Masters in Finance and Risk Management

A Master degree in Finance and Risk Management at CU Denver Business School will help you gain insight into the economics and finance behind modern business and add critical quantitative skills to your resume. 

As a part of the CFA Institute’s University Affiliation Program, a majority of the curriculum reflects the practice of investment management. By graduation, you’ll be prepared to pass the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) exam and land upper-level finance positions. 

With this hands-on degree, you’ll have the opportunity to dive deep into special topics like behavioral and political finance and international corporate governance. With five specialization options, you can also choose to tailor your degree to focus on commodities, risk management and insurance, economics, financial analysis, or general finance. 

Quantitative skills are integrated throughout the curriculum. At the Commodities and Finance Lab, you’ll be able to participate in commodity market analysis, futures and derivatives trading, and portfolio management. Computer terminals are outfitted with the following software: 

• Morningstar 

• CQG 

• IHS Markit 

• Trading Technologies 

The MS Finance and Risk Management curriculum consists of 30 hours of core courses and finance electives. There is also a three-hour prerequisite that may be waived based on prior business education.

Financial accounting prerequisite (3 hours)

This course may be waived if you have completed one undergraduate or graduate financial accounting course from an accredited institution with specific grade requirements.

Finance core courses (18 hours)

Grow your quantitative skills and theoretical knowledge in tandem with each other to better analyze financial trends and market changes. Course topics include:

Finance specialization (12 hours)

Pursue one of five specializations in general finance, financial analysis and management, commodities, risk management and insurance, and economics. Options include a number of special topics courses that reflect modern trends in the financial markets. Course topics include:

You will choose one of the following specializations as a part of your degree. Each specialization requires 12 hours of coursework.

General Finance

This specialization allows students to customize their studies to finance-focused courses. It also allows flexibility to take risk or commodities courses. This is specialization can be done completely online. Course topics include:

• Econometrics
• Financial statement analysis
• Entrepreneurial financial management

Financial Analysis and Investment Management

This specialization caters to those looking at careers in corporate finance, financial analysis and management, acquisitions and corporate restructuring, private equity, or investment banking. Course topics include:

• Financial decisions and policies
• Business firm valuation
• International corporate governance

Commodities

This specialization targets those looking to advance their careers in investments and trading in assets and derivatives. You’ll be able to fully leverage the resources from the J.P. Morgan Center for Commodities and Energy Management. Course topics include:

• Foundations in commodities
• Commodity supply chain management
• Trading in commodity and financial markets
• Probabilistic modeling

*CMDT courses are assessed a different tuition rate. Please refer to the J.P. Morgan Center for Commodities and Energy Management website for more information.

Risk Management and Insurance

Risk management is a field with huge demand for talent. 50% of the industry is expected to retire in the next few years. Learn how to identify, evaluate, and mitigate risks in relation to financial decisions. This is specialization can be done completely online. Course topics include:

• Cyber Risk Management
• Strategic Risk Management
• Corporate Risk Management,
• Global Risk Management,
• Principles of Risk & Insurance

Economics

Build a strong foundation of macro and microeconomics coursework that directly relates to the finance profession. Some courses are taken through the economics department and may require additional economics prerequisites. Course topics include:

• Mathematical economics
• Microeconomic theory
• Macroeconomic theory
• Econometrics

We offer this degree entirely online. 

The economics specialization requires some on-campus learning. 

Tuition

The cost of tuition for the MS Finance and Risk Management degree is different for in-state and out-of-state students.

Residents of western states may qualify for in-state tuition. The Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP) requires that students maintain current residency of WRGP state until degree completion.

Scholarships

Scholarships are available for students. As a current student, you can apply for scholarships every semester. Some awards are based on program and course enrollment.

Application Process

Applicants are required to submit all application materials. Interviews are not a part of the admission process. To receive priority admission, we must have received your online application and all other required materials including transcripts and GMAT/GRE scores by the deadline.

You can check your admission status online through the account you created for the online application. You will receive a final decision by email within two to three weeks from the submission of all materials.

Admission Requirements

• Applicants must have completed an undergraduate program at an accredited United States college or its equivalent in another country.
• No work experience or formal business education is required for admission, however, you may have to provide a GMAT or GRE score if you do not have enough work experience, see below.

The GMAT/GRE is not required for this program

The MS in Finance and Risk Management program does not require GMAT or GRE scores for their degree program as part of the graduate admissions requirements. The requirements are a cumulative GPA of 3.25 or better from a US accredited four-year undergraduate institution or the successful completion of a graduate degree, and five or more years of full-time professional work experience.

However, if you received your bachelor’s degree with a grade point average of less than 3.25 or have less than 5 years of professional work experience, you will be asked to submit a statement that outlines other indicators of exceptional motivation, such as solid upper-division performance, GMAT or GRE scores, and other relevant professional experience. The MS Finance and Risk Management admissions committee may require a minimum GMAT or GRE score for students that do not automatically qualify by GPA and prior work.

How Decisions Are Made

The admissions committee considers each candidate’s entire record of achievement. This is demonstrated through:

No work experience or formal business education is required for admission. However, professional experience strengthens your application. Candidates with less work experience can show potential through academic and experiential success.

For any questions, please contact our admissions team at bschool.admissions@ucdenver.edu or call 303-315-8200.