Welcome new June 2008 MSF students!

Congratulations on your admission to the University of Illinois! The information below will help to make your transition to graduate school at Illinois as smooth as possible.

Please read the information and contact our office if you have questions.

BEFORE YOUR ARRIVAL

  1. Finalize your housing arrangements

    You are expected to handle all of your housing arrangements prior to the start of Orientation on May 29. Students may live in University housing (dormitory or university owned apartments) or private housing on or off campus.

    Visit the University housing and other suggested housing options.

    Some of our current students graduating May 10th are advertising sublets of their apartments. We have compiled a list of sublets with contact information.

    Sublets

  2. Pre-Session workshops during Orientation Week

    This year we are pleased to include two preparatory workshops prior to the start of summer courses to ensure all students have an understanding of key basic concepts in Corporate Finance/Accounting and Math/Statistics. There is no additional charge for these workshops.

    After you have accepted an offer of admission for the MSF class of 2009, we will ask you to complete two short assessment exams (one in Corporate Finance/Accounting, one in Math/Statistics) to help determine if you will be required to take one or both of the workshops. If you score 80% or higher on the exam(s), you will not be required to participate in the workshop(s). If you do score 80% or higher on either exam but would still like to participate in the workshops, you are welcome to do so.

    You will be required to attend either or both of these workshops if you score lower than 80% on the exams; not attending will restrict your ability to register for the summer courses.

      • On-line Assessment Exam

  3. University Email Account

    Your formal admission letter from the Graduate College includes your University Identification Number (UIN). Once you have this number, you can create your university netID. This netid allows you to set up your Enterprise ID, university email account, and many other new student services.

    Your Enterprise ID will allow you to claim a housing contract and to access the Student Self-Service Online Registration form*. The netid can be captured at http://netidclaim.uiuc.edu

    *Seats in the summer classes are reserved for MSF students. While you can obtain access to the registration form, you will not be authorized to register until Orientation when you are assigned to a team and authorized for a specific course section as determined by your Academic Advisor.

  4. Campus Information

    The University of Illinois is a large campus with a tremendous number of resources available to students. Check out the links below to familiarize yourself:

    • Graduate Student Survival Guide
    • Campus and Community Resources (bottom right hand side)
    • Specifically for International Students
      • ISSS arrival information for international graduate students:
      • ISSS new student information (including ISSS Orientation)
      • International student handbook:

  5. Libraries

    The University of Illinois houses one of the largest library systems in the world.

    • University of Illinois Libraries
    • The Business and Economics Library (BEL) has many online resources available.

ARRIVING ON CAMPUS

The MSF program is challenging and it is important that you arrive in plenty of time to acclimate yourself to campus, finalize housing arrangements, and prepare for the start of classes. You don't want to be worrying about these details once classes begin.

  1. Check in with the MSF Program

    All students must check in at the MSF office in 206 David Kinley Hall, 1407 W. Gregory Drive, Urbana. Ask for Cathy Tyler, the MSF Program secretary. The MSF Office is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 - 4:30.

    Please note that the University of Illinois is closed on Monday May 26th in observance of Memorial Day, a national holiday.

    Check in deadlines are as follows:

    • US Citizens and Permanent US residents should check-in no later than May 28 ยท
    • International Students should check-in to the MSF office no later than May 27
    When you check in with the MSF office you will receive a financial calculator that meets specifications for use in the classroom and on exams.

  2. MSF Orientation

    The MS Finance Orientation is scheduled to begin on May 29. During Orientation you will meet faculty, learn about course options and determine your study plan. You will also learn about a number of resources available to you as an MSF student.

    These include Career Services, CFA Designation, Bloomberg Certification, and the Finance Practicum.

    In addition, activities are organized to help acclimate the students to the Illinois campus and meet the other participants in the program.

    Orientation ScheduleOrientation Schedule

    Participation is required.

  3. Special Instructions for International Students
    • All international students MUST report to the Office of International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) when they arrive on campus. This is very important as failure to report in a timely manner can put you at risk of losing your student visa. ISSS will hold open check-in for international students June 2 to June 4. Because our Orientation activities are those days, those students that do not check in with ISSS prior to May 28 must do so on June 6 or during the lunch break on Tuesday, June 3.
    • ISSS offers an orientation just for issues affecting international students. This summer their orientation will be held June 6. International students are encouraged to join this orientation.
    • You may be required to take the English Placement Test (EPT) as a condition of your admission to the University of Illinois. If you are required to take the test you were notified on your formal admission letter from Graduate Admissions. Those students required to take the English Placement test will be doing so on Wednesday, May 28. You must attend this test. More details on the EPT will be emailed to you in early May or provided to you at check-in.

REGISTRATION AND COURSE INFORMATION

  1. Registration

    MSF students will be able to register for classes online after they have been authorized by their academic advisor. Authorization will be provided after each student has attended an introductory meeting with their academic advisor, Professor George Pinteris. Professor Pinteris will hold this meeting during Orientation.

    The netid/passwords will be provided to students along with registration instructions during their check-in.

    Seats in the summer finance classes are reserved for MSF students. Therefore there is no need to be concerned that you will not be able to register. Students receiving Federal Financial Aid cannot receive aid until they are registered students. If this is your situation, please contact our office at 217-244-9203.

  2. Textbooks for Summer classes

    Students will be enrolled in two courses during summer term. Due to the nature of the courses, students will rely primarily on lecture notes and handouts. The following textbooks will be used in the two summer courses. The list indicates REQUIRED and RECOMMENDED textbooks. Required textbooks will cover most of the course material, while recommended textbooks will cover some material and are also useful references for background or related topics.

    • FIN 580 (CORPORATE FINANCE AND VALUATION) (taught by Professor George Pinteris)
      • Sheridan Titman and John D. Martin
        Valuation: The Art & Science of Corporate Investment Decisions
        Pearson, 2007. (REQUIRED)
      • John D. Stowe, Thomas R. Robinson, Jerald E. Pinto, and Dennis W. McLeavey
        Equity Asset Valuation
        John Wiley, 2007. (REQUIRED)
      • Pamela P. Peterson and Frank J. Fabozzi
        Analysis of Financial Statements
        Second Edition, John Wiley, 2006. (RECOMMENDED)
      • Richard A. Brealey, Stewart C. Myers, and Franklin Allen
        Principles of Corporate Finance
        Ninth Edition, McGraw-Hill, 2008. (RECOMMENDED)
      • Craig W. Holden
        Excel Modeling in Corporate Finance
        Third Edition, Prentice Hall, 2008. (RECOMMENDED)
    • FIN 580 QM (QUANTITATIVE METHODS FOR FINANCE)(taught by Professor Christos Agiakloglou)
      • Richard A. Defusco, Dennis W.McLeavey, Jerald E. Pinto, David E. Runkle, and Mark J. P. Anson
        Quantitative Investment Analysis
        Second Edition, John Wiley, 2007. (RECOMMENDED)
      • Robert S. Pindyck and Daniel L. Rubinfeld
        Econometric Models and Economic Forecasts
        Fourth Edition, McGraw-Hill, 1998. (RECOMMENDED)
      • Terence C.Mills
        The Econometric Modeling of Financial Time Series
        Second Edition (paperback), Cambridge, 1999. (RECOMMENDED)

    All students will receive SAS and Crystal Ball software for use on their laptop over the summer. In addition each student will receive a SAS instruction manual.

  3. Laptop Specifications

    Students are required to have their own laptops. The College offers wireless Internet access and there are access ports in the classrooms.

    Minimum specifications:

    • Pentium M 1.4GHz or better
    • 1 GB or more RAM
    • 40MB HD or more
    • Wireless 802.11g
    • Modem
    • 10/100-network card or better
    • at least USB port (should also have USB2 and/or firewire ports)
    • DVD/CD-RW combo
    • Windows XP or Vista Operating System English Edition

    Software provided for coursework requires a windows operating system. A Mac with an Intel processor will also suffice. All students will receive SAS and Crystal Ball software for use on their laptop over the summer. In addition each student will receive a SAS instruction manual.

  4. Academic Calendar Academic Calendar

OTHER HELPFUL INFORMATION

  1. Career Services

    The mantra in Career Services is that your job search starts the minute you arrive on campus. Your summer is going to very busy, but getting your resume reviewed and entered on to the campus recruiting system should be a top priority as companies begin recruiting on campus in the Fall term.

    Khalilah Starks, Director of Corporate Relations and Employment Services is dedicated to helping you maximize your opportunities in the job market. It will all start in Orientation when she presents to you the keys to a successful jobs search and how she can help you meet your goals.

  2. Tuition and Fees

    Tuition for the MSF program is charged by the semester. Students are billed during the first part of each semester and can pay online usining the UI Integrate online registration system.

    If you wish to do a wire transfer to your student account, you should have the funds sent to:

    JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A.
    1 Bank One Plaza
    Chicago, IL 60670

    • ABA/Routing Number: #021000021,
      (provide this identifier if your wire transfer is coming from a domestic bank)
    • Swift ID: CHASUS33
      (provide this identifier if your wire transfer is coming from a foreign bank)
    • Account title: University of Illinois Accounts Receivable
    • Account Number: 840783682 (for SAR/GAR)
    • Reference: Student Name and UIN

    Please reference your name and identification number or social security number on the transfer. The identification number can be found at the bottom of your official letter of admission from the Office of Admissions and Records. This identification number is necessary for the University to determine to which student account the transferred funds should be applied.

    MSF Tuition/Fee Breakdown

  3. Questions?

    Contact our office at 217-244-9203 or email msfinance@business.uiuc.edu

 

         
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© Copyright 2007 Department of Finance, University of Illinois