Finance, M.Fin

Admission Requirements/Required Documentation

Applicants must have an Honours Bachelor’s degree or equivalent with a cumulative grade point average (over the whole length of the degree) of at least B+. In addition, they must have an average of B+ in their last year of relevant courses. Students with an undergraduate degree in business, economics, or any quantitative-oriented field are good candidates for this program. Students from other fields are welcome to apply. Applicants are required to complete at least one university level statistics course (such as statistics, probability, econometrics) and at least one university level math course (such as linear algebra or calculus). Students are also highly encouraged to have completed at least one university level course in finance or economics.

1. Completed on-line application form (Please see a link to the form on http://mfin.degroote.mcmaster.ca/apply/)
2. Unofficial transcripts of all postsecondary education completed and in progress. If an offer is extended to the applicant, one of the conditions will be to request the official transcripts to be sent directly from the issuing institutions.
3. Proof of Quantitative Proficiency
   Applicants must demonstrate quantitative proficiency to excel in the rigorous curriculum of a Master of Finance program. To prove their proficiency, applicants must submit one of the following:
   • GMAT test (10th edition) with a minimum total score of 600 and a quantitative percentile of at least 60%
   • GMAT test (11th edition/Focus Edition) with a minimum total score of 555 and a quantitative percentile of at least 60%.
   • GRE test with at least 60% in quantitative reasoning
   • A letter from the applicant listing the university level courses and grades that demonstrate the applicant’s quantitative proficiency in subjects such as linear algebra, calculus, differential equations, statistics, probability, econometrics and other related courses.
4. Two letters of recommendation, with at least one from an academic source. Please note that McMaster University uses the Electronic Referencing System. By entering the email address of your referee through the online application, the system will automatically send an eReference request on your behalf.
5. An official report of a TOEFL score or an IELTS score (for applicants whose native language is not English). A minimum TOEFL score of 92 (internet-based test) or IELTS score of 6.5 is required. Applicants who have completed a university degree for which English is the language of instruction may be exempted from this requirement.
6. Participation in a video interview.

Program Requirements

The program’s curriculum consists of seventeen one-term courses, including fourteen 3 unit courses and three 1.5 unit courses. They are to be taken over three academic terms. Courses will be taken during the Fall/Winter terms with a scheduled break which normally occurs in the summer term. This provides an opportunity for students to seek employment, complete external certifications, and/or develop career skills.

Depending on a student’s educational background, some of the courses may be exempted and replaced with other courses. Requests for course exemptions and/or substitutions should be directed to the Master of Finance Program Administrator at mfin@mcmaster.ca.

In addition to the seventeen one-term courses, a career development course of zero-unit (FINANCE 610 ) consisting of lectures and interactive forums is also required. This course is spread over two terms (i.e., Terms 1 and 2). Its goal is to equip students with the necessary professional skills that will be beneficial for their employment search process. Topics covered include: skills assessment, resume and cover letter development, interview skills, networking, and job search strategies.