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Making a difference in the world of Finance

Finance

Financial Management

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Learn about the impact of financial markets

The Finance Master’s programme builds on a set of core courses that focus on the main areas of finance: asset pricing, corporate finance and institutional finance. After that, you can specialize in one of the learning lines. You’ll also pick up valuable financial methodologies, quantitative skills, research skills and preparation for the job market.

The programme has been a top ranked programme according to the National Student Survey (NSE) for several years. With approximately 150 students it is small enough to maintain close contact with your classmates and the teachers, but large enough to ensure a good selection of electives. On top of that, one third of the programme’s professors also work in the financial industry themselves. All other courses offer at least two guest lectures from industry professionals and use cases from the industry.

The start date of this programme is September 1st.

VU Master's Event

Tuesday 6 December 2022

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Which specialisation do you choose?

Find out what the different possibilities are within the master's programme

Summary

Throughout the programme, we will prepare you for the job market by doing workshops by the career service department. You’ll look at the ethical side of the financial industry, and work on your self-development.

During the programme you’ll conduct a research project in small groups that will allow you to apply your newly acquired knowledge and skills, as well as preparing you to write your Master’s thesis and you’ll have the opportunity to take an internship.

You’ll take four core courses:

  • Asset Pricing – Learn what drives stock prices by competing against each other as portfolio managers. You’ll directly apply your knowledge of asset pricing by investing in (virtual) stocks to generate the most money – may the best team win!
  • Advanced Corporate Finance – You’ll work with case studies from Harvard Business to assess how real-life companies should finance their activities in the most optimal way for their situation.
  • Financial Markets and Institutions – Based on interviews with practitioners, the course will teach you about financial infrastructure: how financial institutions are linked and what their various responsibilities are.
  • Empirical Finance – You’ll study financial econometrics and statistical methodologies, and you’ll test the validity of economic theories. You’ll directly apply your newly acquired knowledge in the interactive PC labs. The best preparation for your thesis.

You’ll take at least two electives, each of which relates to one of the learning lines:

  • Investments – You can take electives in Derivatives, Institutional investments, and Quantitative Financial Risk Management, or Credit and Complexity.
  • Corporate Finance – Think of courses like Corporate Valuation, Behavioural Finance, or Bank Management
  • Institutional Finance – choose from Economics of Payment Systems, Macro and International Finance and Bank Management.
  • Real Estate Finance – You’ll get the opportunity to further specialize in the real estate sector. We offer electives on Real Estate Finance and Investments, Real Estate Economics, and Urban Economic Challenges.

Finance courses

Summary

Please note: this specialisation was previously offered within the Master's programme Business Administration

Today’s business environment calls for clear financial insight and assured decision-making. Effective capital investments and financing are the lifeblood of every organization. The Master’s in Finance: Financial Management at VU Amsterdam equips you with the comprehensive knowledge and thorough understanding you need to manage the flow of funds, from raising and investing capital to accurate and efficient financial reporting.

Leading academics and senior experts from the industry will ensure that you get to grips with the three key areas of financial management – corporate finance, the financial sector and accounting – from the perspective of both non-financial corporates and financial institutions. If you have the drive and ambition to become a new-generation CFO, the Master’s in Financial Management is an ideal place to start. 

The specialization Financial Management connects the internal business functions of the firm – investment decisions, financing decisions, and financial reporting – with financial markets and its institutions. The Financial Management programme is structured with these key elements in mind. The three central strands – Corporate Finance, Accounting and the Financial Sector – run throughout the programme’s core and its electives.

The programme offers the possibility to specialize towards three sub-disciplines. The sub-disciplines Corporate Finance and Accounting focus on the financial management function in organizations, executed by professionals like Corporate Financial Officers (CFO's), Management Accountants, Financial Specialists or Financial Directors. It brings together all the topics relevant for the effective execution of the finance function like financial reporting, management control, treasury, corporate governance and auditing. These sub-specializations offer a wide spectrum of relevant knowledge areas for the financial manager across the disciplines corporate finance and accounting, emphasizing the Finance programme's integrated approach.

The sub-discipline Financial Sector looks at the financial management function of the financial sector itself. Financial markets, institutions and oversight bodies determine the way the financial system works. This sub specialization provides insights into financial products (like pensions and insurances), into management of financial institutions (for instance banks), and into the working of financial markets.

Financial Management courses

  • Finance

    Summary

    Throughout the programme, we will prepare you for the job market by doing workshops by the career service department. You’ll look at the ethical side of the financial industry, and work on your self-development.

    During the programme you’ll conduct a research project in small groups that will allow you to apply your newly acquired knowledge and skills, as well as preparing you to write your Master’s thesis and you’ll have the opportunity to take an internship.

    You’ll take four core courses:

    • Asset Pricing – Learn what drives stock prices by competing against each other as portfolio managers. You’ll directly apply your knowledge of asset pricing by investing in (virtual) stocks to generate the most money – may the best team win!
    • Advanced Corporate Finance – You’ll work with case studies from Harvard Business to assess how real-life companies should finance their activities in the most optimal way for their situation.
    • Financial Markets and Institutions – Based on interviews with practitioners, the course will teach you about financial infrastructure: how financial institutions are linked and what their various responsibilities are.
    • Empirical Finance – You’ll study financial econometrics and statistical methodologies, and you’ll test the validity of economic theories. You’ll directly apply your newly acquired knowledge in the interactive PC labs. The best preparation for your thesis.

    You’ll take at least two electives, each of which relates to one of the learning lines:

    • Investments – You can take electives in Derivatives, Institutional investments, and Quantitative Financial Risk Management, or Credit and Complexity.
    • Corporate Finance – Think of courses like Corporate Valuation, Behavioural Finance, or Bank Management
    • Institutional Finance – choose from Economics of Payment Systems, Macro and International Finance and Bank Management.
    • Real Estate Finance – You’ll get the opportunity to further specialize in the real estate sector. We offer electives on Real Estate Finance and Investments, Real Estate Economics, and Urban Economic Challenges.

    Finance courses

  • Financial Management

    Summary

    Please note: this specialisation was previously offered within the Master's programme Business Administration

    Today’s business environment calls for clear financial insight and assured decision-making. Effective capital investments and financing are the lifeblood of every organization. The Master’s in Finance: Financial Management at VU Amsterdam equips you with the comprehensive knowledge and thorough understanding you need to manage the flow of funds, from raising and investing capital to accurate and efficient financial reporting.

    Leading academics and senior experts from the industry will ensure that you get to grips with the three key areas of financial management – corporate finance, the financial sector and accounting – from the perspective of both non-financial corporates and financial institutions. If you have the drive and ambition to become a new-generation CFO, the Master’s in Financial Management is an ideal place to start. 

    The specialization Financial Management connects the internal business functions of the firm – investment decisions, financing decisions, and financial reporting – with financial markets and its institutions. The Financial Management programme is structured with these key elements in mind. The three central strands – Corporate Finance, Accounting and the Financial Sector – run throughout the programme’s core and its electives.

    The programme offers the possibility to specialize towards three sub-disciplines. The sub-disciplines Corporate Finance and Accounting focus on the financial management function in organizations, executed by professionals like Corporate Financial Officers (CFO's), Management Accountants, Financial Specialists or Financial Directors. It brings together all the topics relevant for the effective execution of the finance function like financial reporting, management control, treasury, corporate governance and auditing. These sub-specializations offer a wide spectrum of relevant knowledge areas for the financial manager across the disciplines corporate finance and accounting, emphasizing the Finance programme's integrated approach.

    The sub-discipline Financial Sector looks at the financial management function of the financial sector itself. Financial markets, institutions and oversight bodies determine the way the financial system works. This sub specialization provides insights into financial products (like pensions and insurances), into management of financial institutions (for instance banks), and into the working of financial markets.

    Financial Management courses

Anne Opschoor and Xuan Wang

Anne Opschoor and Xuan Wang are both teachers within the Finance programme at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. This top-ranked Finance Master’s programme, which is offered both online and on-site, explores these questions through real-life business cases, many of which are led by people who work in the financial industry themselves. 

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Duisenberg Honoursprogrammes

For motivated students, we also offer three honours programmes: the Duisenberg Honours Programme in Quantitative Risk Management, the Duisenberg Honours Programme in Corporate Finance and the Duisenberg Honours Programme in Finance and Technology. These honours programmes offer students a challenging yet rewarding programme that covers six periods in total.

Read more about the Duisenberg Honours Programme in Quantitative Risk Management

Read more about the Duisenberg Honours Programme in Corporate Finance

Read more about the Duisenberg Honours Programme in Finance and Technology 

The Financial Study association Amsterdam (FSA)

The FSA forms the link between ambitious students and leading companies in the financial sector. Throughout the year, we host 20 career events, designed to help you take the step from university to the labor market. These events help you orientate on your career and get in contact with the right people to apply for an internship or a job. In the Netherlands, our portfolio is unmatched: we collaborate with companies such as Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, Heineken, Bain & Company, De Nederlandsche Bank, BCG, and many more.

Some of the areas we are active in: investment banking, private equity, strategy consulting, real estate, data science, and many more. Next to events, we offer career opportunities on our website.

The FSA is led by a fulltime board of 6 students and 20 different committees. Are you looking to gain leadership experience, get in contact with leading companies, orientate on the financial job market, develop yourself on a personal and professional level, and have an awesome year? Then working at the FSA is the right step for you!  

Eager to see what de FSA can do for you? Have a look at www.fsa.nl!

Change your future with the Finance programme

Change your future with the Finance programme

On completing this Master’s programme, you’ll be able to fulfil a valuable bridge function between the quants (as you’ll understand the numbers) and the business managers (as you’ll be able to interpret the results).

As a graduate of a Master’s in Finance you are perfectly prepared for roles as an asset manager, risk manager, business analyst or consultant.

Explore your future prospects
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