I spoke with Mark Vonnahme, Director and Lorena Nicholas, Associate Director today and they provided me with some great information on the UIUC Master in Finance Program.
Average work experience – 1 year to 18 months
Program Length – 1 year
Student body – Diverse and international
Placement Geography – Chicago, but also NYC and DC
Class size – 125
The Master in Finance is under the finance department which matters because you want the finance department to really direct a finance program. Program starts in the summer and you take 4 required classes. These include quantitative methods and corporate finance. In the fall you take two more required classes, finance economics and investments. Outside of these required classes you can take whatever interests you. All classes are with MBA students so you can get a dedicated finance degree while still networking and getting MBA exposure.
The program has a new director, Mark, who comes from a long and distinguished career in the private sector. He is focusing on corporate outreach at the school and really tying in the relationships and helping students get internships and jobs. He had a great grasp on the advantages of an MSF degree and how it is different from an MBA (very important thing to understand if you are going to head up an MSF program).
For more information contact them and the below email address:
msfinance@business.illinois.edu
You can also check out the program by going directly to their website.
I want to thank Mark and Lorena for talking with me and talking with me about the program. UIUC is a great school and if you are thinking about working in the Chicago area or anywhere else for that matter, make sure this school is on your list!
UIUC is also a CFA Partner Program. I have commented on this many times before and think this is an amazing thing to have for an master in finance program.
