<p>Is a MS in finance worth it? Will it improve your job prospects or is it pretty much a waste of time, and one should just wait an get the MBA?</p>
<p>only somewhat worthwhile if interested in trading. better off working 2-4 years in industry X, getting an MBA from top school, and switching to your sought after industry Y.</p>
<p>Yea, I was getting the impression that it was probably for trading, because they keep stressing the word "quantitive" and all the programs required Calculus I,II, and III(No Way). Plus it cost 45g's at places like Vandy, UI, WUSTL, and Tepper.</p>
<p>It would give you an advantage, but an MBA is better if you are planning graduate studies.</p>
<p>where do you see that it has pre-reqs of all that math? Are you sure you're not referring to financial engineering?</p>
<p>Thats WUSTL's MS in Finance.</p>
<p>MS in finance is particularly good for those with a MS/Ph.D. in mathematics, physics, CS/EE and would like to work in investment banks as a quantitative analyst. If you are not strong in mathematics, then I don't see the point of taking the MS in Finance. For non-quantitative oriented jobs, you are better off to take an MBA. Frankly, if calculus 3 is beyond you, then I don't see how you can understand modern finance, which requires stochastic calculus, among other mathematical tools.</p>
<p>Let me guess you must have taken and aced Calculus III, and Diff Eq etc?</p>
<p>at my school Calc III is supposed to be easy, Calc II is supposed to be tough</p>
<p>all calc classes kill me because i have forgotten all the basics, but that is what college algebra is for.</p>
<p>Stochastic calc has been used for over 80 years, its not part of modern finance, it was first used when they had to first figure out the pricing for options using stoch calc, brownian movement blah blah blah. Knowing advanced math isnt necessary for all parts of business, that is why you have the behind the scenes C++ programers, math/physics wizards. They are the ones that do math, create the algorithms and writ e the programs.</p>
<p>And why would they need someone else then. To simply even understand what those quants are doing you need a quantitative degree. Most of business isn't quantitative (there isn't much complex math involved in M&A). However, a quantitative degree is a necessity for other areas.</p>
<p>not all MSF degrees are as quantitative I don't think, UF offers one which I think asks only for an undergrad finance degree.</p>
<p>Do they get pretty good recuritment? I know Tepper and Princeton get recruited by GS, and all the other bulge bracket firms.</p>
<p>no idea, it's a pretty new program, here's a list of past placement though. It's obviously no princeton, but you'd expect that.</p>
<p>Yea, I saw it, pretty decent. Though their starting salary for those who go straight from undergrad isn't any higher than the undergraduate level; thats to be expected though.</p>
<p>yeah, I'm sure money's better from a quantitative degree from princeton or Berkely or somewhere like that, but it's a viable alternative for those who are less mathematically inclined, or simply couldn't get into one of those programs.</p>