StudyQA — Master: Finance — International School of Management

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Building on the knowledge they have gained from their Bachelor's degrees, students will acquire comprehensive professional skills and social competences within a period of three semesters plus the time spent on writing their Master's thesis. The main focus of the programme lies on Finance Management. Additionally, students can expand their knowledge in fields such as taxes, law and analysis.
Internationality is an important part of the programme. Students spend one semester abroad and get to know the regional peculiarities of financial management. Meanwhile, they also acquire general as well as specific foreign language skills. In Germany, all lectures are held in English. In addition, students have the option of an international double degree.
To prepare the prospective financial experts for their future jobs in the best possible way, the ISM also places great emphasis on a practical approach. In numerous projects, students must use their theoretical knowledge in real problems experienced by companies and present the results of their teamwork. Students also gain hands-on work experience in integrated internships.

Educational organisation

The goal of the first semester is to provide students with a solid foundation in finance, supplemented by basic knowledge in private law. The educational focus is on financial management. The Asset, Liability and Institutional Finance Management courses cover all aspects of finance management. This includes an overview of active asset management and passive liability management as well as strategies for their optimisation. A detailed explanation of the various financial instruments is also a key part of the curriculum. The Financial Theory module complements the above courses by offering students theoretical knowledge regarding finance management. A solid understanding of theoretical foundations forms the basis for an understanding of the complexities within the financial sector - a valuable asset for those pursuing a career in finance management. In addition, students will learn about international commercial and corporate laws in the Law module. The Quantitative Finance module offers students the analytical competence necessary for successful participation in all the other above-mentioned seminars. The Soft & Communication Skills module rounds off the semester by introducing students to social competencies.
In the second semester, students deepen the knowledge they acquired in the first semester. They take part in three compulsory seminars: Financial Engineering, Financial Planning & Rating, and Operational Management. In addition, they can choose between the elective modules Accounting or Controlling, depending on their interests and future perspectives. The compulsory seminars offer students an in-depth overview of the many different kinds of investments, quantifying their profit-risk potential. This gives students the knowledge they need to create new financial products. Other focal points are business planning and company rating. The Financial Risk Management seminar supplements the content of the other courses by teaching strategies for controlling and reducing financial risks. Students learn how to enhance a company's value and to qualify for investor-directed communication and networking. The programme can be additionally tailored to student goals with electives such as Accounting, which offers a detailed overview of the IFRS system, auditing and systems for handling company accounting data. Finally, the Controlling module focuses on value-oriented leadership and participation controlling, as well as on analyses and model calculations for risk management.
During the semester abroad, students have the opportunity to further develop and expand international competencies and to enhance general and industry-related language skills. Furthermore, students will attend finance courses which will deepen their industry knowledge and familiarise them with the regional particularities of financial accounting. General and industry-related foreign language skills are furthered during this semester.
Given that programme applicants are divided into those who have received a very practically oriented education and others with a strong research-oriented education, all students are required to complete a twelve-week internship. In this way, it is possible to ensure that, despite the differences in educational focus, the necessary scientific qualifications as well as the related practical applications necessary for writing the Master's thesis are met.
In cooperation with six partner universities abroad, the ISM offers double degrees.

Study abroad unit(s)

Participants spend the third semester of the programme at one of the ISM partner universities in Europe or overseas.

Internships

A twelve-week, compulsory internship during the first and second semesters guarantees a high level of practical relevance.

Language requirements

Applicants should provide proof of English proficiency through one of the following:

TOEFL - minimum 80 points (Internet-based)
at least 30 ECTS in a university programme conducted exclusively in English
university degree in English studies
native speaker of English (to be evaluated on an individual basis)

Academic requirements

The prerequisite for admission is a completed degree (in a programme lasting at least six semesters with a minimum of 180 ECTS) with above-average grades conferred by

a university or
college or
an international university of comparable rank

and submission of the application forms as well as participation in an application interview.
Normally, the first degree should have been in a subject that covered the topics of business studies and/or economics. Applications from graduates in other subjects with a predominant share of economics will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Enrolment fees

Once you are accepted as a student at the ISM, you are required to pay enrolment fees, which amount to 10% of the tuition fees.

Funding opportunities within the university

In principle, the ISM would like to offer all qualified applicants the opportunity to study at the ISM, regardless of their individual financial situation. The ISM provides financial aid to selected students in the form of scholarships, reductions in tuition fees, and interest-free student loans.