Masters Degrees in Finance, Switzerland

The Master’s Programme in Quantitative Economics and Finance (MiQE/F) offers a high-quality graduate education in economic theory, finance and quantitative methods. Apart from a common set of core courses, our students are able to select from a large menu of elective courses to specialise in economics, finance, or a combination of both. The MiQE/F prepares students for ambitious careers where a solid understanding of the theoretical foundations of economics and finance and a rigorous competence in quantitative methods are required. This combination provides MiQE/F graduates with a competitive advantage on the job market and direct access to highly selective Ph.D. programmes.

Curriculum

The MiQE/F is a research-oriented programme. The objective of the programme is to educate highly-qualified economists with special skills in the area of quantitative methods. The MiQE/F uniquely combines theoretical concepts, quantitative methods and their application to practical problems. On the basis of well-understood theory and methodology, students develop the skills necessary to analyze and solve complex practical problems.

Students need to successfully complete a course load of 90 ECTS in order to graduate with an M.A. HSG in Quantitative Economics and Finance.
In the MiQE/F programme, the compulsory courses mainly focus on economic theory and quantitative methods. This allows you to choose core electives according to your interests and talents and to shape your profile.

Compulsory courses
In the compulsory courses you will acquire basic methods and a theoretical knowledge of economics, finance and econometrics, as well as mathematics and statistics:
• Econometrics I / II
• Theory of Finance
• Advanced Microeconomics II
• Advanced Macroeconomics II
• Statistics
• Mathematics
• Advanced Mathematics and Statistics

Core electives and specialisations
The core electives involve advanced application- oriented work and problem-solving and allow for various specialisations. The different areas of specialisation include optional courses in econometrics, finance and economics, which are important to prepare for quantitative applications. The three specialisation areas can be flexibly combined. You can choose core electives and will have the possibility to create your profile by specialising within a field of your interest:
• Quantitative economics
• Quantitative finance
• Corporate finance, banking and insurance

Master’s thesis
The topic of the Master’s thesis has to be chosen from the MiQE/F core studies. When writing your thesis, you will be applying the skills you have acquired to explore a special research topic. The thesis must be written in English.

Contextual Studies
Contextual Studies are an opportunity to acquire leadership skills and develop intellectually and culturally beyond the scope of core studies. You are free to choose from Contextual Studies irrespective of your particular Master’s programme.

The Master´s Programme in Quantitative Economics and Finance (MiQE/F) has been continuously renewing its structure and curriculum to meet the changing needs in today's academic and business worlds. For the updated programme content, please refer to the programme's website: http://www.miqef.unisg.ch

Double degree and exchange programmes

By choosing the MiQE/F you can benefit from obtaining a double degree from the HSG and an additional leading European university: SSE, Stockholm (exclusively for economics students); ESADE, Barcelona; HEC, Paris; RSM, Rotterdam; and Bocconi, Milan. By choosing the MiQE/F, you will also have the opportunity to apply for the CEMS Master’s in International Management (CEMS MIM). To extend your choice of courses, the University of St.Gallen and the University of Constance (Germany) have agreed to cooperate at the Master’s Level. MiQE/F students thus have the possibility to choose certain courses from the Master’s Programme in International Economic Relations at the University of Constance, and vice versa.
Furthermore, the University of St.Gallen offers exchange programmes for its students with approx. 200 partner universities worldwide.

Career perspectives - A competitive advantage

Graduates with an economics degree often lack an in-depth education and extensive training in quantitative methods, whereas mathematicians and statisticians often lack the necessary background in economics or finance. The analysis of complex real world problems in international economic policy making, financial sector developments and private industry increasingly requires the use of rigorous quantitative and theoretical methods as they are offered by the MiQE/F.
The MiQE/F programme prepares students for ambitious careers that require a sound training in economics and finance, as well as in statistical and econometric methods. Your competitive advantage on the job market – after graduating from the MiQE/F – is the combination of your expertise in quantitative methods and a profound knowledge of economics and finance.

Language

The programme is taught in English.

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This major covers a diverse range of areas in the finance industry, from the financial organisation, operation and challenges of the economy at large to issues of financial management in firms and financial institutions. This program equips you with the analytical foundation and the tools necessary to deal with important practical issues in a finance-centred career. It is the perfect preparation for management positions in the fields of corporate finance, investment management and other diverse areas in banking and finance.

Course structure

The MBA in Global Banking & Finance program lasts one year, divided into three terms. Each term students complete five courses, including industrial visits and guest speaker sessions. In order to graduate, students must complete a management research methods module and a dissertation subject in addition to the other courses.

Term 1 (18 CH | 23 ECTS)

Management Skills (3 | 4)
Organisational Behaviour (3 | 4)
Managerial Accounting (3 | 4)
Marketing (3 | 4)
Quantitative Business Methods (3 | 4)
Negotiation (seminar) (1 | 1)
Business Law (seminar) (1 | 1)
Personal & Professional Development (1 | 1)

Term 2 (21 CH | 27 ECTS)

Finance (3 | 4
Human Resources Management (3 | 4)
Global Economics (3 | 4)
Strategic Management (3 | 4)
Management Information Systems (3 | 4)
Business Strategy Simulation (3 | 4)
Job Career Planning (seminar) (1 | 1)
Communication Skills (seminar) (1 | 1)
Personal & Professional Development (1 | 1)

Term 3 (15 CH | 20 ECTS)

Financial Investments (3 | 4)
Financial Planning (3 | 4)
Short-Term Financial Management (3 | 4)
Long-Term Financial Management (3 | 4)
Advanced Finance (3 | 4)

Graduation Requirements:

EU Research & Dissertation Seminars*
EU Dissertation (14 | 20)

*EU Research & Dissertation Seminars will be taken over 2 terms

Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program enter the field with a finely-tuned financial knowledge base that is crucial to making sound and profitable decisions. Students will also:

1. Interpret data, newspapers, technical reports and articles on investments.

2. Develop a basic understanding of derivative-related financial instruments.

3. Review what is required to start and operate a small business.

4. Prepare a small, comprehensive, business plan.

Faculty

EU’s high-caliber faculty is made up of full-time academics with doctoral degrees, as well as part-time instructors who are also current members of the international business community. Our faculty members have current or previous experience as entrepreneurs, consultants and business leaders. This merge of the academic and professional worlds supports a unique and exceptional quality of learning, reinforcing EU's pragmatic approach to education.

Careers

Students completing this major pursue careers in:

Investment banking
Financial management and planning
Strategic acquisitions
Credit strategy management

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This major covers a diverse range of areas in the finance industry, from the financial organization, operation and challenges of the economy at large to issues of financial management in firms and financial institutions. This program equips you with the analytical foundation and the tools necessary to deal with important practical issues in a finance-centered career. It is the perfect preparation for management positions in the fields of corporate finance, investment management and other diverse areas in banking and finance.

Course structure

The MBA in Global Banking & Finance program lasts one year, divided into three terms. Each term students complete five courses, including industrial visits and guest speaker sessions. In order to graduate, students must complete a management research methods module and a dissertation subject in addition to the other courses.

Term 1 (18 CH | 23 ECTS)

Management Skills (3 | 4)
Organizational Behavior (3 | 4)
Managerial Accounting (3 | 4)
Marketing (3 | 4)
Quantitative Business Methods (3 | 4)
Negotiation (seminar) (1 | 1)
Business Law (seminar) (1 | 1)
Personal & Professional Development (1 | 1)

Term 2 (21 CH | 27 ECTS)

Finance (3 | 4
Human Resources Management (3 | 4)
Global Economics (3 | 4)
Strategic Management (3 | 4)
Management Information Systems (3 | 4)
Business Strategy Simulation (3 | 4)
Job Career Planning (seminar) (1 | 1)
Communication Skills (seminar) (1 | 1)
Personal & Professional Development (1 | 1)

Term 3 (15 CH | 20 ECTS)

Financial Investments (3 | 4)
Financial Planning (3 | 4)
Short-Term Financial Management (3 | 4)
Long-Term Financial Management (3 | 4)
Advanced Finance (3 | 4)

Graduation Requirements:

EU Research & Dissertation Seminars*
EU Dissertation (14 | 20)

*EU Research & Dissertation Seminars will be taken over 2 terms

Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program enter the field with a finely-tuned financial knowledge base that is crucial to making sound and profitable decisions. Students will also:

1. Interpret data, newspapers, technical reports and articles on investments.

2. Develop a basic understanding of derivative-related financial instruments.

3. Review what is required to start and operate a small business.

4. Prepare a small, comprehensive, business plan.

Faculty

EU’s high-caliber faculty is made up of full-time academics with doctoral degrees, as well as part-time instructors who are also current members of the international business community. Our faculty members have current or previous experience as entrepreneurs, consultants and business leaders. This merge of the academic and professional worlds supports a unique and exceptional quality of learning, reinforcing EU's pragmatic approach to education.

Careers

Students completing this major pursue careers in:

Investment banking
Financial management and planning
Strategic acquisitions
Credit strategy management

Read less

With a challenging curriculum, the Master’s Programme in Banking and Finance (MBF) is one of the leading international finance programmes. In the fields of Financial Markets, Financial Institutions, Corporate Finance and Quantitative Methods, the programme offers high-quality education in both theory and application. It is designed to train our students in the critical reflection of various concepts and approaches prevailing in financial theory and practice. The high quality in teaching and education was confirmed by the Financial Times Ranking 2017 (10th place among more than 200 business schools ranked worldwide).

Curriculum: contents and structure

The core studies are made up of compulsory courses and electives, including a research seminar.

Compulsory subjects

In the first semester of the programme, students attend the compulsory courses Financial Markets, Financial Institutions, and Quantitative Methods. In these challenging courses the essential knowledge of finance will be acquired.

Core electives

In the second and third semesters, students may design their individual curriculum according to their preferences and can choose several core electives in order to focus on financial markets, corporate finance, institutions or methods. They can freely combine courses from our long list of core electives.

Research seminar

In the research seminar, students are required to write a seminar paper with a research focus and they have to present their findings. In combination with the Master’s thesis, the MBF therefore provides a thorough preparation for a Ph.D.

Independent electives

Independent electives create additional choices: students may either attend further core electives of the MBF or courses of other Master’s programmes. A third option is to attend courses of the School of Management.

Career perspectives

The MBF guarantees a successful career start. Our students
• take up jobs involving practical work in financial institutions such as banks, insurance companies, asset management firms, etc;
• work for consulting firms in fields related to financial markets;
• work as auditors in the fields of banking and insurance;
• pursue an academic career in finance, banking or insurance management in the context of doctoral studies (Ph.D.).

Language

The MBF ist taught in English.

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The Master’s Programme in Accounting and Finance (MAccFin) enables you to view financial corporate management from an integrative perspective. Our programme is characterized by its proximity to entrepreneurial practice: topical and relevant issues with the corresponding case-related approaches to solutions play as important a role in day-to-day studies as do reputed guest lecturers and close cooperation with selected companies. The MAccFin programme thus creates optimal conditions for a successful career start.

Objectives

The Master’s Programme in Accounting and Finance (MAccFin) prepares you for responsible activities in the field of financial corporate management. No matter whether you look at it from the perspective of a consultant, a controller, an auditor or a banker:
• you analyse an organisation’s sustainable financial and earning power and issue recommendations for further development;
• you deal with the requirements imposed by the capital market and the regulators;
• you create M&A processes;
• you conduct a value-oriented assessment of the profitability of customers, distribution channels and brands, as well as drawing up alternative action scenarios;
• you conduct management performance assessments and create incentive-compatible management instruments. Financial management thus includes a systematic and reliable record of corporate performance, as well as reporting for the attention of investors and other stakeholders.

Career opportunities

We would like to provide you with the wherewithal for an exciting and unique career. As a MAccFin graduate, you will not only have the necessary theoretical foundation but also be conversant with practice-oriented project work, positioning and opinion-leadership, as well as being involved in the production of solutions and decisions. MAccFin graduates find themselves in responsible positions in big and smaller corporations, on all continents, with responsibility in line functions, project management or consultancy, and as entrepreneurs. Typically, our graduates opt for business consultancy, investment banking, auditing (MAccFin credits will be credited to your auditor training) or a junior position in the finance department of a reputable firm. These starting positions are used as a stepping stone for growth with regard to functions, competence, responsibility, projects and leadership. Alternatively you can remain at university and opt for a doctorate and thus for further specialisation in your field in order to embark on an academic career.

Language

The programme is offered in German and in English.

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