Master of Science in Finance Online

Business may run on numbers, but it relies on people who can build and analyze sophisticated models to translate financial figures into bold insights and innovative strategies. The finance professionals who have a firm grasp of the technical skills and practices of finance have the singular ability to clearly deliver contemporary solutions in all facets of management and finance.

When you choose William & Mary’s Online MSF program, you have the opportunity to graduate with both your master’s degree and a specialized finance certificate—either a Corporate Finance certificate or an Investment Management certificate—in as few as 16 months. Earn two credentials and get a deep dive into finance more quickly and thoroughly than you would with a typical MBA. The Online MSF program prepares future CFOs with the quantitative and leadership skills necessary to identify value-creation opportunities and assess risk, navigate global challenges, foster change and create value in an ethical manner.

*Online MS in Finance students are invited to join other W&M online students at one of the immersive residency weekends at our Williamsburg campus. Students who attend a residency will earn one additional credit. Read more about the residency weekend experience.

Online Master’s in Finance Program Details

  • 16 Months to Completion
  • 32 Credits
  • 8 Courses
  • 7.5 Weeks Per Course
  • 100% online
  • Optional weekend residency*
  • No GMAT/GRE required
  • 3 starts per year: August, January and May
Screenshot from MSF Alumni video showing Shay Parris speaking
My classes at William & Mary have helped me prepare for the CFA exam. From a theory and an application standpoint, I feel a lot more confident and better prepared. I also feel like I can critically assess any financial issues, models or anything that they may throw at me during that exam.
– Shay P., MS in Finance ’24 Candidate

Invest in Your Future With the Online Master of Science in Finance Program

From a career as a financial manager to the C-suite, you’ll benefit from a strong outlook for financial careers.

17%

Increase in financial manager jobs through 20311

$156,100

median annual pay for financial managers2

#12

Financial manager ranking in Best Paying Jobs3

#1

Financial manager ranking for Best Business Jobs3

$204,476

Average base annual salary for a CFO4

Get the Insider Perspective on the Online MSF Program

MSF Faculty Video

Program faculty members share the features and benefits of the Online MSF program.

Video Transcript

Michael Seiler:
What stands out about our Masters of Science and Finance program is that we have full-time faculty designing the entire curriculum. They're also designing that with the help and input of industry leaders. That brings you the current information that you're gonna need to succeed in today's business world. We also have a theoretical background so that you can solve not just the current problems in business, but any problem that you're gonna see in the future. Because if we don't teach you how to think, then all we're gonna do is have you trained for today. But we need you to be trained for all the years to come.

Scott Gibson:
The MS and finance is critically important to advancing your career. If you're self-employed, your your business, it's going to give you the critical skills and the models you'll be able to build from scratch, a model to solve any kind of problem. You won't be forced to use off the shelf software where you don't know what's going on and you put the numbers in, they come back. Sometimes it's a square peg and a round hole. It just doesn't work. We'll teach you how to build from scratch and make the proper a decision model, and we'll give you the underlying theories and provide that framework that's gonna enable you to fully understand the problem and what you're doing.

Michael Seiler:
It's not just the content that is important that we deliver to you, it's how we deliver that information. We have worked painstakingly hard to make sure that this information is in bite-sized, digestible chunks.

Scott Gibson:
With Online, we can design courses that go at a speed that is tailored to you. We can cover the topics that are tailored to you.

Michael Seiler:
Students often ask me, is there a way for us to network inside the program? And I say, there are tons of ways. In my Real Estate Investments course, we have industry leaders who will present topics within the module. At the end of that module, they share with you their name, their contact information, and they welcome you to reach out to them with any questions that you might have.

Scott Gibson:
Graduates of our program are gonna be prepared for success. You're gonna have a thorough understanding and the confidence when you're called into a board meeting. You'll be able to present not only the, the numbers, the, the spreadsheets, the models, you'll be able to explain in plain terms to those maybe outside of finance, the underlying intuition, kind of the theoretical underpinnings that led you to the decision that you're guiding.

MSF Alumni Video

Hear from alumni as they share why they chose William & Mary and how the program has impacted their career.

Video Transcript

Branden Owen:
I decided to get a master's in finance because I knew it was something that I'm very interested in with my career, but also something that would help me tremendously going forward.

Shay Parris:
I looked at a lot of different schools, a lot of different programs, and I felt this soul, William and Mary would give me not only the support and the networking that I need, but the educational foundation that would be required to further my career.

Branden Owen:
I'd loved my opportunities to engage with the faculty at William and Mary. It was truly an interactive experience. Each one of them made sure to make time for whatever I needed. If I had questions outside of class or if I wanted to get together with a group project, for example.

Shay Parris:
I think that William and Mary offered much more than just an education, but also a community and almost like a, a family vibe.

Branden Owen:
This specific program has been tremendously helpful for me and one class for studying specific types of financial instruments. Now, in my company, we have a portfolio that I have to manage, and we had an opportunity to invest in a specific type of financial instrument that I had never heard of and didn't understand. It was coincidentally the same time they were in this class. I immediately knew, oh, that's what this instrument is. That's what the intention of it, that's how it pays off, and that's how it can be useful for me. And more importantly, I'm able to go to our home office and say, Hey, here's this opportunity, but here are the risks associated to it. That at in turn has made me feel far more valued within my own company.

Shay Parris:
My classes at William and Mary have been helping me prepare for this CFA exam. From a theory and an application standpoint, I feel a lot more confident, better prepared, and I also feel like I can critically assess any financial issues, any models, um, anything that they may throw at me during that exam.
As I went through the program, we had teams and there was a student from Russia. There was a student from the UK, myself, and we worked so well together. It was very surprising.

Branden Owen:
I was very surprised that the amount of interaction between the students and the friendships that we would create were very rewarding, even though we lived literally thousands of miles away from each other.

Shay Parris:
For me, I think William and Mary was the exact amount of structure and support that I needed. It's not been the easiest road, but I do appreciate the amount of time and energy and patience that William and Mary's staff and faculty have provided.

Branden Owen:
If you're ready to push yourself, if you're ready to get the most out of a program, you should absolutely do it. The professors are fantastic. The institution has a very rich history, and it's gonna be very rewarding. I thought I was gonna enjoy it. I thought I was gonna learn something, but it's been tremendously rewarding.

Where Theory Meets Reality

Get the Hands-on Learning You Need to Succeed

Build essential knowledge you need for a successful finance career with immersive learning experiences that demonstrate practical applications of course materials. Immersive experiences include:

  • Case analysis
  • Strategic-decision making exercises based on the uncertainty of financial models
  • Extensive simulation exercises for authentic experiences in forecasting, modeling, exercising strategic skills and making decisions

Through these experiences, you will build confidence to step into leadership positions and gain knowledge and skills that apply to your work now and in the future. Graduate from this program as a well-rounded financial professional.

What skills will you acquire in the online master's in finance program?

  • Analyzing financial statements
  • Forecasting complete sets of financial statements
  • Preparing three-statement models
  • Pricing securities in modern financial markets
  • Creating value for shareholders
  • Understanding how firms interact with financial markets
  • Building and interpreting valuation models in Excel
  • Portfolio management and investment management in various asset classes
  • Using financial software tools
  • Analyzing individual and organizational behavior
  • Comprehending the homebuying process
  • Programming complex mortgages
  • Generating income from each quadrant of real estate

Course Highlight
Corporate Valuation and Credit Analysis

In this course, you will become familiar with the tools and techniques for valuing corporate investment projects and assets in a wide range of settings. Get hands-on experience in building and interpreting valuation models in Excel, the same models commonly used by corporate financial managers, investment managers and investment bankers.

By the end of the course, you will be able to:

  • Analyze the ability of a firm to generate cash flow for investors
  • Apply comparables analysis to estimate the value of a company
  • Evaluate the uses and limitations of comparables analysis
  • Apply various discounted cash flow approaches to estimate the value of a company
  • Evaluate the uses and limitations of various discounted cash flow approaches
  • Analyze the credit quality of a firm
Two professional students in button up shirts looking at financial charts on a computer monitor

Who’s Earning the Online MS in Finance?

Get a snapshot of the people most likely to be in your cohort:6

41%

students of color

11

years of work experience

30%

female

35

average student age

Keep Asking Questions

What skills will I acquire in the master of science in finance online program?

You’ll gain the quantitative and leadership skills necessary to identify value creation opportunities and assess risk, navigate global challenges, foster change and create value in an ethical manner.

You’ll become fluent in:

  • Analyzing financial statements
  • Forecasting complete sets of financial statements
  • Preparing three-statement models
  • Pricing securities in modern financial markets
  • Creating value for shareholders
  • Understanding how firms interact with financial markets
  • Building and interpreting valuation models in Excel
  • Portfolio management and investment management in various asset classes
  • Using financial software tools
  • Analyzing individual and organizational behavior
  • Comprehending the home buying process
  • Programming complex mortgages
  • Generating income from each quadrant of real estate

What can I do with a master’s in finance?

You can expect to have many, varied career options, including in such roles as:

  • Finance officer
  • Forensic accountant
  • Financial analyst
  • Financial manager
  • Portfolio manager
  • Wealth manager
  • Investment banking analyst
  • Finance and insurance manager
  • Actuary
  • Corporate controller
  • Vice president of finance
  • Chief financial officer

What salary can I earn with a master’s in finance?

Salaries for each position will depend on the role, industry and location. As of May 2021, the annual pay for a financial manager was $131,710.2 The average annual base salary for a CFO as of May 2023 was $184,793.4

Interested in Our Online Programs?

Feb
14

Priority Application Deadline

February 14th
Summer 2025 Term
Apr
4

Application Deadline

April 4th
Summer 2025 Term
May
5

Next Start

May 5th
Summer 2025 Term
Sources
  1. Retrieved January 19, 2023, from bls.gov/ooh/management/financial-managers.htm#tab-6
  2. Retrieved December 2, 2024, from bls.gov/ooh/management/financial-managers.htm
  3. Retrieved December 2, 2024, from money.usnews.com/careers/best-jobs/financial-manager
  4. Retrieved December 2, 2024, from glassdoor.com/Salaries/chief-financial-officer-salary-SRCH_KO0,23.htm
  5. Retrieved May 4, 2023, from ziprecruiter.com/t/Most-Popular-Types-Of-CFO-Jobs
  6. Based on data from enrolled Fall 2021-Summer 2024 cohorts.
Questions? Let’s Connect.