MSc in Finance and Economics

M2: Investment Management track

The Investment Management track of the Master of Science in Finance and Economics targets students who aim to launch their career in the asset management industry. Developed by academics in conjunction with the expert advice of industry professionals, the track’s educational offer connects frontier research with professional practice. The course of study will provide students with a deep understanding of investment models, quantitative techniques and data science applied to investment decisions, while allowing them to gain a strong grasp of the operational processes and regulatory environment of the asset management industry.

Curriculum

The Investment Management track is divided into four modules:

• Investment Management
• Special Topics in Finance
• Advanced Data Analytics and Digitization
• Academic Master Thesis or Internship and Applied Master Thesis

The Investment Management Module covers fundamental subjects of portfolio management and the application of quantitative models and data science to investment decisions that span traditional asset classes and alternative investments. A course dedicated to fund management and the asset management industry connects theory with practice and provides students with knowledge of industry structure, regulation and trends.

 The Special Topics in Finance Module aims to equip students with deep understanding of a particular niche area of Economics and Finance. The module is open to students from all specialization tracks. Elective courses in the module cover theories of behavioral economics and finance, topics in household finance, financial engineering, data science. It also includes specialized professional seminars lead by industry experts.

The Advanced Data Analytics and Digitization Module allows students to choose from trending and emerging topics in the financial sector. Focal points include digital transformation in financial services, markets and institutions, and data-driven business models. Students are given the opportunity to develop their programming skills and to gain advanced knowledge in financial econometrics. 

Finally, students are given the option to complete either an internship with an Applied Master Thesis, or an Academic Master Thesis.

• Internship and Applied Master Thesis: Students do an internship within the public or private sector for a minimum duration of 12 weeks (with the option to negotiate a longer placement depending on the availability of the student and hosting company/institution). Each student has to submit an Applied Master Thesis. The topic of this thesis is coordinated between the student, an academic supervisor and the company supervisor. The Faculty of Law, Economics and Finance provides some support to students in obtaining a placement as well as drawing up internship contracts between the hosting institution and the student.
• Academic Master Thesis: Topics for the academic master thesis are coordinated together with the programme director and thesis supervisor. The Master thesis is an independent piece of research that should showcase a thorough understanding of the chosen topic as well as the appropriate research methodology. 

Learning outcomes

Upon successful completion of the track, students will be able to:

• Demonstrate in-depth knowledge of fundamental finance theories that underpin professional portfolio management and be able to apply them in the context of real-life investment decisions.
• Apply quantitative models and econometric tools to complex financial problems including the evaluation of investment strategies and the management of financial risks.
• Be familiar with a set of programming tools to develop implementations of quantitative models in real-life investment decisions.
• Demonstrate a thorough knowledge of the economics, operational and regulatory framework of the asset management industry, the roles of the different economic agents and the characteristics of the underlying investor base.
• Have a thorough understanding of how various asset classes – from traditional ones to alternative investments – can be incorporated into an investment portfolio and be able to assess the benefits (in terms of e.g. return augmentation and diversification), as well as the pitfalls in integrating them in a portfolio.
• Have a good understanding of the most widely used investment strategies as well as their risk and return profiles; be able to design and implement known investment strategies and analyse their performance.
• Attain a high level of familiarity with responsibilities and principles for ensuring professional standards and ethical practice in asset management.

Prerequisite

Successful completion of the first year (M1) of the MSc in Finance and Economics or any other equivalent MSc programme.

• Equity & Fixed Income Analysis
• Derivatives

Employability

We are training highly skilled and employable graduates: 87,5% of past year cohort is currently employed! Discover the career paths of our former students with our employability survey.