by Lisa Bohner, Programme Director, MFA
Greetings from London!
When considering a graduate level education within a year or two of earning your Bachelor’s degree, do your research and make sure the programme and school aligns with your needs. What are you hoping to gain by furthering your education: applied learning, a notable advantage in the job-market, life-long friends? Business School is a significant investment of your time, talents and financial resources, and you need all three to achieve your goals.
London Business School launched the Masters of Financial Analysis (MFA) programme in August 2016 to address the financial community’s need for entry level analysts with superior quantitative and business communication skills. Modelled alongside the 1-year LBS Masters in Management programme and drawing upon the expertise of our world-class faculty, the MFA programme was originally created with a unique core curriculum and accepted students from quantitative backgrounds with less than 12 months of business experience. The response was remarkable.
Since then the MFA has evolved in both our programme offering and the potential students it attracts. We continue to innovate the curriculum based upon faculty input, recruiters’ recommendations and feedback from our students. We are expanding the core to delve deeper into financial markets, wealth management, the purpose of finance and are introducing a new course in Private Equity. This year we rolled out new modules within our Skills Programme so MFA students have the opportunity to practice actual market trading simulations, futures trading, and modelling challenge competitions. We also offer customised programming language courses in Python, R, SQL and Tableau, running now!
Students who choose to enroll in the Masters of Financial Analysis programme at LBS are supported by an incredible team of professionals dedicated to guide you on your chosen path to success. Your student journey spans from your initial enquiry and application for the programme, through to your academic studies, career exploration, successful completion and award of degree and ultimately joining the LBS global alumni community. We work together in close collaboration, just as our students do and together make a powerful impact on the way the world does business.
My advice to prospective students looking to study the MFA at LBS: use your time wisely. The MFA core is an intensive 12-course curriculum designed and delivered by a world-class faculty, spread across three terms designed so you can build your quantitative skills in finance, accounting, data analysis and world economic understanding. The MFA 2019 class has an expanded portfolio of electives, from which you are able to choose three, to customise your programme. You will further define your learning by attending one of six exciting project-based Global Immersion Field Trips (GIFTs) across the globe: Medillin, Nepal and Cape Town (for Social Impact projects); and Beijing, Tel Aviv and Silicon Valley (for Tech/Entrepreneurship)- I’m sure you’ll agree, an amazing portfolio.
You will also have access to the outstanding Careers Centre team with a proven track record that supported 96% of our most recent MFA graduates to secure a job offer within three months of graduating. You will be part of a global student community in the heart of London teaming with activity and enticing distractions. There will be so much to do in the 12 (or 16) months of your programme. You will need to work hard to fit everything in, but when you do, it will be worth it.
To learn more about the MFA programme, check out the full programme brochure.
Ready to apply? Start your MFA application.