COB AOL - MSFA Goals and Reports

  • Critical Thinking Skills: Students will learn conceptual skills, critical thinking, and problem-solving.
  • Interpersonal & Team Skills: Students will develop interpersonal skills to work in a dynamic and diverse team environment.
  • Ethics: Students will develop awareness and knowledge of ethical decision-making.
  • Business Functions Skills: Students will demonstrate integrative knowledge of business functional areas to solve business problems.
  • Quantitative & Technical Skills: Students will learn quantitative and technical skills enabling them to analyze and interpret business information effectively.
  • Domestic & Global Environment: Students will develop their knowledge of today's domestic and global business environment (e.g. legal, regulatory, political, cultural and economic).

5-1 Summary Table

Competency Goals Table 5-1 located on AACSB-intranet

MSFA- Competency Goal Improvement Summary 2023
CompetencyImprovements Process (P) or curriculum (c) and date
Critical Thinking & Problem Solving Skills Learners have successfully achieved the performance benchmark in critical thinking and problem-solving skills in both rounds of assessments.  P - To better align with the CFA curriculum and prepare our learners for the CFA exam, the MSFA Director recommends assessing critical thinking and problem solving skills competency goals in a different course, FIN 610 in AY 21-22. This is the first time the  attached essay question is implemented for assessment. C - In Fall 2022 we used a new text to supplement Kaplan CFA readings.  This was a major plus in moving to more financial analysis versus accounting theory. 
EthicsLearners demonstrated proficiency in ethics in three rounds of assessments.  P - Nonetheless, to better align with the CFA curriculum and prepare our learners for the CFA exam, the MSFA Director recommends assessing critical thinking and problem solving skills competency goals in a different course, FIN 660 going forward and we aim to focus on class discussions of real-life cases. 
Interpersonal Leadership TeamOverall, 100% of learners successfully reached the performance benchmark of 80% through group projects, both in-class and required out-of-class group work in the first round of assessment. P - To better align with the CFA curriculum, the MSFA Director was consulted, leading to a re-evaluation of assessment tools and a reassessment of competencies in F23. Currently, the assessment is underway.
Business Function Learners achieved performance benchmark in both rounds of assessments.  P -Nonetheless, to better align with the CFA curriculum and prepare our learners for the CFA exam, the MSFA Director recommends assessing business function competency goals in a different course, FIN 670 going forward.  C -In summer 2023 we expanded this class to include Alternative Investments. As part of that process, a research project was added to explore the various types of Alternative Investments in the marketplace. 
Quantitative & Technical SkillsLearners demonstrated proficiency in quantitative & technical skills in three rounds of assessments.
Domestic & Global Environment P- 100% of the learners achieved performance benchmark of 80% in both rounds of assessments. We aim to adopt the recommended actions from the prior assessment, such as more in-class quantitative examples and discussion of the implications of results for corporate strategies and macroeconomic environment in the closing the loop round.  P -Study guide and practice exams are supplied and in class discussion about strategies to prepare for the exams and the CFA exam.