Finance and Investments

The aim of the Master’s program is to prepare and provide qualified specialists and managers with competitive knowledge, skills and practical competencies for all structures of the financial system in Bulgaria and the European Union, who will be able to successfully realize themselves in the field of financial investments and fintech companies.

Learning profile

Education format: Distance learning

Study duration: 1,5 year (3 semesters)

Language: Bulgarian

ECTS credits: 90 ECTS

The Master’s program in “Business Finance” shares the priorities and reflects the strategic goals and tasks of IBS, related to educational and research activities. The program complies with the regulatory framework and requirements of NEAA for training in the Master’s degree program, with the Higher Education Act, the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) and the regulations of IBS.

The program is implemented and administered through developed educational documentation and curricula, aimed at acquiring knowledge and skills, and building personal and professional competencies, in accordance with the National Qualifications Framework of the Republic of Bulgaria, the European Qualifications Framework (EQF) and the Qualifications Framework in the European Higher Education Area (EHEA).

 The “Finance and Investments” program includes refined and practice-relevant modules of disciplines. They are selected in accordance with the modern national needs and European requirements in the field of finance, building on the knowledge of the students, logically presented and appropriately distributed in three semesters. The high-quality education is provided by highly qualified lecturers and specialists, which guarantees successful realization on the labor market of the graduates of the master’s program in accordance with the goals and mission of IBS to create competitive specialists at the international level. Interactive methods, combined with multimedia presentations, discussions, course projects, case studies, etc., are widely used in the learning process. We offer a supportive academic environment that tolerates equality. We provide opportunities for students to join teams to work on projects for scientific and practical research.

Compulsory courses

• Financial Law
• Financial Analysis
• Asset and Securities Financing Techniques
• Financial Process Modeling
• Investment Management
• Financial Derivatives
• Investment Portfolio Management
• Financial Intermediaries
• Master’s Seminar

Elective courses

• Risk Management/Financial Engineering and Forecasting
• Financial Budgeting/Alternative Investments

Facultative courses

• Any course offered by other master’s programs

Master’s Thesis

Theoretical:

• The regulatory framework in the field of financial law;
• Investments in equity, share and debt instruments;
• Options, futures, interest rate, currency and other financial derivatives;
• Fundamental and technical analysis of investment instruments and markets;
• Risk management;
• Investment banking;
• Management of investment projects in the real sector.

Practical:

• Analysis of market instruments;
• Assessing the state of financial markets and their forecasting;
• Management of investment funds and temporarily free capital;
• Building and managing securities portfolios;
• Long-term and short-term financing of economic agents;
• Management of currency and interest rate positions and operations of companies and banks;
• Investments in securities and capital budgeting projects;
• Building investment strategies for protection against market, interest rate and currency risk.

• Investment broker, investment banker;
• Credit inspector in financial brokerage houses and financial and credit institutions;
• Investment broker in the financial departments of institutional investors (insurance companies, pension and health insurance funds);
• Financial analyst in small and medium-sized enterprises and large companies;
• State expert in the system of the Ministry of Finance;
• Corporate finance manager;
• State expert in ministries, agencies, regional and municipal administrations.

Successful graduates of the program receive a higher education diploma with a “Master” degree and a European diploma supplement, valid and recognized worldwide.

Successful graduates in MA program “Business Finance” can continue their studies in a PhD program.