CFA Institute, a global association for investment professionals that awards the Certified Financial Analyst (CFA) designation, has approved the Master of Finance at York’s Schulich School of Business as a CFA Program Partner.
"As a CFA Program Partner, the Schulich School of Business joins a small number of high-profile institutions around the world," says Bob McLean, CFA, head of university relations at CFA Institute. "Recognition as a CFA Program Partner signals to potential students, employers and the marketplace that a program’s curriculum is closely tied to professional practice and helps to prepare students to sit for the three levels of CFA examinations."
"The CFA is a prestigious designation that is academically rigorous and globally recognized. It is the industry standard for finance professionals," said Professor Pauline Shum, director of the Master of Finance Program at Schulich. "The Schulich Master of Finance program covers an estimated 90 per cent of the knowledge required for CFA exam preparation. It builds on and complements this with training in research methods, analysis of the latest financial products and exposure to legal and regulatory frameworks."
As a result of the new partnership, Schulich Master of Finance students can apply for scholarships. They have access to the CFA Institute curriculum, journals, Web casts and other educational resources. As well, each student will have access to a specially prepared online Level 1 sample exam and benefit from free online resources, including SmartBrief, a daily e-mail alert on top stories in the financial industry.
"We are proud to have been recognized as one of an elite group of CFA Institute’s global university program partners," said Schulich Dean Dezsö Horváth. "Our Master of Finance program is already one of a kind, with its emphasis on the broader aspects of business such as governance, ethics and legal and regulatory frameworks. Partnership with CFA Institute makes it a must-have degree for those seeking careers ranging from investment banking and asset management, as well as finance careers working with private equity firms, hedge funds, consulting firms and government agencies."
The 12-month full-time Master of Finance Program develops a solid understanding of the finance function in organizations of all sizes, from large corporations and multinationals to entrepreneurial firms. Candidates master the full range of finance functions from the “buy” side to the “sell” side, including wealth management, risk management, financial management, venture capital, private equity, structured products and more.
The CFA Program sets a standard for developing the skills, standards, competence and integrity of financial analysts, portfolio managers, investment advisers and other investment professionals worldwide. It is widely considered the investment profession’s most rigorous credentialing program. Fewer than one in five candidates who begin the program successfully complete it and go on to earn the coveted CFA charter.
The CFA Institute is the global association for investment professionals and administers the CFA and CIPM curriculum and exam programs worldwide; publishes research; conducts professional development programs; and sets voluntary, ethics-based professional and performance-reporting standards for the investment industry. CFA Institute has more than 99,000 members, who include the world’s 85,755 CFA charterholders, in 133 countries and territories, as well as 136 affiliated professional societies in 57 countries and territories.