CFA® Coverage

“Taking the CFA® exam really emphasized how much you learn in the first semester of the MSIM program. Having taken the exam previously, I felt I was far better prepared this time around.”
-Alec Noble, MSIM’09

Coursework Incorporates the CFA Body of Knowledge™

The MS in Investment Management Program is the first graduate program in the United States to be named a CFA Program Partner®. As such, the MSIM Program covers the majority of the CFA Body of Knowledge and gives students the intellectual content they need to prepare for and be successful with the CFA exams. In fact, two chapters from Faculty Director Scott Stewart’s book “Running Money: Professional Portfolio Management” are used in the CFA Institute’s continuing education program.

The Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA®) certification is a professional designation awarded by CFA Institute. The professional investment community recognizes the value of the CFA certification to support hiring and promotion decisions. For more information, visit the CFA Institute website.

The MSIM coursework is customized to include preparation for the CFA exams. Students who wish to pursue the CFA certification prepare to take the CFA Level I exam after their first or third semester, Level II the following spring, and Level III the following year.

MSIM’s effective coverage has helped students pass the CFA exams at consistently higher rates than the overall average.

CFA® Coach Program

The MSIM Program is first and foremost a master’s program, and though the curriculum covers the majority of the CFA Body of Knowledge, the program is not a preparatory course for the CFA exams. The faculty and staff recognize that the majority of the students are studying for the exams and implemented the CFA Coach Program to run alongside of the graduate coursework in the spring semester.

The CFA Coach Program includes:

  • A detailed calendar of how to approach your studies over the months of January through May.
  • Test-taking workshops, taught by full-time faculty, that target the most rigorous sections of the CFA exams, including Financial Statement Analysis and Quantitative Methods.
  • Weekend review sessions with a video preparatory course.*
  • Significantly discounted study materials.*

*These benefits are available for a nominal fee.

“MSIM was hugely instrumental for me earning the CFA Charter® because it got me started and gave me the tools to finish.”
-Peder Johnson, CFA, MSIM 5