PLU welcomed into CFA Institute University Recognition Program

Pacific Lutheran University has become the latest university to be welcomed into the CFA Institute University Recognition Program. The Master of Science in Finance (MSF) has been acknowledged as incorporating at least 70 percent of the CFA Program Candidate Body of Knowledge (CBOK) and placing emphasis on the CFA Institute Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice within the program. This program positions students well to obtain the Chartered Financial Analyst® designation, which has become the most respected and recognized investment credential in the world.

Entry into the CFA Institute University Recognition Program signals to potential students, employers, and the marketplace that Pacific Lutheran University curriculum is closely tied to professional practice and is well-suited to preparing students to sit for the CFA examinations.  Through participation in this program, Pacific Lutheran University is eligible to receive a limited number of student scholarships for the CFA Program each year.

“Students in these programs study the Candidate Body of Knowledge, which include knowledge, skills, and abilities that investment experts worldwide have identified as essential best practice,” said Stephen Horan, Ph.D., CFA, CIPM, Head, University Relations & Private Wealth. “By mastering the fundamentals of the CFA Program as well as the Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice, these future investment professionals join us in our mission to promote the highest standards of ethics, education, and professional excellence for the ultimate benefit of society.”

The Pacific Lutheran University MSF is jointly offered by faculty from Finance, Economics, Accounting, and Mathematics to present a cross-disciplinary education that uniquely prepares graduates to excel in financial careers. Graduates are equipped to hit the ground running with a powerful set of skills and tools from a curriculum designed in collaboration with industry. It is a uniquely designed 10-month, full-time, quantitatively rigorous degree program offered to new graduates as well as those with industry experience. The program is cohort based and begins each September.

“We’re both proud and grateful for the recognition from the CFA Institute for Pacific Lutheran University’s Master of Science in Finance program. The MSF is the newest program in PLU’s School of Business, adding to our long tradition of high quality education in business subjects. We appreciate the CFA Institute’s emphasis on quality education, and especially its emphasis on ethical and professional conduct, long-standing priorities at PLU,” said Jim Brock, Dean of the PLU School of Business.

Kevin Boeh, Faculty Director for the MSF program stated: “We’re excited to learn the impact of this recognition on the lives and prospects of our MSF students. We will work hard to continue offering a program worthy of this designation by providing our students a rigorous, high-quality and relevant experience that enables them to excel in the financial services industry.”