of the degree and program?
Pros:
- Network (especially if you’re interested in corporate finance related jobs—because you take classes at night with the MBA’s, you will get to meet people from Cisco, Apple, NetApp, VMWare, Google and many others).
- The MSF program is very tight knit. We did many things together outside of just school work.
- On-Campus Recruiting opportunities
Cons:
- Some of the professors were frankly terrible
- Cost of the program
- Career Fair if you’re looking for Investment-related jobs
3) Who would you recommend the program to? (e.g. what kind of person would do best in the Santa Clara program?)
Yes, I would. However, you must be tenacious in finding a full-time position for after graduation. I knew I was competing against kids that are going to Stanford and Berkeley for the same jobs. Santa Clara University does hold respect in Silicon Valley and San Francisco though.
4) Anything else you want to talk about. Placements, campus experience, alumni, etc.
Generally speaking, this program will be what you make of it. From last year to this year (2014), many students have been applying for this program. The demand is on the rise and I believe will continue to grow. It was an honor to be amongst the first graduating class for the Santa Clara MSF program.
Here is a link to the Santa Clara University Master in Finance Program
