The Impact MBA / Master of Finance Dual Degree will prepare students to pursue careers in sustainable finance and the growing ESG space (Environmental, Social, Governance). By combining these two degrees, students will be better prepared to enter the workforce in this new and growing sector.
The Master of Business Administration, Impact Specialization, is a 44-credit, 3 semester, full-time Resident Instruction program. The program aims to provide business solutions that achieve positive economic, environmental, and social impact. The program educates and prepares future business leaders to take effective roles in organizations that integrate economic, social, and environmental sustainability into core strategy and operations.
CSU's Master of Finance is a highly quantitative, 30-credit program offered on campus that provides a comprehensive study of the principles, processes, and practices of modern finance including investment analysis, portfolio management, financial management, and risk management. The program covers content required for the Chartered Finance Analyst (CFA®) and Financial Risk Manager (FRM®) exams and provides a good foundation for students who want to further their education beyond the master's program.
Both degree programs are designated as in a science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) field. The STEM designation allows international students the opportunity to receive a visa extension after they have completed their degree.
With the dual degree, in just 2 years, students can complete the 59 required credits (15 of which are shared between the two programs), including a summer Corporate Sustainability Fellowship. The preferred path (but not the only option) is for students to complete the 3-semester Impact MBA requirements first, including some Master of Finance credits in the 3rd semester, and complete the remaining Master of Finance credits in their 4th semester.
Impact MBA Program Learning Goals:
- Business Acumen and Integration Skills: Graduates demonstrate competency across business functions and integrate them into strategic decisions.
- Practical Leadership and Management Skills: Graduates demonstrate individual, interpersonal, and organizational leadership skills necessary for professional development and organizational effectiveness.
- Critical and Analytical Thinking: Graduates apply critical thinking and analytical skills for management decision-making.
- External Environment – Ethical, Legal and Regulatory Framework: Graduates consider ethical, legal, and regulatory implications inherent in business situations and apply that knowledge to make responsible decisions.
- Global Perspective: Graduates acquire a global and cross-cultural perspective in formulating decisions and implementing organizational strategy.
- Enterprise Approaches to Global Challenges:
Graduates of the Impact MBA program develop the skills to:
1) Assess opportunities for enterprise approaches to address social and environmental challenges.
2) Develop, implement, and manage initiatives or enterprises that address global social and environmental challenges.
Master of Finance Program Learning Goals:
- Describe the function and structure of securities markets and financial intermediaries in a global economic environment.
- Estimate the value and equilibrium rates of return to domestic and international equity and debt claims via models of cash flow and relative value.
- Describe and analyze the use of derivative instruments in managing risks to equity, debt, and currencies in domestic and international markets.
- Describe, estimate, and interpret statistical models of financial risk, returns, volatility, and firm value.
- Explain and demonstrate the concept of arbitrage in valuing firms, financial assets, and derivative instruments.
Effective Fall 2023
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core Impact Courses: | ||
| BUS 601 | Quantitative Business Analysis | 2 |
| BUS 620 | Leadership and Teams | 2 |
| BUS 636 | Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity | 3 |
| BUS 687 | Internship | 3 |
| CIS 600B | Project Management: Impact Enterprise | 2 |
| ESS 524 | Foundations for Carbon/Greenhouse Gas Mgmt | 3 |
| MGT 612 | Managing in a Global Context | 3 |
| MGT 663 | Strategic Opportunities in Impact Enterprise | 3 |
| MGT 665 | Supply Chain Development and Management | 2 |
| MKT 601 | Marketing for Social Sustainable Enterprises | 3 |
| Shared Required Credits: | ||
| FIN 530 | Financial Modeling | 3 |
| FIN 600 | Financial Management | 3 |
| FIN 611 | Financial Institutions Management | 3 |
| FIN 625 | Quantitative Methods in Finance | 3 |
| FIN 655 | Investments | 3 |
| Core Finance Courses: | ||
| FIN 605 | Enterprise Valuation | 2 |
| FIN 665 | Derivative Securities and Analysis | 3 |
| FIN 675 | International Finance | 3 |
| Choose 7 credits from the following: | 7 | |
| Advances in Financial Technology | ||
| Fundamentals of International Finance | ||
| Alternative Investments | ||
| Behavioral Finance | ||
| Advanced Portfolio Management | ||
| Real Estate Finance and Investments | ||
| Choose 3 credits from the following: | 3 | |
| Enterprise Computing and Systems Integration | ||
| Life Cycle Assessment for Sustainability | ||
| Analysis of Sustainable Energy Solutions | ||
| Issues in Global Environmental Sustainability | ||
| Seminar in Environmental Philosophy | ||
| Program Total Credits: | 59 | |
A minimum of 59 credits are required to complete this program.