With the growth of the investment management industry in Canada, there has been increasing interest among finance professionals to pursue further education in investment funds. Major Canadian cities like Toronto offer a range of programs catering to students looking to become investment fund managers or analysts. When researching courses, it is important to understand the core curriculum and skills developed as well as admissions requirements. This article provides an overview of investment fund course requirements for 2023 intake at top universities in Toronto for those hoping to accelerate their fund management careers.
Rotman MMF Provides Strong Quantitative Foundation
The Master of Management in Finance (MMF) program at the Rotman School of Management is geared towards those with STEM backgrounds looking to transition into investment management. Spanning only 12 months, the curriculum covers critical technical skills like data analysis, financial modelling, portfolio management, and coding through required courses in optimization methods, machine learning, and financial computing. Students also get hands-on experience managing an equity fund through the Desautels Capital Management program. Admissions require strong grades in calculus, statistics, econometrics and programming with work experience recommended but not required.
MFE at UofT Combines Economics and Finance
The Master of Financial Economics (MFE) offered jointly by the Department of Economics and Rotman School takes a more theoretical approach. The program provides rigorous training in the economic principles underlying modern finance theories and covers highly quantitative topics like financial econometrics, derivatives, risk management, and machine learning. Admissions are very competitive with requirements including multivariate calculus, intermediate micro and macroeconomics, statistics and econometrics coursework with strong grades.
Schulich MBA Investment Management Specialization for Experienced Candidates
Schulich’s Master of Business Administration (MBA) with Specialization in Investment Management is geared more towards mid-career professionals in the finance sector looking to move into fund management and analyst roles. Work experience requirements are higher with at least 2 years experience recommended. The curriculum provides solid training in securities analysis, portfolio management, alternative investments, and risk management while also developing leadership and communication skills.
CFA Program Most Flexible Option for Self-Study
The Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) program offered by the CFA Institute provides a self-study option and exams to obtain the CFA charter. While there are no formal course requirements, the content covers all the key areas including ethical standards, quantitative methods, economics, financial analysis, portfolio management and wealth planning. Passing the 3 levels of exams demonstrates extensive investment management knowledge and is highly valued by employers.
With a variety of course options available, finance professionals in Toronto can find programs tailored to their backgrounds and careers goals that provide the requisite investment fund knowledge. Those able to commit full-time are best served by specialized Master’s programs like MFE and MMF, while experienced candidates can further develop their skills through MBA specializations or self-study CFA certifications.