By Prof. Dr. Andreas Dietrich, Head of Programme
On Friday, August 31, 2018, 19 Master of Science in Banking and Finance students received their diplomas. These students have invested much time and energy into their education over the past two years. I would like to express my most cordial congratulations to all our graduates! We would also like to extend a big thank-you to our lecturers and all our administrative employees. Below some impressions of the diploma award ceremony:
The completion of an academic year is always a good opportunity for a brief review, too. We like to provide this from a student’s point of view. Philip Künzli shares some of his experiences with his MSc Banking and Finance studies over the past two years with us.
What were your expectations when you started your studies?
I had already completed a Bachelor in Business Administration with an focus on Banking and Finance and therefore had a good basis for finance- and banking-specific subjects. In the course of my Bachelor studies, it became clear to me that I would like to expand my professional expertise in this sector. I also consider the ability to analyse something in depth and develop some suitable solutions more important than ever. For instance, this also includes breaking down macro-economic or political challenges faced by organisations. The MSc in Banking and Finance provides me with a broader set of methodological expertise to do so. In this regard, my expectations were met fully.
Looking back, which subjects addressed during your studies are the most memorable?
Those in the sectors of Macro Economics as well as Digitalisation and Strategy of banks. In my opinion, macro-economical subjects are particularly relevant, especially in a globalised world. I was very grateful that there was a module where the major contexts were illustrated. In addition to this subject, I am personally very interested in the strategic orientation of banks. One important point here is of course the digitalisation of banking processes and products. These topics were extensively covered.
What was the subject of your Master thesis, and how did you get the idea for this?
My Master thesis has the title of «Part-time employment of male bank employees». I wanted to change the way in which part-time employment is perceived, and to demonstrate how this type of work can be encouraged by banks. In Switzerland, the proportion of women working part-time is very much greater than that of men (59% of women compared to 17% of men). There is an increasing number of men however who would also like to work part-time. I came up with this subject out of personal interest. For me, it is clear that I would work part-time if I have a family. In addition, I would like to work in the financial sector in the future. I therefore contacted a bank in Switzerland for a co-operation and was able to write up a Master thesis with a very practical orientation.
What kind of tips do you have for future MSc in Banking and Finance students?
I’ve got a few:
- Support each other, and get to know each other better over a drink (it would be a shame if the next two years would turn out to be just a partnership of convenience).
- Make sure that you get in with the statistics subjects right from the start, and that you solve all the exercises set.
- Find a subject for your own Master thesis which really interests you.
- Take a graduation trip together.
What was the highlight of this study course for you?
As far as lessons were concerned, this was clearly the two days spent at ti&m at the “garage”, where we developed our own finance app. And there was also our study trip to London.
In addition, my big highlight were my fellow students. We developed an exceptional team spirit in our class which culminated in our graduation trip to Lisbon and will most certainly continue long after completing our studies, too.
