The purpose of the Graduate Certificate in Applied Finance is to provide financial service professionals or graduate students aspiring to pursue careers in financial institutions and/or financial management units within for-profit or non-profit organizations, mainly in the Central Illinois area, with knowledge of the managerial aspects of institutional/personal finance.  The graduate-level analytical skills of financial planning, budgeting and risk management are the core areas of knowledge to be covered.

The certificate will focus on the delivery of courses in the area of financial management that will help students develop their knowledge and skills in the following areas:

1. Knowledge on the history, evolution and the basic concepts central to the financial service industry, financial market environment, and professional ethics.
2. Knowledge of regulatory issues in the financial environment.
3. Knowledge of the design and decision-making of financial operations, capital budgeting and planning, and risk management.

Entrance and Course Requirements

Students who have already been admitted into a UIS graduate degree program will automatically be admitted to the certificate program upon receipt of the degree-seeking application and fee (with the certificate designated), or a Change of Curriculum Form.

Applicants not currently admitted into a UIS graduate degree program must provide the following:

1. A graduate non-degree seeking application (with the certificate designated);
2. Official undergraduate transcript(s) with degree documentation; and
3. A 2.5 cumulative undergraduate GPA or better, or substantial experience and responsibility in a field related to the area of study, as documented by a current resume.

Candidates for the certificate will be expected to complete course requirements with a cumulate GPA of 3.0 or better