Master in Finance and Banking
Master in Finance & Banking
Foreword
The Master in Finance & Banking is the result of cooperation between Centro Internacional de Formación Financiera (CIFF), Santander Group –the first bank worldwide in terms of stock value - and Universidad de Alcalá. This programme offers participants a brand-new training initiative which combines the possibility of working for the number one bank in the Euro zone -Santander Group- with being immersed in a learning process that leads to a promising career. At the end of the Masters, participants will be in a position to respond to the demand from global firms for dedicated professionals with specialised financial knowledge.
Throughout the programme, participants will receive a solid theoretical basis in topics such as corporate finance, risk management and private banking. And on the practical level, they will be able to enhance their career opportunities through internship options within the Santander Group, BNP-Paribas and Madrid branches of other international banks and specialised firms.
Objectives
This programme pursues two main objectives: on one hand, to foster the participants’ analytical understanding of finance and banking subjects and, on the other hand, to enable participants to master decision-making in uncertain environments. As the programme advances, participants improve their management skills thanks to the strong interconnection between the topics dealt with in the programme, supported by business cases and tutorials guided by professionals in a multicultural setting.
Participants
The Masters course has been specifically designed for international young professionals with a high development potential and a strong profile in the financial and banking area. The participants’ performance and professional profile are monitored during the Masters, with the possibility of the students being recruited upon completion for an internship in one of the sponsor institutions. Our goal is to help the participant join the most reputable financial institutions via a fast-track process.
Candidates for admission must be high-achieving students, fluent in English, with a university degree and wanting to develop a career in a global firm. The required academic credentials are assessed in accordance with international standards.
Course Structure
The programme is divided into two academic terms, with a potential 6-month internship at the end of the second term, subject to the students passing the company’s selection process.
The curriculum consists of:
- Core courses
- Elective courses
- Tutorials
- Final course project
Introductory course
- Introduction to International Accounting
- Introduction to Macroeconomics
Mandatory Subjects
1st Trimester
Introductory Course
Fixed & Variable Securities
Derivates
Corporate Finance
Information Reporting
Financial Emerging Markets
2nd Trimester
Advanced Corporate Finance (including M&A)
Strategic Financial Management
Risk Management
Project Finance
Private Equity & Venture Capital
International Capital Markets
Corporate Governance & Business Ethics
3rd Trimester
Financial Marketing
Corporate Social Responsibility
Portfolio Management Theory
Trade & Investment in Banking
Leadership in the Banking sector
Elective subjects
Elective Subjects
- Corporate Law
- IT and operations in the financial sector
- Spanish bank and insurance system
- Microfinance
- Financial Software
Methodology
The methodology employed in the Master in Finance & Banking course focuses on enhancing the participants´ skills to analyse different types of business cases and, as a result, to make appropriate business decisions. Besides becoming familiar with financial software, the business case methodology (based on Harvard Business School and IESE Business School cases) is intensively used by the students. During the course, the skills they have acquired are tested by working on three projects which will be co-directed by CIFF and a financial institution tutor.
Duration and Schedule
The duration of the course is 10 months divided into 2 semesters. The programme begins on October 6th, 2008 and finishes on June 30th, 2009.
Sessions are generally held from Monday to Thursday, 9.30 am to 1.30 pm.
Degree
Participants that have succeeded in passing the exams, projects and tutorials graduate as Master in Finance & Banking from the Universidad de Alcalá.
Faculty Directorate
The Masters is chaired by Manuel Gala -PhD. in Economics, Full Professor of Economic Theory, President of CIFF and former Provost of the Universidad de Alcalá, 1982-2001. Tanguy Jacopin -PhD in Business Economics, Sorbonne University and Post-Doctorate, Columbia University and IESE Business School- is in charge of the academic co-ordination.
The Masters benefits from the cooperation and participation of international academics and professionals from leading financial institutions.
In-company internship
One of the notable and innovative strengths of this Masters course is the recruiting process by which participants are given the possibility to engage in a 6-month in-company internship after the second semester. Tailored selection processes for all students will be carried out by Santander Group and BNP-Paribas.
Furthermore, CIFF has a Dept. of Internship Programmes and Career Development, which manages the employment and internship opportunities and the candidatures of current and former students.
Grants and Student Aid
Santander Group and Universidad de Alcalá offer Grants and Student Aid to Spanish, European and Latin American candidates, as well as to candidates from countries recently incorporated into the European Union (or about to be incorporated).
Moreover, CIFF has signed various Agreements of Cooperation with different institutions in Latin America, Europe and U.S., which aim at facilitating the exchange of students, lecturers and researchers among institutions. For further information, you may view the complete list of Agreements of Cooperation of CIFF by clicking here.
Financial Assistance
Participants may take advantage of the very competitive loans offered by the Santander Bank in order to meet the course fees. The Master in Finance and Banking also offers financial aid based on academic and professional record.
Campus & Accommodation
Classes will be held at the CIFF training centre in Madrid, at Calle Conde de Serrallo, 4 (near Plaza de Castilla), in the centre of Madrid´s financial district.
Free accommodation at the University Residence in Alcalá de Henares is available during the Masters for participants coming from abroad.
The CIFF training centre in Madrid is easily reached by metro, bus, road and rail.
Curso presencial 
