This is the preliminary (or launch) version of the 2024-2025 VCU Bulletin. We may add courses that expose our students to cutting-edge content and transformative learning. We may also add content to the general education program that focuses on racial literacy and a racial literacy graduation requirement, and may receive notification of additional program approvals after the launch. The final edition and full PDF version will include these updates and will be available in August prior to the beginning of the fall semester.

Program accreditation
Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business

Program goal

The goal of the Master of Science in Business with a concentration in finance program is to train students to take on the quantitatively challenging and highly competitive business environment of the financial industry. Students learn skills to effectively analyze, develop and communicate solutions that take into consideration ethical implications.

Student learning outcomes

  1. Graduates will be able to conceptualize and apply quantitative measurement methods, to analyze business problems and to propose solutions.
  2. Graduates will be able to analyze a business problem in terms of both quantitative and qualitative aspects, including:
    1. A precise statement of the problem and how it relates to the goals of the firm
    2. A consideration of the ethical, policy and/or practicality limitations on any proposed solution strategy
    3. A statement and consideration of proposed solutions strategies and their implementation within the limitations
    4. A plan for implementation and monitoring of the proposed solution
  3. Graduates will be able to analyze the ethical dimensions of a business situation and relate those dimensions to general ethical standards as well as to professional ethical standards.
  4. Graduates will be able to express the analytic, quantitative and ethical dimensions of business problems and proposed solutions in a clear and well-organized manner.

VCU Graduate Bulletin, VCU Graduate School and general academic policies and regulations for all graduate students in all graduate programs

The VCU Graduate Bulletin website documents the official admission and academic rules and regulations that govern graduate education for all graduate programs at the university. These policies are established by the graduate faculty of the university through their elected representatives to the University Graduate Council.

It is the responsibility of all graduate students, both on- and off-campus, to be familiar with the VCU Graduate Bulletin as well as the Graduate School website and academic regulations in individual school and department publications and on program websites. However, in all cases, the official policies and procedures of the University Graduate Council, as published on the VCU Graduate Bulletin and Graduate School websites, take precedence over individual program policies and guidelines.

Visit the academic regulations section for additional information on academic regulations for graduate students.

Degree candidacy requirements

A graduate student admitted to a program or concentration requiring a final research project, work of art, thesis or dissertation, must qualify for continuing master’s or doctoral status according to the degree candidacy requirements of the student’s graduate program. Admission to degree candidacy, if applicable, is a formal statement by the graduate student’s faculty regarding the student’s academic achievements and the student’s readiness to proceed to the final research phase of the degree program.

Graduate students and program directors should refer to the following degree candidacy policy as published in the VCU Graduate Bulletin for complete information and instructions.

Visit the academic regulations section for additional information on degree candidacy requirements.

Graduation requirements

As graduate students approach the end of their academic programs and the final semester of matriculation, they must make formal application to graduate. No degrees will be conferred until the application to graduate has been finalized.

Graduate students and program directors should refer to the following graduation requirements as published in the Graduate Bulletin for a complete list of instructions and a graduation checklist.

Visit the academic regulations section for additional information on graduation requirements.

Other information

School of Business policies and procedures for graduate students are available on the school’s website.