University at Buffalo (UB)
Finance
Every important financial decision involves uncertainty and judgment. What should you consider to develop a financial plan? How do you evaluate the risk–return trade-off under ever-changing conditions? And how can you make better-informed financial decisions in the dynamic markets?
The Finance program equips you with data, discipline and strategic thinking. Through real-world applications and hands-on learning, you’ll build strong quantitative skills, develop professional judgment and strengthen your critical thinking — preparing you for internships and careers in finance.
If you’re a motivated student who likes data-driven analysis and strategic problem-solving, the finance major offers a rigorous path that leads to many practical opportunities.
What will I learn?
Get ready to build a strong foundation in how financial markets function and how capital is allocated. Early in the program, you’ll study economics, financial markets, strategic financial planning, accounting, quantitative methods and corporate finance — developing the analytical skills and financial knowledge you need to prepare for an internship early in the academic cycle. As you progress into your junior and senior years, advanced coursework in areas such as financial analysis, investment management, financial institutions, derivatives, valuation and financial modeling, and data science lets you deepen your finance and technical expertise. Throughout the program, you will receive professional development guidance focused on networking, professional connections and communication in the workplace. Of course, you’ll be able to choose electives based on your interests and career goals.
What can I do with a finance degree?
UB alumni have worked for top financial firms on Wall Street and around the world, including Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Citi, M&T Bank and Vanguard.
As a finance major, you can choose from careers in financial analysis, asset and portfolio management, banking and credit, among other fields. Whether you work for a financial firm, investment bank, government agency or other organization, popular career path examples include:
- Asset Management and Hedge Funds: Managing capital for institutions and individuals to achieve investment objectives.
- Research analyst (equities, fixed income, global macro, impacting investing, etc.).
- Wealth management advisor.
- Hedge fund analyst.
- Banking, Corporate Finance and Risk Management: Supporting lending, capital management, and financial risk oversight.
- Credit analyst.
- Loan underwriter.
- Private banker.
- Financial analyst (financial planning and analysis).
- Corporate finance manager.
- Risk analyst (market, credit, operational).
- Investment Banking and Private Equity: Advising on capital raising, mergers and acquisitions, and strategic transactions.
- Investment banking analyst/associate.
- Private equity analyst/associate.
- Capital markets banker (ECM/DCM).
- Mergers and acquisitions banker
- Corporate development (in-house mergers and acquisitions at a company)
- Trading and Market Strategies: Trading and structuring financial instruments across global markets.
- Trader (equities, fixed income, derivatives, commodities, etc.).
- Quantitative researcher (“quant”).
If you’re interested in professional advancement, you can also choose to pursue credentials such as the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation. The Finance curriculum covers key areas tested at the Level 1 exam, including financial statement analysis, equity investments, corporate issuers, economics, quantitative methods and derivatives. While our program’s objective is broader than exam preparation, it will provide a strong academic base if you want to sit for the examination before (or shortly after) graduation.
Of course, you can also choose to get an advanced degree after you graduate, including the highly ranked Master of Science in Finance (MSF) at UB.