Master of Science in Finance

About Virginia Commonwealth University

Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) is a premier public research university, founded in 1838 and located in Richmond, the capital of the state of Virginia. Today, more than 32,000 students pursue 222 degree and certificate programs through VCU's 13 schools.

Virginia Commonwealth University has two main campuses in Richmond: the Monroe Park Campus located west of downtown Richmond, and the MCV Campus in the urban center. Additionally, VCU has a branch campus in Education City, Qatar, along with numerous regional facilities.

Virginia Commonwealth University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award baccalaureate, master’s, doctoral and first-professional degrees.

The VCU School of Business has earned accreditation by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International). AACSB accreditation represents the highest standard of achievement for business schools worldwide. Being AACSB-accredited means a business school is able to continuously pass a strict set of standards that ensure quality. Less than 5% of the more than 11,000 business schools in the world have earned AACSB accreditation.

Program Objectives

The Virginia Commonwealth University, in collaboration with the International Institute for Higher Education in Morocco (IIHEM), offers two VCU Master’s programs:

• Master of Science in Finance
• Master of Science in Global Marketing Management

Courses and Qualifications



Students will enroll in and undertake studies leading to the Master of Science in Business with concentration in Finance.

Students are eligible to be awarded the Master of Science in Finance degree under the following conditions:

• complete the ten courses in the program with a GPA of B or better,
• have a maximum of 2 C's and no grade below a C,
• have a minimum grade of B in all the courses taught by IIHEM.

Finance Program Description

The field of finance is concerned with how businesses raise and invest capital, and how financial resources are allocated in order to create value and improve the performance of a business. Finance is also concerned with financial markets and investment evaluation for resource allocation in real and financial assets.

The curriculum for the program leading to the Master’s of Science in Finance includes the following courses:

Courses
Financial Management
Marketing Management
Financial Management of Financial Institutions
Investment
International Finance
Managerial Economics
Derivatives
Risk Management
Financial Statements
Case studies

Admission Conditions

Students desiring acceptance into a Master’s program must first meet the general requirements for admission to Graduate Studies.

The applicant must satisfy the following requirements for admission:

• be enrolled in an IIHEM five-year diploma program,
• complete four years with a GPA of B (= 3.0) or better in the full undergraduate program or in the last two years,
• take the GMAT test and get good results (the average GMAT score for admitted graduate students in the VCU School of Business is approximately 550) ,
• have a score greater than or equal to 600 on the TOEFL test, or a score of 7.0 or higher on the IELTS test, or an acceptable score on the VCU English test that is given at IIHEM.

Based on the information provided above, an admissions committee will determine whether applicants are admitted or not.

Foundation Courses

Students having an undergraduate degree in a major other than Finance can be admitted to the program under the same conditions as above. However, depending on their background, they must first successfully complete a list of prerequisite courses that will be determined by the joint academic committee. An overall grade point average of 3.0 is required for these prerequisite courses.

Conduct of Courses

Four courses will be delivered in class by IIHEM faculty.
Two other courses will be offered by VCU professors, delivered in class at IIHEM and through distance learning.
The remaining four courses will be delivered by VCU professors at the Virginia Commonwealth University campus in Richmond, Virginia.

Student Assessment and Examinations



Student assessment will be conducted by VCU for the courses that its faculty deliver in the program, and student assessment will be conducted by IIHEM for the courses that its faculty deliver in the program, both in accordance with the curriculum requirements for each course.

The same high standards that are applied for courses taught on the VCU campus are applied to all courses in this program.




Full Time Students

Full time students are expected to register for four courses in both the Fall and Spring semesters, and for two courses in the Summer session.

Part Time Students

Students with professional activities will be allowed to take less than a full-time load. However, all work for the Master’s degree must be completed during the 6 years immediately preceding the date on which the degree is to be awarded.

Required Documents for the Application

1. 1. The VCU online application form duly filled out (http://www.global.vcu.edu/apply/index.html),
2. 2. The IIHEM application form duly filled out,
3. 3. A letter of intent or personal statement (1-2 pages),
4. 4. An official transcript,
5. 5. Three letters of recommendation,
6. 6. A resume (curriculum vita, CV),
7. 7. Official GMAT or GRE score reported directly to VCU,
8. 8. Official TOEFL score reported directly to VCU, or an official IELTS score, or the score on the VCU English test delivered at IIHEM,
9. 9. $65 non-refundable application fee payable directly to VCU.