Dual Degree with the Amsterdam Business School
One of the second year master students from the Faculty of Economic Sciences decided to make a dual degree in Amsterdam Business School. Here is his story.
Master in International Finance (MIF) is an educational programme held by Amsterdam Business School. It is a very good opportunity for graduates who have at least a couple of years of work experience to deepen their knowledge in the field of finance and investments. The MIF has many common features with the HSE programme Corporate Finance. It’s practically oriented, all the classes are being held in the evening, most of assignments are to be done in small teams (3-5 people). More than a half of the students are currently employed. The group is really multinational: about 45 students (full-timers and part-timers) represent 18 nationalities from 4 continents.
The programme has a well-designed curriculum and structure. The study year is divided into 5 blocks. Each of them (except block 3) consists of 6 normal weeks with lectures and seminars, 1 week is assigned for individual studies, and the 8 th week is reserved for final exams. Some of the courses are mandatory, others are elective and can be chosen or not based on personal interests. Usually we have 3-4 courses per block. Significant attention is paid to personal and career development. The programme includes a set of workshops intended to help students to elaborate their CVs and cover letters and prepare for job application and interviews.
A very important part of the MIF is a study trip to South Africa that is organized in January (block 3). During a week spent in Cape Town, students attend lectures, workshops, panel sessions, visit financial companies and have a tour to townships, which allows to meet local people and see their life. The purpose of the study trip is to introduce us with investment opportunities and peculiarities of emerging markets, especially countries of sub-Saharan Africa. Since transportation costs are included in the tuition fee, almost everyone arrived 1-2 weeks before the start of the studies and spent this time travelling across the country. And it was really worth doing – South Africa is an amazing country with a very beautiful nature!