Master of Science (MSc) in Finance

What is a master's in finance?

A master's in finance is a Bac+5-level degree that provides training in analysing, controlling and managing an organisation's financial flows, whether it is an industrial company, a bank or an investment fund. It is part of the full range of Excelia Business School's Master of Science (MSc) programmes. At Excelia Business School, this expertise is acquired within a Master of Science (MSc), a degree State-accredited by the Ministry of Higher Education, leading to the Grade de Master. It is also listed on the RNCP (France's National Register of Professional Certifications) at level 7, as detailed on the page our degrees listed on the RNCP.

Excelia Business School also holds a quadruple accreditation (EQUIS, AACSB, AMBA and EFMD Master): fewer than 1% of business schools worldwide obtain it.

The finance domain covers several complementary areas of expertise, from the verification of accounts to performance management, by way of risk management and market analysis. Are you still undecided between audit, banking, wealth management or corporate finance? Our MSc guidance quiz helps you identify, in just a few minutes, the programme most consistent with your project.

The finance careers accessible after an MSc

A finance MSc from Excelia Business School opens up four main families of careers, to be refined according to your project: audit and control, banking and client relations, wealth management, and corporate finance, in an international setting or with a sustainability approach.

The MSc in Audit, Advisory and Control provides training in financial audit: the verification and reliability of an organisation's accounts, with career prospects as an internal or external auditor, a consultant, or in chartered accountancy. The MSc in Management Control and Business Intelligence focuses on performance management and reporting, using business intelligence tools to inform executives' decision-making.

The MSc in Banking and Business Account Management provides training in corporate client relations careers, which support the financing and cash-flow needs of companies: corporate business account manager, risk analyst or bank branch manager. The MSc in Wealth Management is aimed at private individuals, to grow and protect their capital: wealth management adviser, wealth manager, private banker or insurance broker.

Finally, the Master of Science (MSc) in International Corporate Finance provides training in the financial flows of groups that operate on a global scale, with roles as international financial analyst, portfolio manager or mergers and acquisitions manager in investment banking, while the Master of Science (MSc) in Sustainable Finance directs investments towards environmental and social criteria, through ESG analysis, sustainable finance advisory or impact investing. Our article on the finance careers that are hiring details the skills most sought after by recruiters.

What you learn: analysis, control, data-driven management

Whatever career you are aiming for, a finance MSc at Excelia Business School is built on a common foundation: financial analysis, risk management, law and taxation, market regulation, and data-driven management. This last point is taking on an increasing role: financial reporting relies more and more on business intelligence tools, capable of cross-referencing volumes of data that manual analysis can no longer process on its own.

This data culture supports professional judgement: you learn to build a dashboard, interpret its variances and formulate a recommendation. The pathway concludes with an end-of-studies dissertation, in which you diagnose a real business issue and formulate concrete proposals: a key stage before your first professional assignments.

Choosing your finance MSc and applying

The programme takes 12 or 24 months depending on your entry level: a first year of the master's if you arrive after a Bac+3, or direct entry into the second year after a Bac+4. Selection is by application file (CV and professional information sheet), followed by a motivation interview.

Some of the finance MSc programmes are available through work-study at Excelia Business School, according to a rhythm specific to each programme. In every case, as soon as a professionalisation or apprenticeship contract is signed, all of the training fees are covered by the host company. Throughout the pathway, the Talent Centre supports you in building your project: one-to-one coaching, interview preparation, work on your applications.

Excelia Business School's finance MSc offering is spread across the La Rochelle, Tours, Orléans and Paris-Cachan campuses, with the campus and the language of instruction varying depending on the programme chosen. It is also accompanied by the international dimension of our programmes.

Which finance MSc should you choose depending on your project?

The choice depends above all on the career you are aiming for: audit and management control for the verification of accounts and performance management, banking and client relations for supporting companies, wealth management for advising individuals, or international and sustainable corporate finance for financial markets and responsible investment.

What is the difference between audit and management control?

Financial audit verifies the reliability of an organisation's accounts and leads to roles as an internal or external auditor, a consultant, or towards chartered accountancy. Management control focuses on performance management and reporting, relying on business intelligence tools to inform decision-making. The two careers complement each other: one verifies, the other steers.

Are the finance MSc programmes available on a work-study basis?

Some of Excelia Business School's finance MSc programmes are available on a work-study basis, according to a rhythm specific to each programme. In every case, as soon as a professionalisation or apprenticeship contract is signed, the host company covers all of the training fees.

What entry level do you need for a finance MSc?

The finance MSc is completed in 12 or 24 months depending on the entry level: a first year of the master's after a Bac+3, or direct entry into the second year after a Bac+4. Admission is by application file, followed by a motivation interview.

What careers are open after a finance MSc?

A finance MSc opens the way to careers in banking and corporate client relations, such as business account manager or risk analyst, to wealth management, such as wealth management adviser or private banker, or to international and sustainable corporate finance, such as international financial analyst or ESG analyst.