CFA Program

The Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA®) designation is a professional designation awarded by the CFA Institute. The CFA Institute awards the Chartered Financial Analyst® charter to professionals who have passed three levels of rigorous exams and have sufficient experience in the investment industry.

The CFA charter is widely regarded as the highest and most sought after distinction in the investment management profession, with over 167,000 professionals globally.

The global professional investment community recognizes the value of the CFA charter to support hiring and promotion decisions. This designation is a signal of the quality and expertise of the professional and thus may uniquely qualify the candidate for particular positions and promotions.

The organization also conducts professional development programs and publishes finance-related research. The CFA exam is regarded as the toughest credentialing program for the investment profession. Fewer than one in five candidates who begin the three-part exam successfully complete it and earn the CFA charter.

One of the unique opportunities offered by the UB Master's in Economics program is for students to take a sequence of Financial Economics electives. The curriculum of ECO 588 and ECO 589 is built around the CFA® candidate body of knowledge.

The timing of the classes allows students to take the Level I Exam in June, immediately after the conclusion of spring semester classes.

Learning Outcomes:

• The primary goal of both classes is to train students in the practical applications of financial economic principals and provide an understanding of industry practice as embodied in the Chartered Financial Analysts (CFA®) Candidate Body of Knowledge.  The CFA® exam is viewed as an excellent method for applying theory to frequently arising investment decisions.
• These courses are designed to bring together the student’s entire financial education and prepare them for their future roles as securities analysts, portfolio managers and financial analysts in planning departments of various institutions.
• Additional goals include: Obtaining a superior knowledge of financial markets and complementing other skills obtained in the master's program.