Master of Science in Finance and Economics

Course Objectives and Structure

Finance and Economics is an exclusive master program aimed at providing an excellent academic background and a practical sense of today's financial markets and international economy.

The Master degree in Finance and Economics is a genuinely multidisciplinary program, offering a well-balanced set of courses in economics and finance supported by several quantitative courses.

Graduates of this master course will receive advanced training on quantitative methodologies and tools suitable to interpret and analyze the economic and financial phenomena and to operate directly on financial markets or in international economic institutions. The study program is designed to provide the students with solid background through the development of topics of economic theory, analysis of international financial markets and the theory of decision making under uncertainty. It includes study of financial markets from both the point of view of international law, history and economics.

The first year establishes the capabilities in statistics, mathematics and computational techniques necessary for the analysis of financial data and economic time series.

The second year of the master program is organized in two curricula. The first, Financial Economics, is dedicated to the training of economists capable of operating at international institutions or central government level in both the financial and economic sphere.

The second curriculum, named Quantitative Finance, is aimed at preparing financial specialists capable of operating in the areas of pricing of derivatives, portfolio management, risk management and control in the financial sector.

Entry Requirements

The successful candidate of the Master program in Finance and Economics should have adequate knowledge of mathematics, microeconomics, macroeconomics, econometrics, and statistics at an undergraduate level.

Applicants have to submit their curriculum vitae, the transcript of exams and academic career, a motivation letter. Candidates can optionally ask their advisors to provide a presentation letter.

Applicants satisfying the entry requirements will be asked for a telematic interview aimed at substantive verification of their background, their motivations and their fluency in English.

Career Prospects

The master course in Finance and Economics aims at forming the following professional profiles.

"Analyst and financial adviser": the professionals included in this category make suggestions for investment and give technical advice to managers on which they depend functionally; assist the management of financial investments through the economic and financial analysis of market data; propose predictive models of economics, financial times series and provide guidance for the calibration of theoretical models using market data. They operate in the office of financial management of banks, investment firms, investment funds, banks, financial intermediaries, research and financial statement purposes. They also work as private consultants.

"Operator of financial markets and financial intermediary": the figures included in this category act directly or on behalf of their company in the financial markets or as brokerage agents, also assist the company in the interaction with the regulatory authorities in the markets thanks to a thorough knowledge of the rules that govern them. They operate in the office of financial management of banks, investment firms, investment funds, banks, financial intermediaries, research and financial statement purposes.

"Manager or Director of the departments of finance, financial institutions or international economic institutions". The occupations included in this category exercise managerial functions of high responsibility in private and public companies with an international vocation, in finance, risk management, and credit.

Skills: baggage of theoretical knowledge of economic-legal type for the management of economic institutions and private companies or in banking and financial institutions operating in international contexts. They operate private or public companies in industry and services to businesses, banks, and similar institutions, and international and governmental institutions.

"Professionals in the management of programs and projects of international development": the occupations included in this category contribute to the formulation, management, monitoring, reporting of programs and projects of business development and market expansion within the international arena. They operate private or public companies of industry, trade, business services, banks and similar institutions, and international and governmental institutions.

Study Plan

Course study programme

The following are mandatory for all students:
First year courses

Second year courses

Choose your specialization path

At the end of the first year, students have to choose among one of the two curricula called Financial Economics and Quantitative Finance.

Curriculum: Financial Economics

Curriculum: Quantitative Finance

Other activities for the completion of study program

To complete the study program the students have to choose additional elective course(s) or Laboratories for a total amount of 9 ECTS.

Master thesis & Stage

For the preparation of the final Master thesis, the students will earn 21 ECTS which include a mandatory stage equivalent to 3 ECTS. The Master thesis might (and strongly suggested to) be related to the stage project.

The total number of credits at the end of the study program is 120 ECTS.