Students enrolled in a public finance program can gain necessary financial skills for financial management in the government. This course of study may cover research, audits, financial appraisals and financial planning to prepare students to work with government entities that handle public money.

Master-level studies involve specialized study in a field of research or an area of professional practice. Earning a master’s degree demonstrates a higher level of mastery of the subject.
Earning a master’s degree can take anywhere from a year to three or four years. Before you can graduate, you usually must write and defend a thesis, a long paper that is the culmination of your specialized research.