CFA Program
The PSU CFA Program Initiative was started by the Finance Department in 2018 and is designed to create awareness and support about the CFA Program including the ability for students to begin taking exams while still enrolled at Penn State. In 2018, the Bachelor of Science in Finance degree was accepted for the CFA Institute’s University Affiliation Program. This program provides access to CFAI Student Scholarships and other resources for all University Park students. The Finance Department also began providing Partial Reimbursements to offset student expenses for exam registration in 2019.
Penn State students affiliated with the PSU CFA Program Initiative (since 2018):
- Level I Exam Registrants: 133
- Passed Level I: 52
- CFA Charterholders: 10
Professor Christoph Hinkelmann has been the Principal Contact for the CFA Institute University Affiliation Program since 2018.
2023-24
In the past academic year, 13 students sat for the Level I exam and 9 of these students passed the exam. This pass rate of 69% compares to the global average pass rate of 40% over the same period of exams.
In the fall and spring semesters, various activities created awareness and support for Penn State students about the CFA Program. These included: Information Sessions, Bonus Sessions with alumni, ethics workshops, CFAI webinars, and awarding of CFAI Student Scholarships and Partial Reimbursements from the Finance Department. Students also participated in the annual Investment Research Challenge sponsored by the CFA Institute.