Master in Banking and Finance

Master in Banking and Finance is one of 8 English-taught Finance programmes at master’s level in the register, offered by 7 institutions. 7 of them list an annual fee for students from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland, from EUR 727 to EUR 1,453; this programme lists EUR 1,453 a year. 4 are at a public university, where EU, EEA and Swiss students pay no tuition within the standard duration plus two semesters. The same programme title is offered at 2 institutions, so compare the content, campus and requirements before you choose.

The Master's Programme Banking and Finance at the University of Innsbruck is a full-time MSc taught in English over four semesters and 120 ECTS credits. It sits in the Faculty of Business and Management. One thing to know before anything else: as of winter semester 2024/2025 the programme is no longer open to new entrants, and the university points applicants to a succeeding master's programme instead. So this page is useful for understanding what the degree contains, not for applying to it.

What you study

The curriculum builds from foundations to specialisation. The first semester covers Principles of Financial Economics and Financial Intermediation, Financial Reporting, Derivatives, Methods of Empirical Finance and Principles of Mathematical Finance. The second semester moves into Corporate Finance, Asset Allocation and Wealth Management, Market Efficiency, Management of Financial Institutions, Applied Empirical Finance, and Ethical and Methodological Aspects in Banking and Finance.

The third semester is made up of elective modules. The catalogue includes options such as Corporate Valuation, Portfolio Optimization and Management, Applied Behavioral Finance, Experimental Finance, Applied Risk Management, Information Economics, International Finance, Real Options, Market Microstructure, Financial Regulation, Theoretical Corporate Finance, Fixed Income, Complexity in Financial Markets, History of Finance and Current Topics in Banking and Finance. A second catalogue adds modules from neighbouring fields, including Econometrics, Game Theory, Entrepreneurship, Ethics in Organizations, Gender, Work and Organization, and Interdisciplinary Skills.

How the programme is organised

Study is full-time. The standard duration is four semesters, with a workload of 60 ECTS credits per academic year, where one credit equals 25 hours of work. The fourth semester is given over to the Master's Thesis (25 ECTS) and a Research Colloquium for the Master Thesis (5 ECTS). The curriculum sets out an exemplary course sequence for students starting in the winter semester, and the university recommends a winter start to avoid study delays. The sequence is a recommendation, not a requirement.

Who it suits

This is a second-cycle degree for people who already have a relevant bachelor's or diploma. The university names its own Bachelor's Programme Management and Economics, Bachelor's Programme International Economics and Business Studies and Diploma Programme International Economic and Business Studies as relevant. Applicants are expected to bring knowledge of banking and finance plus the analytical and methodological skills to work with the material. The university assumes this if you have completed 20 ECTS credits in economics, mathematics and/or statistics and at least 15 ECTS credits in investment and financing, bank management, financial management or risk management. The elective catalogue also lets you pull in accounting, organisation studies, strategy and economics, so it suits students who want finance with breadth rather than a narrow technical track.

Admission, language and next steps

Admission requires a subject-related bachelor's degree or equivalent, proof of general university entrance qualification and language certificates. Where there are significant differences in subject matter, supplementary examinations of up to 30 ECTS credits may be prescribed, to be taken by the end of the second semester. The teaching language is English. Applications go directly to the University of Innsbruck, not through a central portal, and the institution's own page gives the application period. Because the programme is closed to new entrants from winter semester 2024/2025, anyone looking to start should consult the succeeding master's programme on the university's site. At a public university, EU/EEA and Swiss students pay no tuition within the standard duration plus two semesters; other students pay a fee per semester.

The master's programme in Banking and Finance aims to equip students with the skills they need to take on challenging tasks, particularly in companies in the financial sector. The content of the master's programme focuses both on the theoretical foundations necessary for this and on the conditions for the implementation and applicability of scientific findings. The programme is conducted in English. Specifically, students should acquire the following skills through the master's programme: Solid knowledge of quantitative methods for financial issuesAbility to work independently on scientific problems, ability to apply scientific findings to practical problems, reflective use of the skills acquired, the content of the master's programme is also intended to serve as a starting point for further academic pursuits within the framework of a doctoral/PhD programme.

There is no central application portal in Austria: you apply to the institution, here University of Innsbruck. A public university sets the admission requirements and dates for this level, so read them on the programme page. Entrance examination, as the register states it: No. Entry requirements and language tests are set by the institution, so start from the official programme page. Our guides cover tuition fees, the student residence permit and housing.