Master of Science in Finance

Provided online via distance learning

Key Facts

18 months

EQF Level 7

102 ECTS

€11,500

Degree Conferred by

Distance Learning

Program Overview

The MSc in Finance and Controlling degree provides advanced knowledge in financial management and controlling, two fields which have become highly interrelated. The program is a strategic balance of general business courses and finance and controlling specialization ones. The aim of these, as they have been designed, is to provide you with a solid understanding of the business organization and its various functions and deliver you the tools to critically assess corporate priorities, and therefore make financial and controlling decisions. The course outlines, provided in this section will help you explore the challenging intellectual level of the program and its advanced delivery content tools, such as video materials, cases, research papers, latest articles and academic reviews. This degree requires mathematical and analytical skills. The MSc. in Finance is ideal for individuals active in these fields or who wish to develop a thorough understanding of the subject. They will provide active professionals with critical knowledge and tools and for their professional advancement. The recruitment potential of this degree is very large, as all companies require financial management and larger firms will recruit a growing number of corporate controllers.

The program is entirely flexible and thus its duration depends on your progress and on the time and effort you are prepared to dedicate. Students are free to start courses at any time, this is to honor and support the particular agendas of our students who are mainly working professionals in managerial positions. Nevertheless at the beginning of each course, together with your professor, you will construct a schedule for the completion of the course.

Program Objectives

The SMC online MBA program is intellectually challenging and has been designed by top academicians business leaders.
It strongly supports self-paced learning, and provides unparalleled flexibility.
Peer review is strongly promoted.
It forms a cornerstone of the program’s performance management and trains your feedback-,responsibility-, timing-, and teamwork skills.

Program Requirements

SMC Business School welcomes qualified applicants with no discrimination towards their gender, age, cultural, ethnic, religious and racial backgrounds. Distance learning candidates are admitted on a continuous basis.

Admission at SMC sets minimum criteria which have been designed to identify applicants who have sound academic potential and who show creativity, critical thinking, social and moral values, evidence of English language proficiency and strong motivation.

Up-to-date Curriculum Vitae
Official Transcripts from your most recent undergraduate and graduate universities. To initiate the application process, a scanned transcript must be uploaded with your online application. If the transcript is not in English it must be translated by a certified translation service.
Passport Copy (Scan)

Course Outline & Sequence

Business Core

Marketing Management

This module provides an overview of the way in which the macroeconomic environment affects the decisions of managers. To achieve this goal, students explore the economic thought of different schools and how do they explain the workings of markets and economic cycles. This module helps students to understand the present economic crisis and in the future to be able to forecast economic busts knowing what information one should pay attention to. We will also consider the role of the entrepreneur and the different ways a company can be structured.

Managerial Finance & Accounting

The course offers a broad overview of the principal areas of managerial finance and accounting. It aims to develop an understanding of how both disciplines impact and guide organizational life – setting plans, making decisions and measuring actual activities. The course focuses on three interlinked areas: how the capital investment decisions of firms are made, how firms monitor strategy implementation, and how the financial performance of firms and business units is assessed and evaluated.

Business Research

This course introduces the student to the practice of scientific research at the graduate level. It examines the research process, providing practical advice and insights. The course reviews important quantitative and qualitative research methods, with an emphasis on statistical methods. Topics covered include: hypothesis formulation and theory construction, data collection techniques, writing literature reviews and research proposals, research design, and ethical issues in research.

Managerial Economics

In this course students learn how to use economic principles as analytical tools for managers, enabling them to make more informed production and pricing decisions. Students also learn how different market structures affect business performance and strategy. Topics include: demand and forecasting, production and cost, pricing and output decisions, and market structures.

Human Resource Management

Students explore the interaction between strategy, ethics, staffing and leadership. Learners study HRM practices such as recruitment, development, training, compensation, integration of employees, within the context of multinational firms, as well as small and medium enterprises (SME’s). Special focus is placed on issues of diversity, equal opportunity, reward systems, and virtual teams.

International Business & Trade Manegement

In this course, students are confronted with the complexities of doing business on a global scale. Focus is placed on the effects and demands on business operations and strategy when engaging in international trade. The topic is explored from a multi-faceted perspective involving: economic, political, legal, monetary and ethical issues.

This course helps students develop a basic understanding of the essentials of management and the nature of complex organizations. The course provides an understanding of the essential concepts, theories and practices of management. Students explore the management process of planning, organizing, influencing and controlling, looking at each function in detail and with attention to current best practices and challenges. Other issues presented in this context are: decision making techniques, management in an international context, ethics and models of leadership.

Business Development Management

This course introduces students to the issues, strategies, and relationships involved in sales & business development activities. Students become acquainted with managing a sales force and helping them sell. Special emphasis is placed on developing a sales force program, managing strategic account relationships, team development, diversity in the work force, sales force automation, problem-solving skills and financial issues.

Thesis Stage

Capstone Project

All students will complete a capstone project. This requirement, synthesizes the student’s learning in a single project that demonstrates the student’s fulfillment of the program’s learning goals.

Capstone Project Expectations

A research-based paper between 50 and 75 pages;
An action project, accompanied by a substantial essay that sets
the project within intellectual and personal contexts; discusses
its design, process and outcomes; and reflects on the student’s learning;
A creative project, accompanied by a substantial essay that sets the
project within intellectual and personal contexts, discusses the
process and its outcomes, and reflects on the student’s learning;
An apt combination of these forms.

Students will be offered the possibility to participate at the regular face-to-face thesis defense dates of SMC in Europe/US or at a virtual thesis defense.

Specialization Stage

Financial Risk Management

The course is an application of the different methods of financial risk management such as value at risk, derivatives, hedging and financial engineering. Areas of study will include stocks, bonds, commodities and currencies.

Investment Analysis & Corporate Valuation

This course is a comprehensive base for investing in financial instruments. It describes the current investment practices and theories and provides the opportunity to apply finance theories to practical corporate financial problems. This course also focuses on determining the current value of a firm and the different methods of valuating it.

Financial Statement Analysis

The class examines the tools used for analyzing industries, accounting methods, financial performance, forecasting methods and valuations of the firm. We will also be paying special attention to nonrecurring items, restructurings, current and fixed assets, intangibles, pensions and contingencies.

Strategic Finance & Outsourcing

This course explores the complexity of making strategic choices based on financial instruments while balancing other perspectives. With an increase of outsourcing within a global economy, strategic finance examines the needs of multiple institutions including government, private, and non-government organizations/non-for-profit organizations (NGOs). The course will also investigate the financial errors of global organizations that made a poor choice in outsourcing based on financial analysis. The course incorporates financial issues of: make vs buy analysis, evaluating economic development incentives, and operations management in a global context.

Project Management, Planning & Execution

This course examines the organization, planning, and controlling of projects and provides practical knowledge on managing project scope, schedule and resources. Topics include project life cycle, work breakdown structure, network diagrams, scheduling techniques, and resource allocation decisions. Concepts are applied through a team project which will teach students how to successfully plan and execute projects.