Stonehill Welcomed into CFA Institute University Recognition Program

October 11, 2012

Stonehill has become the latest school to be welcomed into the Chartered Financial Analyst Institute University Recognition Program. By joining the program, Stonehill's Finance Program has been acknowledged for incorporating into its curriculum at least 70 percent of the CFA Program Candidate Body of Knowledge (CBOK) and emphasizing the CFA Institute's Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice.  The program positions students well to obtain the Chartered Financial Analyst® designation, which has become the most respected and recognized investment credential in the world.

Entry into the CFA Institute University Recognition Program signals to potential students, employers, and the marketplace that the Stonehill curriculum is closely tied to professional practice and is well-suited to preparing students to sit for the three levels of CFA examinations. Students in the programs will gain access to CFA Institute textbooks, journals, webcasts, and other educational resources. 

"After earning AACSB accreditation last year, the quality of the Stonehill Business Program continues to be recognized with the endorsement of our finance program by the CFA Institute.  This distinction, in addition to the Stonehill College Investment Finance Initiative, provides our students with the skills and knowledge necessary to compete with finance majors of the best undergraduate programs in the nation," said Business Administration Department Chair Debra Salvucci.

The Stonehill College Investment Finance Initiative (SCIFI) is a multi-year course of study designed to enhance the critical thinking and analytical skills of participants through hands-on academic and security analysis experience.  It combines a dynamic course of study with internships, mentoring and management of real-money to represent a truly differentiated experience for our students and alumni.

"Students in these programs study the Candidate Body of Knowledge, which include knowledge, skills, and abilities that investment experts worldwide have identified as essential best practice," said Stephen Horan, Ph.D., CFA, CIPM, Head, University Relations & Private Wealth at the CFA Institute.  "By mastering the fundamentals of the CFA Program as well as the Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice, these future investment professionals join us in our mission to promote the highest standards of ethics, education, and professional excellence for the ultimate benefit of society."

Stonehill's Finance Program provides a background that allows students to pursue career interests or graduate studies in a number of the diverse branches of finance, including banking, financial services and investment industries. The program design emphasizes the development of analytical, conceptual and problem-solving abilities through a variety of teaching methods including lectures, classroom discussions, case analyses and presentation, problem-solving (including computer-based exercises), research reports, and voluntary internships both domestic and international.

Last December, the College earned accreditation from AACSB (The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business) International. With that distinction, the College joined an elite group of higher education institutions that make up less than five percent of the world's business schools.

About Stonehill:
Stonehill College is a welcoming, academically challenging community of 2,500 students on a beautiful, active campus located 22 miles south of Boston, offering easy access to internships, job opportunities, museums, sporting events, and more. Stonehill's dedicated and supportive faculty mentor students in more than 80 diverse majors and minors in the liberal arts, sciences, and business. Stonehill is a vibrant place where students learn to think, act, and lead with courage toward the creation of a more just and compassionate world.

About CFA Institute:
CFA Institute is the global association of investment professionals that sets the standard for professional excellence and administers the industry gold standard CFA charter. The organization is a champion for ethical behavior in investment markets and a respected source of knowledge in the global financial community. The end goal: to create an environment where investors' interests come first, markets function at their best, and economies grow. CFA Institute has more than 110,000 members in 139 countries and territories, including 100,000 CFA charterholders. For more information, visit www.cfainstitute.org.

About the CFA Program:
The CFA Program sets a standard for developing the skills, standards, competence, and integrity of financial analysts, portfolio managers, investment advisers, and other investment professionals worldwide.  It is widely considered the investment profession's most rigorous credentialing program.  Administered in English, the CFA curriculum and examinations are identical worldwide. Fewer than one in five candidates who begin the program successfully complete it and go on to earn the coveted CFA charter, the "gold standard" for investment professionals.

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