Overview
Practical information
Campus Locations:
Grenoble
Paris
This pre-experience MSc Finance is ranked 16th worldwide, 13th in Europe and 6th in France by the Financial Times.
Objectives
Understand the Strategic Impacts of Financial Decisions
The mission of the MSc in Finance program is to provide graduates with an advanced knowledge of finance and to prepare them, through an understanding of the strategic impacts of financial decisions, for careers in banking, financial services, or corporate finance with international companies at a managerial level.
The program covers the fundamentals of finance, as well as advanced topics in corporate finance, financial management, and financial markets.
Develop Your Financial and Soft Skills
Its aim is to provide students with strong technical and analytical skills in the principles and application of finance, as well as solid industry knowledge and multicultural exposure.
Prepare your Career in the Sector of Finance
The MSc Finance prepares students for careers in the financial sector such as investment and commercial banking, asset management, financial services and consulting, or for corporate finance positions within international companies at a managerial level.
The program provides an excellent preparation for the Chartered Financial Analysts® (CFA) exams, as it is based on the CFA® Candidate Body of Knowledge (CBOK) and is part of the CFA® University Affiliation program. It also covers related fields such as management control systems, economics, corporate governance, and private equity investment. Students on the program also benefit from access to the Fitch Learning online CFA® preparation platform for the CFA® exam level 1.
Why Choose the MSc Finance Program?
- Learn about both market and corporate finance from an international perspective.
- Access cutting-edge learning facilities, like the Bloomberg trading room on our Grenoble campus.
- Learn valuable intercultural skills while studying in an international and multicultural environment.
- Tailor your education to your professional goals with a selection of specializations.
- Earn your degree from a triple-accredited institution.
A Word from the Program Director
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Stéphanie Boyer
“Our MSc Finance program is designed for high-caliber graduates looking to work in a range of financial positions. The program focuses not only on acquiring essential technical tools and concepts in finance, but also on developing indispensable soft skills including decision-making, communication, assertiveness, working in virtual and multicultural teams... Being able to choose a specialization will foster your employability as you will learn from professionals and academic experts the skills needed by top employers globally. I look forward to welcome you on our program. You should expect to work very hard but also to develop long-lasting friendships with students coming from all over the world.” - Stéphanie Boyer
Program
Program
The MSc Finance program begins in the Fall semester of each year and requires full-time attendance during one academic year for completion of coursework. The second year is dedicated solely to the Final Management Project.
Program Content*
The program is taught entirely in English by both academics and professionals, all with extensive experience in finance. The teaching style is very interactive and emphasis is placed on group work.
Year 1 - Campus Year
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Core Courses
Introduction Session (E-Learning Modules)
- Fundamentals of Accounting and Finance (Online)
Fundamentals of Excel and Statistics (Online)
The Fundamentals of Finance
- Corporate Finance and Investment Decisions
Accounting and Financial Statements Analysis
Quantitative Methods for Finance
Mastering Financial Management
- Mergers and Acquisitions and Company Valuation
Management Control Systems
International Financial Management
Ethics, Professional Standards and Corporate Governance
Advanced Finance
- Digital Finance
Derivatives
Fixed Income Investments
Asset Management
Capstone Course
- Research Methodology and Project Workshop (Online)
Integrative Case Study
*The content of the program may be adapted from year to year to take into account the needs of industry. Class attendance is compulsory.
- Fundamentals of Accounting and Finance (Online)
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Specializations**
Quantitative Finance
- Algorithmics for Financial Modelling
Market Risk Management
Commodities and Energy Markets
Financial Market Trading
Investment Banking
- Algorithmics for Financial Modelling
Project Finance
Private Equity, LBOs and Venture Capital
Financial Strategy and Advanced Valuation
Financial Management
- Advanced Accounting and Financial Statements Analysis
Corporate Financial Management
Private Equity, LBOs and Venture Capital
Global Business Operations - the Serious Game
**Subject to a minimum number of participants. If students choose to follow a specialization on a different campus, transportation, accommodation, meals, and personal items are at the student’s own expense.
- Algorithmics for Financial Modelling
Year 2 - Final Management Project
At the end of the one-academic-year full-time part of the program, each student will be required to complete a Final Management Project of approximately 15,000 words in length, under the guidance of a tutor. This is an applied or theoretical research project that can be completed at a distance and in parallel with full-time employment or an approved internship. To successfully complete the Final Management Project, students are required to address a particular research question or knowledge gap in their chosen field of their study. This will be business oriented and coherent with the program's objectives. A student may choose to write their project on a topic grounded in their internship experience.
Foreign Languages
Learning a foreign language is a recommended program option for all students who are looking to work internationally. Non-French speakers have the option of studying French (beginner to advanced level), a recommended option for students looking to work in France following their studies. French speakers may choose from a number of other languages at the beginner level.
Personal and Professional Development Workshops
In addition to the core courses, students have the opportunity to attend personal and professional development workshops led by professionals, industry and subject matter experts. These will strengthen the employability profiles of graduates to help them achieve their career goals. Students will also have access to individual counselling sessions, interaction with corporate partners and online resources with jobs and internship opportunities as well as access to specific in house sectorial career focused communities.
Faculty
Classes are taught by GEM faculty, visiting professors from top universities worldwide, and top business professionals. Most of the permanent faculty is engaged in applied research. Their teaching links theory to practice through authentic business cases. Their diverse cultural and international background gives a strong international dimension to the program.
View all Faculty
Recognition
French Ministry of Labour, France Compétences, Level 7 - EQF
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More Information
Higher education in France is divided between Grandes Ecoles and public universities. GEM is a Grande Ecole which is recognized and accredited by the Conférence des Grandes Ecoles (CGE) and as such has degree awarding powers. The CGE is an official association which encompasses the Grandes Ecoles, engineering schools, architecture, design and public administration institutions which are recognized by the French state.
The Grande Ecoles are widely recognized by industry in France and GEM is amongst the top 10 business schools in the leading French rankings (le Point, le Figaro Etudiant, …), holding 6th place in 2019.
GEM also holds triple accreditation by EQUIS, AACSB and AMBA. These three accreditations are international recognitions of the quality of the organization, its programs and the degrees it delivers.
Our Masters programs are equivalent to a level 7 degree on the European Qualifications Framework and are in compliance with the Bologna Agreement for a master’s degree, comprised of 120 ECTS credits.
Graduates from the MSc Finance also receive a certificate conferring them the Title Manager Financier (Financial Manager). This Title is recognized by the French State through France Compétences, an agency belonging to the French Ministry of Labor, at Level I (Level 7 on the European Qualifications Framework) - the highest level for such certification. It is a recognition that the graduate’s core international management skills meet standards established by the Ministry of Labor for financial managers. For students planning to work in Europe following their studies, this recognition presents a competitive advantage.
CFA Institute University Affiliation Program
The program provides an excellent preparation for the Chartered Financial Analyst®* (CFA) exams, as it is based on the CFA Candidate Body of Knowledge (CBOK) and is part of the CFA Institute University Affiliation program.
*Chartered Financial Analyst is a registered trademark owned by CFA Institute.
Testimonials
“I am currently an analyst within the Private Wealth Management department of Goldman Sachs in London and I work within the Portfolio Management Group desk where we run discretionary portfolio mandates for wealthy clients. The MSc Finance at GEM helped me find my first internship thanks to its internal job posting (previous alumnus), and allowed me to be able to grasp a bit of every concept within different fields of finance which was very useful for the interviews and in starting my new role.” - Alessandro Toppetti, MSc Finance 2018 Graduate, Analyst at Goldman SachsEmployability
Careers
Employment Statistics*
Employment within 4 months: 88%
Jobs with international projects: 89%
Annual salary with bonus after graduation: <50k€: 48% | >50k€: 52%
*Based on 2019 graduates
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Some of our MSc Finance Graduate Job Titles
- Investment Banking Analyst
Asset Manager
Financial Controller
Treasurer
Derivatives Trader
Internal Auditor
Sales Specialist in Trading
Commodity Markets Manager
M&A Analyst
Debt Capital Markets Analyst
Financial Advisor
Buy-side/Sell-side Analyst
Financial Auditor
Credit Analyst
Structured Finance Associate
- Investment Banking Analyst
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Employers of our MSc Finance Graduates
- Airbus
Amazon
Barclays Capital
Bloomberg
BNP Paribas
Cadbury
Credit Suisse
Deloitte
Deutsche Bank
Ernst & Young.
European Central Bank
General Electric
Goldman Sachs
HSBC
Hewlett-Packard
JP Morgan
KPMG
Nike
PWC
Royal Bank of Canada
Schneider Electric
Société Générale
Thyssenkrupp
UBS
- Airbus
Work in France
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Regarding finding work in FranceAfter passing their Master’s level degree in France, students may apply for a residence permit which allows graduates to work for a year in France. The permit is called a “Recherche d’emploi ou Création d’entreprise” residence permit. For more details, you may consult the relevant Campus France or the Ministry of Interior webpages.
Admission & application
Admission
Junior professionals already working in the financial services sector will enhance their experience with the formal training provided through the MSc Finance program.
This program is also suitable for graduates from a wide range of disciplines, such as management or engineering, who would be well served by a formal finance credential.
Entry Requirements
- Bachelor-level undergraduate degree.
- Work experience is not compulsory, but an internship in finance before starting the program is recommended.
- Fluency in English - see test requirements below.
- Quantitative proficiency is required for this program. This can be demonstrated by one of the following:
- Academic transcripts from a prior degree very good performance in a top ranked university or business school, especially in quantitative subjects (Mathematics, Finance, Engineering, Economics…). N.B: If you are in the process of completing your undergraduate degree, we will examine your academic transcripts to date to determine your proficiency in quantitative subjects.
- OR CFA® level 1 / GMAT/ GRE - see test requirements below
Please note that a quantitative test will strengthen your initial application or may be later requested by the MSc Finance Admissions Board if your academic transcripts to date do not allow us to fully determine your proficiency in quantitative subjects.
Application
To apply for this program, candidates must complete the online application form and include scanned copies of all original supporting documents. All documents must be in English or be submitted with a certified translation into English if written in another language.
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Application Submission Requirements
- Official copy of undergraduate degree equivalent to minimum 180 ECTS or certificate of enrolment with an approximate graduation date
- University transcripts: front/back with grading scale
- CV/Resume
- 3 short essays (relating to your academic/professional experience, your reasons for choosing this program and your intercultural awareness)
- 2 academic and/or professional references. Family members or friends are not acceptable as referees
- Scan of passport
- Internationally recognized passport picture
- Evidence of strong quantitative abilities :
- Academic Transcripts displaying strong proficiency in quantitative subjects.
- OR GMAT - a minimum of 600 overall with 70% in the quantitative section. GMAT Institution code: 0365
- OR GRE - a minimum of 60% in the Verbal Reasoning section, 70% in the Quantitative section, and 4.0 or above on the Analytical Writing section
- OR CFA Level 1 exam with a Pass grade
- Proof of fluency in English:
- TOEFL IBT: 90 (minimum of 21 in all bands). TOEFL Institution code: 8973
- IELTS Academic/IELTS Indicator: 6.5 (minimum of 6.0 in all bands)
- Cambridge English (Proficiency/Advanced/Business Higher) level C1: Grade A,B or C
- Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE-A): 63 (minimum of 59 in all bands)
- Duolingo English Test: 110 (minimum of 90 in all bands)
- English test waiver may be granted if Bachelor’s degree was fully taught through the medium of English (official proof required)
- Not accepted: TOEIC, Institutional/ITP TOEFL
- Please note: English test scores must be communicated to GEM by the beginning of July for September programs.
Please note that for your initial application we ask only for copies of documents. If you are accepted, we will then request to send digital certified copies that you will be asked to present during the induction week. More details about certified copies per nationality are explained on the application form.
To ensure GEM is the right fit for you, you may be asked to participate in an interview. You will be notified if an interview is necessary after the Admission Board meets.
Admission is on a first-come, first-served basis. Please consult our rolling admissions deadlines.
Student Program Fees
MSc Finance
Grenoble and Paris campuses: €23,950 for full 2-year program*
*Fees include an annual €250 student service and administrative fee calculated for the 2-year program. Fees are subject to change. Please verify program fees each year before commencement.
- Fees cover tuition, project supervision, and access to facilities.
- Program fees do not cover accommodation, meals, insurance, visa and personal expenses.
Please read the policy concerning the refund of tuition fees.
Financial Aid / Scholarships
- Scholarship descriptions and application guidelines.
- Scholarships available for MSc Finance program.
Note: MSc Finance students are not eligible for CROUS scholarships.
Note
All academic qualifications, including those earned at GEM, are recognized at the discretion of each country or university. Students seeking admission to a further course of study or who wish to work in specific country after their GEM program may need to have their GEM degree certified through a process specified by the receiving authority.
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
Visa requirements may apply to International Students in order to study or work in France. All international students are expected to verify requirements with their local French consulate and plan accordingly. Grenoble Ecole de Management has no influence over this process.