Study Finance in Tennessee
You can go a long way in your career with an undergraduate degree in finance. But for many advanced positions, you need a graduate degree with advanced training. You can get that high level of education in Tennessee.
In fact, many of Tennessee’s most recognizable institutions of higher learning offer online graduate degrees in this field. Fortunately, you don’t have to spend a lot of time completing your degree, either. In some cases, you can finish your master’s in finance in as little as one year.
Below are some of the popular programs in finance. Most are from within Tennessee, though, as an online student, you can get your degree from schools far and wide.
Online Finance Degrees in Tennessee
Listed below are some of the popular schools offering online finance degrees in Tennessee:
- Middle Tennessee State University
- University of Tennessee – Chattanooga
- University of the Cumberlands
- Tennessee Tech University
- University of Arizona – Global Campus
- UMass Global
- Pepperdine University
- Walden University
- Southern New Hampshire University
Middle Tennessee State University
Online Master of Science in Finance
The Master of Science in Finance from Middle Tennessee State University is a flexible online program with differing enrollment options to meet your specific needs. If you want to fast-track your education, you can attend full-time and finish the program in one year. Alternatively, a part-time option is available if you need to juggle getting an education with attending to work and life obligations.
This program, which is offered by MTSU’s Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) accredited business school, is in a cohort-style format. You’ll begin the program with a group of classmates and proceed through each class with the same set of peers. To help enhance your online learning experience, the program uses synchronous courses in which you have set meeting times for online classes.
Your professors are experienced financial professionals, both in terms of real-world experience and background as academics. You’ll learn from your instructors in small classes where you get the individual attention you need to be as successful as possible.
You must complete 33 credits to graduate. These credits are divided into two groups: 24 credits of core courses and nine elective credits.
The eight core courses explore seminal topics in finance. You’ll begin with a Foundations of Finance class that examines basic tenets of finance, like the valuation of debt and equity, financial statements, the time value of money, and capital budgeting. You’ll then move on to a course in Financial Data Analysis and Applications that discusses how to make statistical inferences from financial data. You’ll learn how to use statistical software to collect, clean, and analyze data as well.
The required Financial Modeling class explores real-world analysis and modeling of financial data. You’ll use statistical, mathematical, and programming tools to conduct analyses and model asset returns, measure risk, and optimize portfolios. You’ll also discuss real-world problems that finance professionals encounter on the job.
Other required core courses include the following:
- Investments
- Financial Statement Analysis
- Financial Institutions and Markets
- Corporate Finance
- Cases in Finance
As noted earlier, the remaining credits consist of three electives of your choice. Each elective must be approved by your academic advisor prior to enrollment. Typically, these classes should be chosen based on your professional interests and goals. So, for example, if you’re interested in learning about real estate investment, you might focus your three elective classes in that field. Alternatively, if you’re interested in corporate finance and investment markets, you’d choose your courses to align with those areas.
Once you complete your studies, you’ll have a broad range of finance-related careers available to you. Some of the most popular options include Financial Planner, Accountant, Finance Manager, and Financial Analyst. Your ability to secure a job after graduation is enhanced by MTSU’s Blue Raider Finance Network, which allows you to connect with local and national finance professionals and network with potential employers.
You must meet the following criteria to apply:
- Have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
- Have a 3.0 undergraduate GPA or higher.
- Submit official transcripts from every college or university you’ve attended.
- Provide a personal statement in which you describe yourself, explain your career goals, and outline how this program will help you achieve your goals.
- Submit a resume or curriculum vitae.
University of Tennessee – Chattanooga
Online Master of Business Administration
The University of Tennessee – Chattanooga’s online Master of Business Administration offers numerous specializations, including finance. This degree is completely online with no residential requirements on campus in Chattanooga.
The program’s flexibility is further enhanced by offering four admission dates: fall, spring, and two start dates during the summer session. You can attend full-time or part-time as well. No matter when you start the program, you’ll gain practical finance knowledge and develop essential skills that will allow you to become a graduate who is well-equipped to start a finance career.
Before starting the MBA program, you must first complete a Business Statistics class (if you haven’t already). This class is necessary to acquire the needed experience in statistical analyses and working with Microsoft Excel. Once this course is complete, you can move on and begin working on the eight-course, 24-credit core sequence of MBA classes.
One of the first classes you’ll take is Economics for Managers. This course discusses how various economic principles affect decision-making in business settings. You’ll study areas like behavioral economics, contract theory, and game theory. You’ll also analyze basic economic models to address critical managerial and economic problems.
Another early course you’ll take is Organizational Behavior and Leadership. This class examines why people behave the way they do within an organization. You’ll also learn how to apply organizational behavior theory to improve employee performance and be a more effective manager.
This degree focuses on using technology, too. You’ll take an Information Technology for Business class that will help you become familiar with IT systems in business applications. You’ll examine topics such as enterprise resources planning, data analytics, and supply chain management while also developing an understanding of how to use IT for a competitive business advantage.
The remaining core courses are as follows:
- Financial Management
- Quantitative Decision Analysis for Business
- Accounting for Managers
- Marketing Management
- Global Social Entrepreneurship and Business Ethics
The finance concentration includes three classes, each of which explores a slightly different area of finance. First, you’ll take Financial Markets and Institutions to learn about the different instruments available to you for assessing market conditions and controlling risk. Then, you’ll take Advanced Financial Management, in which you explore various case studies with stocks, bonds, options, pensions, and other investments. Lastly, you’ll take either Investments or International Financial Management, which explore the theory of investments and influences on international business, respectively.
The final component of this program is a required capstone. The capstone provides you with a hands-on learning experience in which you utilize the knowledge and skills you’ve acquired throughout the program to enhance the financial performance of a simulated business. The capstone also focuses on the following topics:
- Investigative strategy
- Management
- Global markets
You must meet the following requirements to apply:
- Have a bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited college or university.
- Submit official transcripts from every college or university you’ve attended.
- Provide a current resume or curriculum vitae.
- Submit a statement of purpose in which you discuss how this degree will help you achieve your future goals and prepare you for your desired career.
University of the Cumberlands
Online Master’s in Finance
The online Master’s in Finance from the University of the Cumberlands is a 31-credit program that provides you with the financial theory tools and analytical skills that will help you be a successful financial professional. The curriculum is flexible to meet your learning needs yet offers a rigorous curriculum that sets you apart from other finance graduates.
The curriculum is also aligned with professional standards and prepares you for two popular credentials: the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and the Certified Financial Planner (CFP). These credentials will make you an even more attractive job candidate after graduation.
This program, which is accredited by the International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE) and based in Kentucky, builds on your undergraduate studies in business or finance and challenges you to gain new skills that will assist you in breaking new ground in the finance industry. To do so, you’ll complete ten required courses, each of which addresses a different topic in finance.
For example, you’ll take a Financial Accounting and Analysis course that explores topics like income statements, statements of changes in equity, and balance sheets, among others. By completing this course, you’ll be well-versed in corporate financial statements and will be able to analyze and interpret them with ease.
You’ll also take a Quantitative Methods for Finance class that examines the techniques used in financial analysis. What’s more, you’ll learn how to use financial tools and techniques to make better investment decisions. In particular, you’ll cover topics relative to the exams for the Chartered Financial Analyst and Financial Risk Manager certifications.
Yet another required course explores financial services, financial regulations, and ethics. As part of your studies, you’ll analyze legal and regulatory frameworks overseeing the finance system. You’ll discuss common legal and ethical issues that might arise in your career and learn how to rely on your ethics to make proper decisions. This course also explores the areas specifically tested on the Certified Regulatory Compliance Manager (CRCM) exam.
Other required coursework is as follows:
- Financial Modeling and Valuation
- Economics Analysis for Decision-Making
- Corporate Finance
- Financial Planning and Wealth Management
- Big Data and Financial Analytics
- Global Capital Markets and International Finance
You’re also required to complete a capstone project. The capstone focuses specifically on strategic financial management and requires you to integrate the knowledge and skills you’ve acquired throughout the program to work through real-world business decisions. In particular, you’re expected to demonstrate analytical thinking, problem-solving, and strategic thought development skills as you address various case studies and computerized business models in finance.
You must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university to be considered for admission. Likewise, you must submit the following documentation:
- Official transcripts from every college or university you’ve attended. You must also have a 2.5 cumulative undergraduate GPA.
- A personal statement in which you discuss your professional goals.
- A current resume or curriculum vitae.
- Documentation of English fluency if it is not your native language.
Tennessee Tech University
Online Master of Business Administration
Tennessee Tech University offers an online Master of Business Administration with a specialization in finance that you can complete in about one calendar year. The program requires you to take 10 courses for a total of 30 credits, all of which are done online.
The curriculum is divided into two sections: 24 credits of core coursework and six credits of electives. Your studies are aligned with modern professional standards, and since the program is accredited by the AACSB, you can graduate knowing that you have a cutting-edge education from one of the best business schools in the world.
Your online coursework isn’t just typical lecture-based learning. Instead, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to interact with your classmates and your professors for a learning experience more like an on-campus class. You’ll also use group discussions, business simulations, case studies, and AI-assisted decision-making exercises to gain sought-after skills that make you more employable.
This program also incorporates professional development opportunities that put you on the right track to becoming a well-educated, well-prepared graduate. For example, you’ll participate in executive-in-residence interviews with esteemed financial professionals. The program also utilizes a distinguished lecture series so you can gain insights into working in this field from people who have made a career of being successful in finance.
The core coursework is typical of an MBA. For example, you’ll take the following broad-based classes:
- Managerial Economics
- Strategic Marketing
- Organizational Leadership
- Business Strategy
- Management of Information Technology
You’ll also take finance-related courses like Financial Management. This class explores essential principles of corporate finance and evaluates the financial decision-making processes used to increase value for a business or organization. You’ll also take Accounting Information for Management Decisions, which discusses the accounting principles, methods, and techniques finance professionals rely on to direct the operation of businesses and organizations.
Another key core course you’ll take is Analytical Decision-Making. This class examines economics, psychology, statistics, and other fields as part of an analysis of financial decision-making processes in the business world. You’ll learn about statistical fallacies, psychological biases, and game theory, among other decision-making topics.
The two electives you’re required to take can be chosen from a selection of finance-related courses. But you aren’t limited to taking traditional classes; you can also utilize international travel or independent research in finance to satisfy the six-credit elective requirement.
You can also add a Banking and Financial Services Certificate to your program of study if you like. This certificate requires you to complete five additional classes in the following areas:
- Network Security
- Cyber Security Management
- Banking and Financial Services
- Services Marketing
- Financial Statement Analysis
With these added classes, you’ll be even more prepared to pursue employment in financial services management, commercial lending, and bank management, to name a few.
You must complete each of the following steps to be considered for admission:
- Have a bachelor’s degree or higher from a regionally accredited college or university.
- Submit official transcripts from every college or university you’ve attended.
- Submit a current resume.
- Submit one letter of recommendation.
Admissions decisions are also based on factors like your undergraduate GPA, professional work experience, and any previous graduate work and relevant achievements. However, you do not have to take the GRE or GMAT to be considered for admission.
University of Arizona – Global Campus
Online Bachelor of Arts in Finance
At the University of Arizona Forbes School of Business and Technology, you have the opportunity to pursue a Bachelor of Arts in Finance, accredited by IACBE. This program focuses on equipping you with skills necessary for the efficient use of financial resources in various business settings.
With the knowledge you gain, you’ll be able to perform a variety of tasks. You’ll be capable of solving critical financial problems and applying financial theories to analyze organizations’ financial statements. Additionally, you’ll learn to assess financial practices, evaluate regulatory and legal issues, and create long-term financial plans.
This four-year curriculum requires you to earn 120 credits to graduate, with 43 of those credits in general education. These required courses cover essential topics in natural science, history, communications, math, and other fields.
The majority of the program involves 45 major-area credits. Some of these are broad lower-division classes, such as Macroeconomics, Microeconomics, and Principles of Accounting I and II. However, most of these credits are upper-division courses that cover specific business and finance topics.
For example, you must take Business Law I, which covers the legal environment of business in the United States, including contracts, international trade, administrative law, and the U.S. Constitution. You’ll also take Ethics for Finance Professionals, where you’ll study both classic and recent ethics cases to understand ethical practices in finance.
As you advance in the program, your business and finance classes will become more challenging. During your third year, you’ll likely take courses such as Statistics for Managers, Financial Management of Entrepreneurial Businesses, and Principles of Finance. Other required courses include Principles of Investments, International Finance, and Personal Financial Management.
The final required business course is a finance capstone experience in your last semester. This class allows you to synthesize your learning by implementing capital budgets for corporate mergers and acquisitions in a summative assignment.
Each class in this curriculum is in an accelerated five-week format. You take just one class at a time to avoid being overwhelmed with fast-paced coursework.
The remaining program credits are electives. You need to complete at least 35 general and major-area electives to reach the 120-credit threshold to graduate. For major-area electives, you can choose courses within business, accounting, finance, management, and related fields. You also have the option to add an area of emphasis. The University of Arizona offers more than twenty emphases, including:
- Business Economics
- Entrepreneurship
- Financial Planning
- Health Care
- Supply Chain Management
The admissions requirements are as follows:
- Have a high school diploma or its equivalent.
- Submit official high school transcripts or equivalency scores.
- Submit official transcripts from every college or university you’ve attended.
- Provide evidence of English language proficiency if English is not your native language.
How Many Years is a Finance Degree?
The duration of a finance degree varies depending on the level of the degree and the pace at which a student completes the program. Here is a detailed overview of the typical timeframes for different finance degree levels:
- Associate Degree in Finance: An Associate Degree in Finance generally takes about two years to complete for full-time students. This program provides foundational knowledge in finance, accounting, and business principles.
- Bachelor’s Degree in Finance: A Bachelor’s Degree in Finance typically requires four years of full-time study. The curriculum includes general education courses, core finance courses, and electives, providing a comprehensive education in finance and related fields.
- Master’s Degree in Finance: A Master’s Degree in Finance, such as a Master of Science in Finance or an MBA with a finance concentration, usually takes one to two years to complete for full-time students. Part-time students may take two to three years or longer, depending on their course load and scheduling flexibility. Some accelerated programs can be completed in as little as 12 to 18 months.
- Doctoral Degree in Finance: A Doctoral Degree in Finance (Ph.D.) typically requires three to five years of study beyond the master’s level. This timeframe includes coursework, comprehensive exams, and the completion of a dissertation. The exact duration can vary based on the research topic and the student’s progress.