Faculty of Business and Economics Master of Financial Economics K.U.Leuven Masters. From here to infinity.
Leuven Leuven is a dynamic, vibrant city in the centre of Belgium, only a twenty-minute drive from Brussels, the capital of Belgium and of the European Union, and less than two hours from Paris and Amsterdam. Leuven offers a wealth of cultural and recreational opportunities, including a lively, high quality and round-the-clock food & drink scene, while also offering easy access to a beautiful countryside. The city of Leuven has an impressive collection of Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, and Neo - classical monuments, among which the fifteenth-century Gothic city hall is the most splendid. The presence of the university benefits the community in many ways. On average, the population is relatively highly educated, as many students remain in Leuven after they have graduated. Employment is primarily in the tertiary and quaternary sectors. The University of Leuven K.U.Leuven is a modern university offering an ideal research and learning environment strongly rooted in tradition but with its sights set firmly on the future. The aim of the University is not merely to train professional experts, but also to foster critical thinking, intellectual openness, a genuine taste for culture and a sense of civic responsibility. At present, K.U.Leuven caters to more than 31,000 students, around 12% of whom are international students from over 120 countries. K.U.Leuven is a charter member of the League of European Research Universities, together with Cambridge, Oxford, Leiden, Edinburgh, Geneva, Strasbourg, Heidelberg, and others. In terms of scholarly output, K.U.Leuven is consistently ranked among the top ten European universities in European surveys, and it was ranked 61st and 72nd for 2007 and 2008, respectively, by the Times Higher Education Supplement'. Likewise, several quality assurance reviews have shown that K.U.Leuven s teaching is on a par with internationally respected institutions in a large number of fields. This academic reputation attracts students and scholars from across the globe, creating a vibrant, multicultural atmosphere. Leuven has a truly international outlook, and its own alumni are found all over the world.
Faculty of Business and Economics As one of K.U.Leuven s 13 faculties, the Faculty of Business and Economics offers teaching and does research in five areas, each organized via a department: Economics Marketing and Organization Studies Accountancy, Finance, and Insurance Managerial Economics, Strategy, and Innovation Decision Sciences and Information Management One of the Faculty s most important assets is its vast national and inter national network. We maintain strong links with the business and financial community by organizing regular workshops with captains of industry and the European Commission, situated only half an hour from our campus. Many of our alumni work at European institutions, and many of our colleagues act as advisers to various European bodies and international companies. We have a wide international student exchange network. Not only do we participate extensively in the Erasmus programme, but we also have numerous agreements with leading universities outside the EU, such as the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Chicago Business School, and Cornell University in the USA, the University of British Columbia, Queen s University, the University of Toronto, and the Université de Montréal in Canada, the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta and Bangalore in India, the Chinese University and the City University in Hong Kong, the Singapore Management University, and 65 universities throughout Europe. The Leuven School of Business and Economics As part of the Faculty of Business and Economics, the LSBE offers an extensive range of Master s programmes and doctoral programmes. The mission of the LSBE is to develop participants critical, conceptual, problem-solving and decision-making skills. It equips students with fundamental and conceptual knowledge and with analytical tools to cope effectively with the problems of the current and constantly changing business and economic environment. Adopting a research-based approach, the School focuses on the disciplines that underlie business operations and economic decisions. This enables its graduates to acquire the necessary skills and tools for coping with current and future challenges. A variety of teaching methods (lectures, case discussions, exercises, computer-assisted problem- solving and personal research) is used to enhance students educational experience. Students are expected to participate actively. The Faculty evaluates its students on the basis of their classroom activity, reports written during the semester, and final examinations. The workload is demanding, as is customary in high-quality graduate schools. The Faculty s international credentials and academic reputation guarantee the quality of the programme offered to participants of the Leuven School of Business and Economics.
Master of Financial Economics The goal of this programme is to expand students knowledge of financial-economic problems and to provide them with the relevant analytical tools. Graduates should be able to independently analyse and solve complex financial and economic problems. Adopting a scientific approach, the programme addresses the macroeconomic environment as well as specific financial business situations. In particular, it offers insights into international monetary and macroeconomic problems, and stresses the analysis of business case studies. The programme uses a variety of teaching methods with a clear emphasis on small interactive groups, including class presentations, teamwork exercises, case studies, class discussions, and paper writing. Admission requirements Degree Applicants holding one of the following degrees are immediately eligible: Master of Economics (Financial Economics Major) Master of Business Economics (Financial Economics Major) Master in de economische wetenschappen (Financial Economics Major) Applicants holding one of the following degrees become eligible provided that they take up or have taken up the 18-credit preparatory programme shown below the list: Master of Economics (other majors) Master of Business Economics (other majors) Master of Applied Economics Master of Business Engineering Master of Business Economics: Information Systems Engineering Master of Management Another university degree in Economics or Business Studies requiring at least four years of study Master in de economische wetenschappen (other majors) Master in de toegepaste economische wetenschappen (other majors) Master in de toegepaste economische wetenschappen: handelsingenieur Master in de toegepaste economische wetenschappen: handelsingenieur in de beleidsinformatica Master in de handelswetenschappen Master handelsingenieur Preparatory programme (18 credits): - Strategic Financial Management - Macro Finance - Econometric Methods and Models
Master of Financial Economics Preparatory programme (18 credits) Master of Economics Master in de economische wetenschappen Financial Economics Major Master of Business Economics Financial Economics Major Other Master s programmes (see admission requirements) Proof of English proficiency Applicants who are non-native speakers of English must provide evidence of English language proficiency. They should submit a satisfactory score on an internationally recognized test of English language proficiency: TOEFL(minimum score 575 paper-based, 233 computer based, 90 internetbased), IELTS (minimum score 7) or CEFR (minimum level C2). Please note that no other proficiency tests can be accepted (e.g. TEM, TOEIC, University of Michigan). Exemptions can be made for students from the Commonwealth countries and from the USA. An official document needs to be submitted by the candidate s university stating that the entire university study was completed in English. GMAT / GRE Applicants should have good verbal, analytical and quantitative skills, as demonstrated by a satisfactory score on the international Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) or Graduate Record Examinations (GRE). Applicants with a lower score than 575 are rarely admitted. Admissions Committee All applications will be reviewed by the Admissions Committee which selects the most qualified students. The Admissions Committee consists of three professors from the Faculty of Business and Economics, K.U.Leuven. Application procedure Applications should be submitted by 1 April for non-eea citizens and preferably by 1 June for EEA citizens. However, EEA students with the required background and language fluency may register until the end of September. Tuition fee: 2800 EUR For more information on how to apply, please visit www.lsbe.be/application
Profile The programme targets students interested both in recent developments in financial economics and in seeking staff positions in the financial sector, international organizations, government, and other corporations. Applicants need a sufficient background in economics, finance, and statistics. Programme The programme consists of a list of core electives, a list of additional electives and a Master s thesis. The curriculum covers the entire field of financial economics, including micro and macro finance, international finance, asset pricing, and risk management. Additionally, the programme includes a number of academic lectures and guest lectures by business leaders and policy makers. COURSE DESCRIPTION CREDITS Master's Thesis 15 Portfolio Management 5 Seminar Series 5 Research Paper 5 Core Electives min. 27 Students choose a minimum of 27 credits from the list below Advanced Corporate Finance 6 Advanced Monetary Economics 6 Advanced International Monetary Economics 5 Advanced Macroeconomics 6 The Empirics of Financial Markets 6 Fixed-income Securities 6 International Business Finance 6 Options and Futures 6 Currency Derivates Markets 3 International Bond and Stock Markets 3
Additional Electives max. 18 Students choose a maximum of 18 credits from the list below Asset Prices: Basic Models and Tests 6 Economics of Financial Intermediation 6 Financial Statement Analysis 6 Risk Management in Financial Institutions 6 Security Pricing and Portfolio Selection 6 Multivariate Statistics 6 Advanced Regression Modelling 6 International Financial Management 6 Applied Game Theory 3 Economics of Information 3 Statistical Modelling 3 For practical information about the programme, please visit www.lsbe.be/mfe Career prospects Students graduating from the programme have obtained deep and broad knowledge of the analytical frameworks necessary to analyse the macroeconomic, corporate, and investment aspects of financial issues. They can independently analyse complex problems in financial economics by drawing on this theoretical and analytical framework and by choosing and applying the relevant analytical tools. They have the ability to independently define and implement research projects to solve financial problems, and to draw and present conclusions. They have a positive attitude toward analytical problem-solving, and perform well within financial institutions, international teams, and corporate environments. The unique combination of finance and economics provided by the MFE programme is greatly valued by employers. Graduates of the programme have found their way not only to large financial institutions, but also to multinational consulting firms like McKinsey & Company, large corporations like Electrabel, and international organizations like the European Commission. Testimonials I recommend the Master of Financial Economics programme to students who would like an excellent education in finance with a good mix of theory and practice. Zsuzsanna Lantos (Hungary), graduate I found it very satisfying to be able to choose from a wide variety of courses, with either a very theoretical and/or an applied approach to issues within economics. I think the programme is very good. The professors have broad and up-to-date theoretical knowledge and the seminar series gives insight into recent issues within the financial world, which helped strengthen my own theoretical background. Glenn Petterson (Norway), graduate
Communications Office Oude Markt 13 box 5005 3000 LEUVEN, Belgium tel. + 32 16 32 40 10 fax + 32 16 32 40 14 onderwijscommunicatie@kuleuven.be www.kuleuven.be More information Faculty of Business and Economics Naamsestraat 69 3000 LEUVEN Belgium tel. + 32 16 32 66 19 fax + 32 16 32 66 20 lsbe@econ.kuleuven.be www.lsbe.be/mfe General information K.U.Leuven International Office www.kuleuven.be/english K.U.Leuven - International programmes www.kuleuven.be/internationalprogrammes This brochure provides the most comprehensive information to date on a Master s programme offered by K.U.Leuven during the 2009-2010 academic year. Please note that minor changes to programmes may still be made. The information provided here is therefore not legally binding. For the most up-to-date information on degree programmes on offer, please consult www. kuleuven. be/onderwijs/aanbod/opleidingen/e. Copyright: D/2009/1082/9 Last updated: January 2009