Program Overview

Introduction to the Graduate Certificate in Financial Services and Banking

The Graduate Certificate in Financial Services and Banking (GCFSB) is a 5-course program designed for individuals who are previous business majors seeking an understanding of bank management and financial services management. Classes will explore the creation of derivative products, their use for risk exposure control, and how to market them to corporate clients.

Program Details

• The program consists of 5 courses and 15 credits.
• The program length is 4 months of full-time study or 9-16 months of part-time study.

Curriculum

Required Course

• FIN-808 General Theory in Corporate Finance (3 credits)
  • Prerequisites: Take MBA 650
  • Credits: 3.00
  • Description: This course extends the body of knowledge acquired in MBA 650. Students expand knowledge of dividend theory, capital structure theory, capital budgeting, long-term financing decisions, cash management and corporate restructuring, market efficiency, and risk and liability management.

Electives

• Four (4) courses are electives.
• Three (3) must be selected from the approved elective lists for Financial Services and Banking.
• One must be from the approved finance course list outside Financial Services and Banking, at the 800-level, and prerequisites must be met.

Admission Criteria

• Candidate must have taken equivalent of MBA 650 with a grade of "B" or better within seven (7) years of enrolling in a certificate program or an upper level FIN elective with a grade of "B" or better within seven (7) years to meet this requirement for admission.

Residency Requirement

• To be awarded a graduate certificate from the Sawyer Business School, students must successfully complete a minimum of 15 credits within the Sawyer Business School, as well as meet the individual requirements of a particular program.

Time for Completion

• All graduate certificate programs must be completed within five (5) years after the start of graduate work unless otherwise noted by a particular program.
• All graduate courses must be satisfactorily completed and an overall average of 3.0, with a grade of "B" or better, achieved for the entire graduate certificate program.
• Students requesting an extension for the time of program completion must submit it in writing and it will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

Advising

• Upon enrollment, students are assigned an academic advisor from the Finance Academic Department.
• Students are encouraged to discuss their academic interests and goals with their assigned academic advisor, especially when choosing elective courses.

Waiver/Transfer Policy

• Graduate certificate courses, if waived, need to be substituted with an approved elective.
• To substitute an approved elective for a required course, a student must have successfully completed equivalent academic coursework at the undergraduate/graduate level in the five (5) years prior to matriculation, with a grade of "B" or better, and provide official transcripts (with English translations, if applicable).
• Candidates who apply within one year of completing their graduate certificate will have applicable courses applied to a Sawyer Business School (SBS) graduate degree program, in the same discipline as the certificate, as long as a grade of "B" or better was earned in that course.
• Candidates who apply beyond one year from a certificate program outside their discipline will have coursework evaluated on a case-by-case basis for relevancy, current degree requirements and current Sawyer Business School waiver and transfer policies.
• Transfer credits from their graduate certificate must have earned a grade of "B" or better and have been taken within five (5) years prior to entering a SBS graduate degree program.
• However, at the discretion of the program director, some courses may not be transferred if the subject material has changed significantly since completion.