As a working professional, it is important to constantly improve your skills and update your knowledge about your sector to advance in your career. You may also need to acquire new skills to access a new position in your company. If you are interested in corporate finance, here is our guide to choosing the perfect Corporate Finance MSc.
Consider your career goals
Before choosing an MSc corporate finance distance learning or on-campus, you need to define your professional goal. Do you want to improve or update your skills? Or do you want to move on with your career and access a new position, for which you need new know-how?
The answer to these questions will make the difference. Some programmes are short and dedicated to precise subjects, while others are much longer and may span over an entire year and will teach you a whole new job.
Defining your objectives is the basis to choosing the perfect MSc.
Select a school
Then, you will have to choose a school or university that offers an MSc in corporate finance. The most important factor is the reputation of the school. Make sure to choose a high-ranking establishment. Degrees from famous schools and universities are highly-regarded by recruiters and your superiors. Many rankings are regularly published by several organisations, such as the Financial Times. We suggest you consult more than one ranking, since not all have the same criteria. Choosing from a wide range of schools will make sure you don’t miss the perfect opportunity.
The budget is another important factor. The most famous institutions tend to be more expensive, but keep in mind that you may also have a higher return on investment. With a reputed institution, you will earn a degree that will open up more opportunities.
Keep in mind that the cost of your MSc will not be limited to the tuition fee. Transport, meals or accommodation (if you need to go to a distant city) must be taken into account when you choose your programme.
Pay attention to the specialisation
Some programmes may be specialised in a certain field. Others may offer elective courses. Depending on your goals, this may be a very important factor to take into account to make your choice.
For instance, in an MSc in corporate finance, you may have elective courses about subjects such as:
- Ethics
- Strategic foresight
- Financial technologies (such as blockchain)
Having a specialised skill in addition to your general skills will help you stand out among other candidates for the position you are interested in. If you are looking for a specific skill, searching for an MSc with elective courses is the way to go, as you will also benefit from general courses about corporate finance.
Choose a programme that adapts to your schedule
Once you have chosen the university or school that matches your goals, you will also need to make sure that the programmes in corporate finance also match your schedule. As a working professional, you may not have the possibility to stop working for months to pursue your MSc.
Hopefully, schools adapt to your needs. Many offer distance learning programmes that are entirely online. Such programmes include courses that you can take at any time in the day. There are also programmes that include live online classes on a regular basis (once a week for example) for a better follow-up of all student’s progress.
An online programme will also be less expensive, since you won’t have to pay for transport, food and accommodation.
Choosing an online MSc is also very interesting because there are no boundaries for your studies. You may choose an international institution in a different country. If you are interested in an international career, it is one of the best choices.
Taking all of these factors into consideration, you will be able to choose the perfect MSc in corporate finance to achieve your professional goals!