MBA: Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)

Professionals in the financial industry understand that the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation is the worldwide standard. The holder of this designation not only has several years of relevant working experience but has passed three six-hour examinations.

Each examination covers a wide range of readings that an individual is expected to work through and master on their own in addition to their regular professional work. As material on the exams has become increasingly technical and complex, reflecting the rapidly developing area of financial theory, students are having an increasingly difficult time mastering it on their own. As a result, pass rates on all levels have continually fallen over the past decade. In 2004, the pass rate of the Level 1 exam reached an all-time low of 33%.

The Milgard School of Business MBA Program offers an elective courses option, which integrates the CFA body of knowledge into the curriculum. This option allows MBA students to take the Level 1 exam during their second year of study in the MBA program.

The CFA option includes coursework that begins in Autumn Quarter and culminates in the MBA sitting for the CFA exam in June of the second year.

Passing the Level 1 exam requires the mastery of material covered in 18 Sections defined by the CFA Institute , which cover Financial Theory, Economics, Financial Statement Analysis, and Ethics and Professional Standards. We have designed four graduate level classes that cover all the financial, economic, and accounting theory that a student must master for the Level 1 exam. The material covered in these courses is not restricted to CFA material but will cover additional topics as deemed appropriate by the instructor. In other words, these courses are not "teaching to the test" but are covering a body of knowledge that includes the topices covered in the Level 1 exam. As such, they will often include materials a CFA student will see in Level 11 and 111 exams.

The schedule of courses is:

For additional information, please contact:

Dr. Gregory Noronha, CFA

top