Students participating in a lecture

Program and courses Finance: CFA® track

Solid foundation in the principles - and practice - of finance. The curriculum of this track covers 70% of the Candidate Body of Knowledge (CBOK) from the CFA® Program that is administered by the CFA Institute.

Program structure

This one-year track of MSc Finance consists of 60 credits (ECTS):

  • 4 core courses (24 ECTS)
  • 3 elective courses (18 ECTS)
  • Master’s thesis (18 ECTS)

This Master's program starts at the end of August.

Program content

Core courses

You will follow 4 core courses, a total of 24 ECTS

Unit 1: End of August – October

  • Advanced Corporate Finance
  • Empirical Methods in Finance (continues in unit 2)
  • Investment Analysis

Unit 2: End of October – January

  • Empirical Methods in Finance

Unit 3: End of January – April

  • Financial Statement Analysis & Valuation
Elective courses

Choose 3 electives (18 ECTS) shaping the CFA track

Unit 2: End of October – January
Choose 2 out of the following 4 electives:

  • Corporate Governance and Social Responsibility
  • Asset Allocation & Sustainable Investing
  • Derivative Securities
  • Data Science Methods in Finance

Unit 3: End of January – April
Choose 1 out of the following 2 electives:

  • Fixed Income Analysis
  • Sustainable Finance & Value Creation
Master's thesis

During the fourth unit (April - August) you will write your Master's thesis (18 ECTS).

  • The final stage of the Master in Finance consists of writing a master thesis in the field of finance.
  • Your thesis is proof that you are able to independently conduct scientific research worthy of a master's degree.

Examples of thesis subjects are:

  • Information Asymmetry in Insider Trading
  • Short-termism, ESG, and the influence of institutional investors
  • Many Different Flowers Make a Bouquet: How Diversity Affects M&A Returns

Watch a trial lecture

You will find a detailed description of the courses and required literature in our course catalog.

Go to the course descriptions


Please note: programs are subject to change. We advise you to look up the current program in OSIRIS Student at the start of the year.


Do you want to know more about this Master’s program?

Find out more during one of our events

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Make the most of your Master's

In the first semester of the regular program, ambitious students can apply for the following additional advanced programs:

Extended Master's Program: traineeship (+0.5 years)

Short overview of the Extended Master's Program

During your traineeship, you work on practical assignments for a company, follow professional skills courses, and receive mentoring and guidance. By increasing your professional experience, skills, and network like this, you seriously boost your chances in the job market.

  • If selected, you will fulfill your traineeship from April to October. On average, you will work four days at the company, and attend skills training once a week at Tilburg University. In addition to this, company visits will be organized in the Extended Master's Program network.
  • If both you and the company are happy with the results, you are welcome to extend the traineeship by writing your Master's thesis at the company. Your research topic then needs to be approved by the Tilburg University thesis coordinator.
  • There are no administrative or participation fees for taking part in the Extended Master's Program. You will pay the regular tuition fees for the extra six months the Extended Master's Program takes.

Application and admission

You can apply for the Extended Master's Program once you've started the regular Master's program.

More on the Extended Master's Program

QTEM program: study abroad and traineeship (+1 year)

This Master's program is a proud partner of the prestigious Quantitative Techniques for Economics and Management (QTEM) network.

  • Excellent and ambitious students have the opportunity to extend their one-year Master's program with an additional year.
  • In this additional year, they can spend up to two semesters at different QTEM partner universities, and do an internship abroad at one of the corporate partners. Corporate partners include McKinsey, Bain, Deloitte, and ABInBev.
  • Successful QTEM students are awarded the QTEM Network Certificate.

Application and admission

You can apply for the QTEM program once you've started with the regular Master's program.

More information about the QTEM program

Entrepreneurial Literacy Initiative: online extracurricular program

Entrepreneurial Literacy Initiative (ELI) is an online extracurricular program that provides Master's students with tools to reflect and plan for an entrepreneurial career. Overall, ELI can be a very useful experience if you have entrepreneurship on your mind. —either right after graduation or later in your career! If you are unsure whether entrepreneurship fits you and your goals, ELI will help you find out.

Application and admission

All students enrolled in a Master's program at TiSEM are invited to apply.

More information about the Entrepreneurial Literacy Initiative

Or apply for a two-year double degree program with one of our international partner universities, to acquire two full Master's degrees.

Double degree: study abroad (+1 year)

Benefits of choosing a double degree

  • A great opportunity to expand quantitative and financial knowledge and skills. 
  • Because of your wide perspective in addressing international issues, you have gained a competitive edge in the job market; potential employers highly value international exposure and experience.
  • Experience two distinct academic, social, and cultural environments.

Partner university

  • LUISS Guido Carli University in Rome, Italy

More on the content of this double degree

Application and admission

You can't apply for the double degree program directly. Once you've started the regular master's program, you can apply for the double degree program. There will be a selection process, so please keep in mind that there is no absolute guarantee that you can start the double degree program. 

Short overview of The CFA track

Solid foundation in the principles - and practice - of finance. 

  • Learn the latest theoretical concepts from scientific literature and apply them to real-world cases during assignments, simulation games and group discussions in class. 
  • The curriculum of this track covers 70% of the Candidate Body of Knowledge (CBOK) from the CFA® Program that is administered by the CFA Institute.
  • Taught by faculty members from the Department of Finance at Tilburg University who are some of the world's leading finance scholars. 

Interested in the MSc Finance?

Check your eligibility and the deadlines for application

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