The UConn School of Business will be offering an advanced graduate certificate in financial technology (FinTech) in response to corporate demand for talent in this fast-growing field.
The in-person program will be offered in both Hartford and Stamford. The first cohort will enroll in Fall 2022, with additional admission planned for spring and summer of next year.
The UConn Board of Trustees, which approved the new certificate program at a meeting on Wednesday, expressed great enthusiasm for the FinTech certificate and noted that it, along with a recently created master’s degree in fintech, will position UConn as an international leader in fintech education.
“Fintech has disrupted traditional practices in the financial sector and changed the way we bank, shop, trade, invest, and pay our bills,’’ says John A. Elliott, dean of the School of Business. “We are eager to expand our educational offerings in this area and anticipate that our graduates will have a significant impact in this evolution.’’
The School of Business launched a full master’s degree in fintech in January. Students in the certificate program will be able to learn from the same research experts and industry professionals.
The new offering, a 12-credit graduate certificate, is expected to appeal to mid-career managers and executives eager to expand their skills. The FinTech program combines lessons in business analytics, technology solutions, and financial services.
“Our corporate partners are looking for a pipeline of talent across all experience and skill levels,’’ says Professor John Wilson, academic director of the program. “I think this program appeals to students and professionals who think, ‘There’s got to be a better way to do this,’ and want to use technology to solve a problem.’’
“At UConn we have not only academic expertise but also a tremendous geographical advantage with a plethora of insurance companies in Hartford, financial companies in Stamford, and biotech companies in Boston all competing for this talent,’’ Wilson said. “This is an exciting, welcoming and revolutionary career space, offering tremendous opportunity for those who want to pursue it. ‘’
Only a few colleges and universities in the U.S. offer a full graduate program in this emerging field, and UConn is the only one in Connecticut to do so, says Professor Jose Cruz, associate dean for graduate programs at the School of Business. In fact, should students want to continue their studies beyond the certificate, all of their course credit would be accepted toward the master’s degree in fintech at UConn.
For more information, please contact John Wilson at fintech@uconn.edu. Applications are available at https://fintech.business.uconn.edu/certificate
The School of Business is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), considered the gold standard of accreditation, which assures applicants that the program fulfills a core set of strict educational metrics. Fewer than 5 percent of business programs worldwide receive that designation.
