Program at a Glance
- Online and On Campus
- Part-Time Study
- 16 Credits
- 8–12 Months to Completion
- 7 Core Faculty
- No GRE/GMAT
- Tuition & Fees—Part-Time Study*: $15,720
*Based on 2024–2025 Boston University tuition and fees.
Build a Foundation in Financial Management
Available online or on campus, the Graduate Certificate in Financial Management at Boston University’s Metropolitan College (MET) is designed to provide leaders and managers throughout an organization with essential skills for making intelligent business decisions. Professionals in the financial services industry and those who are responsible for making financial decisions—as well as for students who are interested in a financial services career— who complete the program will be qualified for positions in cash management, capital budgeting, and risk management.
By taking the required courses for BU MET’s Financial Management graduate certificate, you will receive a strong foundation in financial theory, acquire technical skills for developing analytical approaches, and improve your critical thinking abilities through hands-on coursework and real-world case studies.
The Financial Management certificate is excellent preparation for the internationally recognized Chartered Financial Analyst® (CFA) Program exams, and shares courses with BU MET’s MS in Financial Management, which is part of the CFA Institute University Affiliation Program.
MET's online master's degrees in management are ranked #6 in the nation
2024 U.S. News & World Report Rankings
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Our master’s in financial management degree is part of the CFA Institute University Affiliation Program
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Accredited member of AACSB International
The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
Learn More“From the start, I wanted a school in Boston to further study business, and BU attracted me a lot, not only because of its reputation and culture but also because we had a lot in common, for example, the school color ‘scarlet’ is exactly my name: Scarlett!
When I carefully researched the courses that the MET Financial Management program required, Quantitative Methods for Finance (MET AD 685) and Investment Analysis and Portfolio Management (MET AD 717) are two courses I was interested in since I wanted to know more about quant and portfolio techniques.
I knew that such practical core courses and a diverse general elective curriculum would benefit me both academically and professionally. Later, my expectations were confirmed. I did have access to more advanced knowledge about the industry through abundant academic resources like our brilliant professors. Also, the various certificate programs that MET provides gave me opportunities to learn interdisciplinary subjects that helped me put financial theories into practice.”—Sijia “Scarlett” Hao, Founder, Youth Today
Why Earn a Graduate Certificate in Financial Management at BU?
- Active Learning Environment: BU MET’s Financial Management program focuses on practical, hands-on education, ensuring you are immersed in all aspects of financial management and related research—education you can apply on the job.
- Engaged Faculty: In BU MET’s Financial Management master’s program, you benefit from working closely with highly qualified faculty who draw from active research and substantial professional achievements in areas such as international finance, financial analysis, portfolio management, systemic risk analysis, investment analysis, mergers and acquisitions, economics, financial markets and institutions, and more.
- Extensive Network: Study principles of finance alongside peers with solid business experience, learn from faculty who have valuable business contacts, and benefit from an alumni community with strong professional connections.
- Exam Preparation: The Financial Management curriculum provides excellent preparation for the CFA Program exams. BU MET’s MS in Financial Management is part of the CFA Institute University Affiliation Program.
- Complimentary Analytics Labs: Two levels of self-paced analytics laboratories offer access to advanced tools and provide opportunities to hone analytics skills using cases that are populated with realistic data.
- 15:1 Class Ratio: Enjoy an exceptional student-to-instructor ratio, ensuring close interaction with faculty and access to support.
- Valuable Resources: Make use of Boston University’s extensive resources, including the Center for Career Development, Educational Resource Center, Fitness & Recreation Center, IT Help Centers, Mugar Memorial Library, Center for Antiracist Research, Howard Thurman Center for Common Ground, George Sherman Union, and many others.
- Flexible Options: Study at the pace that works for you, evenings on campus or fully online. Courses begin fall, spring, and summer; online courses have two starts per term.
- Track Record: Learn from the best—since 2014, BU MET’s part-time master’s programs in business and management have been ranked among the top in the nation by U.S. News & World Report.
Master the Concepts of Global Finance
The Graduate Certificate in Financial Management and the MS in Financial Management (MSFM) are available through the Department of Administrative Sciences, which offers a variety of evening and online degrees and certificates to help you remain competitive in business and management and rise to the top of your field. Focusing on providing industry-specific programs that are innovative, scholarly, challenging, interdisciplinary, and practically focused, our mission is to produce critical and innovative thinkers—broad in perspective, international in attitude, skilled in communications—who are competent, capable, and comfortable in their ability to make strategic decisions either alone or in teams, and practiced in using the tools necessary to compete in their specialization. We prepare students to succeed in a global environment, within a professional and ethical framework.
Graduate with Expertise
Metropolitan College’s Financial Management graduate certificate will equip you with:
- Expertise in how financial markets function, including the major participants, procedures for assessing and pricing risk, and market roles in the allocation of credit to various financial sectors.
- Comprehension of the goals and functions of financial management.
- Skills in financial analysis and planning, working capital management, and the capital budgeting process.
- Knowledge of long-term financing.
- Proficiency in the overall investment process and the key elements involved in the investment process such as asset allocation and security selection.
- Understanding of debt, equity, and derivatives securities.
- The ability to construct portfolios of different risk levels, given information about risk-free rates and returns on risky assets.
- Full understanding of systematic and firm-specific risk, and portfolio diversification.
- Insight on the concept and usage of the capital asset pricing model (CAPM).
- Experience with the calculation of bond prices including accrued interest, promised yields, and realized yields.
- Competence with active bond portfolio management.
- Familiarity with how to analyze a firm using the basic financial statements to perform ratio analysis.
- Understanding of mergers and acquisitions through the case study methodology.
Certificate-to-Degree Pathway
BU MET graduate certificate programs can serve as building blocks to a master’s degree. The Graduate Certificate in Financial Management shares specific courses with the MS in Financial Management. Students currently enrolled in a graduate certificate who are interested in transitioning into a master’s degree should contact their academic advisor to declare their interest in this pathway. A new master’s degree application is not required. Connect with a graduate admissions advisor at adsadmissions@bu.edu to learn more about this option.
Graduate Certificate in Financial Management Curriculum
Courses
(Four courses/16 credits)
MET AD 712 Financial Markets and Institutions
MET AD 714 Mergers and Acquisitions
MET AD 717 Investment Analysis and Portfolio Management
And one of the following:
MET AD 528 Blockchain Finance
MET AD 561 Financial Analytics
MET AD 580 Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Investments
MET AD 581 Energy Transition: Markets and Regulation
MET AD 587 Interdisciplinary Methods for Quantitative Finance
MET AD 709 Case Studies in Current Corporate Financial Topics
MET AD 713 Derivative Securities and Markets
MET AD 719 Fixed Income Analysis
MET AD 763 Multinational Finance and Trade
Financial Management Faculty
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Tuition & Financial Assistance
Competitive Tuition
Our part-time rates are substantially lower than those of the traditional, full-time residential programs yet provide access to the same high-quality BU education.Comprehensive Financial Assistance
Our services include scholarships, graduate loans, and payment plans.How Much Does This Program Cost?
BU MET programs offer the flexibility of part-time study, either on campus or online. Tuition, fees, and total program cost are determined by enrollment status. Course enrollment in this certificate program is 1–2 courses (4–8 credits) in a semester, and tuition is charged the part-time per-credit rate.
Financial Management Graduate Certificate (Online and On Campus)
| Enrollment Status | Part Time |
| Courses per Semester | 2 courses (8 credits) |
| Time to Degree | 2 semesters (8 months) |
| Tuition* | $550-$975 per credit** |
| Fees per Semester* | $60 |
| Total Degree Cost* | $15,720 |
*Based on 2024-2025 Boston University tuition & fee rates.
**Cost per credit is determined by course number (100–599 = $550/credit, 600–999 = $975/credit).
Questions? Please contact us to hear from an Admissions Advisor who can help you determine the best enrollment pathway. For information regarding financial aid, visit BU MET’s Financial Aid page.
Get Started
Please visit the BU MET admissions page for details on how to apply, financial assistance, tuition and fees, requirements for international students, and more.
News & Events
July 25th, 2024 at: 12:00pm - 12:45pm
Online Graduate Study at Boston University
August 7th, 2024 at: 10:00am - 10:45am
The Inside Scoop: Graduate Admissions at BU MET (International Students)
August 21st, 2024 at: 10:00am - 10:30am
Financing your BU MET Graduate Education (for INTERNATIONAL students)