Queen's Master of Finance

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Just wanted to get some input from you guys/gals on this program. The campus is downtown toronto with a few days each semester residency requirement in kingston, ont.
Anyone in this program? or know anyone who is in it? I am in back office right now at one of the bigger american banks. How much will this help generally speaking in respects to getting my foot in the door for asset management.
How do you guys feel generally about Mfin programs in terms of career progression towards high finance?
Any feedback/comments would be much appreciated.
Thanks.
 
This Queens Master of Finance is a joke! It’s known in the industry as a CFA prep course, which is what it really is. Even on the website it basically tells you about the cirriuculum and have CFA Leve I and Level II beside it. It even allows you to take time off to study the CFA exam.
It’s a waste of money. If you are really serious about a true Master of Finance then go to U of T. But most people just want the easy way out and don’t have enough quant background to get a true MFin.
I will not hire from anyone with a Queen’s CFA Prep Course. having the CFA charter or level 2 exam is more desirable.
 
First Term
Credit Courses
  • Corporate Finance and Financial
    Statement Analysis I
  • Equity Markets and Analysis
  • Advanced Financial Modeling
  • Quantitative Analysis and Economics
  • Fixed Income Instruments and Markets
Class Discussions (Non-Credit)
  • Economics / Quants Review of Key Concepts
  • Ethics discussion
CFA Exam Preparation (Optional)
  • An intensive review of topics covered on CFA Level 1 exam
- See more at: http://business.queensu.ca/grad_studies/mfin/program_structure.php#sthas...
First Term
Credit Courses
  • Corporate Finance and Financial
    Statement Analysis I
  • Equity Markets and Analysis
  • Advanced Financial Modeling
  • Quantitative Analysis and Economics
  • Fixed Income Instruments and Markets
Class Discussions (Non-Credit)
  • Economics / Quants Review of Key Concepts
  • Ethics discussion
CFA Exam Preparation (Optional)
  • An intensive review of topics covered on CFA Level 1 exam
- See more at: http://business.queensu.ca/grad_studies/mfin/program_structure.php#sthas...
First Term
Credit Courses
  • Corporate Finance and Financial
    Statement Analysis I
  • Equity Markets and Analysis
  • Advanced Financial Modeling
  • Quantitative Analysis and Economics
  • Fixed Income Instruments and Markets
Class Discussions (Non-Credit)
  • Economics / Quants Review of Key Concepts
  • Ethics discussion
CFA Exam Preparation (Optional)
  • An intensive review of topics covered on CFA Level 1 exam
- See more at: http://business.queensu.ca/grad_studies/mfin/program_structure.php#sthas...
http://business.queensu.ca/grad_studies/mfin/program_structure.php
Look at the program structure, you are learning topics from Level 1 CFA or undergrad Finance! How is this a Master of Finance. Maybe more suitable for people with a non business/finance background, but don’t call it MFin and ruin the name.
 
yeah it sure does look like it and i dont even know the place.
for one, i graduated with a MS in Finance from a not-so-good university (VCU to exact) and it didn’t help me much. Landed me a pretty decent internship at a pretty big investment bank and after that I’m working in back-office too at another major US investment bank. So….take it for what it’s worth.
 
^ This isn’t an MBA. I know a few people in FO jobs in Toronto with the Queens MFin, but all are Charterholders too (though they didn’t have either prior to getting into FO). This is really a CFA prep program and should be viewed as such. Queens has a good rep in Canada though.
I wouldn’t suggest this is a ticket to some bigshot buyside job though, that’s for sure. It’s a good boost for someone established in the industry already.
 
geo,
so do you think this is a good supplement alongside the cfa program? as in having both.
I checked out a few profiles on linkedin of people who have graduated from this program (many already L2/3/cfa candidates) and seem to be doing well career wise.
 
I think it’s a good way to pass the CFA program. I don’t think it carries much value beyond being a tool to getting to the end of the program. The program is essientially CFA taught in a class so having both is redundant. But if you can’t seem to pass CFA without the classroom aspect, then I think Queen’s is a good school to teach that to you.
It’s expensive. If you’re paying for it yourself, I’d suggest there are better alternatives. But if your firm is paying, then it’s as good of a prep program as any from what I’ve heard.
Again, the degree itself is ok, nothing amazing. But if the program helps you complete the CFA program, then it’s probably useful, especially if you’re already in some kind of front office type role. Like the CFA charter, it helps established people advance and what not much more than it helps people trying to break in.
 
^^Agreed with Geo. If the class is nothing more than a CFA prep course, then why not just take the CFA exam?
And again, as Geo said, the only reason to go to a CFA prep school is if you have trouble self-starting, or learning the beginner stuff, like TVM or econ.
 
Are you guys really suggesting to him that a $27 000 CFA prep course is the way to go? If anyone is struggling and want a CFA prep course. U of T offers one for $3 000, much better than paying $27 000!
Also, as many have mentioned and I will say again. It adds nothing if you have the CFA Charter already. Or better put, if you have the CFA Charter, this program is useless. If you just have the MFin from Queens you will need to get the CFA charter to be taken seriously.
I worked in FO and the peers I know all do not regard the queens mfin program highly as it is known to be a prep course.
 
It will take another 2 years to complete CFA, if i pass level 2/3 on first attempt. At 30 years old I i dont want to be wasting time. I am wondering if this mfin can do what the CFA can do in half the time. Comments?
 
No, you are better off trying to get in and finish writing your CFA.
At 30 years of age if you want to get a break now then do your MBA, not the MFin. The MFin degree is for a very narrow segment of the job market. Specifically, the firm that look for people who have a master of finance needs much much more quantitative people and the MFin from Queens doesn’t offer that. As an example, anyone who hires a master of finance will want you to have very good knowldge of C+, MatLab and extensive quant background. The MFin simply just doesn’t offer that type of knowledge, however the U of T one does.
You are looking at the wrong spot for a job or a career change. Moreover, at the age of 30 you are competing for jobs where most people who interview already have the CFA designation and experience, so having the MFin won’t be any added value as I and most other employers will hire someone with a full CFA charter.
I honestly think you are better doing an MBA program at the age of 30.
What are you doing now and what do you want to get into?
 
There was a guy here that did the MBA/CFA program at university and he regretted it. You get a watered down version of both.
 
whystudy,
left my family business at age 27 to pursue corporate career instead of family business. worked in sales (financial), then got a gig at one of the bigger american banks doing operations for hedge funds 6 months ago.
I’ve looked at the mba route as well, but i am wondering if its over kill in terms of cost considering what I want to do - career in asset management.
I am wondering if mfin will be enough to squeeze by at half the cost of a mba, of course on the side i’ll continue doing cfa as well, but that is gonna take another ~ 2yrs to complete.
as a side note to all this, i have close family in many major cities in NA.. so i am comfortable casting a wider net ie, chicago, ny, texas, calgary, atlanta
 
“There was a guy here that did the MBA/CFA program at university and he regretted it. You get a watered down version of both.”
thats great…. i don’t think education is the be all end all. there is personal soft factors involved as well. networking, drive, ambition, socialbility, even stuff like how well groomed/presentable you are etc.
 
It is better to go for CFA . I think most of the universities and institutes cover the syllabus of CFAI in their curriculum . So terget CFA . CFA level 1 is considered equivalent to MBA - Finance . CFA Level 2 is considered equivalent to MS finance and Level 3 is considered equivalent to PhD in Finance. so CFA is a good take.
Thanks..
 
edupristine wrote:
It is better to go for CFA . I think most of the universities and institutes cover the syllabus of CFAI in their curriculum . So terget CFA . CFA level 1 is considered equivalent to MBA - Finance . CFA Level 2 is considered equivalent to MS finance and Level 3 is considered equivalent to PhD in Finance. so CFA is a good take.
Thanks..
Click to expand...
No, Level 1 isn’t MBA finance, Level 2 isn’t MS finance and no way Level 3 is PhD.
CFA has a very board cirriculum which isn’t meant to be anything that has the depth of a MS or PhD
 
Lol nah nah. L3 > phd in quantum mechanics.
Anyways, why study any input on my above comment? Thanks
 
Level 1 = Roughly equivalent to a Bachelor’s Degree in finance from a hacksaw school
Level 1 & 2 = Roughly equivalent to a Bachelor’s Degree in finance from a top 20
Level 1 -3 = Roughly equivalent to MS in Finance from a top 20 school
The British education system recognizes the CFA charter as a level 7 which is equivalent to master’s level. Level 8 is PhD. There is no way that the CFA charter is on the same level as a PhD in Finance.
 
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