4 Semester Option

The MS Financial Engineering Program is designed to be completed in three semesters with a total of 48 credit hours.  However, students who are interested in continuing the program for a fourth semester would have the following options:

• One required course from the second semester (spring) would be deferred to the following spring term (Either FIN 512 Financial Derivatives or IE 525 Stochastic Calculus).  
• The required MSFE Practicum course may be deferred to the following spring term.  Students typically take the MSFE Practicum course during the spring or fall semester.
• The third semester (Fall) would remain as is according to the curriculum plan here.

The following conditions would apply for a student wishing to enroll in a fourth semester:

• Approval must be granted by the Advisor as well as the Director.
• International students must have a minimum of 12 hours per semester.  However, a reduced course load may be approved by ISSS during a student's final semester if the student has not completed the graduation requirements for the program.  Please review the policy here:  https://isss.illinois.edu/students/f1j1/index.html.
• International students will need to update their I-20 to reflect a new program end date.
• Tuition and Fees would be paid at the same rate for the fourth semester.  Tuition and fees are not reduced when taking a reduced course load in our program.
• Other GPA etc. requirements would remain the same with a 2.75 minimum GPA  on All courses taken.
• Graduation and degree conferral would be in May rather than in December.