Posted by - SaranshGupta - on 5 April 2013 - 5:23pm

• Posted by - Thomas Graf - on 5 April 2013 - 6:25pm

  Hi Saransh,

  thank you for your questions.

  1. Is the quality of a course SPATIAL bound ie, do I look for a Masters in Finance in US as it is the hub of all Financial activity?
  I would look for Masters in Finance in the country of where you want to work after graduation. Watch out for schools that have a specific reputation for their finance education. These schools ususally have a network of firms in that country that come to campus to recruit - and this is your best ticket to find a job. You can also look for schools that have a high reputation "in general", for example by high ranking positions in other masters (MBA, EMBA. Executive Education, etc.). And you can also screen a finance faculty's quality (professors' cv's and publications).

  2. Will Masters in Finance equip me with the skills required or do I wait to gain work experience and then pursue an MBA?
  This may depend on the specific job you want to do. Investment Banking, for example, has the reputation to recruit people with all sorts of academic backgrounds provided that they have logical or mathematical skills to do their job. In general, however, a master in finance should indeed provide you with the knowledge neecssary to FIND a job in finance and by this help you start your career. The MBA can help as well - but for an MBA to help you in finance - you should have financial pre-experience. In other words, a master can bring you into finance even in the absence of financial pre-experience whereas the MBA does not (or less likely).
  I recomemnd you to think about what you need NOW: To you get into finance without the master? Great, then pursue your career and add an MBA later. Do you face difficulties in finding a job? Do a master in finance (and consider an MBA in some years).

  3. Is a Masters in Finance course very quantitative. I mean I am good with numbers and Financial Analysis but still I don't want to bite more than what I can chew?
  There are different sort of masters in finance. About 50 percent require a first academic degree in business or economics; the other 50 percent are open for people from other areas. The master in finance, in general, is quantitative - that's the essence of finance, isn't it? But clearly thise masters that require a business degree (pre-experience) are more quantitative. You can use our Search Engine Filter "Entry Requirements" to find thee programs.

  4. I was looking forward to gain a few years of International Experience as the Financial Industry in my home country is in its nascent stages. I know UK has closed that door so if you could please also let me know Schools which have a great placement records.
  I wouldn't exclude UK schools ex ante. Talk to the embassy in London and contact the schools' career service teams to find out what options - in finance - they have to place you - and what their experience is with placing students of your nationality.
  As for the other schools, I am afraid that you may do the job by yourself. And that makes sense as each person may have different preferences. My recommendation is: Choose some countries that you want to work after graduation, invest some time in understanding teh educational landscape and identify the best finance faculties; and then approach these schools (career offices, current students, ex students - you get the contacts from the schools - companies recruiting on campus, and student statistics).

  5. Do I try unconventional locations like Dubai, Germany and Canada which have propensity to employment?
  You can do that - but again: Think about first where you want to work. And then try to assess your career chances within that country.

  Best wishes
  Thomas

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