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Master of Leadership in Sustainable Finance - Online
The Programme
Master the Sustainability Transition.
The Master of Leadership in Sustainable Finance online programme is designed for (emerging) leaders who are passionate about finance, and the role finance plays as a catalyst to boost economic growth in an inclusive and environmentally conscientious manner. Build skills to finance and manage a better future for all.
Highlights
- The Master of Leadership in Sustainable Finance - Online is a part-time post-experience programme (60ECTS), offered in a modular format to allow professionals to study while continuing to work.
- Build your career in either development finance, sustainable finance or green finance
- Flexibility to study wherever you are, whenever you want
- International and diverse class with students from all over the world
- High practice relevance combined with academic excellence
- 18-24 months/ part-time
Target Audience
You are the ideal candidate for this master programme if:
- You are a professional with work experience in the:
- development finance industry, e.g. working for a Microfinance Institution, or an international donor organization, a DFI, a (central) bank
- green finance industry (e.g. working for a renewable energy developer, climate finance organization, engineering, green banking ESG investing)
- or international technical cooperation
- You are an applicant with a different background, looking to change your career and move into the financial inclusion and/or sustainability field.
- You want to climb the career ladder in your organisation
- You wish to follow an excellent, accredited programme alongside a full-time job to develop yourself professionally
- You are ready to make a real change in the economies of developing countries and/or in the battle against climate change
- You want to have the advantages of studying at home while enjoying the benefits of an international class
Requirements
- Undergraduate academic degree (bachelor’s or equivalent) from a recognised university (including diploma and transcript of records)
- Proficiency in written and spoken English
- At least two years of post-undergraduate, relevant work experience (proven by a recommendation letter from your former or current employer)
- Admission Test and Interview
Study Fee
Total tuition fee: EUR 17,500
Combinable Discounts:
- 10% Alumni Discount
- Early Bird Discount for complete applications received by:
| 28 February | EUR 2,500 |
| 31 March | EUR 1,750 |
| 31 May | EUR 1,000 |
- 10% Group Discount (for 2 or more students)
The fee amount paid by already completed FSDF e-Campus courses will be deducted.
Apply here for the programme.
Upon completion of your studies, you will be awarded the degree Master of Arts (MA) of Leadership in Sustainable Finance. If you want to, you can pick one of two concentrations to specialize in
- “Financial Inclusion/ Development Finance”
- or “Green Finance”.
You are free to “pick and mix” your electives. It is not mandatory to choose a concentration
Development Finance Track
Development Finance & Growth
Development Finance & Growth offers a detailed assessment of the key factors driving (and hindering) financial sector development. Through the lens of different macroeconomeic schools of thought, students assess the relevance of (inclusive) financial sector development for economic prosperity and growth.
Accounting & Leadership
Every leader needs to know how to correctly interpret, assess and deduce strategic impulses from financial statements. The module in Accounting & Leadership offers, in summary, the essentials of bookkeeping, budgeting and (bank-) controlling. Students are also introduced to behavioural accounting, a concept that builds heavily on the latest research findings, which is extremely useful for explaining how financial statements are presented and composed both in banks and businesses.
Choose One Elective
Microfinance
This course provides a detailed introduction into the topic of microfinance. It not only presents international trends and best practices with respect to microcredits, microsavings and microinsurance, but also dwells into the challenges and complexity of managing a microfinance institution. Most MFIs operate in an increasingly competitive environment that is quickly changing (e.g. through mobile banking), where both social and financial performance need to be closely monitored to correctly influence management decisions. Participants will thus learn how to cope with the specific challenges that microfinance institutions face today.
Islamic Microfinance
According to CGAP an overwhelming proportion of people without access to finance are from Muslim-majority countries, as formal financial markets often fail to provide access to credit or savings that are compliant with the Muslim faith. Islamic microfinance has the potential to fill that gap through the provision of Sharia-compliant microfinance products, already reaching millions with an estimated USD 1 billion global industry loan portfolio. Professionals in this field are motivated and at times challenged by the dual nature of the required skillset, combining proven microfinance practice with the principles of Islamic finance.
Agricultural Finance
Agriculture matters a lot for everyone on this planet: it provides affordable and healthy food, jobs and incomes for millions of people; its development is essential for environmental protection, poverty alleviation and in the context of climate change.
Therefore, agriculture finance is a significant part of the finance sector. Farmers and agro-enterprises need loans, insurance, leasing and many other financial services to do well. Financial institutions seek qualified employees who understand the financial needs of farmers and agribusinesses, the dynamics of the agricultural sector and the role of finance in agricultural value chains.
Strategy & Innovation
Today’s leaders, especially in emerging markets, are faced with many strategic challenges: high competition, fragmented markets and rapid technological change. This module focuses on strategy formulation, implementation and assessment. It offers a hands.-on guideline to senior executives on how to bring a business forward in a globalised, digital world.
Risk, Corporate Governance & Compliance
Risk management is about coping with the challenges of growth, complexity and competition in a sustainable manner. This module provides a comprehensive overview about the risks which financial institutions face (including credit, market, liquidity and operational risk) with a special emphasis on the particular requirements of emerging and developing markets. It provides students with tools to measure risks and devise appropriate risk-taking and mitigation strategies that give financial institutions the competitive edge in delivering inclusive financial services in a rapidly evolving environment.
Choose One Elective
ESG & Impact Investing
Environment Social and Governance criteria (ESG) and Impact Investing have gained a lot of traction in recent years and will continue to do so in the (post-) Corona world. Calls for a green and socially equitable re-start are very prominent. The EU’s Green New Deal (“Green Deal”) and the UN`s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are good examples of how ESG criteria and ideas of Impact Investing are being incorporated into policy objectives.
Microinsurance
The microinsurance sector is an evolving sector, which is impacting how low-income individuals and MSMEs protect themselves against everyday risks. Nevertheless, due to microinsurance’s emerging role in microfinance, research is relatively new and few institutions offer executive training in the field. Insurance, microfinance and bank specialists can benefit greatly from learning about the current trends in the microinsurance market and the unique demands of this sector, including product development, marketing, distribution or customer and sales relationship management.
SME Finance
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are important engines of growth, jobs and social cohesion. However, the creation, survival and growth of SMEs is often hampered by access to finance. Thus, access to SME finance has become a key priority in developing and transition countries. Since the early nineties, Frankfurt School of Finance & Management is combining advisory work, training, and policy advice with applied research. Our goal is to support financial institutions in developing and transition countries establish good practices in Micro and SME finance.
Financial Inclusion Policy
This course provides a broad understanding of the designing and implementation of financial regulatory frameworks. It covers in detail the following financial inclusion policy areas – proportionate application of global standards, consumer education and empowerment, national strategies that ensure a coordinate approach to financial inclusion, measuring impact of financial inclusion. It also focuses on three core components that drive financial inclusion – financing of micro, small and medium enterprises, microfinance and microinsurance and taking the digital route to financial inclusion.
Digital Finance
Digital finance offers a transformational solution for financial inclusion. Powered by the mobile phone, new data and technological innovations, it has become affordable and convenient for unbanked customers to access and use formal banking services. While new technological developments and financial players bring tremendous opportunities, the emerging landscape is also becoming more complex and is putting increasing pressure on traditional providers to go digital.
Leadership & Change Management (Online or On-campus)
Top-level executives in emerging markets are faced with a very specific set of leadership challenges. Selecting teams in an environment marked by a lack of highly educated, highly motivated (affordable) team members is often difficult. Motivating those talented individuals to work together as a team and to ensure loyalty and retention in a context of fierce competition is often even trickier to manage. This is especially the case when organisations undergo fundamental change, for instance going commercial. This module provides a set of tools on how to tackle those challenges effectively and engagingly.
One can also choose this programme on-campus.
Choose One Elective
Climate & Renewable Energy Finance
The Paris Agreement marks the beginning of a new era with the focus shifting from finding a consensus on the common goals to realising jointly agreed goals. “Making finance flows consistent with a pathway towards low greenhouse gas emissions and climate-resilient development” (Article 2 c of the Paris Agreement) will require a significant increase in funding – with new instruments and approaches required to mobilize a broad range of investors and to achieve scalability in financing climate action. Financing the global energy transition will be one key building block.
Climate Adaptation Finance
Climate change presents a risk to the global economy and consequently the finance sector. However, it also presents an opportunity for innovative financing to increase the economic and social resilience to climate impacts.
As facilitators of the economy, financial institutions have a central role in the transformation to low carbon and climate-resilient development. Their responsibility is twofold: greening their portfolios towards Paris compatible financing and investments, and reflecting and integrating climate-related risks into their risk management processes.
This gradual process involves harmonising short-term business cycles and investment horizons with systemic and long-term thinking by all actors from the financial sector (e.g. banks, asset managers, insurers, pension funds, investment consultants, regulators, rating agencies). This process is supported by public actors who moderate the structural change required for a transition to climate-resilient economies.
Sustainable Finance
Reflecting sustainability criteria, especially climate change, in financial markets is increasingly gaining attention as opportunities and risks arising in this context are changing business practices. The course will prepare participants to understand major drivers and constraints of transforming the financial system to a more sustainable one. Furthermore, it will familiarize participants with the business, regulatory and technical perspective of sustainable finance and will acquaint them to take an active part in the discussion around the topic. The course aims to enable financial professionals to integrate Sustainable Finance related aspects into their work through new knowledge and tools for advising their clients and business partners.
ESG & Impact Investing
Environment Social and Governance criteria (ESG) and Impact Investing have gained a lot of traction in recent years and will continue to do so in the (post-) Corona world. Calls for a green and socially equitable re-start are very prominent. The EU’s Green New Deal (“Green Deal”) and the UN`s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are good examples of how ESG criteria and ideas of Impact Investing are being incorporated into policy objectives.
Financial Inclusion Policy
This course provides a broad understanding of the designing and implementation of financial regulatory frameworks. It covers in detail the following financial inclusion policy areas – proportionate application of global standards, consumer education and empowerment, national strategies that ensure a coordinate approach to financial inclusion, measuring impact of financial inclusion. It also focuses on three core components that drive financial inclusion – financing of micro, small and medium enterprises, microfinance and microinsurance and taking the digital route to financial inclusion.
Microinsurance
The microinsurance sector is an evolving sector, which is impacting how low-income individuals and MSMEs protect themselves against everyday risks. Nevertheless, due to microinsurance’s emerging role in microfinance, research is relatively new and few institutions offer executive training in the field. Insurance, microfinance and bank specialists can benefit greatly from learning about the current trends in the microinsurance market and the unique demands of this sector, including product development, marketing, distribution or customer and sales relationship management.
SME Finance
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are important engines of growth, jobs and social cohesion. However, the creation, survival and growth of SMEs is often hampered by access to finance. Thus, access to SME finance has become a key priority in developing and transition countries. Since the early nineties, Frankfurt School of Finance & Management is combining advisory work, training, and policy advice with applied research. Our goal is to support financial institutions in developing and transition countries establish good practices in Micro and SME finance.
Digital Finance
Digital finance offers a transformational solution for financial inclusion. Powered by the mobile phone, new data and technological innovations, it has become affordable and convenient for unbanked customers to access and use formal banking services. While new technological developments and financial players bring tremendous opportunities, the emerging landscape is also becoming more complex and is putting increasing pressure on traditional providers to go digital.
NPL Management & Investment
Following the current recession caused by the COVID-19 outbreak, banks, regulators and investors will need to tackle record amounts of private sector debt, and a fresh wave of non-performing loans (NPLs). Once state support comes to an end, this could present an even more serious challenge for banks than in past crises, as the present recession extends across most sectors and economies.
This course will equip you with all necessary skills to manage private sector debt workouts and loan defaults. You will learn to recognise debt distress among households and enterprises, to design best-practice restructuring solutions that return borrowers to financial viability, and to navigate an insolvency process where this becomes inevitable.
Master Thesis (Project Work)
The aim of the Project Work is to provide you with the opportunity to apply your skills and knowledge gained during the programme. It is the project work that proves that you have mastery in the subject matter. The project work demonstrates that you can perform critical analysis of a given problem and draw conclusions relevant to the firm setting. Further, the project work is proof that you can describe the project related activities and results, in a well-written format.
Economics of Climate Change
The objective of “Economics of Climate Change” is to assess challenges related to overcoming climate change from an economic perspective. The course takes a broader perspective on the thematic compared to traditional approaches within the context of text-book economics by using the economic concepts in order to shape a perspective towards actual challenges and policies in the field
Accounting & Leadership
Every leader needs to know how to correctly interpret, assess and deduce strategic impulses from financial statements. The module in Accounting & Leadership offers, in summary, the essentials of bookkeeping, budgeting and (bank-) controlling. Students are also introduced to behavioural accounting, a concept that builds heavily on the latest research findings, which is extremely useful for explaining how financial statements are presented and composed both in banks and businesses.
Choose One Elective
Financing NDCs
Nationally determined contributions (NDCs) were key to adopting the 2015 Paris Agreement, which outlines national goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and identifies financial needs for mitigation and adaptation efforts. Most mitigation and adaptation contributions outlined in the NDCs of developing countries are based upon receiving international support. While support from the international community has addressed some capacity gaps, many conditional NDCs of low-income countries have finance, capacity-building, and technological needs. Recipient countries are hindered by the lack of accurate monitoring of climate finance flows, which prevents them from making more informed decisions about planning, prioritization, allocation of climate change resources, and measuring and evaluating progress.
Agricultural Finance
Agriculture matters a lot for everyone on this planet: it provides affordable and healthy food, jobs and incomes for millions of people; its development is essential for environmental protection, poverty alleviation and in the context of climate change.
Therefore, agriculture finance is a significant part of the finance sector. Farmers and agro-enterprises need loans, insurance, leasing and many other financial services to do well. Financial institutions seek qualified employees who understand the financial needs of farmers and agribusinesses, the dynamics of the agricultural sector and the role of finance in agricultural value chains.
Strategy & Innovation
Today’s leaders, especially in emerging markets, are faced with many strategic challenges: high competition, fragmented markets and rapid technological change. This module focuses on strategy formulation, implementation and assessment. It offers a hands.-on guideline to senior executives on how to bring a business forward in a globalised, digital world.
Risk, Corporate Governance & Compliance
Risk management is about coping with the challenges of growth, complexity and competition in a sustainable manner. This module provides a comprehensive overview about the risks which financial institutions face (including credit, market, liquidity and operational risk) with a special emphasis on the particular requirements of emerging and developing markets. It provides students with tools to measure risks and devise appropriate risk-taking and mitigation strategies that give financial institutions the competitive edge in delivering inclusive financial services in a rapidly evolving environment.
Choose One Elective
ESG & Impact Investing
Environment Social and Governance criteria (ESG) and Impact Investing have gained a lot of traction in recent years and will continue to do so in the (post-) Corona world. Calls for a green and socially equitable re-start are very prominent. The EU’s Green New Deal (“Green Deal”) and the UN`s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are good examples of how ESG criteria and ideas of Impact Investing are being incorporated into policy objectives.
Sustainable Finance
Reflecting sustainability criteria, especially climate change, in financial markets is increasingly gaining attention as opportunities and risks arising in this context are changing business practices. The course will prepare participants to understand major drivers and constraints of transforming the financial system to a more sustainable one. Furthermore, it will familiarize participants with the business, regulatory and technical perspective of sustainable finance and will acquaint them to take an active part in the discussion around the topic. The course aims to enable financial professionals to integrate Sustainable Finance related aspects into their work through new knowledge and tools for advising their clients and business partners.
Climate Adaptation Finance
Climate change presents a risk to the global economy and consequently the finance sector. However, it also presents an opportunity for innovative financing to increase the economic and social resilience to climate impacts.
As facilitators of the economy, financial institutions have a central role in the transformation to low carbon and climate-resilient development. Their responsibility is twofold: greening their portfolios towards Paris compatible financing and investments, and reflecting and integrating climate-related risks into their risk management processes.
This gradual process involves harmonising short-term business cycles and investment horizons with systemic and long-term thinking by all actors from the financial sector (e.g. banks, asset managers, insurers, pension funds, investment consultants, regulators, rating agencies). This process is supported by public actors who moderate the structural change required for a transition to climate-resilient economies.
Climate & Renewable Energy Finance
The Paris Agreement marks the beginning of a new era with the focus shifting from finding a consensus on the common goals to realising jointly agreed goals. “Making finance flows consistent with a pathway towards low greenhouse gas emissions and climate-resilient development” (Article 2 c of the Paris Agreement) will require a significant increase in funding – with new instruments and approaches required to mobilize a broad range of investors and to achieve scalability in financing climate action. Financing the global energy transition will be one key building block.
Leadership & Change Management (Online or On-campus)
Top-level executives in emerging markets are faced with a very specific set of leadership challenges. Selecting teams in an environment marked by a lack of highly educated, highly motivated (affordable) team members is often difficult. Motivating those talented individuals to work together as a team and to ensure loyalty and retention in a context of fierce competition is often even trickier to manage. This is especially the case when organisations undergo fundamental change, for instance going commercial. This module provides a set of tools on how to tackle those challenges effectively and engagingly.
One can also choose this programme on-campus.
Choose One Elective
Climate & Renewable Energy Finance
The Paris Agreement marks the beginning of a new era with the focus shifting from finding a consensus on the common goals to realising jointly agreed goals. “Making finance flows consistent with a pathway towards low greenhouse gas emissions and climate-resilient development” (Article 2 c of the Paris Agreement) will require a significant increase in funding – with new instruments and approaches required to mobilize a broad range of investors and to achieve scalability in financing climate action. Financing the global energy transition will be one key building block.
Climate Adaptation Finance
Climate change presents a risk to the global economy and consequently the finance sector. However, it also presents an opportunity for innovative financing to increase the economic and social resilience to climate impacts.
As facilitators of the economy, financial institutions have a central role in the transformation to low carbon and climate-resilient development. Their responsibility is twofold: greening their portfolios towards Paris compatible financing and investments, and reflecting and integrating climate-related risks into their risk management processes.
This gradual process involves harmonising short-term business cycles and investment horizons with systemic and long-term thinking by all actors from the financial sector (e.g. banks, asset managers, insurers, pension funds, investment consultants, regulators, rating agencies). This process is supported by public actors who moderate the structural change required for a transition to climate-resilient economies.
Sustainable Finance
Reflecting sustainability criteria, especially climate change, in financial markets is increasingly gaining attention as opportunities and risks arising in this context are changing business practices. The course will prepare participants to understand major drivers and constraints of transforming the financial system to a more sustainable one. Furthermore, it will familiarize participants with the business, regulatory and technical perspective of sustainable finance and will acquaint them to take an active part in the discussion around the topic. The course aims to enable financial professionals to integrate Sustainable Finance related aspects into their work through new knowledge and tools for advising their clients and business partners.
ESG & Impact Investing
Environment Social and Governance criteria (ESG) and Impact Investing have gained a lot of traction in recent years and will continue to do so in the (post-) Corona world. Calls for a green and socially equitable re-start are very prominent. The EU’s Green New Deal (“Green Deal”) and the UN`s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are good examples of how ESG criteria and ideas of Impact Investing are being incorporated into policy objectives.
Financial Inclusion Policy
This course provides a broad understanding of the designing and implementation of financial regulatory frameworks. It covers in detail the following financial inclusion policy areas – proportionate application of global standards, consumer education and empowerment, national strategies that ensure a coordinate approach to financial inclusion, measuring impact of financial inclusion. It also focuses on three core components that drive financial inclusion – financing of micro, small and medium enterprises, microfinance and microinsurance and taking the digital route to financial inclusion.
Microinsurance
The microinsurance sector is an evolving sector, which is impacting how low-income individuals and MSMEs protect themselves against everyday risks. Nevertheless, due to microinsurance’s emerging role in microfinance, research is relatively new and few institutions offer executive training in the field. Insurance, microfinance and bank specialists can benefit greatly from learning about the current trends in the microinsurance market and the unique demands of this sector, including product development, marketing, distribution or customer and sales relationship management.
SME Finance
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are important engines of growth, jobs and social cohesion. However, the creation, survival and growth of SMEs is often hampered by access to finance. Thus, access to SME finance has become a key priority in developing and transition countries. Since the early nineties, Frankfurt School of Finance & Management is combining advisory work, training, and policy advice with applied research. Our goal is to support financial institutions in developing and transition countries establish good practices in Micro and SME finance.
Digital Finance
Digital finance offers a transformational solution for financial inclusion. Powered by the mobile phone, new data and technological innovations, it has become affordable and convenient for unbanked customers to access and use formal banking services. While new technological developments and financial players bring tremendous opportunities, the emerging landscape is also becoming more complex and is putting increasing pressure on traditional providers to go digital.
NPL Management & Investment
Following the current recession caused by the COVID-19 outbreak, banks, regulators and investors will need to tackle record amounts of private sector debt, and a fresh wave of non-performing loans (NPLs). Once state support comes to an end, this could present an even more serious challenge for banks than in past crises, as the present recession extends across most sectors and economies.
This course will equip you with all necessary skills to manage private sector debt workouts and loan defaults. You will learn to recognise debt distress among households and enterprises, to design best-practice restructuring solutions that return borrowers to financial viability, and to navigate an insolvency process where this becomes inevitable.
Master Thesis (Project Work)
The aim of the Project Work is to provide you with the opportunity to apply your skills and knowledge gained during the programme. It is the project work that proves that you have mastery in the subject matter. The project work demonstrates that you can perform critical analysis of a given problem and draw conclusions relevant to the firm setting. Further, the project work is proof that you can describe the project related activities and results, in a well-written format.
Self-Study Training Approach
The flexible self-study training concept offers you the opportunity to follow your own schedule and to combine daily work with professional development. The high quality of our training approach will have an immediate impact on your daily job performance.
While following a flexible, self-study approach, we do offer a number of non-mandatory sessions for direct interaction with lecturers and peer students.
Our Online Features
- Mentoring and ongoing support from our experienced trainers and tutors throughout the entire programme
- Training material based on international best practice with examples from all over the world
- A hands-on, practical focus with tools and guidance for real-life implementation
- A discussion forum for sharing experiences between participants and with the online master's team will get you exposed to recent developments in the financial sector.
Training Material
Each course of the Master Programme consists of about 6-10 units
Video Lectures
- Video lectures give an introduction to the topics of each unit and a basic understanding of each topic
- Pre-recorded Web-based lectures complement the script and give additional input
Scripts
Most units include a downloadable PDF script, which serves as the main study material. The scripts provide basic concepts and principles applicable to the subject matter of each unit including important definitions, key messages, exercises and examples.
Online Tests
Each unit ends with an online test comprising of a set of 10 - 15 multiple-choice questions. Only after having successfully completed the test, you will gain access to the next unit.
Case Studies
The key to successful learning is the immediate use of newly acquired knowledge and the transfer of theory into practice. The mandatory Case Studies have to be solved and submitted by a determined deadline.
Further Readings
The e-library contains links to the latest studies and sector reports, recent publications and relevant papers.
Discussion Forum
The forum enables interaction between students and tutors. It facilitates the exchange of experiences and allows students to ask questions or get clarification.
Online Final Exam
Each course from the Master of Leadership in Sustainable Finance online Programme will end with two hours a final exam.The examination fee for the first attempt is already included in the programme fee.
FAQ on the Final Exam
Does the final exam take place online?
Yes, you can take the final exam from wherever you want online
Do I need to pay for taking the final exam?
The examination fee for the first attempt is already included in the programme fee. The fee for each additional attempt (max three) is EUR 50.
What does the final exam look like?
The final exam is digital. The format of the exam depends on the module but it is generally a mixture of multiple-choice questions and case studies. The final exam takes 2 hours.
When do I have to take my exams?
The final exam will take place 2-4 weeks after the end of each course.
Application process
1. Online Application
The first step in applying for this programme is the completion of our online application, which includes uploading the following required documents in support of your application:
Eligibility Requirements
- Undergraduate academic degree (Bachelor’s or equivalent) from a recognised university (including Diploma and Transcript of Records)
- Proven Excellent written and spoken English
- At least two years of post-undergraduate, relevant work experience (proved by a recommendation letter from your former or current employer)
- Admission Test and Interview
Required Documents
- CV or resume
- Transcript of records and diploma from your undergraduate studies
- Employee Reference Letter
Deadlines
We encourage you to complete your application as early as possible. There are also special financial advantages for candidates who submit a complete application early:
- 28 February - EUR 2,500 Early Bird Discount
- 31 March - EUR 1,750 Early Bird Discount
- 31 May - EUR 1,000 Early Bird Discount
- 31 July - Application Deadline
2. Admission Test & Interview
The Admission Test consists of several questions designed by Frankfurt School that the candidate will need to answer.
After reviewing your Admission Test, we will invite qualified candidates to participate in an online or telephone interview with a member of Frankfurt School staff. The purpose of the interview is to gain a better understanding of your character, personality, expectations, motivations and goals.
3. Results
The final decision regarding admissions into our Master of Leadership in Sustainable Finance online Programme will be based on a combination of the candidate’s academic qualifications, English language abilities, admissions test score, work experience and interview results.
4. Start of the Programme
This Master's programme starts once a year. The next cohort starts in September 2021.
Apply here for the programme.
Do you have any question? Check our FAQ
What are the networking opportunities during my studies?
Throughout the programme, we offer some networking opportunities to the students, mostly, as live sessions. There is a life session at the beginning of the porgramme, where you will meet your peer students. Further, some of the courses also offer life sessions where you will not only be able to exchange opinions and get into interesting discussions with your peer students, but also with the respective course trainers. Finally, each of the courses offers a course forum, where you will have the change to network not only with your Master peer students, but also with the participants of each of the courses (some courses having more than 100 participants per semester).
Are there any mandatory live sessions during my studies?
We offer some live sessions throughout the Master programme. However, these life sessions are not mandatory.
Are there any on-campus sessions during my studies?
Yes, and we highly encourage all participants to attend to the 2-week programme “Extended Winter Leadership Academy” on campus in your third semester. Here, you will not only have the change to meet your peer students, but also participants from all over the world, since the first week’s programme is an open enrollment programme. The 2-week programme is equivalent to the online module “Leadership & Change Management”.
How long do students, on average, study per week?
We calculated a study workload of about 5 hours/week per module. If you are taking two modules in one semester, your workload will be of about 10 hours/week in total.
Do students work full time? How do they manage?
The majority of the students have a full time job. Time management and priority setting is crucial in combining a full time job, studies and other activities. Some of the students allocate some study hours early in the morning or after work. Some other, prefer to study during the weekend. It is up to each student when to study. However, we encourage each student to design an own study schedule before starting the programme.
Do I have access to the FS digital library?
Yes. All students have access to Frankfurt School’s digital library.
Can I visit the school?
For sure! We are very happy to meet our students in person, whenever they have the chance to visit Frankfurt.
FSDF e-Campus Alumni
Recognition of your e-learning courses
If you have already been certified in one of Frankfurt School’s Development Finance e-Campus courses, that course will be recognised in our Master Programme, which means you will not need to repeat it.
Furthermore, the price paid of the course you have already completed will be deducted from your tuition fee. Additionally, you will benefit from a 10% Alumni Discount.
Financing your Studies
Fee and Example
If you have completed the FSDF e-Campus courses in SME Finance and Microfinance and applied on 1 February, your total tuition fee will be:
| Total Fee | EUR 17,500 | |
| - 1st Early Bird Discount | - | EUR 2,500 |
| -10% Alumni Discount | - | EUR 1,750 |
| = | EUR 13,250 | |
| -Tuition fee paid for completed SME Finance course | - | EUR 1,550 |
| -Tuition fee paid for completed Microfinance course (early bird) | - | EUR 700 |
| Total Fee (One-Time Payment) | EUR 11,100 |
Instalments
The total tuition fee will be split equally into eight instalments and issued every three months only for German Residents.
For residents outside Germany, the fees can be split into three instalments or paid in a single payment.
The first instalment will be due before the programme begins.
For more detailed information, write us by email at onlinemaster@fs.de
The Frankfurt School Scholarship Programme
This scholarship programme aims to provide highly talented candidates with an opportunity to study irrespective of their financial circumstances.
Scholarships cover a partial amount of tuition for the Master of Leadership in Sustainable Finance online programme (maximum 30%).
Selection criteria include candidates’ academic achievements (grade of undergraduate degree), performance during the Frankfurt School selection procedure and candidates’ personal achievements (professional and international experience, extracurricular activities, social commitment, and intercultural skills), motivation, and financial needs.
Scholarship Application
To receive a Frankfurt School partial scholarship for the Master of Leadership in Sustainable Finance you need to submit an application. The scholarship application will be completed within the online application and should include the following:
1. A statement delivered to our scholarship committee clearly showing what makes you an outstanding student and why you are the perfect scholarship candidate.
For this, you have three options:
-
Short video (max 2 minutes) - preferred
-
PowerPoint presentation (max. 5 slides) or
-
An essay (max. 500 words)
2. Explain how you will finance the remaining part of the tuition fee (keep in mind that the partial scholarship might be less than 30%)
Please note that funds for this scholarship are limited.
Completed applications must be submitted by 31 July. Incomplete applications or applications received after this date will not be considered for a scholarship. Frankfurt School awards the master's scholarships continuously throughout the admission process on a “first come first serve” basis. Therefore, we recommend that you apply as soon as possible.
A scholarship committee will review the scholarship candidates only once the application is completed and the applicant is admitted to the master's programme online. The final decision on the scholarship amount lies with the scholarship committee. The scholarship committee’s decision is final and candidates have no legal entitlement to a scholarship.
Class Profile
Gender
Origin of Students
Master contributes to UN SDGs
This master's programme will enhance your knowledge in the following SDGs. The SWA offers professional and executive courses dedicated to the advancement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Master addresses almost all SDGs, however, the below 8 feature prominently.
Accreditation
What's next?
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