M.Sc. Finance
DURATION
4 Semesters
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Request application deadline
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2025
TUITION FEES
EUR 1,080 / per month *
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* • Monthly payments are also possible • Enroll in this program by March 15 and get a 1,500 Euro study fee discount.
Key Summary
Introduction
The Master in Finance expands your knowledge in the areas of accounting, taxation, financial law, controlling, and financial rating and trains you to become an expert in financial management. The program has a high practical emphasis and will sensitize you to current finance-related topics, enabling you to develop a comprehensive understanding of the interrelations between financial markets.
The intensive exchange with lecturers with hands-on experience in the field of finance accompanies you during your entire master's studies and prepares you optimally for a successful finance career after your graduation from the Finance master.
The curriculum of the M. Sc. Finance program offers a wide range of exciting information on the subject of financial management. You will also gain more in-depth knowledge of data-driven subjects such as quantitative finance, financial planning and rating, risk management, investment banking, controlling, and auditing.
You will then apply the theoretical knowledge you have acquired in the Finance Master's program via numerous practical projects that require teamwork to solve real-life problems in corporate financial management and present your results to the class or in front of the company.
This program is offered at the ISM campuses in Dortmund, Frankfurt/Main, Munich, Berlin and includes:
- spending your third semester abroad at one of around 190 partner universities of the ISM
- the opportunity to acquire a second international degree (double degree) at one of the named partner universities. This can be done during your semester abroad or after (varies by university).
All ISM study programs are internationally AACSB-accredited.
Apply now and enjoy study fee discounts:
- Early Bird Discount: Enroll in this program by March 15 and get a 1,500 Euro fee discount for the programs starting in fall.
- Last Call Discount: Enroll by June 15 (for studies starting in fall) and get a 500 Euro fee discount.
International applicants who need a study visa for Germany please apply no later than the following dates:
- July 15th
Shorten your study period to three semesters with the Fast Track option
With the option "Fast Track" the semester abroad of your studies can be omitted and you shorten your internship period. This allows you to complete your master's degree in only 3 semesters. Prerequisite is: you bring 210 ECTS from your Bachelor (an alternative admission to Fast Track is possible via demonstrated work experience or by taking the ISM Pre-Master).
Earn an International Double Degree
At ISM you can earn an international double degree in Marketing. In addition to your ISM Master's degree, you will receive a second, internationally recognized Master's degree. Depending on the partner university, this is even possible as part of an integrated semester abroad, allowing you to earn two Master's degrees in just two or two and a half years.
Admissions
Scholarships and Funding
The ISM offers several grants and scholarships. The ISM sponsors highly dedicated applicants and students from the first term. For outstanding applicants, there is the possibility to apply for a full scholarship as well as a partial scholarship.
Full Scholarship From the First Term
High-performing beginners receive a full scholarship including all tuition fees for the bachelor program (six terms) as well as the tuition fee for the completing bachelor thesis. The scholarship does not contain financial support regarding accommodation, living costs, learning material, etc. Only the tuition fees for international partner universities that can be covered by the ISM’s tuition fee are covered by the scholarship. The remission of fees of the ISM full scholarship refers to the normal period of bachelor studies (only six-term bachelor degree programs). An application for the full scholarship is only possible before the 1st term.
Partial Scholarships
This kind of scholarship covers a part of the complete tuition fees at ISM. It does not contain financial support regarding accommodation, living costs, learning material, etc. Partial scholarships are always granted for two terms. For an extension of the partial scholarship please apply after one year anew.
Fee reduction: The fee reduction will be enabled for students, who cannot pay the full tuition fees due to economic and/or social conditions.
Please note that the ISM scholarship and the Germany scholarship CANNOT be combined!
Curriculum
1st Semester:
Finance Management
- Asset Management (3 ECTS)
- Corporate Finance (3 ECTS)
Financial Theory
- Capital Market Theory (2 ECTS)
- Derivatives (2 ECTS)
- Option Pricing Theory (2 ECTS)
Accounting & Taxation & Law
- International Business Law (2 ECTS)
- International Accounting (2 ECTS)
- International Taxation (2 ECTS)
Quantitative Finance
- Financial Mathematics (2 ECTS)
- Investment & Financing (2 ECTS)
- Statistics & Financial Modelling (2 ECTS)
Leadership Skills
- Corporate Governance & Business Ehtics (2 ECTS)
- Negotiation, Communication & Exec. Presentations (2 ECTS)
- Cross Cultural Leadership (2 ECTS)
Work placement (12 ECTS)
2nd Semester:
Compulsory modules:
Financial Engineering
- Alternative Investments (2 ECTS)
- Financial Market Products (2 ECTS)
- Financial Risk Management (2 ECTS)
Financial Planning & Rating
- Business Planning & Modelling (2 ECTS)
- Rating (2 ECTS)
- Bank Management (2 ECTS)
Operational Management
- Investment Banking (2 ECTS)
- Commodity Portfolio Management (2 ECTS)
- Real Estate Management (2 ECTS)
Elective Modules (1 of 2):
Accounting
- IFRS 1 (2 ECTS)
- IFRS 2 (2 ECTS)
- Auditing (2 ECTS)
Controlling
- Value-based Business Management (2 ECTS)
- Business Planning & Venture Capital (2 ECTS)
- Corporate Valuation (2 ECTS)
3rd Semester:
Semester abroad. (24 ECTS)
Master's Thesis (30 ECTS)
Rankings
ISM is Top-Ranked and Unlimitedly State-Approved
The ISM University is state-accreddited unlimitedly and all study programs bear the seal of quality of the Accreditation Council and the FIBAA. The quality of the education is confirmed by HR managers, ISM students and alumni and the presence in numerous rankings where ISM consistently occupies top positions since many years, such as the CHE University Ranking, Universum, Trendence and U-Multirank, especially in areas such as:
- Internationality,
- Support at the beginning of the studies
- Graduation in due course
- Professional experience and contact to professional practice,
- Student mobility,
- International academic staff,
- Foreign language taught bachelor and master programs, etc.
Program Outcome
Achieve international double qualification
In financial management, you have the opportunity to acquire an international double degree. In addition to the ISM Master's degree, the double degree also entitles you to a Master's degree from an international partner university. Depending on the partner university, this is even possible during your integrated semester abroad.
You can earn two Master's degrees in two or two and a half years. The double degree also strengthens your linguistic and intercultural skills and expands your personal network through international students and lecturers.
Together with renowned and international partner universities, ISM offers you a high-quality range of courses with specific focus on finance or financial economics, banking & financial services management.
The following double degrees are available in the M.Sc. Finance program:
- Bond University (German-Australian Double Degree, PDF)
- Boston University (German-U.S. Double Degree, PDF)
- East China University of Science and Technology (German-Chinese Double Degree, PDF)
- Lancaster University (German-U.K. Double Degree, PDF)
- Edinburgh Napier University (German-U.K. Double Degree, PDF)
- INSEEC (German-French Double Degree, PDF)
- Universitat Ramon Llull (German-Spanish Double Degree)
The dual degree is not available with the Fast Track option.
Program Tuition Fee
Career Opportunities
Upon completing the M.Sc. Finance program, graduates have a varied range of career options to choose from, with job opportunities in fields such as investment manager, financial advisor, controller, financial analyst, general manager, among many others.
Accreditations
Program delivery
A Feel for the Right Figures
You will complete the first two semesters at one of our ISM locations. In addition to specific business management content, you will acquire in-depth specialist knowledge from the global financial sector. In addition, you can put your personal focus on accounting or controlling.
In the third semester, you will study at a foreign partner university of the ISM in order to illuminate the international perspective of the subject.
A practical phase, consulting projects, and the practice-oriented master's thesis in the 4th semester are integrated into the studies.
International Aspects of the Finance Master
Internationality is an important component of the Finance Master program. The Master of Finance
- is offered 100% in the English language,
- includes an integrated semester abroad
- gives you the opportunity to earn a second international degree (Double Degree)at one of our over 190 partner universities.
Through the Finance Master's program, you will learn about the regional specifics of the international financial markets and at the same time acquire general as well as specific foreign language skills.
Spending a semester abroad during your postgraduate studies is a life-changing experience you won't want to miss! Combined with the professionally challenging subject of finance, you will quickly find yourself in sight of recruiters from well-known companies after graduation.
Program Admission Requirements
Demonstrate your commitment and readiness to succeed in business school by taking the GMAT exam – the most widely used exam for admissions that measures your critical thinking and reasoning skills.
Download the GMAT mini quiz to get a flavour of the questions you’ll find in the exam.