Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Program

The Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) charter is a professional designation awarded by the CFA Institute. Perhaps the most respected and recognized investment credential in the world, it demonstrates a mastery of a comprehensive body of knowledge important in the investment decision-making process.

Fordham University is an Affiliated University of the CFA Institute that provides currently enrolled students with access to the Student Scholarship Program. The Student Scholarship Program is offered by CFA and provides Fordham with a limited number of scholarships. The scholarships provide students access to the CFA Exam at any level, for a discounted price. Details on the Student Scholarship Program can be found on the CFA website. Be sure to follow the rules for application and eligibility. Failure to adhere to the rules as set by the CFA Institute may make you ineligible for a student scholarship. 

Current students who are considering enrolling for the exam or who need information regarding the CFA exam(s) should access the www.cfainstitute.org and review the criteria for taking the exam. 

The application process for Student Scholarships begins on September 15th of each year and concludes on November 15th of the same year. To be considered for the Student Scholarship you must maintain a GPA of 3.6 and be a current student enrolled at Fordham University either in the graduate or undergraduate programs you do not have to be enrolled at the Gabelli School to be eligible. Eligibility for undergraduate students is that you must be a junior or in your senior year. 

The Fordham University application process requires a one-page essay outlining why the CFA is an important part of your career goals. In addition, you must submit your most recent CV or resume. These documents can be sent via email to Professor James McCann, [email protected], Program Director of the CFA University Affiliate program at Fordham.

CFA Requirements

To earn a CFA designation, a candidate must pass three levels of exams (Levels I, II, III) and meet the experience requirement specified by the CFA Institute.

At Fordham, a sequence of undergraduate courses offered by the Gabelli School will aid in preparation for the CFA exam. Some courses have been designed to prepare students to take the CFA Level I exam. When possible, courses may use the same textbooks and reference materials as the CFA curriculum. Also, questions from previous CFA exams are used on some course exams. Fordham does not offer CFA prep courses of study either for current students or non-Fordham related interested parties. 

The CFA Body of Knowledge has 10 topic areas: 

  • ethical and professional standards
  • quantitative methods, economics
  • accounting and corporate finance
  • global markets and instruments
  • valuation and investment theory
  • analysis of fixed-income securities
  • analysis of equity investments
  • analysis of alternative investments 
  • portfolio management. 

Candidates are tested on all topic areas at each level.

Enrolling with the CFA Institute

To enroll and register for the CFA exams, candidates must meet the following requirements: For Level I, candidates must either have a bachelor’s (or equivalent) degree or be a rising junior or in the final year of their undergraduate program, with their exam date falling within 23 months of graduation. For Level II, candidates must be within 11 months of their graduation date as of the exam date. To register for Level III, candidates must have already earned a bachelor’s degree or have accumulated at least 4,000 hours of qualified professional work experience.

Completing and securing the CFA Credential

Many investment firms require entry-level employees to pursue the CFA designation as a condition of employment. However, the CFA Institute's program is a graduate-level curriculum. Thus, it shows a particular level of commitment for an undergraduate student to be preparing for the exam. CFA offers this program as one opportunity for our students to distinguish themselves in a competitive employment market.

A Gabelli School student completing the finance courses should have a basic framework for the fixed-income securities analysis, equity securities, analysis, and portfolio management topic areas. Other required courses in the business school curriculum should give the student a preliminary background in the quantitative analysis and economics sections. The remaining sections (ethical and professional standards, and financial accounting) are covered in the business core curriculum and supplemented with business electives in the curriculum.

To learn more about the CFA charter, please refer to the CFA Institute website.

To learn more about the CFA at the Gabelli School of Business, please contact James McCann of the finance and business economics faculty: [email protected].