Your path into the world of finance! With the Master in Finance at FHNW, you start your career in the dynamic world of finance. We will prepare you for the top jobs of tomorrow.
Factsheet
- Degree
- Master of Science FHNW in Finance
- Study mode
- Full-time, Part-time/work-study
- Learning mode
- Online, Onsite
- ECTS credits
- 90
- Next start
- 20.9.2027
- Duration
- 1.5 years / 3 semesters (Fast Track+) or 2.5 years / 5 semesters (Work & Study)
- Teaching language
- English
- Place
- Basel
- Stay abroad
- Possible
- Application fee
- CHF 200
- Semester fee
- CHF 750 for residents of Switzerland (for details see fees)
At a glance
- Profound know-how: Build a strong foundation for your finance career – our curriculum is scientifically profound and internationally recognised.
- Flexible to success: Choose your pace – complete the programme in 3 semesters (Fast Track+) or in 5 semesters (Work & Study).
- Your Network Booster: Benefit from strong partnerships with leading financial experts and companies such as VIAC, Tretor AG, Deloitte, Pax, BDO, and many more. Our network continues to grow steadily.
- Hands-on: Demonstrate your skills in lab modules and compete with the best in the CFA Institute Research Challenge.
- International Professional Certifications: We cover over 70% of relevant certifications in the finance sector. Profit from our partnerships with CAIA and CMA, as well as upcoming academic collaborations with the CFA Institute and GARP.
- The Financial Data Lab: Analyze financial data using cutting-edge tools and gain exclusive access to leading industry platforms such as Bloomberg and S&P Capital IQ.
- Financial Literacy Lab Dreispitz: acquire the didactic foundations of personal financial planning and turn them into workshops for adolescents and young adults
Why study this?
Why Finance? Because your skills are in demand and create real added value.
With this Master degree, you will secure your entry into the most exciting areas of the financial world. With your in-depth knowledge of corporate financial management and the financial markets, you will create real added value in practice. Our graduates are qualified to take on responsible specialist and management roles in national and international organisations and earn top salaries on the job market.
Financial management of companies and public administration
- Corporate Finance Specialist
- Treasury Manager
- Financial Controller
- Mergers & Acquisitions Analyst
Banks, insurance companies and other financial service providers
- Financial Planner and Advisor
- Portfolio Manager
- Risk Manager
- Investment Banking Analyst
Auditing and consulting firms
- Auditor
- Consultant in Financial Services
Supervisory authorities, central banks and non-profit organisations
- Financial Analyst at Regulatory Authorities
- Expert at cantons or international organisations
Financial Data Lab
Structure and programme contents
Students in the Master of Finance programme must earn a minimum of 90 ECTS, of which 60 must be earned through core modules and 30 through elective modules. The content covers four central areas of expertise.
What you will learn
- Financial Markets: Understand global financial markets, investments and institutions.
- Financial Management: Master corporate finance, valuation and accounting.
- Methods & Ethics: Apply quantitative analyses and act responsibly.
- Hands-on Skills: Applying models to real-world problems, use digital tools and take part in the CFA Institute Research Challenge.
Core Modules
Module Name | ECTS |
|---|---|
Investments | 6 |
Financial Markets and Institutions | 6 |
Financial Accounting | 6 |
Corporate Finance | 6 |
Applied Statistical Data Analysis | 6 |
Derivatives & Financial Risk Management | 6 |
Financial Analysis & Valuation | 6 |
Finance Ethics | 3 |
Fixed Income | 3 |
Equity Research Challenge | 9 |
Alternative Investments | 3 |
Elective Modules
Accounting, Audit & Corporate Finance | Language | ECTS |
|---|---|---|
Management Accounting | ENG | 3 |
Financial Performance Management | ENG | 3 |
Mergers and Acquisitions: Dealmakers | ENG | 3 |
Sustainable Reporting | ENG | 3 |
Audit-Lab | ENG | 3 |
AI in Financial Management | ENG | 3 |
Markets & Investments | Language | ECTS |
|---|---|---|
Applied Portfolio Management | ENG | 3 |
AI in Risk Management | ENG | 3 |
Exchanges and Market Infrastructure | ENG | 3 |
Sustainable Investing & Financing | ENG | 3 |
AI in Portfolio Management | ENG | 3 |
Digital Skills & Financial Literacy | Language | ECTS |
|---|---|---|
Python Fundamentals for Finance | ENG | 3 |
Fit 4 Financial Literacy | ENG | 3 |
Financial Literacy for Everyone | ENG | 3 |
Our modules are regularly updated to stay strictly aligned with evolving industry needs.
Additional Modules
A maximum of 12 ECTS of elective modules can be substituted by the following:
- Other master classes at FHNW, or Swiss universities. Prior approval by the programme head required.
- Internship with report (3 ECTS). At least 6 weeks full time. Prior approval by the programme head required.
- Passing the CFA Institute Level 1 (or Level 2, Level 3) exam (6 ECTS).
- Passing the GARP/FRM Part 1 (or Part 2) exam (6 ECTS).
- Passing the GAIA Level I (or Level II) exam (6 ECTS).
- Passing the CMA Part I (or Part II) exam (6 ECTS).
Students can replace elective modules with specific modules offered at the University of Basel. A list of recommended modules will be published here in the future.
Additional Information
All information about your personal curriculum and the study model of the Master in Finance can be found in the following document:
Your Study Model
Fast Track+
Full speed ahead to graduation in 3 semesters. You have 2.5 days of classes per week during the semester.
Work & Study
Flexible in 5 semesters alongside your job. You have 1.5 days of classes per week during the semester.
Industry Recognition
Accelerate your career with a curriculum designed in collaboration with top professional experts. Our programme covers a significant share of the relevant professional candidate body of knowledge, giving you a head start on industry designations. Furthermore, our partnerships allow us to offer fellowships to exceptional students every year.
CAIA Academic Partner
The partnership with CAIA aims to connect students with global alternative investment standards and networks, giving them a competitive edge in the financial industry.
CAIA provides scholarships for the CAIA professional exams for up to 8 students per academic year.
IMA Academic Partner
The IMA and the FHNW work together to actively promote and demonstrably improve higher education and professional development in the finance and accounting sectors.
IMA provides up to 10 students per academic year with a CMA Scholarship that includes two years of IMA Membership.
AI in the MSc Finance
Generative AI makes analysis, code and argument available at near-zero cost. That raises the value of the one thing it cannot supply: the ability to tell evidence from assertion. Our students work with AI tools from day one and are trained in evidence-based decision making so they can verify, challenge and take responsibility for every result — most visibly in the Equity Research Challenge, defended in person, under their own name.
Students can also take selected specialist modules from the MSc Business Information Systems and attend events at the FHNW School of Computer Science.
Secure your entry into the most exciting areas of the financial world.
"With this Master degree, you will secure your entry into the most exciting areas of the financial world. With your in-depth knowledge of corporate financial management and the financial markets, you will create real added value in practice."
International
For attractive positions in finance, there are common international standards that candidates must meet. That is why we have consistently aligned our programme with these standards in order to optimally prepare you for a career in a global financial world.
Go Global
- International accreditations: We prepare you for the CFA, GARP, and CAIA exams. Accreditations are in preparation.
- Worldwide competition: Show your talent at the CFA Institute Research Challenge, a global contest for students.
- Top contacts: Networks with top experts from the financial sector in Switzerland.
200 partner universities worldwide
Lecturers
Your lecturers are a mixture of internationally recognised researchers and experienced professionals from the field. This is proven by the high AACSB standard that our business school meets and ensures that you receive excellent methodological and practical training.
Learn from the best
- Gain insights into the latest concepts and developments from research.
- Learn from experts who work in the world of finance every day.
Requirements and admission
We look forward to receiving your application for the Master of Science in Finance.
Are you ready? This is what you need
- A Bachelor degree in business administration, economics or a related field.
- English language skills at B2 level.
- Work experience
If your Bachelor's degree is in a different subject, you may be able to start the programme after completing a sequence of bridge courses (Passerelle).
Close to completing your degree?
Submit your application today. Admission will be granted on a conditional basis until your official diploma is provided.
Organisational matters
Fees
Fee | Frequency | Amount |
|---|---|---|
Application fee | once | CHF 200 |
Personal tuition fee* | per semester | CHF 750 |
Diploma fee | once | CHF 300 |
* Full-time and flexible
* Students domiciled in a Swiss canton or the Principality of Liechtenstein with legal entitlement to a grant
* Expatriate Swiss citizens
* Students domiciled in a Swiss canton, who are holders of a residence permit that has not been issued specially for their studies
EU/EFTA citizens who do not meet the above mentioned criteria at the start of the programme: CHF 1,000.00 per semester.
Non EU/EFTA students who do not meet the above mentioned criteria at the start of the programme: CHF 7,500 per semester.
For more information on fees and regulations, please refer to the official document:
Fees and regulations (PDF in German, valid from academic year 2025/2026)
Dates and annual structure
The first intake will start in the autumn semester 2026
Autumn semester (from week 38)
- Duration: 14 weeks (from mid-September to end of December)
- Examinations: Early January to the beginning of February
Spring semester (from week 8)
- Duration: 15 weeks (mid-February to the beginning of June)
- Examinations: Mid-June to early July
Disadvantage compensation
Students with disabilities and chronic illnesses may apply for disadvantage compensation.
The aim of disadvantage compensation is to eliminate or reduce the disadvantages resulting from disabilities and chronic illnesses during studies with appropriate measures. The term describes the adaptation of the conditions under which learning and/or examinations take place, but not a modification of the learning objectives or a subject dispensation. Compensation for disadvantages can be applied both in the admission procedure and in the degree programme.
Mandatory notebook requirements
To study, you will need a laptop with an integrated camera and microphone. You must be able to download software. Further information can be found here: Mandatory Notebook Requirement for Students at the School of Business.
Projekt Neptun offers high quality laptops with a very good price/performance ratio, specifically tailored to the needs of university students.
Military service, civilian service, and civil defence
The FHNW will be happy to help you to coordinate your studies and conscription in the best possible way.
More information
Location
Basel is an international hotspot for business and finance, and a city rich in culture. This makes it the perfect place to study business in the heart of Europe. It is also home to two of Switzerland's three largest listed companies. You can travel quickly by train throughout Switzerland (to Zurich, Geneva or the Alps), as well as to destinations such as Frankfurt, Paris and Milan. The nearby airport offers connections to further abroad.
Your studies will take place at the brand new, cutting-edge Dreispitz Campus in Basel. With the help of renowned architects, we have consistently tailored the Dreispitz to the needs of our students.
Life at University
Discounts
Library
FH sport
Student organisations
Career Services
Advising and information events
Info-Events
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Contact
Prof. Dr. Ivan Köhle
- Phone
- +41 56 202 72 73 (Direct)
+41 56 202 77 44 (Central office) - ivan.koehle@fhnw.ch
