Customize Your Degree to Your Career Path
50% Core Curriculum+50% Electives. Our world-class professors will prepare you and provide the tools to excel in your career path.
Curriculum at a Glance
Accelerated. Flexible. Career-focused.
The Vanderbilt MS Finance program follows a modular system, with two seven-week modules per semester. This accelerated structure allows you to build core technical skills quickly, so you can spend more time customizing your coursework with electives aligned to your career goals in a fast-paced, nine-month program.
Here’s what that means for you:
- Build a strong foundation through core courses in your first two mods–financial modeling, economics, and valuation.
- During Mods 3 and 4, customize up to 50% of your coursework with MBA-level electives tailored to your goals.
- Explore specialized areas like investment banking, corporate finance, and analytics.
- Benefit from a flexible curriculum designed to adapt to your interests and career path.
9-Month Curriculum
Students with insufficient undergraduate accounting coursework may be required to take Introduction to Accounting in Mod 1, followed by Financial Reporting I and Financial Reporting II in Mods 3 and 4.
Please note: Degree requirements and course information are subject to change; not all courses are offered every year. View the most recent Course Catalog containing academic policies, degree requirements, and individual course descriptions for each of our degree programs.
I am better prepared in every aspect when it comes to knowledge of finance and investment banking. I am also more intellectually curious; I read a lot more, I follow the news, and I try to understand how to apply what I’m learning in class to what’s happening in the world at a macro level.
Dual Degree: JD/MS Finance
Program Overview
Vanderbilt’s joint JD/MS Finance program is an accelerated MS degree that enables students to expand their career opportunities in a competitive field by developing practical finance and business skills to complement a prestigious law degree. Understanding the business world enhances the ability to relate to and better serve corporate clients.
The JD/MS Finance dual degree takes three years to complete. Students spend their first two years in the Vanderbilt University School of Law. Students enroll in the Vanderbilt Owen Graduate School of Management in year three and take courses in both schools—full-time at Owen in the fall semester and a mix of law school and Owen classes in the spring semester.
While at Owen, JD/MS Finance candidates work side-by-side with full-time MSF students and experienced MBA students from diverse backgrounds, learning from their experiences.
Curriculum at a Glance
The MSF portion of the degree is 9 months in length (24 credit hours of coursework) and uses a 7-week "mod" system for classes. (two mods per semester)
Degree requirements and course information are subject to change.
Electives in various fields allow students to tailor this portion of the program to specific career goals.
Courses are available in corporate finance, alternative assets, investment banking, investment management, economics, accounting, taxation, real estate and other areas such as ethics in business.
Admissions Information
Students are encouraged to apply early to the JD/MS Finance dual degree program, as seats are limited. Many use the summer before their second year of law school to prepare their applications and take the GMAT. Candidates will only be eligible to apply during the Early Round or Round 1, while in the 2L year of law school - applications outside this window will not be considered. Once a candidate submits their application, the MSF Admissions Committee will provide a decision within 30 days, and candidates will then have an additional 30 days to accept or decline the offer of admission.
View application dates and further details about the MS Finance program. Learn more about the Law School JD/MS Finance program and admissions requirements.
STEM-Designated MS Finance: 3 Years of U.S. Work Authorization
The Vanderbilt MS Finance is officially STEM-designated — a significant advantage for international students planning to work in the U.S. after graduation.
This designation extends post-completion Optional Practical Training (OPT) by 24 months, for a total of 36 months of authorized work experience after you graduate.