Program Overview

Programme Overview

The MBA in Finance programme provides students with the knowledge and skills needed to become future-ready financial leaders with strong strategic, analytical, and leadership capabilities. The programme allows students to master core areas of finance, understand the latest industry developments, and apply strategic and analytical skills in a global business context.

Programme Structure

The programme is structured across 6 blocks. To graduate, students must complete all core curriculum courses and choose at least 4 finance electives and at least 2 business electives.

Core Curriculum

The core curriculum includes the following courses:

• Strategic Performance Management: Take your business performance to new heights by learning to set goals, measure progress, and optimise organisational outcomes.
• Advanced Corporate Finance & Valuation: Get introduced to fundamental concepts in finance and build a strong framework applying the most commonly used tools in valuation and capital budgeting.
• Financial Econometrics: Enhance your skills in econometric analysis of macroeconomic and financial data, emphasising regression theory and time series analysis.
• Investments and Algorithmic Trading: Understand core financial concepts and theories related to different types of investments, and learn to apply them to practical problems faced by financial practitioners.
• Financial Analysis and Valuation: Learn to apply conceptual aspects of financial accounting and reporting to the financial statements of real-world organisations.
• Advanced Asset Management: This interactive course bridges the gap between the ‘Investment’ course and the real-world investment industry through guest speakers, research discussions, and student debates.
• Actualysis: Integrate multiple disciplines into 1 cohesive analysis of a situation based on actual events.
• Business Negotiations: Unlock the art of persuasive communication and negotiation mastery.
• Amsterdam Leadership Programme: Develop your personal and professional leadership skills through lectures, workshops, and intervision sessions.
• Change Management: Embrace change and lead transformation by gaining the skills to navigate organisational transitions, inspire teams, and drive innovation.
• Ethics, Responsibility & Sustainability: Embrace the power of ethical leadership and sustainable business practices.
• Entrepreneurship & Innovation: This course is currently under development.
• Finance Research Workshop: Prepare for writing the master thesis by gaining insights into, experiences with, and improvements of skills in applied scientific research in the field of finance.
• Master Thesis: Apply acquired knowledge to real-world business challenges by developing consulting skills in a self-selected company environment.

Finance Electives

Students need to choose at least 4 finance electives from the following courses:

• Applied blockchain
• Data Analytics and Quantitative Trading
• Fintech: Blockchain, cryptocurrencies, smart contracts
• Machine Learning & AI in Finance
• M&A and restructuring
• Financial Derivatives
• Fintech Ventures
• Risk Management
• Sustainable Finance & Impact Investing

Business Electives

Students need to choose at least 2 business electives from the following courses:

• International Consulting Trip
• International Startup trip
• International study trip
• Corporate Venturing
• Executive Process
• Marketing and Sales in the digital age

Amsterdam Leadership Programme

The Amsterdam Leadership Programme is a personal coaching programme that helps students develop their personal and professional leadership skills through lectures, workshops, and intervision sessions. The focus is on exploring leadership styles, strengths, and development areas.

Balanced Mix of Theory and Practice

The programme combines strong academic expertise with extensive experience in the financial sector. Students learn from international classmates who bring a wide range of professional backgrounds to the classroom. The programme challenges students to think critically in theoretical discussions and immediately apply new knowledge to real-life business cases and within their own organisation.

Learn by Doing

Hands-on learning is central to the programme. Students develop a business plan, explore asset management theory with industry experts, and solve real-life business cases. The programme provides students with the skills and mindset needed to become leaders in finance.