The Master of Science (M.S.) program in Banking and Finance is designed to equip graduate students with specialized analytical skills applicable to their professional interests in corporate finance, investment appraisal/cost-benefit analysis, project finance, financial risk management, commercial and investment banking, international finance, and financial economics. The graduate students may earn their M.S. degree in Banking and Finance in two ways: With thesis or non-thesis option. With thesis option, students take four core courses plus three elective courses and a master’s thesis. With the non-thesis option, students take five core courses plus the completion of a further five elective courses and a term paper. In addition to the MS degree, the program has strong and established international collaborations.
The Master’s in Banking & Finance trains students to become experts in economics and finance. Graduates most often work in market finance, corporate finance, or insurance auditing and consulting. Some graduates take positions in corporate finance departments or in venture capital, while others work for international organizations. Graduates may also choose careers in actuarial science, mathematical finance, or research and teaching. The Banking & Finance (BF) Master’s degree provides a general professional education in banking and finance suitable for all types of finance careers, and is sufficiently advanced for equipping students to keep up with the rapid pace of change in financial systems. Graduates can quickly find employment in a wide variety of careers.
Learning Outcomes
- Expert command of financial microeconomics and macroeconomics
- Mastery of quantitative methods applied to banking & finance
- Solid command of corporate finance and market finance
- Solid command of banking, business taxation, and financial instruments
- Ability to communicate in English
Opportunities
The Banking & Finance (BF) Master’s degree opens the doors to any career in market finance, corporate finance, banking or insurance. Students specialize in their areas of choice through internships and by forging contacts with professionals at conferences and forums. Some graduates also find great success in careers outside of the core professions of the Master’s degree, in areas such as actuarial science, mathematical finance, or research and teaching.
- Banking:Credit analysis, risk analysis, project finance, asset management, cash management, auditing
- Finance:Sales and trading, mergers and acquisitions, private equity, quantitative research, structuring, securitization, financial analysis
- Insurance:Actuarial science, brokerage, management of new risks
- Auditing/Consulting:Bank auditing, insurance company auditing, risk management consulting
- Industry:Finance department management, management auditing, cash management
- Miscellaneous:Tax inspectorate, teaching, research
Research Interests
Public Finance, Economic Development, Taxation, Investment Appraisal, Project Finance and Risk Analysis, Micro And Small Enterprise Finance, Financial Liberalization, Financial Crises and Restructuring, Banking Structure and Performance, Social Capital, Dividend Policy, Equity Offerings, Capital Structure, Emerging Markets Finance, Corporate Governance, International Economics, International Trade Theory And Policy, International Finance, Exchange Rate, Economics Policy and Regimes, Econometrics and Growth Models, Microeconomic Theory and Policy, Structure-Conduct and Performance in Banking Financial System and Economic Growth, Governance and Ownership Issues in Banking, Banking Crises and Banking Failures, Profitability in Banking, Capital Adequacy in Banking, Supervision And Regulation, Marketing Strategies in Financial Services, Banking in EU, Financial Marketing, Monetary Union.