People who are interested in becoming investment bankers should complete a bachelor’s degree program in business, accounting or finance, according to AllBusinessSchools.com. These programs take four years to complete and are available at colleges and universities. Through this type of program, aspiring investment bankers land entry-level positions as financial analysts.
To boost career opportunities in the investment banking field, you should complete a Master of Business Administration degree program with a focus on finance or economics. These programs usually last about two years and require students to complete a research thesis project on an aspect of the industry. Graduates seek work as associate investment bankers, who have more responsibility than financial analysts, and advance to executive director or management consultant roles.
To get into an investment banking training program at the bachelor’s degree level, students must have a high school diploma or GED. High school classes in math, English, speech and computer applications prepare students for these training programs, according to CollegeBoard.com. You might have to submit standardized test scores. Aspiring investment bankers who are interested in entering a master’s degree program in business administration should be prepared to earn high scores on their Graduate Management Admission Test and have a high undergraduate grade point average.
Classes in an investment banking education program cover topics including acquisitions, mergers, stocks and bonds. Students study how to secure investments and learn about economics and statistics. In addition, courses cover communication, international business, marketing and operations management topics. Other courses include business law, auditing and advanced accounting.
Investment banking education programs might require students to complete an internship. These opportunities are available at investment banking firms, where students help advise client companies on financial options and help their own firms make money, according to StateUniversity.com. Students also can intern at large commercial banks.
Both classroom and hands-on field training prepare aspiring investment bankers to become registered through the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority by passing the General Securities Registered Representative Examination, or the Series 7 Exam. Investment bankers must take extra exams in some states.