Master in Finance
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NAVIGATE A DYNAMIC FINANCIAL LANDSCAPE WITH A UNIQUE PROFESSIONAL PROFILE
The Master in Finance gives you the expertise and insight into financial markets needed to influence economic decision-making and excel in today’s finance industry. This program delves into the latest trends in finance—including sustainability, technology and AI—to sharpen your competitive edge for the digital future.
- Practice with today’s most popular financial tools and gain real-world experience in our state-of-the-art Trading Room.
- Expand your expertise with a broad portfolio of skill-building electives and choose from certifications in Finance Technologies & Artificial Intelligence or Sustainable Finance.
- Focus and deepen your skills by choosing one of three unique specialization tracks: Investment Banking & Private Equity, Global Markets & Asset Management, or Real Estate Finance & Alternative Investments. Whichever you select, we’ll guide you to become an expert in your field.
- Benefit from IE Talent & Careers’ dedicated support throughout your academic journey. Our specialized Master in Finance team is ready to help you make connections and secure the career opportunities you’re striving for.
WE’LL GUIDE YOU ON YOUR JOURNEY
Finance can be a challenging and competitive environment, and you must ensure you are equipped with the necessary theoretical knowledge and technical skills to succeed. The Master in Finance will give you a holistic overview to guide you in the fast-paced and ever-changing world of finance.
We will be your trusted companion throughout this process and will collaborate with you to understand your unique identity and design your career roadmap. Our Talent & Careers team will serve as active participants in your journey, offering their knowledge of the current demands of the fast-paced market. Meanwhile, our experienced faculty will share valuable insight gained from working with the industry’s top players, helping you develop practical skills in a real-world environment.
The combined expertise of our faculty and staff at IE University will support you throughout your personalized academic journey.
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Overview
TWO INTAKES FOR MAXIMUM FLEXIBILITY
TWO INTAKES FOR MAXIMUM FLEXIBILITY
The Master in Finance offers two intakes, designed to maximize your selected track and elective courses. The opportunity to choose your intake grants you even more flexibility.
- The Fall intake, is a 10-month program that kicks off in September and is ideal for candidates ready to pursue a finance master’s degree directly after their undergraduate studies.
- The Spring intake begins in April and it is more likely to have experienced students during this intake. This intake will give you the space and time to prepare your application and arrive feeling equipped for your journey. The longer, 15-month April intake will have the Investment Banking & Private Equity and Real Estate & Alternative Investments courses integrated within the Core Period. Therefore, April intake students will have the option to choose the Global Markets & Assset Management track in the third term.
- Both intakes allow for a Dual Degree Option with either the Master in Management, the International MBA or the Master in Business Analytics and Data Science.
WHO IS THE MASTER IN FINANCE RIGHT FOR?
- IT'S FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO...
…are top-performing students with a love for numbers and a passion for finance, who thrive when presented with a challenge. They are analytical thinkers, ambitious leaders, who stay up-to-date with the latest financial news, cutting-edge trends and are determined to make a name for themselves in the industry, create a difference in their community and achieve prosperity for society.
- ARE LOOKING TO...
… propel their finance career to the top and make a meaningful impact by accessing unique opportunities. Motivated to build a network of finance professionals from around the globe and acknowledge that having access to a leading careers department is key to achieving professional goals.They strive for roles such as: Investment Banking Advisor, M&A Analyst, Corporate Finance Analyst, Equity Trader, Consultant, Real Estate Asset Manager and more.
GET TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THIS PROGRAM
Barbara Huerta, the Academic Director of the Master in Finance program, provides a comprehensive overview of the curriculum and unique features offered.
What will your future classmates look like?
- Academic Background (%)Business,EngineeringOthersEconomics & FinanceScienceLegal
- Geographic distribution (%)EuropeSpainAsia PacificAfrica & Middle EastLatin AmericaNorth America
- International Students (%)International studentsSpanish students
- 2AVERAGE YEARS OF PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
- 24average age in the classroom
- 28nationalities in class
Master in Finance Rankings IE
Get to know more about IE Business School’s placement in international rankings.
- 6BEST BUSINESS SCHOOLS LISTWorldwideFORBES
- 10BUSINESS SCHOOLSIn EuropeFinancial Times
- 12Master in Finance pre-experiencein the worldFinancial Times
Program Structure
PROGRAM OVERVIEW OF THE MASTER IN FINANCE
Core period, tracks, electives, certifications—what’s the difference? Here’s a primer to help you make the most of your time in the Master in Finance.
- START MODULE2 weeks
- CORE PERIODTerm 1 + Term 2
- SPECIALIZATION PERIODTerm 3
- FINAL EXAM
- 2 WEEKS
- CORE PERIOD FOUNDATIONS
- TERM 1
- Term 2
- INTERNATIONAL TRIPS
- TERM 3
- Tracks
- CERTIFICATES
- ELECTIVES
- EXCHANGES
- START MODULE2 weeks
- CORE PERIODTerm 1 + Term 2
- SPECIALIZATION PERIODTerm 3
- FINAL EXAM
Save the Date
Save the Date
Open House at Madrid: Don't miss the opportunity to engage with top faculty & connect with a powerful alumni network
PROGRAM STRUCTURE WALK-THROUGH
core period
SPECIALIZATION PERIOD
Final exam
SHORT EXCHANGES
MASTER IN FINANCE OPTIONAL TRIPS
LONDON
The optional trip to the heart of London’s financial district gives students the chance to discover how internationally renowned financial companies are run. This will be done through visits to institutional investment management organizations, brokerage firms, professional financial advisory companies and firms in other areas.
NEW YORK
New York is undoubtedly a highlight of IE Business School’s Masters in Finance programs. Immersed in one of the world’s top financial centers, students have the opportunity to visit leading companies and take a tour of the New York Stock Exchange.
GHANA
Participate in a microfinance project based in Ghana and experience the powerful impact of social entrepreneurship. This enriching opportunity will help build your professional profile while displaying your passion for improving the world around you.
University private degree
This is a University Private Degree from IE University*, and taught in IE Business School. More information on what earning a University Private Degree from IE University entails.
*IE University is a University officially recognized by the Spanish education authorities, allowed to grant both Official University Degrees (Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Ph.D. degrees), which are specifically regulated and accredited by Spanish Ministry of Education and University Private Degrees (Master), which are specifically designed by the University towards the professional application of their studies and the constant update of higher education, preserving the educational standards of excellence of IE University. Both types of degrees are equally backed by the rigor and prestige of IE University.
Empowered women in finance
Alumni and current students from IE University discuss what it's like to be a woman in finance, how the sector is moving toward gender diversity, and how IE Talent & Careers team helped them launch their careers.
YOUR OPPORTUNITIES IN THE WORLD OF WORK
Discover where the Master in Finance can take you. Gain exclusive insights and explore the career paths our alumni are taking to help you plan your next step.
ACADEMIC PARTNERS
As your success is our focus, we have developed three exciting modules to propel you toward the next step of your career development:
Partnership with CFA and CAIA
The Master in Finance is a comprehensive program that will prepare you to become a game-changing financial practitioner in today’s high-octane environment. By partnering with the world-recognized organizations CFA and CAIA, we are able to provide students with several benefits throughout their journey. We accept exams as valid entrance tests, allowing you to build on the knowledge gained in an entirely new finance program. On the other hand, any students or members of the association who wish to take their exams during the Master in Finance will benefit from scholarship opportunities. And, to ensure a maximum chance of success, we offer specific exam-preparation electives.
CFA INSTITUTE
The CFA exams are the most renowned qualifications for finance professionals worldwide. To achieve CFA partnership status, the CFA conducts in-depth auditing of the program’s finance contents, as well as of the teaching faculty. IE Business School’s finance programs enjoy this status, thereby ensuring our Master in Finance a place among the world’s most prestigious educational programs—and a leading position in terms of ethical and professional standards. This not only further increases IE Business School’s prestige within the financial world, but also adds value to your career.
CAIA ASSOCIATION
This academic partnership constitutes a major step in their efforts to promote the common core mission of contributing to the education of investment professionals in the area of alternative investments. IE Business School is the first business school in the world to offer CAIA members—and candidates that passed Level I—scholarships to study a Finance program at our school. Eligible candidates that receive admission will be able to benefit from a scholarship. Additionally, top students of our Master in Finance will receive a full scholarship to sit for the CAIA exams. As part of the scholarship, our students will benefit from special enrollment conditions, affecting the enrollment fee as well as the standard examination fees.
Partnership with other business schools
At IE Business School, we embrace collaboration as an opportunity to unite innovative minds and explore new, eye-opening perspectives. For this reason, Master in Finance students have the option of joining other outstanding institutions to gain the most holistic educational experience possible.
LONDON BUSINESS SCHOOL
Thanks to a new partnership agreement, our Master in Finance students can apply to take an elective module at London Business School and experience a week in one of the world’s most important financial hubs. Students at IE Business School and London Business School will have the opportunity to study, work and liaise at each other’s campuses during the elective stage. This will allow them to participate in academic sessions, expand their international networks in the financial field, visit companies and meet with recruiters to boost their professional careers.
HKUST BUSINESS SCHOOL
The exchange program between IE Business School and Hong Kong University of Science & Technology - HKUST Business School is an exciting opportunity for students to broaden their personal and professional horizons. Students can immerse themselves in the rich culture and dynamic business environment of Hong Kong, where they will remain for the entirety of their elective period, engaging in academic sessions, workshops and meetings with leading industry practitioners. In this way, students can network with local recruiters and build international connections that will continue to serve them long after they return to IE Business School.
Company project collaboration with top financial institutions
To ensure continuous progress, academic institutions must constantly innovate alongside successful companies. At IE Business School, we accomplish this through a process we call the Company Project Collaboration.
As part of your final exam, you will have the opportunity to undertake a corporate project that consists of the valuation of a listed company. Previously, students have worked closely with top financial institutions like Deutsche Bank’s Corporate Finance division, Deutsche Bank, Equita, ALANTRA, JLL, Pictet, Arcano, Nomura and Taconic to carry out corporate valuation projects. Participating firms typically choose one company to be valued by the team, while providing assistance throughout the process.
Company Project Collaboration creates a highly employable cohort as students have the opportunity to work on real-life projects and gain real-life experience.
OUR FACULTY ARE HERE TO GUIDE YOU
DISCOVER OUR FACULTY
In the Master in Finance, our faculty’s commitment to you goes far beyond teaching. Their mission is to help you understand the person you are now and guide you on the path to becoming the leader you want to be in the finance sector.
From working with you to reveal your strengths and identify your career goals to helping you refine how to make the impact your sense of purpose demands—or even discovering what that purpose is—they’re on hand to challenge you to think about yourself in new ways, learn the skills you need for your financial career and become the next best you. Drawn from all over the globe, our faculty brings expertise from a vast range of industries, roles and functions, meaning they’re equipped with the real-world experience to help you succeed.
LIVING YOUR MASTER IN FINANCE
EXPERIENCE OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM
Personal and professional transformation go hand-in-hand on the journey to the next best you. Studying in the heart of Madrid, you’ll find yourself surrounded by opportunities for both. Spain’s capital combines the dynamism of a global city with the inspiration of a cultural hotspot. Famed for its student-friendly environment, Madrid’s bustling daytimes, vibrant nightlife and thriving alternative scene make it the ideal city in which to immerse yourself. Spain is rapidly becoming an important financial hub, as well as an excellent location to build connections with like-minded thinkers and launch your impactful career.
GET INVOLVED
Transformation begins with discovery. Embrace your passions and unearth new ones by making the most of each and every experience. Choose from more than 120 clubs, which could include picking up a new sport, collaborating with other women in business or innovating with AI and robotics. Our vibrant campus life keeps you in the loop, enhances your well-being and empowers your personal development.
NURTURING YOUR ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT
The path to discovering your purpose and guiding your career with an entrepreneurial mindset is about gaining the skills and abilities you need to succeed. As an immersive, well-rounded program, the Master in Finance offers you access to a global network of successful entrepreneurs, investors, mentors and versatile leaders who provide their expertise to help you turn your ideas into a reality. To accomplish this, we provide a home to business at every stage of development, including in-house startup incubators and entrepreneurship and innovation centers designed to expose our students to the full breadth of academic and professional experiences.
THE NEXT BEST YOU
At IE Business School, education is more than just a degree. It is a transformative experience that shapes your personal and professional identity. We understand that every individual is unique, with their own strengths, ambitions and areas for growth, and the Master in Finance is designed to help you find your purpose and discover how you can make an impact. This journey will push you to your limits, but that is exactly what is needed to bring out the best in you. Are you ready to reveal the next best version of yourself? Join us and we will help you find your purpose, how your career can give you a sense of meaning and how you can make a difference.
YOUR CAREER
When choosing something as important as a career, there are so many options and so much information. From investment banking to consulting, asset management to global markets, we provide the resources and contacts you need to make informed decisions about the career path that’s right for you. At IE University you’ll have direct access to top companies through various recruitment events organized by IE Talent & Careers, as well as personalized career guidance from experienced advisors with experience in your field. Using the insight gleaned from our connections to the business community and analysis of the labor market, we help you curate your future-proof career path and sharpen the set of skills that recruiters are after. Find what’s best for you and pursue it.
YOUR IMPACT
What does it take to change the world? Your impact depends on your ideas, behavior and digital skills. No matter the context, top companies, startups and social enterprises strive to find people who can make big things happen, professionals who can harness available resources to forge solutions to real-world challenges. From creative thinking to alliance building and data-driven decision-making, this program will give you what you need to become a high-impact business professional. What’s more, we create events such as the Investment Banking Day and Asset and Wealth Management Day put you in contact with leading companies like Morgan Stanley, Deutsche Bank, Rothschilds & Co., Goldman Sachs, Blackrock and more through our recruitment and networking events.
YOUR PURPOSE
On massive societal challenges ranging from climate change to financial inclusion, there’s no question that the business community will play a pivotal role. What that role will look like depends on you, on the individuals driving forward companies and sectors. The first step in discovering your purpose and your niche is to know yourself, which is why we give you the resources to explore your passions and interests. At IE University, we’re passionate about guiding you to find your deeper purpose, align it with your career and make the world a genuinely better place. It’s not a platitude; it’s our commitment.
DISCOVER MORE ABOUT OUR ACCELERATORS
The Accelerators are an integral part of the Master in Finance at IE Business School, guiding you through a transformative journey of self-discovery and growth. They provide essential knowledge, competencies, and skills in a focused and comprehensive way.
MAKE IT A DUAL DEGREE - DOUBLE YOUR IMPACT
Pursue two disciplines while gaining insight from different perspectives and ways of thinking. You'll cover the contents of two master's programs—and graduate with two diplomas—ensuring in-depth expertise that maximizes your value in the job market.
DUAL DEGREES WITH THE MASTER IN FINANCE
Success in today’s ever-changing world relies on your ability to be dynamic and versatile. IE Business School has combined its two greatest strengths—management and finance—to create two dual degree programs designed for tomorrow’s business leaders.
Complete the highly comprehensive program in under two years.
Polish your financial knowledge without neglecting your directorial abilities – and reach new career heights.
Enjoy the endless benefits of a flexible program tailored to your needs.
Live and breathe the latest trends in the business and financial world.
Learn from world-renowned professors and business leaders.
Discover related programs to the Master in Finance
DISCOVER OUR BLOG!
Are you ready to learn what it means to be part of IE University? Discover our student life, explore the career paths ahead and find out all you need to know about your program from those who know it best.
Uncover the IE experience.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Who is the Master in Finance for?
The Master in Finance is a one-year, full-time program taught in Madrid. Highly specialized, it is geared towards analytical thinkers, visionaries and ambitious future executives who are passionate about numbers and want to make a meaningful impact in the world of finance.
Can you personalize your Master in Finance?
This program offers four unique specializations: Investment Banking & Private Equity; Global Markets & Asset Management; Real Estate Finance & Alternative Investments; and Financial Analytics & Digital Finance. There are also several elective modules covering areas such as private equity, fintech and digital finance, derivatives and hedge funds, among others.
Do I need previous experience to study the Master in Finance?
A background in finance is helpful, but not essential. Students of the program come from a range of academic and professional backgrounds, including engineering and business. What we’re looking for is a real passion for finance; somebody who’s up-to-date with the latest developments in the financial sphere and enjoys working with numbers.
What is the difference between the Master in Finance and the Master in Applied Economics?
The Master in Finance is a firsthand examination of the modern realities of the financial markets, covering the latest developments in corporate finance, global assets, private equity and alternative investments. On the other hand, the Master in Applied Economics is more focused on the practical application of economics in monetary and fiscal policy, and how the discipline can solve key economic challenges for states and businesses.
How do the Spring and September intakes differ?
The Spring intake is slightly longer, with the Master in Finance lasting 15 months. This means you have more time to prepare for recruitment season, which tends to start in September. There are also more courses to explore in April, with Investment Banking, Private Equity and Real Estate included in the core period. Moreover, it will generally give you more breaks over the year.
What does the Master in Finance involve?
The Master in Finance is a one-year program that takes place in the heart of Madrid. You can enhance your learning with optional trips to various international destinations, including Ghana, Frankfurt, London and New York. With intakes in April and September, this full-time, in-person program is delivered entirely in English.
What will I learn in the Master in Finance?
Students of the Master in Finance study a mix of core courses, program add-ons, electives and four distinct specialization tracks: Investment Banking & Private Equity; Global Markets & Asset Management; Real Estate Finance & Alternative Investments; and Financial Analytics & Digital Finance.
The final project is as flexible as the program, allowing you to showcase your expertise through an academic research project, a collaborative project with a real company, a case study, a valuation report, a CFA research challenge, a portfolio management practicum, or a microfinance project in Ghana.
Can I take a semester to study abroad during the Master in Finance?
IE Business School has ongoing collaborations with leading business schools around the world. These include London Business School and Frankfurt School of Finance and Management.
Through these partnerships, you can spend an extended period in an institution of your choice to learn, take part in company visits and network with local recruiters to help boost your profile and international network.