CFA Institute Grants Walsh Affiliate Status
The CFA Institute has granted Walsh’s Master of Science in Finance (MSF) program the internationally prestigious recognition of Affiliate status. The CFA Institute is committed to leading the investment profession globally by promoting the highest standards of ethics, education, and professional excellence. According to the CFA Institute website, “An Affiliated University signals to their students and to employers that their curriculum is closely tied to the practice of investment management and is helpful to students preparing for the CFA® Program exams.”
CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) is the “gold standard” certification in the finance and investment fields and is recognized globally. This significant achievement places Walsh’s Master of Science in Finance (MSF) program in the same company with elite colleges and universities around the world, not just the United States. There are 235 CFA affiliate colleges and universities in the United States, including Cornell, Baylor University and The Ohio State University, to name a few.
“The CFA affiliation sets Walsh and its students apart from the competition and opens doors for graduates to move ahead in their careers.” said Walsh Finance Professor William Greshak. “During their time at Walsh, MSF students gain the knowledge and hands-on skills that will be highly applicable in their profession because our curriculum is directly tied to the CFA candidate body of knowledge.” Greshak is one of several Walsh faculty members who are CFAs.
Greshak said that though CFA learning objectives are incorporated into every part of the MSF curriculum, these are not prep courses for actually taking the CFA exam. The exam, which is one of the most rigorous, comprehensive certification exams, takes at least several hundred hours per year of individual study time beyond a degree.
”CFA certification follows the standards of the market,” said John Moore, Ph.D, CPA, professor and chair of Walsh’s finance department. “A CFA-affiliated program, like Walsh’s MSF, is structured to keep students aligned with the most current needs of the industry and employers.
The CFA’s affiliate recognition also brings scholarship opportunities to Walsh students to take their CFA exam.
This is not Walsh’s first recognition of educational excellence. Other distinctions include one of the Best Online MBA Programs in the U.S., a Tier One Global Online MBA, one of the Best Online Colleges in Michigan, and one of the Best Online Masters of Science in Finance.
