Master

Risk management is at the core of finance. All actions and decisions of a company regarding the correct handling of risks are referred to as risk management. These start with the identification of possible risks related to various financial instruments, analysis of these risks and subsequent decisions leading to an optimal risk-return trade-off. Risk management therefore deals with the analysis and reaction to hypothetical, negative events that a company can potentially face in the future. The following courses are suitable as preparation for a job in this area.

Financial service providers advise clients on investment decisions and provide services related to financial transactions. They act on behalf of credit and financial institutions as well as insurance companies, among others. Financial service providers are also active in money transactions such as investments or financial products.

Corporate finance managers mostly work as advisors in the field of value-based finance. They evaluate investment decisions taking into account the optimal capital structure and the company's dividend policy. Their goal is to maximize risk-adjusted returns. Financial managers are also playing a central role in capital budgeting within a company. This knowledge is relevant for e.g. CFOs and for working on M&A deals.

Asset managers invest money on behalf of their clients in order to grow their wealth over the long term. They work for pension funds, institutional investors, retail investors, insurance companies and other financial companies. While scrutinizing assets as well as investments, they also identify where potential risks lie.

Quantitative finance is defined as the use of mathematical and statistical methods in finance. The economic sub-areas of economics and business administration, statistics and econometrics are linked with the mathematical sub-areas of stochastics, numerics and mathematical finance. The professionals in this field are mostly quantitative analysts.

Behavioral finance deals with supposedly irrational behavior in financial and capital markets and develops behavioral explanations for it. According to theory, not only economic factors but also psychological and sociological influences determine investor behavior. Thus, traditional economic research methods are combined with methods used in psychology.

Sustainable finance describes compliance with sustainability criteria that are taken into account when making decisions by financial actors. This includes all activities of financial service providers that relate to the reduction of environmental and climate damage, the promotion of social participation and sustainable corporate management.