Master in Accounting and Financial Management

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Become an expert in Finance and Accounting through a full-time official Master, taught by a first class teaching faculty in just 6 months of focus-on class.

  • Finance
  • Accounting
  • International

Next edition

Classes start: 22 January, 2024

Classes end: 20 June, 2024 (To be confirmed)

Program ends: 31 December, 2024 (To be confirmed)

Modality

On-campus

Language

English

ECTS credits

60

Schedule

From Monday to Thursday from 9 am to 2.30 pm, and some Fridays

Price

11250 €

The main goal of the Master’s in Accounting and Financial Management is to train successful professionals to manage a corporate financial department while specializing in accounting, financial strategies, policies, and optimal finance and investment decision-making.

During the master students will learn how to align economic and financial strategies of the company to the evolution of local and global ecosystems, how select the most appropriate financing instruments for the company’s needs, and how to design and implement capital, debt, and dividend policies. Students will master the process and implications of merger and acquisition operations, and equity valuation methods.

In addition, the Corporate Finance specialization provides the option to a double degree with Montpellier University - MOMA (France).

The Master’s in Accounting and Financial Management is endorsed by Pompeu Fabra University, the 1st Spanish university and the 15th best university in the world (of those with less than 50 years), according to the Times Higher Education ranking. In addition, UPF Barcelona School of Management has EQUIS accreditation, the most prestigious institutional recognition for business schools globally.

Collaborators:

Associació Catalana de Comptabilitat i Direcció

Why choose this program

01

Accredited school

The UPF Barcelona School of Management is accredited by EQUIS, an international distinction that guarantees the quality of our institution. The UPF BSM is the first management school - liked to a public university - to have this accreditation in our country.

 

02

Learning from the best

The faculty combines first-rate academic and professional lecturers from the Department of Economics and Business at Pompeu Fabra University and the main companies of the financial sector, respectively.

 

03

International environment

You will share 6 intensive months of class with participants coming from all around the world in a multicultural environment, combined with the attractive proposition of studying in Barcelona, a vibrant, dynamic, and international city.

04

Connection with the Industry

Students will have the opportunity to take internships in leading companies and institutions such as Danone, DKV, Everis, Hewlett-Packard, Mango, Henkel, Nestlé, or Boerhringer Ingelheim, among others.

 

05

Access to professional accreditations

This master’s degree provides accelerated access to CIMA (Chartered Institute of Management Accountants) and ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) accreditation, two of the most internationally-recognized institutions for the accreditation of professionals in management, financial accounting, and management accounting. When you finish the program, you will also be ready to take the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) exam.

06

CFA Accreditation

The Master's is a member of the University Affiliation Program of the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Institute. At the end of the Master you will be ready to take the exam to obtain the CFA accreditation, a prestigious international recognition in investment management and financial analysis, and for which there are two scholarships offered in each course. 
You can also take part in the CFA Research Challenge, a team competition in which more than 1,000 universities and Business Schools participate from all over the world.

Who is it for?

The master is aimed at university graduates who would like to focus their careers on accounting or finance departments, and also to young professionals already working in accounting and finance departments who would like to improve their future career opportunities.

Admission and enrolment

Accreditations

UPF Barcelona School of Management is the management school of Pompeu Fabra University, the 1st Ibero-American university and the 16th placed university in the world, among those under 50 years of age, according to the Times Higher Education ranking. 

UPF Barcelona School of Management has EQUIS accreditation, the most prestigious institutional recognition for business schools globally, and places itself among the top business schools in the world.

The Master in Accounting and Financial Management is an official master's degree and has the academic recognition of the Ministry of Education of the Government of Spain. The Quality Agency of the University System of Catalonia (AQU Catalunya) has institutionally accredited the UPF-BSM. This accreditation certifies all the official university master's degrees that we teach and recognizes the quality of our educational model in accordance with the criteria of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA).

The master provides access to the CIMA (Chartered Institute of Management Accountants), ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) and CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) accreditations.

EQUIS-Accredited
AQU-PMUDF-EN
ACCA logo
CIMA logo
CFA Institute
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Curriculum

The Master is made up of 4 modules, which cover the knowledge and functions developed in any financial department. 

The first three modules are made up of compulsory core subjects. The 4th is the specialization in Corporate Finance. This module offers 6 elective subjects of which 3 must be taken.

Throughout  the Master students will undertake a curricular internship and the Final Project.

Financial Accounting

New trends in accounting and International Financial Reporting Standards

Critical vision and a comparative international approach to accounting regulations (Spanish Reporting Standards and International Financial Reporting Standards).
Comparison with the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles US GAAP.
Review of the most recent research in Spanish accounting and international accounting.
Analysis of the latest trends and repercussions for the company.

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Consolidation of financial statements. Advanced level

Accounting requirements for the preparation and presentation of consolidated financial statements, requiring entities to consolidate the businesses it controls.
Comparison with International Financial Reporting Standards.
Review of most recent research in consolidated financial statement.

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Auditing. Advanced level

Auditing principles, norms, and procedures.
Critical vision and a comparative international approach to auditing regulations.
Internal auditing and internal control.
Comparison with International Standards on Auditing.
Review of the most recent research in auditing.
Responsibilities and functions of the independent auditor.

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Accounting Management

Analysis of companies I

Review of the most recent research in business analysis.
Economic and financial analysis of the company. One-dimensional and multidimensional models.
Financial statement analysis identifying business needs and determining solutions to business problems.
Working capital analysis. Relationship between working capital and the cash conversion cycle.
Analysis of the profit generating capacity. Analysis of cost and revenue of the firm which determines whether or not the firm is profiting.
Economic value creation. 

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Strategic Cost Management

Relationship between cost accounting, financial accounting, and management accounting.
Review of the most recent research in management accounting.
Activity based costing and activity based management.
Cost management information for strategic management purpose.
Cost structure and business models.
Cost reduction and continuous improvement.

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Budgetary management and control

Relationship between information systems and business processes.
Budgeting and management process: effective budgeting systems in practice.
Review of the most recent research in budgetary management.
Management control system techniques.
Performance measures.
Strategic planning and management system and the balanced scorecard.
Management control system techniques: long and short range planning.
Case studies in management control systems.

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Financial Management

Stock exchange and financial markets

Methods used to analyse securities and make investment decisions: fundamental analysis and technical analysis.
Fundamental analysis and the determination of the underlying health of a company by examining financial statements.
Technical analysis involving the use of charts for forecasting the direction of stock prices.
Stock Market and financial markets.

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Advanced working capital management

Best practices in cash management.
Review of the most recent research in cash management and credit management.  

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Fiscal Aspects of Finance: International taxation

Taxation optimization strategies: tax planning opportunities to help meet financial objectives.

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Investment assessment

Relationship between firm investment and financial status.
Assessment for investment proposals by taking into account the level of risk, investment strategies, and assessment of results.
Indicators for measuring value added from investment.
Project finance and the long-term financing.

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Strategy and Finance

Latest trends in qualitative techniques in financial statement analysis.
Review of the most recent research on consolidated financial statements.
Latest trends in qualitative techniques in financial statement analysis.
Insolvency prediction models.
Credit scoring and credit rating models.
Analysis of individual corporations with aggregates and sectoral ratios.

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Financial system

Financial system and strategies for mobilizing funds for investment.
Macroeconomic factors affecting business environment.
Review of most recent research in Spanish, European, and international financial systems.

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Financial management

Financial operation and corporate objectives: agency theory and good governance codes.
Estimating financial needs, capitalization, and debt policies.
Dividend policies.
Short and long term business financial strategy.
Evaluation instruments for businesses.

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Corporate Finance (choose 3)

New financial instruments

Stock market (IPOs, takeovers, etc.).
Bond issue.
Hybrids.
Syndicated loans.
Project finance.
Securitization.
Private Equity (venture capital).

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Mergers and acquisitions

Concept, typology, and processes in acquisition, fusion, and division operations.
Due diligence.
Negotiation and closing operations.
Post-purchase and post-sale management.

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Futures, options, and currencies

Futures.
Options.
Financial swaps.
The European and international financial system.
Investment and financing operations in foreign currencies.

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International Finance

International finance management.
Treasury management.
Foreign exchange and cash flow hedge.
Enterprise risk management.

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New trends in finance

Digitalization of Finances.
Fundamentals of Blockchain.
Principles on which cryptocurrencies are based.

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Curricular internship

Curricular internship

The Master in Accounting and Financial Management (specialization in Corporate Finances) includes a curricular internship. This internship is part of the academic course contents. The internship is considered as an additional subject that must be satisfactorily completed in order to pass the course. 

Final Project

Master's Final Project

With the Master's Final Project students integrate and combine all the subjects of the Master, applying the acquired knowledge to real companies.

Note on elective courses
Elective courses will be carried out in case of reaching a minimum number of enrolled students. The final offer for each academic year may be adapted depending on the academic planning. 

Complementary activities

This master’s degree provides accelerated access to CIMA (Chartered Institute of Management Accountants) and ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) accreditation, two of the most internationally-recognized institutions for the accreditation of professionals in management, financial accounting, and management accounting.

The program contents also prepares students to take the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) exam.

The Master in Accounting and Financial Management also includes the possibility of participating in practical activities and activities for personal and professional growth such a:

  • International mobility: The UPF Barcelona School of Management offers you the possibility of expanding your training and international vision through different programmes and activities:
    • International mobility programme: extend your studies extracurricularly, during the academic year following the completion of your Master's, at a top-level institution. Limited places.
    • Study Trip: optional trip to a European city in which conferences and visits to companies will be scheduled so as to expand knowledge and acquire a global vision.
  • UPF-BSM Inside: is a group of interdisciplinary subjects (applied data, communication, creativity, innovation and project management, sustainability and leadership among others) that, if you take this program, you can access at no additional cost. They are 100% online and you can take them throughout the academic year at your own pace, as they have been designed as self-study subjects.

Qualification obtained

Once students have completed the course they will obtain the Màster Universitari en Direcció Financera i Comptable de l'Empresa. Especialitat en Finances Corporatives - Máster Universitario en Dirección Financiera y Contable de la Empresa. Especialidad en Finanzas Corporativas official Master's Degree, issued by the Pompeu Fabra University.

Issuance of official Master's Degrees: The amount stipulated in the DOGC (Official Gazette of the Government of Catalonia) must be paid for the rights to issue the degree. This rate varies annually and the rate in force at the time of application for the degree will be applied.

Faculty

The faculty is composed of professors from UPF's world ranked Department of Economics and Business and of professional lecturers who will train you to apply the knowledge to the day-to-day reality of current business.

Academic directors

Luz Parrondo Tort
Luz Parrondo Tort

Senior Lecturer UPF-BSM
Director of the Academic Department of Finance & Control

Faculty

Raül Martínez Buixeda
Toni Prat Jorba
Maurici Alkain Adroer
Ramon Bastida Vialcanet

Associate Professor UPF-BSM
 

Andrei Boar Boar

Teaching Assistant UPF-BSM

Susana Domingo Pérez

Senior Lecturer UPF-BSM
Vice Dean for Knowledge Transfer

Quico Marin Anglada

Senior Lecturer UPF-BSM
Program Academic Director

Ernest Solé Udina

Senior Lecturer UPF-BSM

Fàtima Vidal Ayuso

Teaching Assistant UPF-BSM

Methodology

The sessions are eminently participative and integrate the exposition of theoretical concepts with the active intervention of the participants: they discuss and solve practical cases and carry out role plays in teams based on real and current problems.
The Final Project is prepared in a group and allows you to put into practice the acquired learning.

01.

Real company cases

Throughout the course, real and current practical cases will be worked on, discussed, and presented, allowing you to apply the concepts learned and to face possible situations and scenarios that you will find in your professional activity.

02.

Teamwork

Working in groups will allow you to share and compare different views, knowledge and opinions with classmates from diverse backgrounds. This will enhance your academic experience and strengthen your networking.

03.

Professional Business Challenge

Students will face a professional business challenge, solving a real case for a current company.

04.

International vision

An optional academic experience in London is offered every year. Participants will discover the most important financial institutions of the city  and will attend masterclasses taught by professionals from these companies.  

Evaluation

Continuous assessment. The following are common evaluation activities:

  • Case studies, exercises, and activities
  • Tests 
  • Oral presentations and active participation in class
  • Class attendance (minimum 80%)
  • Final Project

Tools

Project-oriented learning and the combination of lectures and active methodologies such as case studies, flipped learning, solving real problems and professional simulations allow the student to connect theory and practice, acquire advanced skills and achieve learning which is transferable to work.

You will have:

  • Master's Final Project (TFM) or  Postgrad Final Project (TFP)
  • A personal mentor to monitor your final project (TFM or TFP)
  • Digital resources to achieve transversal skills
  • Interdisciplinary activities and workshops

Professional Future

The program is aimed at junior professionals from all over the world who wish to direct their professional career towards Finance and Accounting.

Student profile

Every year the program welcomes students from different countries, coming from common backgrounds (Accounting and Finance, Economics, Business and Management) who share a common objective: 
to train with a high-quality program that lets them succeed in the professional world.

25

Average age

3

Average number of years of working experience

79%

International Students

Career opportunities

We train you to open up your professional career in accounting and finance departments, the consulting sector, and Corporate Finance with international projection.

The Master includes a curricular internship in International companies. Students are assigned an internship Advisor who will assist you through the search for the internship, manage the internship agreements with the company, and act as the contact point throughout the internship period.


  • Financial Manager
  • Consultant specialized in finance and accounting
  • Risk analyst in Financial area
  • Internal Auditor
  • Financial advisor

Admission and enrolment

Our admission process consists of a rigorous evaluation of each application to preserve the quality of the group as well as the training, experience, and work capacity of all students.

Who can apply?

University graduates or higher graduates in the field of Economics, Business Administration, Accounting and Finance, or Business Management/Management.

Graduates from other disciplines not related to business studies must necessarily have at least two years of professional experience in the field of finance.

Knowledge of English:

An official English level certificate must be presented with these minimum marks:

  • TOEFL CBT: > 235
  • TOEFL PBT: > 575
  • TOEFL IBT: > 100
  • Certificate of Proficiency in English: entre A y C
  • Certificate in Advanced English: entre A y C
  • First Certificate in English: A
  • IELTS: > 6.5

Applicants who have English as their native language will not have to present any certificates.

Applicants who have completed their full Bachelor's Degree at an English-speaking university must submit written evidence that the language of instruction of their studies was English.

How to apply?

To apply for admission to this program, students must read and accept the Terms and Conditions of Contract once they start the application for admission through its form.

Application for admission

Complete your application within the next admission rounds:

RoundsApplication deadlineAdmission resolution
1418/07/202327/07/2023
1501/09/202314/09/2023
1614/09/202328/09/2023

Applications for admission will be evaluated when you complete the following steps:

  • Complete the online admission form.
  • Pay the €120 admission fee. This amount will be returned if you are not admitted.
  • Send the following documents through the online platform e-registrar:
    • Presentation letter or video
    • CV
    • Official english level certificate
    • Scanned copy of university degree (if you are in the last year of your degree, you can provide your academic records)
    • Scanned copy of Transcript of Records. Make sure that it includes your GPA (Grade Point Average)
    • Scanned copy of ID Card or Passport
    • Passport-size photo (jpg format)

Additional documents may be requested in certain cases.
Applications are subject to the number of places available on the program.

Admission process

  • The Admissions Committee will select the candidates on the basis of a personal or CV-based interview.
  • You will be notified of the admission decision in writing.

Enrolment

  • Resgistration must be paid within a 15 days after the admission.
  • Once the letter of acceptance to the program has been received, you will need to submit the following original documents before the course begins:
    • Stamped and/or authenticated photocopy of your university degree.
    • Stamped and/or authenticated photocopy of your transcript of records.
  • If you have a foreign degree you may need to submit additional documents.
  • Paying the reservation fee (25% of the program's tuition fees) is essential in order to reserve your place
  • If you pay the tuition fees by bank transfer you will be required to introduce the program code. The program code for this course is: 1565
  • The remaining tuition fees must be paid 2 weeks before the start of the course.

 

Grants, scholarships and financing

Scholarships

The UPF Barcelona School of Management offers you different means of financing so that you can take any of our programs without worry. We offer you the opportunity to finance part of your program, either by rewarding your talent through scholarships, through grants from entities dedicated to promoting education or through collaboration agreements with financial entities.

Grants and discounts

Funding

Financing simulator

You can choose how to finance your studies by consulting our simulator and receive an answer in less than 24 hours.

Go to the simulator

Collaborating entities

We collaborate with various entities which provide study loans on favorable terms. For more information you can contact any of the following links. 

Master in Accounting and Financial Management

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