This is a named option in the Business: Finance, Investment, and Banking MBA.
Admissions
| Fall Deadline | See program webpage: https://business.wisc.edu/graduate/mba/full-time/admissions/ |
| Spring Deadline | This program does not admit in the spring. |
| Summer Deadline | This program does not admit in the summer. |
| GRE (Graduate Record Examinations) | May be required in certain cases; consult program |
| English Proficiency Test | All applicants whose native language is not English must submit scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the Pearson Test of English (PTE), or the Intensive English as a Second Language (IELTS). A minimum iBT TOEFL score of 100 or equivalent, computer-based PTE score of 73 or equivalent, or IELTS score of 7.5 or equivalent, obtained within two years of the intended start term, is required. International applicants who have completed a degree at an institution whose primary language of instruction was English may request a waiver of this requirement on the application. |
| Other Test(s) (e.g., GMAT, MCAT) | GMAT may be required in certain cases; consult program. |
| Letters of Recommendation Required | 1* |
- *
Submission of a second letter of recommendation is optional.
There are two pathways to an Business: Finance, Investment, and Banking: Applied Security Analysis Program degree.
- If you have multiple years of work experience, you must apply to the School of Business MBA program and simultaneously to Business: Finance, Investment, and Banking: Applied Security Analysis Program; otherwise
- You must apply to the Business: Finance, Investment, and Banking: Applied Security Analysis program directly and you will earn a Master of of Science in Finance, Investment, and Banking (MS) degree.
This page describes the admission process for the MBA degree.
Admission consideration for the MBA program requires a four-year undergraduate degree or the equivalent, in any discipline, from an accredited institution. The School of Business prefers a minimum of two years of professional work experience along with a strong undergraduate performance. In addition to academic credentials, a GMAT or GRE score, and work experience, personal achievements, motivation, communication skills (written and oral), and recommendation letters are all considered in the admission process at the master's and doctoral levels.
Note: The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) or Graduate Record Examination (GRE) must have been taken within five years prior to receiving an offer of admission.
How to Apply
Students interested in Business degrees do not apply through the Graduate School application system and should instead refer to the School of Business Admissions page.
Funding
Graduate School Resources
Resources to help you afford graduate study might include assistantships, fellowships, traineeships, and financial aid. Further funding information is available from the Graduate School. Be sure to check with your program for individual policies and restrictions related to funding.
Program Resources
Learn about costs and financial assistance on the program website.
Minimum Graduate School Requirements
Review the Graduate School minimum academic progress and degree requirements, in addition to the program requirements listed below.
Named Option Requirements
Mode of Instruction
| Face to Face | Evening/Weekend | Online | Hybrid | Accelerated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | No | No | No | No |
Mode of Instruction Definitions
Accelerated: Accelerated programs are offered at a fast pace that condenses the time to completion. Students typically take enough credits aimed at completing the program in a year or two.
Evening/Weekend: Courses meet on the UW–Madison campus only in evenings and/or on weekends to accommodate typical business schedules. Students have the advantages of face-to-face courses with the flexibility to keep work and other life commitments.
Face-to-Face: Courses typically meet during weekdays on the UW-Madison Campus.
Hybrid: These programs combine face-to-face and online learning formats. Contact the program for more specific information.
Online: These programs are offered 100% online. Some programs may require an on-campus orientation or residency experience, but the courses will be facilitated in an online format.
Curricular Requirements
| Minimum Credit Requirement | 53 credits |
| Minimum Residence Credit Requirement | 47 credits |
| Minimum Graduate Coursework Requirement | 27 credits must be graduate-level coursework. Refer to the Graduate School: Minimum Graduate Coursework (50%) Requirement policy: https://policy.wisc.edu/library/UW-1244. |
| Overall Graduate GPA Requirement | 3.00 GPA required. Refer to the Graduate School: Grade Point Average (GPA) Requirement policy: https://policy.wisc.edu/library/UW-1203. |
| Other Grade Requirements | Students may be required to retake a course in which they receive a grade lower than a C. |
| Assessments and Examinations | No required assessments or examinations beyond course requirements. |
| Language Requirements | No language requirements. |
Required Courses
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Core Courses | ||
| GEN BUS 704 | Data to Decisions | 2 |
| GEN BUS 710 | Ethics, Integrity and Society | 1 |
| GEN BUS 725 | Consulting Practicum | 1 |
| ACCT I S 700 | Financial Accounting | 2 |
| FINANCE 700 | Introduction to Financial Management | 2 |
| M H R 706 | Leading and Working in Teams | 1 |
| M H R 723 | Business Strategy | 2 |
| MARKETNG 700 | Marketing Management | 2 |
| OTM 700 | Operations and Supply Chain Management | 2 |
| OTM 732 | Economics for Managers | 2 |
| Required Specialization Courses | ||
| FINANCE 635 | Business Valuation | 3 |
| FINANCE 645 | Introduction to Applied Security Analysis | 3 |
| FINANCE 646 | Introduction to Applied Portfolio Management | 3 |
| FINANCE 740 | Analysis of Fixed Income Securities | 3 |
| FINANCE 835 | Applied Security Analysis and Investment Management I | 5 |
| FINANCE 836 | Applied Security Analysis and Investment Management II | 4 |
| Approved Elective Courses | 15 | |
| Total Credits | 53 | |
Approved Electives
- The electives must contain at least one International course. FINANCE/INTL BUS 745 satisfies this requirement.
- Two of the electives can be satisfied by any School of Business course without explicit approval (and one of these can be an international course that satisfies the international requirement).
- The remaining three electives must be selected from the following set:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| FINANCE 330 | Derivative Securities | 3 |
| FINANCE 410 | Bank Management | 3 |
| FINANCE 610 | Bank Simulation and Strategy | 3 |
| FINANCE 650 | Mergers and Acquisitions | 2-3 |
| FINANCE 725 | Corporation Finance Theory and Practice | 2-3 |
| FINANCE/INTL BUS 745 | Multinational Business Finance 1 | 2-3 |
| FINANCE 755 | Corporate Restructuring & Reorganization | 3 |
| FINANCE 757 | Entrepreneurial Finance 2 | 2-3 |
| ACCT I S 603 | Financial Statement Analysis | 3 |
| Any other ACCT I S course numbered 600 or higher. | ||
| Any other FINANCE course numbered 600 or higher. | ||
- 1
FINANCE/INTL BUS 445 can be taken instead but the graduate version is recommended.
- 2
FINANCE 457 can be taken instead but the graduate version is recommended.
Any changes to the elective requirements must be approved in advance by the Applied Security Analysis Program Academic Director.
Graduate School Policies
The Graduate School’s Academic Policies and Procedures provide essential information regarding general university policies. Program authority to set degree policies beyond the minimum required by the Graduate School lies with the degree program faculty. Policies set by the academic degree program can be found below.
Named Option-Specific Policies
Prior Coursework
Graduate Credits Earned at Other Institutions
With program and department approval, students may transfer up to 6 credits of graduate coursework completed two years prior to admission at an AACSB accredited institution, in which a grade of B or better was earned.
Undergraduate Credits Earned at Other Institutions or UW-Madison
No credits from a UW-Madison or other institution undergraduate degree are allowed to transfer toward the degree.
Credits Earned as a Professional Student at UW-Madison (Law, Medicine, Pharmacy, and Veterinary careers)
Refer to the Graduate School: Transfer Credits for Prior Coursework policy.
Credits Earned as a University Special Student at UW–Madison
No credits earned as a University Special Student at UW-Madison are allowed to transfer toward the degree.
Probation
Refer to the Graduate School: Probation policy.
Advisor / Committee
Every graduate student is required to have an advisor. An advisor is a faculty member, or sometimes a committee, responsible for providing advice regarding graduate studies.
Credits Per Term Allowed
15 credits
Time Limits
Refer to the Graduate School: Time Limits policy.
Grievances and Appeals
These resources may be helpful in addressing your concerns:
- Bias or Hate Reporting
- Graduate Assistantship Policies and Procedures
- Hostile and Intimidating Behavior Policies and Procedures
- Employee Assistance (for personal counseling and workplace consultation around communication and conflict involving graduate assistants and other employees, post-doctoral students, faculty and staff)
- Employee Disability Resource Office (for qualified employees or applicants with disabilities to have equal employment opportunities)
- Graduate School (for informal advice at any level of review and for official appeals of program/departmental or school/college grievance decisions)
- Office of Compliance (for class harassment and discrimination, including sexual harassment and sexual violence)
- Office Student Assistance and Support (OSAS) (for all students to seek grievance assistance and support)
- Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards (for conflicts involving students)
- Ombuds Office for Faculty and Staff (for employed graduate students and post-docs, as well as faculty and staff)
- Title IX (for concerns about discrimination)
Any student who feels that they have been mistreated by a faculty or staff member has the right to lodge a complaint. Complaints may concern course grades, classroom treatment, program admission, or other issues. To ensure a prompt and fair hearing of any complaint and to protect both the student's rights and the person at whom the complaint is addressed, the grievance procedures below are used in the School of Business.
The person against whom the complaint is directed must be an employee of the School of Business. Any student or potential student may use these procedures unless other campus rules or contracts cover the complaint:
- If the student feels comfortable/safe doing so, the student should first talk with the person against whom the grievance is directed. Most issues can be settled at this level. If the complaint is directed against a teaching assistant (TA) and the student is not satisfied after discussion of the grievance with the TA, the next step would be to talk to the TA's supervisor, who is usually the course professor. If the complaint is still not resolved satisfactorily, the student may continue to step 2.
- If the complaint involves an academic department, the student should contact the chair of the department. The chair will attempt to resolve the problem informally. If this cannot be done to the student's satisfaction, the student may submit the grievance to the chair in writing. This must be done within 60 calendar days of the alleged unfair treatment.
- If the complaint does not involve an academic department, the procedure outlined in Step 4 below should be followed.
- On receipt of a written complaint, the chair will refer the matter to a departmental committee, which will obtain a written response from the person at whom the complaint is directed. This response shall be shared with the person filing the grievance. The chair will provide a written decision within 30 days to the student on the action taken by the committee.
- If either party is not satisfied with the decision, they have five working days from receipt of the decision to contact the dean's office (at the number below), indicating the intention to appeal. If the complaint does not involve an academic department in the school, the student must contact the dean's office within 60 calendar days of the alleged unfair treatment.
- In either case, there will be an attempt to resolve the issue informally by the appropriate associate dean. If this cannot be done, the complaint can be filed in writing with the Office of the Dean. This must be done within 10 working days of the time the appealing party was notified that informal resolution was unsuccessful.
- On receipt of such a written complaint, the Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer will convene a subcommittee of relevant stakeholders pending the nature of the issue. This subcommittee may ask for additional information from the parties involved and may hold a hearing at which both parties will be asked to speak separately. The subcommittee will then make a written recommendation to the dean of the School of Business who will render a decision. Unless a longer time is negotiated, this written decision shall be made within 20 working days from when the grievance was filed with the Office of the Dean.
Questions about these procedures can be directed to the School of Business, Office of the Dean, 4339 Grainger, 975 University Avenue, 608-262-7867.
State law contains additional provisions regarding discrimination and harassment. Wisconsin Statutes 36.12 reads, in part: "No student may be denied admission to, participation in or the benefits of, or be discriminated against in any service, program, course or facility of the system or its institutions or center because of the student's race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, disability, ancestry, age, sexual orientation, pregnancy, marital status or parental status." In addition, the UW System prohibits discrimination based on gender identity or gender expression. Students have the right to file discrimination and harassment complaints with the Office of Compliance, 361 Bascom Hall, 608-265-6018, uwcomplianceoffice@wisc.edu.
The Graduate School has procedures for students wishing to appeal a grievance decision at the school/college level. These policies are described in the Graduate School’s Academic Policies and Procedures: https://grad.wisc.edu/documents/grievances-and-appeals/
Other
Students are expected to be enrolled full-time for all semesters. Exceptions may be granted in the final semester.
Professional Development
Graduate School Resources
Take advantage of the Graduate School's professional development resources to build skills, thrive academically, and launch your career.