How to Apply
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Program Admission Requirements
In addition to the general requirements of the university, specific requirements for admission to classified graduate status are
- Bachelor's Degree: Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with a minimum GPA of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale. Applicants with at least GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale may still be considered if they have STEM designated undergraduate degree or demonstrate at least 1 year of relevant professional experience in finance, data analysis, technology, or related fields.
- Personal Statement: Submit a 500-750 word statement outlining your career goals, how the MSFA program's curriculum will help the applicant to achieve his or her goals and to gain any relevant quantitative or analytical experience. And the applicant needs to highlight his or her interest in financial analytics.
- English Proficiency for International Students: All international applicants who have not completed three years of full-time study at a secondary or post-secondary institution where English was the language of instruction must also achieve an acceptable score (as determined by the Accounting and Finance Department and ratified by the College Curriculum Committee, in alignment with the Office of Graduate Studies requirements) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the IELTS exam, or must complete CSUSB's ESL program. The current minimum acceptable TOEFL score is 550/PBT, 213/CBT, 79-80/IBT taken within the past two years; IELTS score of 6.5 taken within the past two years; Duolingo score of 110 taken within the past two years; or complete level 4 of CSUSB's Intensive English Program
- Letters of Recommendation: A letter of recommendation is encouraged but not required. For applicants with non-finance backgrounds or lower GPAs, it is recommended to highlight quantitative strengths in the letter.
- Resume: Provide a current resume detailing academic background, professional experience, internships, skills, and extracurriculars. Quantitative or technical experience is highly regarded in evaluation.
- Standardized Tests: No GMAT or GRE required, aligning with the program's emphasis on practical analytics skills over test scores.
