Asset management is concerned with evaluating the investment opportunities and risks of any financial asset or asset class in relation to stated investment objectives, and in implementing both strategic and tactical approaches to portfolio management. Professionals operating in the asset management field are expected to have a detailed understanding of the security universes in which they operate, and to be able to blend quantitative tools and sound qualitative judgment to make investment decisions in both selecting and managing global investment portfolios.
Career Paths
Graduates who earn this specialization often go on to careers with hedge funds, investment management firms and global banks. Sample employers include BlackRock, Deutsch Bank, BNP Paribas, Goldman Sachs and State Street Global Advisors (SSGA).
Optional for MA, MBA and MSF students.
Requirements
To earn the specialization in Asset Management, students are required to take a minimum of five semester equivalent courses (20 credits) over the course of two years. All students who choose to specialize in a finance area are also expected to take the core finance course requirements.
The courses and modules listed below can apply to completing the specialization. Course schedules and descriptions are shown in the program catalog and program guides.
Group 1: Foundations (8 credits required)
| FIN 261a | Fixed Income Securities (4 credits) |
| FIN 263a | International Portfolio Management (4 credits) |
Group 2: Core Electives (8 credits required)
| FIN 270a | Options and Derivatives (4 credits) |
| FIN 230a | Trading and Exchanges (4 credits) |
| FIN 237f | Security Analysis (2 credits) |
| FIN 233f | Relative Value of Securities (2 credits) |
Group 3: Additional Electives (4 credits required)
| FIN 236f | Technical Analysis (2 credits) |
| FIN 242f | Credit Risk Analysis I (2 credits) |
| FIN 244f | Credit Risk Analysis II (2 credits) |
| ECON 232f | Country Risk Analysis (2 credits) |
| FIN 231f | Private Equity (2 credits) |
| FIN 232a | Mergers and Acquisitions (4 credits) |
| FIN 271a | Options and Derivatives II (4 credits) |
| FIN 285a | Computer Simulations and Risk Assessment (4 credits) |
| FIN 258a | Introduction to Quantitative Finance (4 credits) |