You may find yourself at a fork in the road in your search for better career opportunities: Should you do a master in finance?
If you have done enough research online about the various master in finance programmes available, you will notice that not all finance degrees are equal—that is, many crucial elements of the programme significantly vary from school to school. In this article, we will provide in-depth information on the INSEAD Executive Master in Finance (EMFin), a post-experience degree designed to meet the needs of ambitious finance professionals looking to advance their careers as leaders in the finance industry.
INSEAD Executive Master in Finance (EMFin) |
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| Format |
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| Learning Methods | Interactive and Practical: Case Studies, Simulations, Class Lectures and Group Work |
| Admissions Requirements |
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| Strategy & Leadership development |
Leadership Capstone: A distinctive concluding module that ties together all the topics covered in the programme and provides a management and leadership twist. Electives: A range of general management electives such as Bank Management, Negotiations, Management Decision Making and more. |
Programme Format and Learning Methodologies
Our Executive Master in Finance requires 12 weeks of on-campus face-to-face learning which is conducted across 18 months. Specifically, the curriculum is divided into six modules, each lasting two weeks. The programme also requires around 17 weeks of off-campus preparation or equivalent to 12 hours of work per week.
This format benefits you in two ways:
First, you’ll be exposed to different learning methods and opportunities to interact with experts and peers from varying finance backgrounds.
Apart from deepening your finance theory, you will be doing case studies and simulations. You will be attending classes led by top finance practitioners and professors. You will be bouncing off ideas with classmates who can offer new perspectives you wouldn’t have stumbled upon or considered in your day-to-day role. All these will guide you toward real-life applications of your financial knowledge.
Second, unlike other finance degrees requiring a full-time commitment, the modular format of INSEAD EMFin enables you to return to your office and apply what you’ve learnt immediately, thus maximising ROI and time away from the office.
Finance Topics Covered
Finance is at the heart of the academic content. Apart from core subjects in finance and accounting, the curriculum also delves into specialised topics across different areas such as banking, asset management, corporate finance and private equity. The programme offers a portfolio of electives that evolve with the changing priorities and needs of the financial industry. Ultimately, the focus of the EMFin is in encouraging participants to think outside the box by creating synergies across different disciplines.
The EMFin programme helped me understand the various frameworks of finance, connect the dots, apply theories to business contexts, and acquire advanced skills.
- Risk management professional and INSEAD EMFin Alumna Yuri Yoshioka
Beyond Finance
INSEAD’s Executive Master in Finance dedicates one module for electives, which takes place on INSEAD’s Europe campus in Fontainebleau over the summer. For some, this is an opportunity to dive into extremely specialised finance topics. For others, this is an opportunity to learn non-finance subjects such as strategy and marketing. (Of course, you can use this time to do both!) Whatever you choose to learn, electives can maximise career growth by diversifying your knowledge and refreshing your outlook.
Through this module, EMFin participants get to experience more deeply what it means to be in an institution as diverse as INSEAD and get an opportunity to expand their network beyond the EMFin class by attending the electives with INSEAD’s Global Executive MBA participants. Insights from classes are made even richer through the melding of finance and non-finance viewpoints.
Work Experience and Leadership
The INSEAD EMFin is designed for career acceleration. Programme participants typically have five to seven years of work experience in a finance-related role and are on track to become key players and leaders in their industry.
Professionals aiming to advance in their careers in a leadership role, or who are already in senior management roles in their company need more than financial expertise to become successful in their field. Throughout the programme, the concept of leadership comes to the fore and is further developed in a final capstone. In the Leadership Capstone module, you will learn management and leadership skills that are applicable to real business situations.
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Conclusion
A question to ask yourself when deciding whether or not to embark on an Executive Master in Finance programme is this:
Are you at that stage in your career where the Executive Master in Finance will benefit you?
Do you need to hone your investment and asset management skills? Do you need to develop expertise in other finance disciplines? Are you looking to enhance your leadership skills and advance in your career within the finance field?
With the INSEAD EMFin, you will strengthen your theoretical and practical knowledge in finance and get the leadership development that you need to fast-track your career.
