Master's Degree Programme
| About the programme Language: English (See language requirements) | Place of study: Aarhus | Commencement: August / September (no winter intake) |
The Master’s degree programme in finance is a comprehensive, research-based university education in finance with a strong focus on developing quantitative and analytical skills relevant to the financial industry. The programme introduces the students to state-of-the-art theoretical and empirical models of financial decision-making, asset and derivative pricing, financial institutions and intermediaries, and corporate finance.
Students will obtain a strong foundation in standard financial theory and learn how to apply both theoretical and empirical models to analyse financial assets such as stocks, bonds and derivatives, as well as real assets such as investment projects within the firm. The objective is to equip the students with the ability to demine the fair prices of financial and real assets using relevant asset pricing models, identify the risk premia required by investors for bearing risk and discuss their sources, and characterise how investors and financial institutions trade off risk and return when forming optimal portfolios.
Students are introduced to the different players in financial markets today and study their role in setting prices and allocating capital. Asset managers and intermediaries are central to the financial system. They provide liquidity to market participants, facilitate financial transactions and risk-sharing and help ensure an optimal capital allocation between financial institutions, firms and households. The students will learn about asset management in financial institutions and discuss the role, impact and importance of asset managers and intermediaries for the financial system.
Students will be trained in relevant econometric methods needed to carry out empirical studies and implement both theoretical and empirical models in finance using real-world financial data. Being able to handle and work with data is becoming an essential and highly valued skill, and the use of real-world data is thus a natural component of many courses on the programme and used in exercises, exams and written projects. The use of programming languages is widely adopted in the industry as well, and the use of programming languages is therefore integrated into courses and exams when relevant.
Upon graduation, students can take up positions in banks, investment companies, pension companies, regulatory bodies, consultancy firms, fintech and finance departments in non-financial companies.
The degree programme also provides an excellent basis for a subsequent PhD programme.
In this section you can learn more about the admission requirements relevant to the master's degree programme in Finance. Depending on your educational background and your qualifications, there are different ways to meet the admission requirements:
This section is relevant for you, if you have:
The two sections listed below are relevant only for students with a bachelor's degree from a Danish institution:
Below you will also be able to learn more about language requirements and find out whether or not this master's degree programme has a limited intake.
If you have an international educational background, you must meet both the general admission requirement and the specific admission requirements:
You must have a bachelor's degree or equivalent that is comparable to a Danish bachelor's degree in both level and duration (180 ECTS).
For more information about how your bachelor's degree is assessed, please see the national database.
If you meet the general admission requirement, the university will continue on to assess whether or not you meet the specific admission requirements.
You can be admitted to the master's programme if the university assesses that your education has a level, scope, and content that corresponds to the academic requirements specified below.
| Subject area | Number of ECTS |
Methods The following subject areas must be covered:
| 15 |
| Marketing | 7,5 |
| Finance | 7,5 |
| Accounting | 7,5 |
| Organisation and leadership theory | 7,5 |
| Microeconomics | 5 |
| Operations management | 5 |
| Additional ECTS points within the abovementioned areas | 25 |
| Bachelor’s project | 10 |
| Total | 90 |
| Applicants with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Commercial Law (HA (jur.)) with commencement of study September 2014 or later from Aarhus University must have passed a total of 10 ECTS within the business economics subjects below: |
|
Certain Professional Bachelor's degrees or similar covering specific subject areas from other Danish institutions have been determined to fullfill the admission requirements to this master's degree programme:
| Required subject areas – Professional Bachelor’s degree in Financial Management and Service from Business Academy Aarhus |
Industry specialisation in Accounting (“Programme specialisation subject A – external accounts” and “Study programme subject B – strategic accounting”) With the following electives:
|
Industry specialisation in Finansielle forretninger (this industry specialisation is only offered in Danish) With the following electives:
|
| Required subject areas - AP degree in Marketing Management in combination with a Professional Bachelor’s degree in International Sales and Marketing from Business Academy Aarhus | Number of ECTS |
| BSS module (including Methods 5 ECTS, Finance 5 ECTS, and Operations Management 5 ECTS) | 15 |
For applicants who hold one of the abovementioned professional bachelor's degrees from another business academy, it will be assessed whether the electives correspond to abovementioned electives.
For applicants who hold another professional bachelor's degree, the degree will be assessed according to the requirements described in the section “International and other qualifications”.
We cannot assess in advance whether your specific degree will meet the above requirements. Therefore, we recommend that you apply for the programme if you believe that you meet the academic requirements. In this regard, it is a good idea to compare your degree with the programmes that provide direct admission.
The following Bachelor's degree programme(s) from Aarhus University entitles you to an offer of admission to the Master's degree programme in Finance:
Bachelor's degree programme in Economics and Business Administration (HA)
Please note that you must apply for admission to the Master's degree programme within three years of completing your Bachelor's degree programme.
Learn more about Legal right of admission.
Certain Bachelor's degree programmes from Aarhus University and various other Danish Universities have been determined to meet the admission requirements to this Master's degree programme in Finance:
* With a diploma older than 2010, your Bachelor’s degree will be assessed according to the specific admission requirements described under the section: “International and other qualifications”.
You must fill in this appendix and upload it to the application portal. The appendix helps the Admission Board to assess your application.
Download appendix
This master's degree programme has a limited intake.
Because of the limited intake all qualified applicants will be prioritised according to a set of selection critieria (see below).
Meeting the admission requirements does not automatically ensure your offer of admission. Only if you have a specific bachelor's degree from Aarhus University with a so-called 'legal right of admission' will you be guarenteed an offer of admission to this master's degree programme.
If there are more qualified applicants than available student places, the selection will be based on the following criteria (each criterion counts for 1/3):
Grades from the qualifying degree
Grades achieved in relevant subject fields:
Finance
Methods
Please note that grades achieved after the application deadline are not included in the grade point average (GPA).
Relevant subject fields (measured in ECTS). In this assessment, ECTS credits that are a part of the admission requirements described under “International and other qualifications” are not included.
Finance
Methods
In order to be admitted to this programme you must meet the university's english language requirements.
Students with bachelor's degree from Aarhus University with a so-called 'Legal right of admission' are exempt from the English language requirement.
Unfortunately, Aarhus University is not able to assess your qualifications beforehand. In order for your qualifications to be assessed you must apply for admission. To learn more, please go to Assessment of your qualifications.
Below is an outline of the courses:
The study programme consists of two semesters in the first year which cover the compulsory courses in the programme specialisation and two semesters in the last year which are reserved for the student's own specialisation.
In the first semester you follow the prerequisite courses that form the methodological and academic basis for the further study programme.
In the second semester you follow the specialisation courses of the programme.
In the third semester you can choose elective courses within your areas of interest. The courses can either be taken at Aarhus BSS during the semester, at the Summer University or at one of our more than 300 partner universities abroad. You can also participate in project-based internship programmes either in Denmark or abroad.
The fourth semester is devoted to the final thesis. You may choose the topic of the thesis freely and so get a chance to concentrate on and specialise in a specific field of interest. The thesis may be written in collaboration with another student or it may be the result of your individual effort.
Contact Jonas Nygaard Eriksen (jeriksen@econ.au.dk) if you have questions about the track or the individual courses.
At Aarhus BSS, we conduct research at the highest academic level.
All researchers employed are engaged in research projects covering a wide range of different subjects and focusing on knowledge and skills considered essential for professional business activities in the global marketplace. All faculty have both research and teaching responsibilities, which means that our teaching is continually based on the latest research results.
Aarhus BSS is very internationally oriented. The broad scope of our research activities and educational programmes enable us to attract researchers, teachers, and students from all over the world, and this creates an international environment for research and learning in which academic views are exchanged, experiences are gathered and friendships are formed.
Aarhus University is a leading university in Denmark in building student exchange opportunities. The university encourages all students to spend time studying abroad. Every year, more than 700 students from Aarhus BSS go abroad to participate in exchange programmes around the world at our more than 300 partner universities. About the same number of students from all over the world come to participate in the exchange programme in Aarhus, and this contributes to a truly international learning atmosphere.
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The chart shows the five most common types of work for graduates 1-2 years after finishing their degree. The data is derived from a survey made by Epinion for the Ministry of Higher Education and Science and Aarhus University in 2020.
Students on the MSc in Finance graduate with a profile and analytical skills that are in high demand throughout the financial sector. Upon graduation, students can take up positions in banks, investment companies, pension companies, regulatory bodies, consultancy firms, fintech and finance departments in non-financial companies.
The degree programme also provides an excellent basis for a subsequent PhD programme.
The research-based MSc degree programme in Economics and Business Administration builds on the competencies and insights acquired in the BSc degree programme in Economics and Business Administration.
The study programme provides the graduate with specialist knowledge within the disciplines of the study programme that give the graduate high academic qualifications to develop solutions to issues pertaining to business administration in companies and organisations in the public and private sectors.
The degree programme also qualifies the graduate for further studies, including PhD studies.
Through the degree programme, the graduate has acquired knowledge that enables the graduate to
From Studies to the First Job
”Be proactive in your job search and be open to different alternatives.” (Msc in Finance)
“You should not expect huge tasks from the start but if you keep at it then the opportunities will come.” (Msc in Finance)
”Ask questions and update your knowledge constantly. Use your network.” (Msc in Finance)
We want to help our students find successful careers. Students can always contact our Career Services for advice and assistance with getting onto the Danish labour market. Check out our careers page to see the range of services we offer.
