Tippie College of Business to suspend admission to graduate finance program

The University of Iowa is requesting to temporarily suspend its Master of Science in Finance program, citing the exploration of a possible online option that would “better address current market demands.” At the Iowa Board of Regents meeting Nov. 6, UI provost Kevin Kregel said the suspension is estimated to last only a year and current applicants or admitted students for Fall 2025 will be notified and refunded their fees. “They will also then be offered the option to apply for the MS in Business Analytics program on campus,” he said. The program was introduced in 2018 and had 131 applicants by 2022, dwindling down to 83 in 2024. In 2021, the University of Iowa and Central College formed a partnership to streamline the process for Central students to be admitted to the Master of Science in Finance program. Faculty will be reallocated to support the expanding cohort of undergraduate finance majors and minors, addressing rising demand within the program. “Collegiate staff already support multiple degree programs, so the suspension of admission for the on-campus M.S. in Finance would not result in any staff reductions as other programs are growing,” a document outlining the proposal stated. The proposal was recommended to the board for approval at its Nov. 7 meeting.