The professional Certificate in Finance requires 12 s.h. of credit. Students must earn a cumulative grade-point average of at least 2.75 in certificate coursework.
The certificate is open to individuals with a desire to complete the certificate to build their financial skills, and to current Professional MBA Program students. Students in the Professional MBA Program may complete the certificate as they complete their degree; the certificate is designed to fit into the MBA curriculum allowing students to earn the MBA and the certificate without additional coursework.
Certificate courses are regularly offered online and select courses may occasionally be offered at two locations in Iowa: Cedar Rapids at the Tippie College of Business Cedar Rapids Center and Des Moines at the John and Mary Pappajohn Education Center (JMPEC); see program locations on the Tippie College of Business website.
The certificate is ideal for students who wish to gain specialized knowledge of financial concepts. Students can select courses to focus their study in specific areas of finance such as corporate finance, investments, portfolio management, and wealth management.
The Certificate in Finance requires the following coursework. Not all courses listed below are regularly offered.
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| All of these: | ||
| MBA:8180 | Managerial Finance | 3 |
| FIN:9200 | Portfolio Management | 3 |
| FIN:9300 | Corporate Investment and Financing Decisions | 3 |
| One of these: | ||
| BAIS:6150 | Financial Analytics | 3 |
| ENTR:9200 | Entrepreneurial Finance | 3 |
| FIN:9010 | Contemporary Topics in Finance | 3 |
| FIN:9130 | Corporate Risk Management and Insurance | 3 |
| FIN:9140 | Enterprise Risk Management | 3 |
| FIN:9150 | Financial Modeling and Firm Valuation | 3 |
| FIN:9220 | Fixed Income Securities | 3 |
| FIN:9230 | Real Estate Finance and Investments | 3 |
| FIN:9240 | International Finance | 3 |
| FIN:9270 | Security Analysis | 3 |
| FIN:9290 | Alternative Investments and Portfolio Strategies | 3 |
| FIN:9310 | Corporate Financial Strategy | 3 |
| FIN:9350 | Wealth Management | 3 |
If MBA:8180 Managerial Finance is waived, students replace this course with another approved course from the list above.
Certificate/Graduate Degrees
Students can pursue a professional Certificate in Finance concurrently with their graduate degree. With graduate program approval, students may count up to 9 s.h. from the professional certificate toward their graduate degree. With approval from the professional certificate program, students may count up to 3 s.h. from any graduate degree program toward their certificate. Students should contact their degree program and the certificate program to work out combined program details. Separate application to each degree program is required. Applicants must be admitted to both programs before they may be admitted to the combined degree program.
Admission decisions are based upon completed application materials, including academic performance and quality and quantity of work experience. View Graduate Certificates Admissions on the Tippie College of Business website for specific guidelines.
Applicants whose first language is not English must score at least 100 (internet-based) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or must have a successful admission interview. In place of the TOEFL, the certificate program accepts satisfactory International English Language Testing System (IELTS) scores. See English Requirements for MBA Admission on the Office of Admissions website.
Applications are accepted throughout the year; admission is for summer, fall, or spring entry.