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Amsterdam Business School Amsterdam Business School
Master
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Corporate Finance (Finance)

The study programme

In the Corporate Finance track, you learn about the key factors that influence firm decision-making and the value of the firm itself. As well as how sustainability affects business strategies and corporate governance.

The programme

Corporate Finance is one of the tracks of the Master's Finance. During your Master's you will follow 6 general courses and 4 track-specific courses. You will finish with a thesis. If you have a drive to enhance the adoption of sustainability in finance, you can participate in our Honours programme.

COURSES SEM 1 SEM 2 SEMESTER 1 SEMESTER 2 EC
  • Advanced Corporate Finance
    5

    This course offers you a rich blend of lectures, guest lectures from industry representatives, readings, exercises and cases in the area of corporate finance. You will cover topics such as corporate investment strategies, corporate governance, bankruptcy, equity offerings, and mergers and acquisitions, all while discussing state-of-the-art research methodologies. You will extend your theoretical framework as well as understand how these theories are implemented in the real business world.

  • Financial Markets
    5

    This course provides you with a hands-on treatment of the field of market microstructure - the area of finance that studies price formation in securities markets.

  • Applied Financial Econometrics
    5

    In this course you expand your knowledge about regression analysis applied to finance topics, a powerful tool in empirical finance for analysing empirical relationships. You will review estimation and testing of the basic linear regression model and subsequently will focus on various applications and extensions of the basic model.

  • Corporate Governance
    5

    Get a a state of the art understanding of modern corporate governance. It exposes students to powerful empirical research methods used to determine the effects and effectiveness of individual governance mechanisms. The latter is essential as governance fails under a checkbox-ticking approach but instead is highly context-contingent.

  • Restricted-choice electives
    5

    Choose 1 out of 2 courses: Banking or Valuation.

  • Empirical Methods in Finance
    5

    In this course you will focus on the current statistical methodology used in empirical work and the practical implementation of data analysis using STATA. You will attend methodology lectures on how to use the university’s databases and tutorials in which you present and receive feedback on empirical group assignments. Also you will write a first thesis proposal.

  • Thesis Seminar
    3

    This course prepares you for writing your Master's thesis. It brings you up-to-date knowledge and professional skills. Also, you will learn how to acquire a critical view on your own work and that of fellow students. In the course you will develop your thesis plan as well as learn to present, discuss and referee other’s work.

  • Restricted-choice electives
    10

    Choose 2 out of 3 courses: Behavioural Finance, Corporate Restructuring or International Corporate Finance.

  • Restricted-choice electives
    2

    Choose 1 out of 2 courses: Ethics and Professional Skills in Finance or Sustainable Finance.

  • Master's Thesis
    15

    The academic programme culminates in a thesis, which allows you to engage with state-of-the-art data analysis and statistical techniques. The Master’s thesis is the final requirement for your graduation. It is your chance to dive deep into a topic in your field of choice (track) that you are enthusiastic about, and allows you to do an independent research project in Finance. A professor of your track will supervise and support you in writing your thesis.

Compulsory course
Elective
Specialisation
Send me the clickable course schedule + programme summary Check more detailed information about the specific courses in the course catalogue

Honours programme: A Sustainable Perspective on Finance

The Honours programme is designed for students with excellent analytical and leadership abilities, and a fundamental passion to enhance the adoption of sustainability in finance. It is a challenging programme and a great way to stand out for future employers. The programme must be finished in 1.5 years, and includes 3 additional courses: Sustainable Finance, Honours Course on Impact Investing, and an elective course (Corporate Governance, Advanced Investments, or Financial Regulation).

More about the Honours programme
My understanding of financial knowledge has gotten deeper through the fusion of different ideas. The multi-cultural background of students and faculty stimulate you to being open to new ways of thinking. Wang Xinling, Corporate Finance track Read about Wang's experiences with this Master's
Experience the programme
Real-life case: Valuation of a Dutch growth firm

The deals team at the Amsterdam office of PricewaterhouseCoopers sponsors a case in which students conduct a valuation of a growth firm based in the Netherlands. PwC representatives give a guest lecture to describe the tasks of their deals department and introduce the case. Students then work in groups for several weeks to build a full valuation model (including both DCF- and multiples-based valuation), and provide an assessment of whether a London-based private equity fund should buy the Dutch firm. PwC representatives then provide another lecture that discusses the case solutions and students’ common mistakes.

Vera Scholten - student
'The lecturers are very good and try to engage with the student in every way' Vera Scholten - student Read Vera’s full review
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