Master of Science in Finance and Banking
The Master of Science in Finance and Banking provides you with the necessary skills for solid decision-making in finance, banking, and financial regulation.
Next edition
Classes start: 20 September, 2023
Classes end: 30 June, 2024 (To be confirmed)
Program ends: 15 September, 2024 (To be confirmed)
Modality
On-campus
Language
English
ECTS credits
60
Schedule
Monday to Friday from 12.30pm to 8.30pm
(Schedules may change based on academic needs)
Price
18500 €
The MSc in Finance and Banking provides students with an-in-depth knowledge as well as practical skills to pursue a successful career across the whole financial sector and in the new and emerging areas of big data, data analytics and digital finance and banking.
Practically focused and internationally oriented, this MSc program provides the core principles of finance and includes cutting-edge electives in financial analytics that allow students to pursue a successful career in an exciting start-up or fintech, in an established bank or in the finance department of any firm
The program benefits from the outstanding world-renowned faculty of UPF's Department of Economics and Business, leading academics from other European universities, and experienced business professionals from top firms and banks.
The Master of Science in Finance and Banking is endorsed by Pompeu Fabra University, the 1st Spanish university and the 16th 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.
Program jointly offered with:
Why choose this program
01
Outstanding faculty
You will learn from a unique combination of the faculty of the world-renowned UPF's Department of Economics and Business, leading academics from other European universities, and experienced business professionals from top firms and banks.
02
Solid and practical curriculum
The program provides students with an-in-depth knowledge as well as practical and programming skills to pursue a successful career across the whole financial sector and in the new and emerging areas of big data, data analytics and digital finance and banking. Graduates will master the core principles of finance, be equipped to use data analytics, apply the appropriate financial analytic models and understand financial decision-making in an ethical and digital context.
03
Cutting-edge electives in financial analytics
Specialise in some of the most exciting areas of finance by taking some of the financial analytics electives such as Blockchain and cryptocurrencies, Digital banking and fintech and Investment trends, quantitative strategies and machine learning, which entitle you to the officially recognised master specialisation in Financial Analytics.
04
International recognition
UPF Barcelona School of Management is the management school of Pompeu Fabra University, the 1st Spanish university and the 16th in the world among those under 50 years of age, according to the Times Higher Education ranking. The UPF Department of Economic and Business is in the Top 40 worldwide in the Shanghai’s Global Ranking of Academic Subjects. The MSc in Finance and Banking is ranked as one of the 4 best masters in finance in Spain by the QS Business Masters Ranking 2023. In addition, the UPF Barcelona School of Management has EQUIS accreditation, the most prestigious institutional recognition for business schools globally.
05
Program with CFA Accreditation and part of the QTEM network
The MSc Finance and Banking is affiliated with the CFA Institute, which recognises that the degree covers at least 70% of the CFA Program Candidate Body of Knowledge and offers scholarships for the CFA exam. Our programme is also part of the QTEM, an international network bringing together students of more than 20 outstanding institutions and top international corporations worldwide.
06
Focus on a successful career
You will benefit from the expertise and business experience of our professional faculty, as well as of our “connecting with the industry” professionalisation course and the continuous support of our careers team, so as to find a job in an exciting start-up or fintech, in an established bank or in the finance department of any firm.
Who is it for?
The program is aimed at recent graduates and junior professionals who wish to acquire the most up-to-date knowledge and the skills with an analytic, practical, and professional approach to finance.
Accreditations
UPF Barcelona School of Management is the management school of Pompeu Fabra University, the 1st Spanish 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.
In addition, the MSc in Finance and Banking is ranked as one of the 4 best masters in finance in Spain by the QS Business Masters Ranking 2023.
Member of the university affiliation program of the CFA, recognising that it embeds a significant portion of the CFA Program Candidate Body of Knowledge (CBOK) into its curriculum.
The program is part of the QTEM, an international network bringing together outstanding students of more than 20 top international institutions and many international corporations. UPF Barcelona School of Management is the first and only Spanish institution that is part of the QTEM network.
The MSc in Finance and Banking 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) has also institutionally accredited UPF-BSM. This accreditation certifies all the official 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).
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Your contact information
Curriculum
The MSc in Finance and Banking is organized over three terms.
During the first term all students will learn the fundamentals in the Finance and Banking core courses. Electives will be distributed throughout the second and third terms.
Students have the option to do curricular internships in start-ups, financial institutions or corporations. Career development sessions, and a dedicated “Connecting with the Industry” course, will be offered to aid students in finding the placement and prepare them for their professional future.
From October to June, students will work on their MSc thesis, supported by a core faculty member and supervised by a faculty member specialised in the area.
Classes of the MSc in Finance and Banking take place at UPF Ciutadella Campus.
Core courses
Basics of Finance and Banking
Electives
Financial Analytics Electives
General Electives
Professionalisation courses
MSc Final Thesis
Note on elective courses
Complementary activities
The Master of Science in Finance and Banking also includes the possibility of participating in practical activities and activities for personal and professional growth such as:
- Brush-up Courses: preparatory crash-courses on business and economy-related subjects which take place two weeks prior to the beginning of the program.
- Spanish Course: free of charge during the first term. 3 hours/week course at the UPF's language school.
- Career Development Program: career sessions and workshops where students obtain specific training on how to improve their professional profile, approach potential employers and develop professional soft skills.
- QTEM Program: After successfully completing the Master of Science in Finance and Banking students have the opportunity to participate in the QTEM Program, an optional and free of charge experience to study abroad at more than 20 top international universities which are leaders in the field of Economics.
Find more information about QTEM here. - 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 Finances i Banca. Master of Science in Finance and Banking - Máster Universitario en Finanzas y Banca / Master of Science in Finance and Banking official Master's Degree awarded by Pompeu Fabra University.
Students will also receive an additional Master of Science in Finance and Banking completion certificate awarded by the UPF Barcelona School of Management.
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 title. This rate varies annually and the rate in force at the time of application for the degree will be applied.
Double Degrees
UPF Barcelona School of Management Master of Science in Finance and Banking offers a Double Degrees option with:
- EBS Business School (Germany):
- MSc in Automotive Management
- MSc in Real Estate
- MSc in Management
Note:The information contained in these documents is for information purposes only and may be subject to change in the adaptations of each academic year. The definitive guide will be available to students enrolled in the virtual space before the start of each subject.
Faculty
The program benefits from the outstanding world-renowned faculty of UPF's Department of Economics and Business, leading academics from other European universities, and experienced business professionals from top firms and banks.
Academic directors
Albert Banal Estañol
Associate Professor UPF
Faculty
Marcos Eguiguren Huerta
Senior Lecturer UPF-BSM
Associate Provost for Strategic Projects
Mircea Epure
Associate Professor UPF
Javier Gómez Biscarri
Associate Professor UPF
Filippo Ippolito
Associate Professor UPF
Luz Parrondo Tort
Senior Lecturer UPF-BSM
Director of the Academic Department of Finance & Control
Methodology
The MSc in Finance and Banking is an on-campus program that combines diverse teaching methodologies in its various courses to offer a rigorous, hands-on and interactive learning experience, involving both individual and group work.
01.
Lectures
Concepts and methodologies are introduced by leading academics and highly-experienced professionals in the financial sector, who are experts in their respective subject matters.
02.
Practical case studies
Learning from the successes and failures of real organizations, and training problem solving skills based on acquired competences.
03.
Guest speakers
Experienced professionals from the corporate and financial sector are invited to share their knowledge and expertise with the students in an interactive environment.
04.
Interactive activities
Stock market competitions, investment games, and role-playing allow the students to enhance the learning process through hands-on interactive activities.
05.
In-class discussions and group activities
Debates, discussions, and presentations allow the students to learn how to contribute to and respond to group dynamics, and benefit from the diverse group of students that participate in the program.
Evaluation
The evaluation system may vary from course to course and it will be based on the student's performance on a selection of the following activities:
- Written exams and multiple choice tests
- Oral presentations
- Individual assignments and essays
- Group projects
- Class participation and debate interventions
- Performance in simulation and role-playing games
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 MSc in Finance and Banking provides students with an-in-depth knowledge as well as practical and programming skills to pursue a successful career in an exciting start-up or fintech, in an established bank or in the finance department of any firm.
Student profile
Every year the program welcomes junior profiles, to study finance and banking in Barcelona: a vibrant, dynamic and international city. The program has a multicultural environment with students from all around the world. The first step to work, communicate and negotiate globally.
Career opportunities
The Master of Science in Finance and Banking provides students with the opportunity to undertake a curricular internship. Resources and assistance will be provided by UPF-BSM Careers Service to support students in their search for internships and job positions.
- Data analytics and fintech
- Financial manager in a corporation or a startup
- Financial analyst in a commercial bank, insurance company or government
- Investment bank or M&A analyst
- Financial consultant
- Financial advisor in private banking or wealth management
- Portfolio manager, trader or stockbroker
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?
Bachelor degree
Applicants must have finished or be in the last year of a Bachelor's Degree from an accredited university. Ideally, students should come from any of the following academic fields of study: Business Administration, Finance, Economics, Engineering and Sciences.
Applicants with a different academic background may be asked to provide proof of sufficient quantitative and analytical training by presenting a 650 or higher GMAT score.
If you are currently studying the last year of your Bachelor Degree you will need to finish your university studies and obtain your final diploma before the beginning of the program. If you finished your Bachelor Degrees some time ago you should preferably not exceed 3 years of working experience in a position relevant to the program's field.
Proficiency in English
An official English certificate is required in order to be successfully enrolled.
If you do not have your English results at the time of admission, you will be required to provide it two months before the course starts. Admission without an official English certificate will be considered conditional until the certificate is provided.
The English certificate scores are:
- TOEFL CBT: > 235
- TOEFL PBT: > 575
- TOEFL IBT: > 100
- CAE: C1
- IELTS: > 7
- Duolingo: > 115
Applicants whose mother tongue is English do not need to present the aforementioned certificate.
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:
| Round | Application deadline | Resolution deadline |
|---|---|---|
| 14 | 18/07/2023 | 27/07/2023 |
| 15 | 01/09/2023 | 14/09/2023 |
| 16 | 14/09/2023 | 28/09/2023 |
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
- 2 academic recommendation letters (mandatory) and 1 professional (optional)
- 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
- 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 1566.
- 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.
