We have designed the M.Sc. in Global Finance and Economics to draw upon faculty members’ active involvement in frontier research in finance, macroeconomics and applied econometrics, as well as their strong links to the broad range of premier financial and monetary institutions based in Frankfurt and beyond, including also the growing number of these in Vietnam. We aim to prepare our graduates to succeed in a highly competitive job market and to contribute substantively to the new phase of development of financial markets and of economic analysis in Vietnam.
This unique program is delivered full-time at the campus of the Vietnamese-German University, 40km from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. It is conducted in English, begins annually in the fall semester, and can regularly be completed within four semesters. Graduates earn a "Master of Science" (M.Sc.) degree (120 ECTS CP) from the AACSB-accredited Faculty of Economics and Business at Goethe University Frankfurt. The program guarantees high-quality instruction, overseen and delivered by the Faculty of Economics and Business at Goethe University Frankfurt, with significant collaboration from the Faculty of Economics and Management at VGU.
Professionals in today’s financial markets and economic analysis encounter numerous complex challenges. The M.Sc. in Global Finance and Economics program addresses these challenges directly by:
- offering comprehensive training in advanced finance methods, microeconomic theory, monetary economics, international macroeconomics, econometrics, data science, and programming, consequently providing its participants with the tools and methodologies needed to tackle current and future challenges in global finance and economic analysis.
- combining academic rigor with a focus on current financial and economic policy challenges while fostering communication, teamwork, and leadership skills.
- including insights from leading financial market practitioners and economic analysts through its faculty.
- offering participants the chance to gain international experience through the optional "Experience Frankfurt" module, with an opportunity to conduct in-depth academic research at Goethe University for their Master’s thesis.
Any questions?
At GBS, in general, and within the M.Sc. in Global Finance and Economics program, students can benefit from the substantial expertise of the Faculty of Economics and Business at Goethe University in finance and macroeconomics.
Two research institutes of particular importance for the topics to be addressed in the curriculum of the M.Sc. in Global Finance and Economics program are the Leibniz Institute for Financial Research SAFE ("Sustainable Architecture for Finance in Europe") and the Institute for Monetary and Financial Stability (IMFS). SAFE conducts transdisciplinary research on financial markets and their European players and provides research-based, independent policy advice. SAFE emphasizes the cooperation of researchers in finance, economics, law, and political science. The IMFS, in turn, engages in transdisciplinary research in monetary economics and contributes to the public discussion of financial and macroprudential policy decisions in a broad range of outlets, from hosting the annual "ECB Watchers" conference to webinars on current challenges in monetary and fiscal policy.
With regards to teaching aspects of faculty expertise, faculty members have been teaching in highly reputed degree programs outside of Goethe University as well, with teaching engagements, among other things, at Yale University, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Maryland, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and Study Center Gerzensee. The program is also designed to build on the strong links between the faculty members involved, the broad range of premier financial and monetary institutions based in Frankfurt, and the growing number of these in Vietnam.
Compared to other master's programs in economics and finance in Vietnam, the M.Sc. in Global Finance and Economics is distinguished by its rigorous approach and cutting-edge quantitative and analytical research integration. Key components of the program include:
- Courses are taught by faculty engaged in leading research in finance, economics, and econometrics, with practical topics covered by top industry practitioners.
- Teaching quality is highly valued and incentivized through the "Excellence in Teaching Awards."
- Courses and seminars offer an interdisciplinary approach, blending econometrics, finance, macroeconomics, and microeconomics with additional insights from fields like computer science, history, mathematics, political science, psychology, and sociology.
- Courses and seminars include in-person classroom interactions between students and faculty, enhanced by e-learning components for pre-course preparation and post-course follow-up.
The learning goals of the M.Sc. in Global Finance and Economics program ensure that graduates can (in the areas of global financial markets and economic analysis)
- select a state-of-the-art modeling approach that is conducive to the question being addressed
- successfully apply the selected modeling approach
- assess the substantive value of the results obtained based on the selected modeling approach
- craft concise analyses and give structured and well-reasoned presentations
Graduates will be well-equipped to drive crisis-resilient financial markets and sustainable economic development. They will be highly competitive for roles in the financial industry, including positions at banks, insurance firms, regulatory bodies, or economic analysis positions. Alternatively, they may pursue advanced research in top Ph.D. programs in Economics or Finance at leading institutions like Goethe University or other prestigious universities in Europe and North America.
The M.Sc. in Global Finance and Economics program allows its participants to gain valuable experience outside of Vietnam through an optional Experience Frankfurt module.
The module offers students two key components: Firstly, they can interact in person with their Master’s thesis advisor at Goethe University. Secondly, they will participate in an introduction to key institutions of the German and European financial systems in Frankfurt, which hosts the European Central Bank, Deutsche Bundesbank, the German Stock Exchange, and other significant financial institutions impacting national and global markets.
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