<p>I will be graduating on May 11 with a BS in Psychology. However I am interesting in taking the necessary steps in becoming a CFO or financial manager. Should I enroll in a MBA or MSA program in the fall? Side note: I will be working as a University compliance officer while I''m taking classes and I plan on shadowing the CFO at my place of employment on fridays.</p>
<p>As a general rule, MBA programs tend to value applicants who have several years of full-time work experience under their belts; this allows the applicants, once they become MBA students, to better contribute to class discussions, group projects, etc., and to relate what they are learning in the classroom to previous issues they have encountered in the workplace.</p>
<p>That being said, have you looked at any business-related programs for recent grads? The University of Virginia offers a M.S. in Commerce (with a concentration in Financial Services) that is geared toward recent liberal arts/sciences & engineering graduates with no work experience. It’s a one-year program that would provide you with the foundational business tools you’d need to be successful in the business world.</p>
<p>I believe that Wake Forest and Duke also offer similar programs. Wake has a M.A. in Management and Duke has a MMS (Master of Management Studies).</p>