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Curriculum

Core curriculum

The Master of Finance program provides you with in-depth training in finance, emphasizing the development of the analytical skills required to address the increasingly complex problems faced by the financial industry.

The program is composed of four terms. Students will complete two four-month academic terms, followed by one four-month scheduled break providing students an opportunity to seek employment and complete external certifications. Students will return to complete one final four-month academic term to complete the program.

In addition, immediately prior to the start of the first term, students will participate in a Transition Program consisting of workshops in mathematics and statistics, computer programming and software packages, and career development skills.

Once enrolled in the program, you must:

Earn at least a B- to pass each course.
Have an overall average of at least a B to graduate from the program.
Participate in a mandatory Onboarding program at the beginning of the MFIN program. The Onboarding program includes career development opportunities, financial modeling workshops, and a math/statistics review covering the basic aspects of differential and integral calculus, linear algebra, and statistics and probability.
Complete a career development preparation course. The purpose of this course is to equip students with the necessary tools to aid in their summer and graduate employment search process.

Onboarding program

The DeGroote Master of Finance Onboarding Program is a mandatory, two-week experience designed to ensure a smooth and successful transition into graduate studies at McMaster—and life in Canada. More than just an introduction, the program lays a strong foundation built on three core pillars: academic readiness, community building, and industry preparation.

Through interactive workshops, discussions, and skill-building activities, students strengthen their understanding of financial principles at the graduate level and prepare to meet the rigors of the program with confidence.

Beyond academics, the Onboarding Program is a valuable opportunity to connect with peers, form lasting relationships, and become part of a vibrant and supportive academic community. By the time classes begin, students are equipped not only with the tools for academic success, but with a strong network to support them throughout their journey at DeGroote.

Curriculum highlights

Term 1

Introduction to Finance: Covers fundamentals such as time value of money, asset valuation, portfolio theory, risk-return trade-offs, market efficiency, and corporate finance topics like capital budgeting, cost of capital and mergers.
Other Core Courses: Financial reporting, financial modeling, econometrics, options & futures, and economics of financial decisions. Focus on practical skills in financial forecasting, data analysis and risk management.
Integrated Valuation Project: Real-world company valuation culminating in a case competition-style presentation.

Term 2

Machine Learning: Introduction to machine learning algorithms in finance using Python, focusing on practical applications such as assessing climate risk and utilizing alternative data sources for financial decision-making.
Finsimco Investment Banking Simulation: Simulated deal-making process, from proposals to final agreements.

Term 3

You’ll deepen your expertise through advanced finance courses and customizable electives—gaining practical skills in forecasting, computational finance, and fixed-income securities, with the option to specialize in Financial Analytics

All terms

Career Tools Course: Career development sessions on personal branding, resumes, interviews, and job search strategies.

The required courses each term are listed below, and you can also visit McMaster’s academic calendar for detailed course descriptions and more:

View calendar

Courses

During this scheduled break, students have the opportunity to seek employment* and gain valuable work experience within or outside of Canada, develop the language skills needed to succeed in the Canadian finance sector, or work towards completion of designations such as CFA.

*Please note that although we will try our best, there is no guarantee of a work placement during this term..

In your third term, you will take the following courses and two electives of your choice.

Students enrolled in the Financial Analytics Specialization will take the same Term 3 required courses, but will take 2 specialized electives from the following list:

Proficiency in Analytical Tools Milestone: Students Enrolled in the Financial Analytics Specialization must demonstrate proficiency in using analytical tools for data management, analysis, and visualization. This milestone requires students to successfully complete and pass an internally administered case-based data challenge, which involves applying Python-based data management skills to solve a finance or business problem. Results will be evaluated by a faculty panel.

Alternative methods may be permitted with prior program approval, such as obtaining an external certification (for example, Python Data Associate Certification through DataCamp), provided they align with the milestone’s objectives.

Electives courses will be from a selected list of finance electives presently offered in the MBA program and/or Master of Finance program, or, with the approval of the Program Director and consent of the department involved, electives in business, mathematics, statistics or economics. The Finance electives from which Master of Finance students can choose are as follows (note that not all the courses on the list may be offered in a given academic term):

Specialization in financial analytics

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Launched in September 2025, this specialization complemented the program’s focus on data-driven financial analysis. Students gained hands-on experience with emerging technologies shaping finance, including blockchain, AI, and big data analytics.

The specialization prepared students for careers in portfolio management, market research, and financial consulting by teaching them to interpret complex data, derive actionable insights, and communicate findings effectively. Technical proficiency was developed through tools such as Python, Tableau, Bloomberg Terminal, and SQL, via electives like Financial Risk Management, Introduction to Fintech, and Big Data in Finance. Students also completed a case-based data challenge, applying Python-based skills to real financial problems.

The specialized curriculum in DeGroote’s MFin program was tailored to equip me with the industry specific skillset and experience which would be instrumental in my pursuit of a challenging career in financial services, especially in Capital Markets. As a proud DeGroote MFin graduate, I achieved more than what I expected from the program and I gained not only technical experience, but I also became a more confident individual who is ready for my next adventure!

Samriddhi Goswami

MFin, 2019,

The MFin program at DeGroote will provide you with an in-depth knowledge of the financial market and give you the analytical tools that you need to succeed. The 16-month program length is ideal, and I am pleased that I had the opportunity to participate in a 4-month internship as a Financial Consultant Assistant at IG Wealth Management, allowing me to gain valuable work experience.

Ying Hu

MFin, 2020,

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Ready to apply?

Make sure to review our step-by-step process before starting your application for information on when to expect application decisions, and what to do if you’ve been accepted into our program, we encourage you to look at our program brochure.

Admission steps

Curriculum

Core curriculum

Onboarding program