CFA® Coverage

The Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA®) designation, awarded by the CFA Institute, is recognized globally as the gold standard in investment management credentials. Earning the CFA charter requires passing three challenging exams and acquiring professional experience in the financial industry. With fewer than 20% of candidates completing the full program, the CFA charter signals deep expertise, discipline and professional integrity.

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Why Pursue a CFA® Certification?

The CFA charter is valued by employers around the world to identify professionals with exceptional finance acumen and ethical grounding. It opens doors to high-level roles such as portfolio manager, securities analyst or chief investment officer. The CFA Institute also serves the global financial community through continuing education, rigorous research and advocacy for ethical investment practices.

With the integrated CFA® coverage, hands-on training and access to expert faculty, UB’s Master’s in Economics program provides a robust springboard into the financial industry. Students gain technical skills, market fluency and certification preparation—tools that employers value across sectors.

CFA-Aligned Curriculum

At UB, the Master’s in Economics program offers a unique pathway for students preparing for the CFA® Level I exam. Two elective courses—Practicum in Financial Economics I and II—closely align with the CFA Candidate Body of Knowledge (CBOK), enabling students to apply theory to real-world investment decisions.

Course Timing Advantage: These courses are offered during the academic year, concluding just in time for students to sit for the Level I CFA Exam in June.

While Practicum in Financial Economics I and II support CFA® preparation, they go beyond exam content, integrating broader academic and practical learning essential to financial careers.

Learning Outcomes

These courses aim to:

  • Deepen understanding of financial markets, valuation techniques, and professional ethics
  • Simulate industry practice through applied investment analysis
  • Build fluency in Bloomberg Terminal navigation, culminating in a Bloomberg Market Concepts (BMC)certification
  • Prepare students for careers as portfolio managers, securities analysts, and financial planners

Course Highlights

Practicum in Financial Economics I

  • Focus: Equity valuation
  • Hands-on team project: Analyze a public company, build a DCF model, and present a Buy/Sell/Hold recommendation
  • Outcome: Simulated investment committee experience that mirrors real-world analyst roles

Practicum in Financial Economics II

  • Focus: Fixed-income markets
  • Topics: Bond pricing, yield volatility, credit risk, yield curves, and embedded options
  • Outcome: Mastery of fixed-income concepts that dominate a large portion of CFA Level I content

Meet the Instructor

Matthew Krajna, CFA

  • Director of Equity Research & Senior Portfolio Manager, Nottingham Advisors (Buffalo, NY)
  • Member of the firm’s Investment Policy Committee
  • Brings a wealth of real-world portfolio strategy, equity research, and tactical asset allocation experience to the classroom