Stefano Caselli

Why should a talented student choose a career in finance today?
Finance is the infrastructure of the economic system and its role is, has been and always will be increasingly crucial. The finance industry is going through a phase of important reorganization and transformation that will, in my opinion, give greater value to advanced abilities, technical and managerial competences, professionalism, and ethics. It is a highly competitive and dynamic industry, in which talented people may be allowed to take on responsibilities and grow much faster than in many other areas. Such an attractive and competitive market requires outstanding abilities, talent and skills to be successful. This is why our program is challenging and demanding, even for the best students. These students understand that while they are required to work hard, this work pays off since it has a substantial impact on their personal development and their potential for professional growth. A potential applicant to a Finance program should not be scared by an intensive, challenging and well-designed MSc in Finance, but rather should avoid programs which might provide him or her with insufficient tools to be successful on the job market.

Why should an outstanding student enter the Bocconi Master of Science in Finance?
First, because the Master of Science in Finance combines academic rigor and a practical and concrete orientation, in order to develop all the skills required in the financial industry with the prospect of an outstanding career. Other finance degrees are strong in one of these aspects, but very few are strong in both. Second, because the MSc in Finance is clearly appreciated by industry leaders. It has been one of the first five graduate degrees in the world chosen by the CFA Institute as a CFA Program partner, and, in addition, top Finance graduates' success with recruiters is evident. The companies that came to Bocconi last year to hold recruiting and skill-building seminars for our students included the best brands of finance: investment banks such as Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Bank of America-Merrill Lynch, Citigroup, Credit Suisse, JPMorgan, UBS, Deutsche Bank, BarclaysCapital, Nomura, HSBC, Royal Bank of Scotland, Lazard, Dresdner Kleinwort, BNP Paribas, ABN-AMRO; asset management houses such as AXA Investment Managers and Crédit Agricole Asset Management; consulting companies such as McKinsey, Bain & Co., Ernst & Young, KPMG, Oliver Wyman, PricewaterhouseCoopers and Roland Berger. Would these companies strive to be visible to the best Bocconi students if we did not provide a significant value added to students enrolling at Bocconi? Finally, studying Finance at Bocconi may offer the chance to study and work closely with a great number of incredibly brilliant peers from a number of different countries: they are your network for the future! The enthusiasm, motivation and passion I have seen in our current and past students are noteworthy. The opportunity to share two years with colleagues of this kind is one of the great things that many of our students will probably remember forever.

What are the key characteristics of the Master of Science in Finance? The Master of Science in Finance is an intensive two year full-time graduate program aimed at developing the competencies and skills required to successfully enter and work in the multi-faceted finance job market. Our challenge is to provide students with the tools to face and win their own challenges. This is why the program helps bright students develop their personal skills in order to be successful and flexible in the field of finance, either within financial institutions, authorities and regulators or at consulting firms. The program intends to provide both the right mix of the typical skills acknowledged in the financial community, including corporate finance, investment banking, accounting, quantitative finance and econometrics, as well as an optimal mix between a sound theoretical background and practice. This aim is achieved thanks to a faculty that combines an outstanding academic track record with an established relationship with the financial and business community.

Which abilities and skills do you try to develop in Master of Science in Finance students? As far as abilities are concerned, specialized knowledge is crucial, along with a solid background in all areas of finance. We think the flexibility in mastering multiple areas combined with technical skills in one field is the competitive advantage we can offer when compared to one-year specialized master programs abroad. Secondly, students acquire a strong theoretical background but are also able to understand how theory is applied in practice, and this is why we are extremely careful in monitoring the abilities top international recruiters require when designing our course programs. Finally, being a successful candidate is also a matter of skills. This is why we want teamwork and we try to educate students to learn how to work with others using tools such as group home assignments, group simulations and exercise sessions or business games. Being involved in group work with other talented people who may have a different academic background or come from a different country is an invaluable component of the personal experience a student may gain during the Master of Science in Finance.