Finance
Programme
MSc Financial Markets & Investments
Practical information
Type of programme
Full time
Duration
1 or 2 years
Tuition fees
€27,000 for the 1-year MSc / €46,000 for the 2-year MSc
Location
Paris (France), Raleigh (USA), Sophia Antipolis (France)
Language
English
Start date(s)
September, August
Admission level
High school + 3 years of study, Bachelor degree
Degree
Master degree
Programme overview
The MSc in Financial Markets & Investments is a market-driven finance programme that closely reflects the constantly changing world of international finance. The teaching and curriculum use a practical approach.
Students are educated in a custom-made academic environment that facilitates success across a wide variety of market finance jobs. The MSc gives students practical expertise for key areas of finance in the new post-crisis environment.
Students learn the latest methods in trading, risk management, ethics and compliance, sales, private and investment banking as well as sustainable finance. The programme is market-oriented and practical where students are trained to make an immediate impact in their first job. The availability of Bloomberg terminals with live quotes and up-to-date financial information further prepares students to have a better understanding of the markets ahead of their transition to industry.
The programme is built on four pillars: macro and micro-economics, financial asset knowledge, quantitative tools and financial markets advanced methods.
2024: In the Financial Times’ worldwide Top 3
The QS 2024 ranking placed this MSc 28th worldwide and 21th among the European schools represented.
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Regarding the increasing complexity of market finance, we offer common fundamentals and five different specialisations spread over the three campuses:
- Trading, Structuring & Portfolio Management-related courses in Sophia Antipolis
- Asset Management track and Investment Banking track in Paris
- Financial Analysis track and the CFA® preparation track in Raleigh (+ OPT visa to insert in US/Wall Street)
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The classes are built on a diversity of student backgrounds and professional experiences. Highly international classes reflect the reality of working in today’s global business environment. The teaching is provided by a subtle mix of prestigious practitioners and our international faculty members who have both strong academic and professional experience.
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- Highly international classes allow students to build fruitful inter-cultural relationships.
- Classes are taught by professors who have solid academic backgrounds and professional experience in industry.
- Teaching emphasises a hands-on, problem-solving approach that allows graduates to work productively from their first day of work.
- The programme is developed constantly to ensure its relevance to job requirements in a shifting market. Classes are also complemented by talks given by full time, high-calibre practitioners and finance tracks.
- Strong links with alumni who have reached top positions around the world.
- Throughout the year, students develop professional contacts, get access to information from a variety of sources, and learn from each other. The highly international make-up of classes makes it very easy to create a global network of friends and colleagues.
- Use of the Bloomberg terminals and simulation games delivers reality-based training
The programme in videos
Courses and campuses
On the Paris campus, the MSc Financial Markets has an Asset Management track and an Investment Banking track
The MSc Financial Markets & Investments tracks on the Paris campus bring students together from all over the world with diverse backgrounds. The tracks shift from being academic in the first semester to a more hands-on approach featuring experienced professionals in the second term.
Course calendar
Spring intake is only available for the first year of the Two-year MSc. This allows students to acquire professional experience for eight to nine months.
Find out more about the first year of the Two-year MSc programme.
Recommended reading
The best way to prepare is to start class books (which will be required reading over the first semester, with some preliminary self-study - see above) or to read the Financial Times / Wall Street Journal, etc. every day.
Of course many other books, including in particular those suggested by Amaury Goguel, the Raleigh MSc Financial Markets & Investments director, are excellent readings. You will receive, upon selection and registration, additional details. Some courses to level up are included in the programme and take place at the beginning of the year, just after intake.
Courses by semester
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CORE COURSES
- Financial Markets Microstructure - Preschooling
- Bloomberg Data Analysis - Preschooling
- Excel Modelling Fondation - Preschooling
- VBA Fondation - Preschooling
- Global Asset Allocation, 2 credits
- Business Analysis & Valorisation (in IFRS), 1 credit
- Firm Valuation Project, 2 credits
- Market Technologies & Python Programming, 2 credits
- Derivative Instruments, 2 credits
- Cryptoassets & Blockchain, 1 credit
- Fixed Income, 2 credits
- Portfolio Management, 2 credits
- Financial Econometrics I (with R programming), 1 credit
- Financial Econometrics II (with R programming), 1 credit
- VBA Quant Modelling I, 2 credits
- VBA Projects, 1 credit
ELECTIVES - CHOOSE ONE
- Derivatives, Risk Management & Managed Futures, 0 credits
- Financial Modelling with Excel, 1 credit
TRANSVERSAL - WORKSHOP & COACHINGS- Career Management I (managed by T&C center), 1 credit
- CIB Job Market Coaching
- AlumEye Job Training
21 credits total in semester 1 -
TRANSVERSAL - CORE COURSES
- AI project for Market Finance, 2 credits
- Equity Research I, 1 credit
- Banking Regulation, 1 credit
- Fintechs & Neo Banking, 0 credit
MINOR COURSES IN ASSET MANAGEMENT CREDITS- Fixed Income & Credit Derivatives, 1 credit
- Alternative Investments, 3 credits
- Computational Investing with Python, 1 credit
- Structured Products, 1 credit
- VBA Quant Modelling II, 2 credits
- Quantitative PM & Stochastic calculus, 3 credits
- Option & Derivatives Strategies, 2 credits
MINOR COURSES IN INVESTMENT BANKING CREDITS- Debt Capital Market, 2 credits
- Equity Research II, 1 credit
- Financial Engineering - Equity Derivatives, 2 credits
- Private Equity & Venture Capital, 2 credits
- M&A & Corporate Operations, 1 credit
- Equity Capital Market, 2 credits
- Post Merger Integration (PMI), 1 credit
- M&A Business & Practice, 2 credits
ELECTIVE COURSES (choose four)- MySQL for Data Bases, 1 credit
- Advanced Asset Pricing, 1 credit
- Equity Research II (for AM’s only), 1 credit
- Python Projects, 1 credit
- Financial Econometrics III (Support for MSc Thesis), 1 credit
- Communication & Negotiation Training, 1 credit
- Trading behaviour practice, 1 credit
- Country Risk & Fx EM investments, 1 credit
- ESG & Climate finance, 1 credit
- Event Driven & Merger Arb workshop, 1 credit
TRANSVERSAL - WORKSHOPS & COACHINGS- Dealing & Sales Simulation
- Coaching MSc Thesis & Finance Research (included in the MSc thesis grading)
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EXTRA CONTENT - SOME CONFERENCES & WORKSHOPS AMONG THE FOLLOWING:
- Climate Risk and the Credit Market
- Geopolitics and the Oil Market
- The Coming Housing Collapse
- Have Emerging Countries Borrowed Too Much after the GFC?
- Satellite Data Analysis and Trading Strategies Volatility Trading
- Finding a Job in Sales and Trading after Covid
- Will Central Banks Kill the Economy in Fighting Inflation?
- Sales and Trading Simulation by Amplify
- Are Algos Taking Over?
- Cryptos: the Future or “Has been”?
On the Raleigh campus, the MSc Financial Markets has a Financial Analysis and CFA® preparation track
Calendrier des cours
Spring intake is only available for the first year of the Two-year MSc. This allows students to acquire professional experience for eight to nine months.
Find out more about the first year of the Two-year MSc programme
Courses by semester
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- Fundamentals of Finance
- Bloomberg Data Analysis & BMC (Preschooling)
- Quantitative Methods applied to Finance (preschooling)
- Derivative Instruments (Preschooling)
CORE COURSES
- Credit Risk Management, 2 credits
- Mathematical Finance: Statistics and Econometrics, 1 credit
- Corporate Finance 2, 1 credit
- Introduction to Data Science for Finance, 1 credit
- US Culture and Business, 1 credit
- Career Management 1, 1 credit
MINOR COURSES IN CFA (TRACK/SPECIALISATION)- Fixed Income Investment I, 2 credits
- Fixed Income Investment II, 2 credits
- Asset Valuation & Behavioural Finance, 2 credits
- Financial Reporting and Analysis I, 2 credits
- VBA Foundations for Finance I, 2 credits
- Python Foundations for Finance I, 2 credits
ELECTIVES (choose two)- Financial Modelling with Bloomberg, 1 credit
- Topics in Finance Practical training I, 1 credit
- Finance and Technical Questions on Job Interviews, 1 credit
TOTAL CREDITS SEMESTER 1 = 21 -
CORE COURSES
- Alternative Investments and Portfolio Management, 2 credits
- Structured Products (Equity, Fixed Income), 2 credits
- Portfolio Simulation (including Bloomberg Global Portfolio contest), 2 credits
- Applied Derivatives & Market Analysis (Bloomberg Based), 1 credit
- Equity Investment, 1 credit
- Career Management 2, 1 credit
MINOR COURSES IN CFA (TRACK/SPECIALISATION)- Financial Reporting and Analysis II, 2 credits
- Fixed Income Investment II (CDO, CDS), 2 credits
- Ethics, Compliance & Professional Standards, 1 credit
- VBA Foundations for Finance II, 2 credits
- Python Foundations for Finance II, 2 credits
ELECTIVES (Choose TWO)- Introduction to Trading, 1 credit
- Mathematical Finance: Stochastic Calculus, 1 credit
- Topics in Finance, 1 credit
TOTAL CREDITS SEMESTER 2 = 21Dissertation: 30 credits
TOTAL FULL YEAR (SEMESTER 1 + SEMESTER 2 + DISSERTATION) = 90 CREDITS
The CFA® track
RALEIGH CFA TRACK: FOCUS ON THE CFA® CANDIDATE BODY OF KNOWLEDGE (CBOK) – in partnership with the CFA® Institute.
This track prepares students for the CFA Level I and II exams, however the priority is academic achievement in curriculum courses.
Six scholarships will be offered (waives one-time $450 enrolment fee for Level I candidates and reduces registration fee to $350 for Level I & II candidates) based on qualification exam at the beginning of classes.
Offers students the valuable opportunity to accelerate their course learning by pursuing the CFA license while in school.
Offers students the possibility to participate in CFA Institute meetings, students’ competitions, and research seminars.
Gain valuable work experience in the USA
SKEMA students enrolled in the MSc International Business or MSc Financial Markets & Investments in Raleigh who are not American citizens or permanent residents of the USA may apply for Optional Practical Training (OPT). OPT permits eligible students to apply for an Employment Authorisation Document (EAD) allowing them to work in their field of study in the USA for up to 12 months without applying for a new visa. Eligibility requirements: finish their final two semesters in Raleigh and satisfactorily complete all coursework.
CFA® is a registered trademark owned by CFA Institute
On the Sophia Antipolis campus, the MSc Financial Markets has a Trading, Structuring & Portfolio Management track
Course calendar
Spring intake is only available for the first year of the Two-year MSc. This allows students to acquire professional experience for eight to nine months.
Find out more about the first year of the Two-year MSc programme.
Courses by semester
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MANDATORY COURSES
- Amplify Trading Simulation, 0 credits
- Preschooling Bloomberg, 0 credits
- Preschooling Python 1 Programming for Finance, 0 credits
- Stochastic Calculus Applied to Financial Models, 2 credits
- Financial Research & Modelling with R, 2 credits
- Financial Econometrics with R, 2 credits
- Fixed Income 1: Pricing and Valuation, 1 credit
- Equity Research & Valuation1, 3 credits
- Python 1 Programming for Finance, 1 credit
- Derivatives Valuation & Strategies, 3 credits
- AMF Certification, 3 credits
- MS Excel VBA Programming , 2 credits
- VBA 1: Pricing Techniques, 2 credits
- Introduction to FX & Strategies, 1 credit
- Power BI Applied to Finance, 1 credit
- Career Management 1, 0 credits
TOTAL CREDITS SEMESTER 1: 21
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MANDATORY COURSES
- Seminar: Objective 2 Tons, 0 credits
- High Beta Fixed Income, 0 credits
- Preschooling Fixed Income 2; 0 credits
- Preschooling Equity/FX Structured Products, 0 credits
- Preschooling Exotic Options 1, 0 credits
- Preschooling Option Book Management, 0 credits
- Preschooling Computational Investing with Python, 0 credits
- Preschooling Financial Econometrics II with R, 0 credits
- Preschooling Python 2 Applied to Finance, 0 credits
- Fixed Income 2, 1 credit
- Quantitative Portfolio Management, 1 credit
- Portfolio Management Simulation, 2 credits
- Commodities and Commodity Trading, 2 credits
- Career Management 2, 1 credit
- SQL Programming , 1 credit
ELECTIVE COURSES (choose ten)
- Interest Rate Models for Finance, 1 credit
- Fixed Income Structured Products, 1 credit
- Exotic Options 1, 1 credit
- Exotic Options 2, 1 credit
- Financial Econometrics II with R, 1 credit
- Equity/FX Structured Products, 1 credit
- Option Book Management, 1 credit
- Value at Risk, 1 credit
- VBA 2: VBA Quantitative Development, 1 credit
- Credit Derivatives, 1 credit
- Python 2 Applied to Finance, 1 credit
- Computational Investing with Python, 1 credit
- Order Book & Market Making, 1 credit
- Credit and XVA, 1 credit
Total credits for semester 2: 21 creditsCredits for dissertation: 18
Credits for full year: 60
Courses lists are for information only (may be subject to changes)
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Some conferences and workshops among the following :
- Climate Risk and the Credit Market
- Geopolitics and the Oil Market
- The Coming Housing Collapse
- Have Emerging Countries Borrowed Too Much after the GFC?
- Satellite Data Analysis and Trading Strategies Volatility Trading after Covid
- Finding a Job in Sales and Trading after Covid
- Will Central Banks Kill the Economy in Fighting Inflation?
- Sales and Trading Simulation by Amplify
- Are Algos Taking Over?
- Cryptos: the Future or “Has been”?
Sophia Antipolis campus alumni over the years
We have an almost-complete list of all the MSc Financial Markets and Investments alumni of the Sophia Antipolis campus from since the programme began many years ago. You can find a list of their names, current jobs, and even their email addresses
Tarek Amyuni's recommended reading
The books in the list below have been read by Tarek, and he would recommend them to any student interested in the financial markets and investments fields.
- Dance of the Trillions: Developing Countries and Global Finance by David Lubin, 2018
- A World of Three Zeros by Muhammad Yunus, 2018
- Fed Up by Danielle Di Martino Booth, 2018
- Beating the Odds from Las Vegas to Wall Street by Edward Thorp, 2017
- The Limits of the Markets by Paul De Grauwe, 2017
- The Upside of inequality” by Edward Conard, 2017
- The Road to Ruin by James Rikards, 2017
- The Seven Sins of Wall Street by Bob Ivry, 2016
- The Only Game in Town by Mohamed El-Erian, 2016
- Between Debt and the Devil: Money, Credit, and Fixing Global Finance by Adair Turner, 2015
- Irrational Exuberance by Robert Shiller, 2015
- Flash Boys by Mickael Lewis, 2014
- After the Music Stops by Alan Blinder, 2013
- The Big Flatline: Oil and the no growth economy by Jeff Rubin, 2013
- Finance and the Good Society by Robert Shiller, 2013
- End this Depression by Paul Krugman, 2013
- Understanding Oil Prices by Salvartore Cartollo, 2013
- The Great Crash Ahead by Harry’s Dent, 2012
- The Price of Inequality by Stiglitz, 2012
- Boomerang by Michael Lewis, 2012
- Exile Wall Street by Mike Mayo, 2012
- Street Freak by Jared Dillian, 2012
- The Big Short by Michael Lewis, 2012
- Currency Wars, by James Rickards, 2011
- La Banque by Marc Roche, 2011
- Chasing Goldman Sachs by Suzanne McGee, 2010
- Crash of the Titans by Greg Farell, 2010
- The Quants by Scott Patterson, 2010
- Too Big to Fail by Andrew Ross Sorkin, 2009
- Hedge Hunters by Katherine Burton, 2009
- The World is Curved by David Smik, 2008
- When Markets Collide by Mohamed El Erian 2008
- Inside the House of Money by Steven Drobny 2006
- Liar’s Poker by Michael Lewis 1989
Life in Paris, Sophia Antipolis and Raleigh
Read our PDF guides to learn more about your future life in Paris, Sophia Antipolis or Raleigh. Learn all about our campus, transportation, main attractions and events as well as practical information that will help you make the most of your experience:
Artist/Entrepreneur/Athlete and Student: It’s Possible!
SKEMA offers tailored arrangements for individuals with special statuses, enabling them to successfully pursue a dual path: obtaining a higher education degree while continuing their professional careers.
These programmes are built on curriculum flexibility, notably through a course system that includes tailored measures for each type of activity, providing a real solution to support the success of dual academic and professional ambitions.
The High-Level Athlete Track
The course system offers students the following:
- Possibility to extend the duration of studies (by 1 to 2 years) without any additional tuition fees (HLA – High-Level Athletes) / academic years may be split
- Personalised timetable arrangements, based on a detailed review of both sporting and academic calendars
- Tailored support including academic and athletic mentoring, follow-up, and specific assistance dedicated to the needs of athletes
- Adaptation of internship and exam arrangements in case of competitions.
- Flexible international experience if needed
- Recognition of athletic commitment through the award of 3 ECTS credits.
Documents to be submitted in addition to your application:
- Athletic CV with record of achievements
- Sports motivation letter
- Copy of your current year’s federation licence or club certificate
- Sporting goals, training, and competition schedule for the coming year
- Certificate of inclusion on the Ministry of Youth and Sports list or from the training centre (if applicable)
Admissions
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Financing
2025/2026
Careers
MSc employment survey (class of 2023)
- Net employment rate (at six months): 100%
- 70% work outside of their home country
- Business areas students choose to work in : Finance, Bank, Insurance, Consulting, Engineering
Career opportunities
Opportunities for our graduates include positions as trader, broker, sales analyst, risk manager, financial analyst, asset manager, portfolio manager, investment advisory, financial consultant, investment banker, ECM & DCM, private wealth management, private equity.
All campuses allow access to the same market finance positions; however, each track has a specific focus that can provide students with a specialisation:
- Paris track: Asset Management, focus on buy side
Examples: financial analyst, asset and fund manager, portfolio manager, technical analyst, private equity investor, hedge fund manager, broker, commodities, real estate investors
- Paris track: Investment Banking, focus on sell side
Examples: financial analyst, global research, M&A, corporate operations, financial consultant, risk manager, ratings & scorings, compliance and regulation, private banking & sales, treasury manager
- Sophia Antipolis track: Trading & Capital Markets, focus on front office
Examples: trader, brokers, quantitative desk, equity capital market, debt capital market, structured products, trader or seller, risk manager, arbitragist
- US Raleigh track: US Markets & Products Valuation, focus on structured products & market-linked investments
Examples: financial analyst, brokers, sales analyst, advisor in complex financial products, securitisation advisor, equity capital market, debt capital market, structurer, treasury manager
Recruiting companies
Amundi, AXA IM, Bank of China, Banque internationale Luxembourg, Bloomerg LP, BNP Paribas, Caceis, Citibank, Crédit Suisse, Deutsche Bank, Edmond de Rothschild, Euronext, EY, Generali Investment Partners, Goldman Sachs, IXM, Jefferies,
JP Morgan, Macquarie Trading, Microsoft, Moody’s, Morgan Stanley, Natixis, Pictet Asset Management, PIMCO, PwC, Société Générale, Swiss Life Asset Managers, UBS.
my name is terry muni i'm the head of
the msc financial market and investment
on the sofia campus
for the last 21 years
the msc which has just been highly
ranked in dft
its main goal is to remain in line with
the market and recruiters needs
in order for the students to find the
best possible job that they're looking
for
[Music]
in order to find those jobs we maintain
a very close relationship
with our alumni people teaching in our
program
as well as recruiters
those same people alumni recruiters
teacher
will be the people who will help us
adjust the program content
according to what will be mostly in
demand by the recruiters
once the student graduate
the kind of jobs that students get are
mainly in sales
trading risk management asset management
and structuring
and those jobs are mainly located in
areas such as london
frankfurt zurich geneva and europe hong
kong and asia and new york
in the u.s
you
SKEMA Talent & Careers : Get ready for your career
SKEMA Talent & Careers, made of career consultants and dedicated experts, supports students in getting ready for their professional project, in discovering jobs, companies and business sectors, and in sourcing internships and jobs.
Our mission is to give you all the resources, methods and opportunities to successfully get on the job market.
Professional development
Build your professional project at each step of your studies thanks to dedicated support and resources.
Corporate events
Meet companies and recruiters, learn more about jobs and business sectors.
Internship and job search
Find your dream internship among a large number of offers available to you, in France or abroad.
Personalised advice
Discuss your plans further with a Talent & Careers consultant and get individualised guidance.
SKEMA Alumni : A powerful, supportive network
As an MSc student, you will become a member of SKEMA Alumni, a network of more than 60,000 graduates in key positions in more than 145 countries around the world. You will benefit from the numerous services that will help you to promote business opportunities, meetings and professional development.
Student testimonial
"I achieved my goals thanks to the personalised coaching I received from qualified professionals.
I was referred to the Talent & Careers team to get professional advice regarding my CV, cover letter and the steps I needed to succeed with my professional ambitions. During our regular exchanges, we defined a personalised strategy in line with my expectations.
I have found an internship in a company with great values and I want to thank the Talent & Careers team for their precious advice."
International Admissions Development Manager
Pierre AVOT
