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MSc Finance

Program duration
One academic year (on campus) + Final management project (can be completed remotely while working)
Degree level
Master (French: Titre de niveau I Manager Financier, enregistré au Répertoire National des Certifications Professionnelles (RNCP) – Fiche 14624). 120 ECTS credits
Entry requirements
Bachelor-level undergraduate degree in any subject. Fluency in English
Full program fees
€ 23,450 (Grenoble campus). See overseas campus pages for local fees

Important dates

October, 07 2019 – Singapore Intake

Teaching location
12 rue Pierre Sémard 38000 Grenoble
Grenoble Campus
Teaching location
3 Anson Road Springleaf Tower #06-01, 079909
Singapore Campus LSBF

Further information regarding this program in Singapore.

This pre-experience MSc Finance is ranked 16th worldwide, 13th in Europe and 6th in France by the Financial Times.

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

  • 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.” - Stephanie Boyer

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

  • 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
      Economics for Finance
      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.

  • Specializations**

    Quantitative Finance (Grenoble)

    • Algorithmics for Financial Modelling
      Market Risk Management
      Commodities and Energy Markets
      Financial Market Trading

    Investment Banking (Grenoble or Singapore)

    • Algorithmics for Financial Modelling
      Project Finance
      Private Equity, LBOs and Venture Capital
      Financial Strategy and Advanced Valuation

    Financial Management (Grenoble)

    • 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.

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 can attend personal and professional development workshops, including psychometric testing. These workshops cover current topics of interest, recent trends in management, research and career development. They serve as a complement to the core modules and strengthen employability profiles of graduates.

CNCP Recognition

Graduates from this MSc Finance are also awarded a certificate conferring the title of Manager Financier (financial manager). This title is recognized by the CNCP*, an agency of the French Ministry of Labor. It is a recognition that the graduate’s core financial management skills conform to the standards established by the Ministry of Labor for managers of financial activities.
*Commission Nationale de la Certification Professionnelle

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.

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

Employment Statistics

Employment within 2 months: 87%
Jobs with international projects: 89%
Annual salary with bonus after graduation: <40k€: 29% | 40k€-50k€: 23% | >50k€: 48%

  • 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

  • Employers of our MSc Finance Graduates
    • Airbus
      Amazon
      Barclays Capital
      Bloomberg
      BNP Paribas
      Cadbury
      Deloitte
      Deutsche Bank
      Ernst & Young.
      General Electric
      Goldman Sachs
      HSBC
      Hewlett-Packard
      JP Morgan
      KPMG
      Nike
      PWC
      Royal Bank of Canada
      Schneider Electric
      Société Générale
      Thyssenkrupp

Testimonials

  • Hong Zhang

    “The MSc Finance provided me with a solid systematic knowledge of both Corporate Finance and the Financial Market.

    I particularly enjoyed the study-friendly, cooperative and very international learning environment.  Being in a class of 17 different nationalities helped me to cultivate my cross-culture communication skills, which have proved essential to me as I enter the globalized world of business. The program enabled me to enhance my theoretical knowledge, whilst at the same time gaining practical experience, which has largely improved my competitiveness and employability.

    After taught part of the program, an alumnus presented me with the opportunity to do an internship in Deutsche Bank within Wealth Management Department in Luxembourg. One year later, I moved to London and started my first job in Bloomberg in Financial Analytics and Sales department.

    As a GEM graduate I continue to benefit greatly from offers of employment around the world from the School’s careers centre service and I also feel that the alumni network is continuously being strengthened over time, to the advantage of all graduates.”

More MSc Finance Testimonials

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.
  • Fluency in English - see test requirements below.
  • Quantitative proficiency is required for this program. This can be demonstrated by one of the following:
    • A prior degree from a recognized institution in a quantitative major showing good academic performance (Mathematics, Finance, Engineering, Economics…)
    • OR CFA® level 1
    • OR GMAT
    • OR GRE

This quantitative aptitude test requirement may be waived at the discretion of the MSc Finance Admissions Board for candidates that exhibit previous academic excellence from top ranked universities or business schools, especially in quantitative subjects. For detailed admissions requirements please consult the drop down information below.

Apply here

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.

  • Application Submission Requirements
    • Official copy of latest degree or diploma or certificate of enrollment 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 or professional references. Family members or friends are not acceptable as referees
    • Scan of passport
    • Internationally recognized passport picture
    • A test score of your quantitative abilities (GMAT, GRE, or CFA Level 1 Exam) or a waiver request:
      • GMAT - a minimum of 550 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
    • Fluency in English (TOEFL, PTE, IELTS or CPE):
      • TOEFL: Computer-based: 240 / Internet-based (IBT): 94 (minimum score of 22 in Reading and Speaking; minimum score of 21 in Listening and Writing). TOEFL Institution code: 8973
      • OR IELTS: 6.5 with a minimum of 6.0 in all areas (Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking)
      • OR Cambridge Proficiency Exam (CPE): A,B,C
      • OR Pearson Test of English (PTE): 63 (minimum score of 59 in each section)
      • Not accepted: TOEIC, Institutional/ITP TOEFL, Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) and Cambridge English: First (FCE)

    Please note English test scores must be communicated to GEM by the beginning of July for September programs and by the beginning of November for January 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 campus: 23,450 Euros for 2 years*

Please refer to our partner campus in Singapore for off-site tuition fees and scholarships.
Singapore 

*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.
  • Students are required to pay an additional 250€ in student services and administrative fees in Year 1 and a further 250€ for student card renewal in Year 2.

Please read the policy concerning the refund of tuition fees.

Financial Aid / Scholarships

Scholarship descriptions and application guidelines. 

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. Before starting a GEM program, students who know that they want to work or study in another country or university are responsible for verifying if their intended GEM degree will be recognized.

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
Visa requirements may apply to International Students in order to study or work in the country. 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.

For more information, please download the relevant student guide.