MSc Banking and Finance, Program in English

"In order to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing industry, it is necessary to have a firm grasp of technical, methodological, and social skills."
Dr. Ruben Seiberlich, Head of MSc in Banking and Finance
The Master's program in Banking and Finance can be completed as a part-time bilingual program (English/German) or as a full-time program delivered in English. For the part-time program in English/German, please click here.
Managerial roles in banks and financial institutions require a high degree of entrepreneurial thinking, leadership abilities, solid specialist knowledge, and analytical skills.
Our MSc Banking & Finance, Program in English, offers a full time option for those students who do not work part time and wish to enter the job market with a MSc degree as soon as one year after they finish the BSc.
The first 11 months, from September to July, require attendance on site. The assessments in the last semester can be done remotely, offering the possibility to enter the job market in any of the global financial hubs.
At a Glance
Title: Master of Science (MSc) in Banking and Finance
Workload: 90 ECTS-Credits (approx. 2 700 hours of work)
Study Format: Full-time (Bilingual part-time program)
Duration: 3 semesters full-time study with only 11 months of regular attendance
Start of New Program: Mid-September
Enrollment Deadline: 30 May 2021 - Enrollment
Location: Switzerland, Winterthur
Language of Instruction: English
Semester Fee: CHF 720.- semester fee, including flat rate exam fee; CHF 500 additional semester fee payable by students legally domiciled outside Switzerland; registration fee and enrollment fee: CHF 100 (fees are subject to change)
Accreditation: AACSB

“The Master’s program is an excellent mix of theory and practice and covers a wide range of banking and finance topics.”
Claudia Fisch, Head of Product Management Basis, Thurgauer Kantonalbank, Alumna of MSc in Banking and Finance
5 Reasons for MSc in Banking and Finance
AACSB Accreditation: Since 2015, the ZHAW School of Management and Law has been proud to be accredited by AACSB. You can benefit from this much sought-after seal of quality on the international job market. In addition, the SML has featured in the prestigious Financial Times rankings since 2020 – including the “European Business School Rankings”, which list the best European business schools.
International Orientation: Take advantage of a network of over 180 selected partner universities worldwide and gain valuable international experience by spending a semester abroad.
Top Instructors with Practical Experience: Learn from academically qualified lecturers with relevant professional experience and make use of their first-rate networks of international contacts.
Basis for International Finance Programs: Be efficient and study for an additional qualification such as Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) or Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) in combination with or subsequently to our program.
Close Proximity to Zurich - Financial and Business Hub: Enjoy the close proximity of the Winterthur campus to the financial and business hub of Zurich. Not only will you be able to combine part-time work and study, you will also have the opportunity to build an excellent network of professional contacts.
What You Will Learn
The program "MSc in Banking and Finance" provides both sound scientific knowledge and practically oriented management know-how at an international level. You will learn to analyze complex tasks, identify different options, and implement solutions effectively. You will deepen your knowledge of the market and its environment and of how to manage financial services providers. You will study risk management, traditional and alternative investments, controlling and business processes, as well as corporate finance.
Interested?
Attend one of our orientation events

“Our Master's program allows you to focus on your career goal: by choosing between two areas of specialization, 'Capital Markets and Data Science' and 'Digital Banking', and by engaging in corresponding application-oriented project work.”
Prof. Dr. Peter Schwendner, Head of Institute of Wealth & Asset Management
ZHAW Student Team at the Rotman European Trading Challenge 2018
Your Career Prospects
Digital Banking
- Analyst Innovation & Technology Transformation
- Business Analyst (e.g. in Digital Banking)
- Business Developer
- Business Strategist
- Business and Process Analyst
- Change Manager / Transformation Manager
- Development Manager
- Digital Consultant
- Fintech Entrepreneur
- Innovation Manager
- Management Consultant
- Process Expert
- Product Designer / Product Developer
- Product Owner
- Project Manager
- Relationship Manager
- Service Design Specialist
Capital Markets & Data Science
- Client Advisor
- Derivatives Structurer
- Due Diligence Analyst
- Equity/Fixed Income/Credit Portfolio Manager
- Equity/Fixed Income/Credit Trader
- ESG/Sustainability Analyst
- Investment Strategist
- M&A Advisor
- Manager Selection
- Performance Analyst
- Quant Analyst
- Quant Portfolio Manager
- Quant Strategies Product Developer
- Risk Manager
- Sales and Brokerage
- Sell-Side or Buy-Side Equity/Fixed Income/Credit Analyst
Program Structure and Admission
Practice and Research
The Program will take three semesters to complete and be worth 90 ECTS credits. This is the equivalent of approx. 2,700 hours of study. Nearly half of the program is devoted to applied research. You will complete your studies by completing a Master's thesis based on a practical research question. The first 11 months, from September to July, require attendance on site. The assessments in the last semester can be done remotely.

“The Master’s program prepares me perfectly for a career in the financial sector and gives me the opportunity to gain professional experience at the same time.”
Nicolai Donat, alumni, MSc in Banking and Finance
What You Need to Qualify
- You need to meet a number of criteria to qualify for this MSc program. The main requirement is a Bachelor's degree in Banking and Finance or an equivalent university qualification in Business Administration. The admission of individual applicants is based on their overall profile and will be approved on merit.
- If you have a university degree in another, related discipline, such as business law, economic journalism, economic engineering, or economics, you may be admitted subject to additional achievements to be completed.
In addition to these basic conditions, there are additional requirements to be met:
- Foundation knowledge of banking and finance, especially corporate finance, risk management, banking management, financial instruments and portfolio theory, as well as descriptive statistics, probability distributions, hypothesis testing and linear regression
- Ability to actively follow classroom instruction in English and use course materials in English.
Precourses Statistics and Finance
Precourse "Finance Preparation Course 2021 for MSc Banking and Finance" 02 August to 07 August 2021.
Precourse "Online Statistics Preparation Course 2021 for MSc Banking and Finance" from 09 to 14 August 2021.
Contact: precourse-statistics.iwa@zhaw.ch
Information for International Students
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Program-Specific Counselling
We will be happy to evaluate your suitability for admission and answer any questions you may have about our degree programs.
MSc Information Event
Attend one of our MSc information events. We are looking forward to meeting you.
Enrollment: MSc Program in Banking & Finance, Program in English
Register for our Master's degree program.
Program-Specific Counselling
MSc Information Event
Enrollment: MSc Program in Banking & Finance, Program in English
We will be happy to evaluate your suitability for admission and answer any questions you may have about our degree programs.
Attend one of our MSc information events. We are looking forward to meeting you.
Register for our Master's degree program.