Finance Certificate

With a certificate in finance, students will obtain the necessary skills to succeed in the rapidly changing world of finance. You will be able to develop your critical thinking skills as well as your analytical skills, and learn how to assess the value and implications of financial decisions.

The certificate in finance will allow the student to gain the specialized knowledge necessary to be successful in the profession. You will receive solid grounding in financial principles, accounting analysis, and economic analysis. You will be exposed to complex financial issues and will increase your analytical competence. Upon completion of the certificate, you can contemplate careers in financial analysis, capital budgeting, security analysis, corporate financial management, and small business finance.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this program, students will be able to:

  • Quantify the relation between risk and return and apply it in value-maximizing financial activities of individuals and corporations (in global, ethical context).
  • Choose and be proficient in applying financial tools and analytical methods to improve financial decision-making.
  • Effectively communicate and justify, in both written and oral form, results and recommendations of financial analysis to audiences having varying degrees of financial sophistication.

Admissions and Certificate Requirements from Seattle University's 2023-2024 Graduate Catalog

Admission Requirements

Applicants must have:

  1. A minimum of an undergraduate degree from an accredited institution
  2. A minimum of 2 years of full time work experience
  3. Competency in statistics
  4. Official scores from the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) or the Graduate Records Examination (GRE)

Certificate & Requirements

I. Prerequisites

  • Financial Accounting
  • FINC 5000 Managerial Finance (or equivalent) (Not required for Professional MBA students)

Individual courses below may have additional prerequisites.

II. Required Courses
Three required courses (9 credits) Credits
FINC 5050: Corporate Financial Management 3
FINC 5100: Investments 3
FINC 5110: Financial Institutions and Markets 3

III. Electives
Choose TWO from the following courses (6 credits) Credits
ACCT 5110: Intermediate Financial Accounting I 3
ACCT 5370: Valuation for Financial Reporting 3
FINC 5105: Valuation of Derivatives 3
FINC 5115: Corporate Investments Decisions 3
FINC 5120: Portfolio Management 3
FINC 5130: Financial Modeling 3
FINC 5300: Financial Statement Analysis and Security Valuation 3
FINC 5305: Finance for International Business 3
FINC 5310: Financial Risk Management 3
FINC 5315: Entrepreneurial Finance 3
FINC 5320: Advanced Topics in Investments 3
FINC 5325: Real Options Analysis 3
FINC 5330: Fixed Income Analysis 3
FINC 5335: Hedge Funds 3
FINC 5345: Personal Financial Planning 3
FINC 5350: History of Financial Crises - Implications for the Future 3
FINC 5370: Valuation for Financial Reporting 3
FINC 5500: Cases in Managerial Finance 3

Requirement for certificate: 15 credits

Next Steps

  • Current students should speak to their adviser about adding a certificate.
  • New students need to apply for the certificate program as a regular student via our Application page.
    • Once you are accepted you may start the next available term.
    • After being accepted you must attend an advising orientation.
  • Length of program depends on when classes are being offered and how many you wish to take per term. Not all classes are offered every year/quarter. Speak to your adviser to get the most up-to-date schedule for the academic year.
  • Costs are outlined on our Tuition and Fees page.

For more information, contact albersgradinfo@seattleu.edu.