Finance students count on experiential learning to add value to their degrees

Oct. 29, 2020

According to a report from the Conference Board of Canada, Toronto’s financial services sector has become the fastest growing-sector in North America. With one foot in the quickly evolving Toronto market, and the other firmly placed in the technology capital of Canada, the Lazaridis Master of Finance program is in constantly expanding its capacity to supply this growing sector with a steady stream of qualified and knowledgeable finance professionals.

With only 12 Canadian universities offering a Master of Finance degree, this competitive field of study has quickly become one of the most sought-after degrees among business school graduates. The Lazaridis MFin program was proud to welcome its largest cohort yet in Fall 2020. While it still shares its small, tight-knit identity with previous cohorts, the design of the program allows learners to have a high degree of interaction with their professors and peers.

The MFin program has been offered by the Lazaridis School as a standalone option for the past five years. The first student admitted to the program, Shane Obata, began his studies in 2015 and now hold an Executive Director position at Middlefield Capital Corporation.

Students have found themselves drawn to the Lazaridis MFin program for many reasons; some professional, some personal. One member of the most recent cohort, Vladimir (Vlaad) Gajic, was drawn to the program because it provided him with a hands-on experience that would complement his existing knowledge of foundational financial theory.

“After a month and a half into the program now, the only thing I can say is, ‘What a pleasant surprise!’ The real-life application of various financial theories and mastery of a wide array of financial professionals' tools is the primary focus of all three courses that I am taking.”

Another aspect of the Lazaridis School MFin program that piqued Vlaad’s interest was the opportunity to become involved with the Laurier Graduate Student Investment Fund (LGSIF). In the Fall of 2016, a group of MFin students developed the idea of the fund with the purpose of gaining valuable hands-on experience with investment decisions. The fund provides students with an opportunity to fill roles such as equity analysts and portfolio managers to develop equity valuation and asset management skills using real money in real markets.

Vlaad's search for a Master of Finance program that fit his needs ended when he applied to the Lazaridis MFin program. Since beginning classes this Fall, he’s come to value the exposure he's getting to the experiential learning built into the Lazaridis School’s finance curriculum and he is excited to continue to pursue these opportunities.

“So far, I am delighted with the Lazaridis MFin program. While the program has been demanding from day one and the professors keep leading us into ever more challenging financial waters, the satisfaction from having frequent ‘Aha!’ moments as a result of this experience is invaluable. As my learning journey through the program continues, I’m hoping to encounter many more of these profoundly satisfying learning moments.”

“The overriding goal of the Lazaridis MFin program is about exposing our students to as many experiential learning opportunities as possible,” says program director, Prof. Tony Tang.

"This is why an overwhelming number of our students choose to study with us, we deliver clear links between theory, application, and practice which sets them up for success in the impressive and rewarding careers they pursue after graduation.”
 
Applications for the September 2021 cohort are currently open. Contact us to learn more about the Lazaridis MFin program.