Modern Financial Technologies in Investment and Banking Business

Profession

The term “finance” comes from Lat. finare (finire) — the end, settlement of a dispute (usually monetary). The concept of “financia” — mandatory payment of money or a monetary payment in general is originated from this term. The history of the emergence of the profession “financier” is connected with the emergence of the state and the need to manage the state treasury. Later, financiers began to be called people who are able to increase capital. The professional activity of a modern financier includes any operations related to the cash flow: capital raising, investment, lending, acquisition of a company, etc. The value of such a specialist is primarily related to his or her analytical abilities. Analysis of the effectiveness of the investment portfolio, assessment of the level of risks of the operation, analysis of the results of the activity of an economic entity, assessment of the development of monetary and financial institutions — these and many other aspects of financial relations belong to the sphere of interests of the financier.

Educational Process

The programme includes compulsory and university disciplines modules. The compulsory cycle provides in-depth knowledge in the field of modern finance, monetary relations, monetary policy, financial analysis and corporate finance. The university disciplines module and elective courses allow students to form their own educational trajectory based on professional interests and future career. For example, you can focus on working with investment projects or banking, choose courses in English. Main courses: “Mathematical support of investment decisions”, “Relevant problems of Finance”, “Financial Analysis” (advanced level), “Corporate Finance”, “Investment and Banking risks: theory and practice”, “Financial markets and Financial and Credit institutions”, “Investment Portfolio Management”, “Assessment and bank value management”, “Financial Engineering”, etc. Some of the courses are taught by practicing investors, bank specialists; the study of applied courses involves the implementation of case studies, practical work with the use of modern computer programs. You will learn how to analyze the company's cash flows, manage financial risks, form an investment strategy and manage an investment portfolio.

Practice

Practical skills of professional activity are formed during the internship. The programme provides two types of internship:
1) research work, which includes conducting scientific research, preparing scientific publications, participating in conferences, writing a master’s thesis;
2) pre-graduation internship, the result of which is the development of key types of professional activities necessary for the work of a financier.
The internship is carried out in divisions of commercial banks, investment companies and funds, accounting and financial departments of enterprises of various forms of ownership, state authorities. Currently, students are offered the following companies as a place of internship: PJSC “VTB”; PJSC “Rosbank”; PJSC “Sberbank of Russia”; PJSC IC “Rosgosstrakh”, KPMG, KIT Finance Broker, Ministry of Economic Development, etc.
Participation in the summer school “Modern Banking Business” provides an opportunity to gain practical skills in the banking sector. The summer school is organized at the sites of top banks operating in all segments of the financial market (VTB Bank, Sberbank, Alfa-Bank, Rosbank). Master classes are conducted by professional financiers. The range of topics discussed depends on the current situation in the financial sector. The last summer school allowed students to study the specifics of working with clients in the context of digitalization; to learn the specifics of banking risk management, taking into account the latest requirements of Basel and the mega-regulator; to participate in the development of products for retail banking using AGILE and SCRUM technologies; to discuss the phenomenon of “too big to fail” in relation to the banking sector; to solve several cases. Summer school is a great way to improve your financial skills under the guidance of the best business coaches!
Within the programme, regular master classes are held from specialists of the financial sector. Thus, the topics of the latest master classes include: “Digital transformation of business processes” from the leading Dodo IS product manager of Dodo Brands, Kirill Tsoi; “New Finance in the digital World” from CEO of ALPA&OMEGA PAYMENT SYSTEM Oleg Pelevin; “Bond as a conservative investor's tool” from senior Sergey Romanov, Manager of the VIP Clients Department of the Freedom Finance Investment Company, and others.

Career

The programme is focused on the demands of the modern labor market in the financial sector of the economy. Graduates of the programme have an opportunity to work in financial and banking structures, financial and credit commercial and non-profit organizations, in government and public administration, consulting and investment companies. The knowledge gained in the course of studying at the master’s programme allows the graduate to get a prestigious and highly paid job in both domestic and international companies. The master can also do scientific research, teaching. For those who choose a scientific career, RUDN offers postgraduate studies.