Finance (Graduate Program)

For information regarding the UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM, click here.  

Program Overview

The Department of Finance has a strong commitment to excellence in research and teaching and graduate education is an important part of this commitment.

The objective of the Master of Science in Finance (MS) curriculum is to provide qualified students a theoretical and analytical background in Finance; no previous Finance coursework is necessary. The MS program gives students the analytical and communicative skills necessary for effective financial decision-making. The curriculum is flexible and can accommodate individual interests and professional objectives. The program is narrower in scope than that of the MBA and is intended as an alternative to the MBA rather than a bridge to the PhD.  The Department of Finance also offers a joint JD/MS program in partnership with the LSU Law Center, similar to the dual degree JD/MBA program. However, the objective of the joint JD/MS program is to provide students with a highly concentrated background in finance and Louisiana state law; it is an intensive study of analytical financial decision-making and interpretation of law code.

The Master of Science in Financial Economics (MSFE) offered jointly with the Department of Economics is a STEM-designated, structured, analytical program. The MSFE provides academically distinguished and industry-oriented students with the quantitative and theoretical tools for a successful career in finance with potential employers such as investment and commercial banks, economic and financial asset management companies, consulting firms, and policy-oriented organizations.

The PhD program in business administration with a concentration in finance is research-oriented and designed to prepare qualified students for academic professions. The program includes an intensive study of the theory and empirics of finance through seminars, independent study, and individual work with faculty members. To be successful in the program, a student must possess a sense of scientific curiosity and be committed to the highest level of academic achievement.

Administration

Admission

Applications and supporting materials for all graduate study must be submitted through the online application site for the LSU Graduate School. Official transcripts, official test scores, and materials from third-party sources must be mailed to: LSU Office of Graduate Admissions, 114 West David Boyd Hall, Baton Rouge, LA 70803. These paper documents are stored electronically and departments have access to all materials submitted by and/or on behalf of a student applying to graduate study.

Applications for admission are received and evaluated by the department on a rolling basis. Applicants must adhere to the application deadlines established by the Graduate School.

Admission is based on prior academic performance, test scores, and other indicators of a high likelihood of success in the program. The MSF program is designed for all students with an interest in Finance; previous Finance or Business courses while helpful are not necessary. Applicants to the MSF program must submit satisfactory credentials from previous study, Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) scores, resumé, and letters of recommendation. Applicants for the PhD program must submit satisfactory credentials from previous study, GMAT or GRE scores, letters of recommendation, and a departmental assistantship application. International students whose native language is not English must also submit an acceptable TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE score.

Most students begin the PhD program in the fall. Students may enter the MS program in either the fall or spring.

Financial Assistance

Financial assistance is available to some students. Support may be available through the student’s home department or other units in the form of research or teaching assistantships. A student should contact his or her home department for more information on available assistantship positions. To ensure consideration for financial aid, all application materials should be submitted in accordance with deadlines established by the LSU Graduate School.

Graduate Faculty

(check current faculty listings by department here)

Don M. Chance (M) • Derivatives, risk management
Joseph Mason (M) • Financial markets and institutions, banking
Haitao Mo (6A) • Asset pricing
Seyed Kazempour (6A) corporate finance, corporate governance
Rajesh Narayanan (M) • Corporate finance, financial markets and institutions, banking
James C. Nordlund • (6A) Corporate finance, corporate governance, machine learning and finance
R. Kelley Pace (M) • Real estate applications of spatial statistics, automated appraisal
Dimuthu Ratnadiwakara (6A) Corporate finance, household finance, real estate, economics of climate change
Gary C. Sanger (M) • Financial theory, investments and regulation
V. Carlos Slawson, Jr. (M) • Real estate, mortgage pricing, derivative securities
Wei-Ling Song (7M) • Financial markets and institutions, corporate governance
Clifford P. Stephens (3F) • Dividend policy, managerial incentives
Jumbo Junbo Wang (6A) • Asset pricing, mutual funds
Miaomiao Yu • (6A) Corporate finance

Programs

• Financial Analytics Graduate Certificate

• Finance, M.S.
• Financial Economics, M.S.

• Business Administration, PhD (Finance Concentration)

• Dual Degree: JD/MS in Finance