Master's Programs

International Master's in Finance

The Program

International Master's in Finance at Nova SBE

It is a highly selective Master’s Program that provides students with the tools, concepts, and training to succeed in a professional international context.

About the program:

  • In Year 1 (first and second semester), students follow the Master’s in Finance Curriculum and benefit from exclusive and personalized support from a dedicated Nova SBE Career team to prepare their career abroad, with individual coaching sessions, exclusive workshops and networking opportunities with companies and alumnus. Exclusive language Courses are also offered (limited slots).
  • In Year 2 (third Semester), students complete their Master’s Thesis by developing a Work Project with an international scope.
  • The International Master’s in Finance includes a compulsory internationalization requirement that students can complete either through an international internship* or through an exchange semester abroad during the Master's program**.

*International Internship: 8-week international internship outside of Portugal & outside country of origin. It must be completed after the Bachelor's degree, between 2nd and 3rd semester of the program or immediately after the Master's. Students can carry out their 8-week internship as follows: 8 weeks at company or through the accumulation of two 4-week international internships.

** Study abroad experience can be completed through the following options: Exchange Semester, in the 3rd or 4th semester of the IMF program, adding 1 extra semester, outside Portugal and outside the country where the Bachelor’s degree was obtained, CEMS MIM Exchange Semester (for students simultaneously enrolled in the CEMS MIM Program); Partner School Master’s (for students simultaneously enrolled in one of the Double Degree Programs).

The International Master’s in Finance (IMF) is designed for bachelor’s students who want to have an international career after their Master’s program and ambition a fast career progression in the financial area

Program Overall Structure

Find out what this Master’s degree will offer you during the 3 semesters at Nova SBE!

You will have mandatory courses, but you will also be able to choose from a wide range of electives, allowing you to tailor-make your curriculum according to your own goals.

Please note that the information in this page may be subject to changes during the 2026/2027 academic year.

  • Master’s in Finance Curriculum
  • Exclusive language Course
  • Exclusive Career Accelerating Program provided by a dedicated team from the Careers @ Nova SBE Team
  • Students must carry out a Work Project (thesis) in their final semester. Check the formats available below.

Please note that students pursuing the CEMS MIM or a Double Degreeare required to complete the Work Project within the format, deadlines and offer of those programs.

Master's Programs 2026/27

Applications open on November 13, 2025.

For more information, please contact us by emailing leadyourfuture@novasbe.pt or calling +351 213 801 699.

Get to know the Mandatory courses and Electives

Candidates’ fluency in several languages is valued by multinational companies. Therefore, we expect the International Master’s in Finance (IMF) students to reach the following language levels upon graduation:

  • Language 1: English C1
  • Language 2: Mother Tongue or B1 (if English is the mother tongue)
  • Language 3: A2 (if English is the mother tongue)


To reach these objectives, applicants must meet the following requisites at application:

  • Language 1: English language certificate minimum C1 (or English mother tongue)
  • Language 2: Mother Tongue or any language B1 level (if mother tongue is English)
     

Nova SBE provides exclusive Language Courses to International Master’s in Finance (IMF) students, slots are limited, during the Academic Year.

  • Corporate Finance
  • Empirical Methods for Finance
  • Financial Modelling
  • Investments
Corporate Finance

Develop the analytical and practical skills needed for a career in investment banking, private equity, venture capital, auditing, or financial consulting. This specialization combines strong technical foundations with strategic insight, preparing you to make high-impact financial decisions.

Financial Markets

Deepen your understanding of financial markets and prepare for a career in investment banking, asset management, or portfolio risk management. This specialization combines financial theory with practical applications, helping you interpret market behavior and make informed investment decisions.

 

*Please take note of the following:

— Students can qualify for only one area of expertise, but it is not mandatory for students to choose one.
— Areas of Expertise and respective courses might be subject to change from one academic year to the next.
— Some courses might not be offered every academic year.
— Students may attend elective courses from other Masters programs, subject to availability.

Discover some of the most popular electives:

  • Advanced Financial Transactions in M&A
  • Asset Management
  • Corporate Valuation
  • Entrepreneurial Finance & Venture Capital
  • Financial Statement Analysis
  • Impact Investments
  • Introduction to Programming
  • Private Equity

Explore the program brochure to learn more about all available options.
 

Each program has two compulsory modules to be completed by students:

  • Ethics
  • Sustainability

As part of the degree requirement, students must carry out a Work Project (thesis) in their final semester. There are four formats available:

Field Lab
Students address real business challenge with an international scope in a group setting.

Internship Field Lab
Students carry out a work project within the context of an internship with an international scope.

Business in Practice Simulation and Thesis
One-month intensive Program (June 2024) based on a business simulation and immersive Role Plays, followed by an individual reflective Thesis.

Directed Research*
Students showcase their knowledge and expertise by investigating a research problem of scientific nature in a relevant area of interest.

* This format is generally reserved for those intending on pursuing their studies. With, for example, a PhD.

Please note that students pursuing the CEMS MIM or a Double Degree are required to complete the Work Project within the deadlines, format and offer of those programs.

Grading is based upon the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS), a grading scale developed to facilitate the understanding and comparison of grades given according to different national systems. The awarding of ECTS grades per curriculum component breaks down as follows:

21 ECTS
Mandatory Courses

2 ECTS
Career Program – IMF & IMM

35 ECTS
Elective Courses (minimum)

2 ECTS
Skills Accelerator Modules

0 ECTS
MS Excel Certification

30 ECTS
Thesis/Work Project

90 ECTS (minimum) in total to graduate
You need a minimum of 90 ECTS to complete your Master’s, but if you need 120 ECTS to proceed with your studies, you can extend your Master's by completing one extra semester with courses (28 ECTS) and modules (2 ECTS).

Each year, Nova SBE enters the CFA® Institute Research Challenge annual global competition, which provides students with hands-on mentoring and intensive training in financial analysis, report writing, and presentation skills. This truly international challenge receives applications from more than 5000 students from over 1000 universities.

By participating in the CFA® Research Challenge, students have the possibility to use it as a foundation to develop their final Work Project, namely by doing an Equity Research project. ​Teams will be composed of four to five students who will defend the thesis together.

Q&A Sessions

Q&A Sessions

Watch the IMF Video and attend one of our live Q&A sessions to learn more  about the IMF  program, and clear any doubts you may have.