Finance & Accounting, Master of Science

Admission requirements

• completed university studies (FH or university) and
• current employment and
• prior knowledge of economics (to be proven by a completed degree, professional experience, or successful completion of a bridging course at the FOM)
• Additionally for foreign applicants: proof of sufficient German language skills (e.g. through the Goethe-Institut)

Details

German-language Degree Programme Management (Accounting & Finance)
Degree: Master of Arts (M.A.)

Career starters and professionals aiming for a leadership or consultancy position in finance and accounting update their existing expertise and expand it to include international components. Furthermore, they develop social skills and learn to understand finance and accounting holistically and manage it strategically.

Profound changes in international accounting standards and capital markets – such as increasing derivatives and securitisation – raise the demands placed on specialists and executives. The course conveys, among other things, techniques for a structured approach to complex planning, control and management systems and enables taking responsibility for financial tasks within highly dynamic systems.

Challenging areas of activity can be found in the management of international accounting and finance, portfolio and risk management, development of new products in the financial and insurance sectors, and wealth consultancy.


COURSE CONTENT AND STRUCTURE:

The Master of Arts in Accounting & Finance at the Graduate School consists of a total of 17 modules. In the first three semesters, five of these modules are scheduled each, with the fourth semester dedicated to writing the Master Thesis accompanied by a project seminar.

Semester 1: The first semester serves to deepen existing expertise in internal accounting as well as external and international financial reporting. In particular, areas where accounting under HGB significantly differs from the IFRS framework, such as contract manufacturing or leasing, are dealt with in detail. Based on this basic module, in the second and third semesters modules on consolidated financial statements as well as international accounting,
accounting policies and analysis build. In addition, areas of Corporate Finance I (including financial and capital markets as well as financial policy) are explored in depth in the first semester.

Semester 2: In the second semester, the more comprehensive module Corporate Finance II is scheduled: Here students intensify their knowledge of national and international financing options, such as private equity and IPOs. At the same time, they update their expertise on modern corporate and investment valuation methods and thus acquire the holistic knowledge necessary for value-oriented
finance/shareholder value management.

Semester 3: In the third semester, asset and portfolio management for the efficient structuring of the asset side is examined in detail. Additionally, competencies in derivatives management are imparted. To be able to apply financial engineering in practice comprehensively, overarching interrelations of national and international corporate financing and
their risk hedging instruments are elaborated. A module on corporate taxation rounds off the teaching content: Knowledge of all aspects of taxation systems from partnerships to corporations allows competent handling of tax-related issues within a management position in the company.

Semester 4: Master Thesis and corresponding project seminar