Faculty of Economics and Business · Programmes · Master of Science in Finance · Current students · Master thesis

Faculty of Economics and Business

Master of Science in Finance

Master thesis

  • To obtain a MSc in Finance (120 ECTS), students have to meet the criteria of the MSc in Finance (90 ECTS) and they must validate the Master thesis (30 ECTS).
  • Students who want to write the master thesis must have acquired at least 30 ECTS in line with the MSc in Finance (90 ECTS).
  • Students must register for the Enhanced programme. All details are on the Current students page.
Current students

Supervisors and topics

Potential topics for the master thesis may include but are not limited to:

  • Economic consequences of changes in or adoption of accounting standards, accounting regulation, or accounting rules (e.g., market reactions, cost of capital, or liquidity)
  • Determinants of accounting choices
  • Effects of heterogeneous accounting standards or accounting choices on information asymmetry or information precision
  • Earnings management, discretionary accounting, and disclosure quality (e.g., earnings smoothing, small positive gains, value relevance, large negative net income, timely loss recognition, or target accounting)
  • (Economic) consequences of fair value accounting
  • Effects of banking regulation and “Too-big-to-fail” issues
    Economic consequences of (U.S.) cross-listings

  • Theoretical asset pricing
  • Portfolio selection
  • Bayesian learning models

  • TBA

  • Corporate and international finance
  • Valuation
  • Financial markets

Programme administrator

Step by step

Step 1. Supervisor selection

By 18 December 2026, select one supervisor from the list provided above and submit the Master thesis application form to the programme administrator.

Master thesis application form

The application is binding, and you may apply to only one supervisor.

The programme administrator will obtain the supervisor’s signature and return the fully signed document to you.

Step 2. Registration in IS-Academia

Between 22 February and 19 March 2027, register in IS‑Academia for the course “Master thesis (5AF2044)”.

This registration will automatically enrol you in the June 2027 exam session.

Step 3. Submission of the first draft

By 23 April 2027, send the first draft of your thesis, by email and in PDF format, to your supervisor.

Before writing your thesis, consult the University intranet page on plagiarism. Also refer to the Master thesis guidelines and use the official cover page template:

Intégrité scientifique (plagiarism) Master thesis guidelines Cover page template

Step 4. Submission of the final version

By 24 May 2027, send the final version of your thesis, by email and in PDF format, to your supervisor.

At the same time, submit the following to the programme administrator:

  • Two printed copies of the thesis (double‑sided, colour, bound with spiral)
  • Completed form:
Pledge of honour

Step 5. Defense

Following the submission of the Master thesis, an oral defense in the form of a presentation combined with a « question-and-answer » is organised by the academic supervisor.

Evaluation and assessment

By 22 June 2027, your supervisor will submit the Validation and assessment form directly to the programme administrator:

Validation and assessment form

You will receive your grade once all results have been officially published after the exam session.

Step 6. Registration for the retake session and resubmission (if applicable)

If your grade is below 4, between 3 and 11 July 2027 register in IS‑Academia for the August/September retake session.

By 9 August 2027, revise your thesis and send the updated version, by email and in PDF format, to your supervisor.

At the same time, provide the programme administrator with the new printed copies and the pledge of honour.

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