Southern Oregon University’s MBA with a Concentration in Finance Online provides the financial tools to manage domestic and international assets, investments and retirement portfolios while enhancing your analytical and negotiation skills.
Courses in this program train students in the financial field with principles in investment management, risk management, international finance and corporate finance. This training prepares candidates for high-demand positions, and focuses on globalization, shifting consumer preferences, changing demographic trends and technology.
MBA graduates will have lucrative opportunities offering double-digit growth between 2016 and 2022, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (as of November 2019). These positions include:
| Position | Median Pay | Job Growth Outlook |
| Personal Financial Adviser | $88,890 | 15% |
| Financial Analyst | $85,660 | 11% |
| Financial Examiner | $80,180 | 10% |
This program has been developed to meet the needs of leading employers in an evolving industry. The curriculum closely matches the findings of a Deloitte study that assessed employer needs, which emphasize an understanding of regulation and risk in financial markets, industry experience and content expertise as well as the capacity to anticipate change and evolving trends.
Courses like Financial Management Practices, Investments, and International Financial Management cover various components of financial markets.
Commercial banking – This involves the management of commercial banks and the objectives, constraints and policies applicable to this field. Asset and liability management, the marketing of services, and other banking functions are core concepts of this industry segment.
Capital markets – These are the systems concerned with raising funding for businesses by dealing in stocks, bonds, venture funding and other instruments. The role of financial institutions, such as stock exchanges, the SEC and the Fed, is crucial to an understanding of the five capital markets:
- Stock market: National and global exchanges such as the Dow Jones, S&P 500 and Nasdaq, help public corporations attract the capital they need to grow. Shares of ownership, known as stocks, are sold to individual and institutional investors.
- Bond market: A source of larger loans to organizations of all types — from corporations to municipalities — bond markets trade in treasury, municipal and corporate bonds.
- Money market: This short-term lending platform offers conservative securities such as certificates of deposit, banker acceptances and repurchase agreements.
- Derivatives market: Instruments and strategies based on contracts issued to investors, known as derivatives, are derived from the value of underlying assets. Examples include forwards, futures, options and swaps.
- Commodities market: Investors and organizations offset future risks by locking in known prices on commodities like crude oil, electric energy and precious metals.
The challenges financial services employers face with new market players, shifting customer demands and new technologies are immense. To meet these demands, today’s employers need MBA graduates with a solid foundation in financial markets. For top employers in the financial industry, well-educated talent is their most valuable commodity.
Learn more about SOU’s online MBA with a Concentration in Finance program.
Sources:
Deloitte: Talent, Technology, and Transformation
Bureau of Labor Statistics: Personal Financial Advisors
Bureau of Labor Statistics: Financial Examiners
Bureau of Labor Statistics: Financial Analysts
Salary.com: Financial Advisor Salary
Investopedia: What Are Some Examples of Financial Markets and Their Roles?
The Balance: An Introduction to the Financial Markets
