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Studies & Degrees in Global Banking and Financial Markets

Global banking and financial markets is a specialisation within finance. It deals with how banks and markets move money between savers, companies and governments across borders: commercial and investment banking, the markets for shares, bonds, currencies and derivatives, risk management, and the rules set by central banks and supervisors. Similar programmes appear under titles such as banking and finance, international finance or financial markets.

The content is quantitative. The Master in Finance at the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, for example, includes subjects such as Financial Statistics, Financial Markets, Fixed Income, Investment, Derivatives, Econometrics for Finance, Corporate Finance and Risk Management. Students should expect mathematics, statistics, accounting and work with data and spreadsheets or programming, besides economics and financial regulation.

Qualifications and levels

  • Bachelor's degree. Banking and financial markets are usually a specialisation within a bachelor's degree in finance, economics or business administration. In Spain a bachelor's degree (grado) has 240 ECTS credits. The Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) at the Swiss School of Management is a full-time programme of 180 ECTS credits divided into three years.
  • Master's degree. This is the most common level for the specialisation. In Spain, official master's degrees have 60, 90 or 120 ECTS credits. One example outside our school list is the Master in Finance at the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, which the university describes as a one-year, full-time official programme; it has 60 ECTS credits, is taught in English in Madrid and runs over an 11-month period.
  • MBA. Business schools offer MBAs in which finance or banking can be chosen as a focus. The MBA at the Swiss School of Management lasts one year and has 60 ECTS credits.
  • Professional certification. The CFA Program of the CFA Institute is a widely used credential in investment management. It consists of three exams; the institute says it takes three to four years to complete all three levels, with a recommended study time of 300 hours per level, and at least 4,000 hours of qualifying work experience are needed to become a charterholder.

Where to study global banking and financial markets

SpainExchange lists 2 active schools under this exact subject: UIBS / Barcelona Business School in Barcelona, Spain, and the Swiss School of Management, Rome Campus, in Italy. Both are private business schools that teach bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes in business. Ask each school which banking and finance courses are available in the year you plan to start and what recognition the qualification has in the country where you want to work.

Because few schools use this exact title, it is worth looking also at the related subjects on SpainExchange, such as finance and banking, where many more universities appear. Financial centres give easier access to internships, but the choice of country also matters for regulation and licences, which differ between jurisdictions.

Careers

Graduates work in banks, asset managers, insurers, brokers, the finance departments of companies, consultancies and supervisory bodies, as financial analysts, risk analysts, traders, relationship managers and, with experience, financial managers.

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) counted about 377,200 financial and investment analysts in the United States in 2025; 24 percent worked in securities, commodity contracts and other financial investments and 12 percent in credit intermediation. It projects employment of financial analysts to grow 7 percent from 2025 to 2035, with about 29,500 openings each year. Financial analysts typically need a bachelor's degree in finance or a related field such as business, and some employers prefer candidates with a master's degree. Financial managers held about 879,700 jobs in 2025 and typically need a bachelor's degree and five years or more of experience in another business or financial occupation. These figures apply to the United States only.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a strong background in mathematics?

Yes, a solid one helps. Programmes in this field include statistics, econometrics and the valuation of bonds and derivatives, as the study plan of the Master in Finance at the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid shows.

Is a master's degree necessary to work in banking?

Not always. According to the BLS, financial analysts in the United States typically need a bachelor's degree, although some employers prefer a master's degree, and a master's in finance or business administration may improve the chances of advancing to portfolio or fund manager.

How long does the CFA Program take?

The CFA Institute says it takes three to four years to complete the three levels, and 4,000 hours of work experience in the investment field are required for the charter.

Where can I study the subject in Spain?

SpainExchange lists UIBS / Barcelona Business School under this subject. Public universities teach official master's degrees in finance, such as the 60-credit Master in Finance at the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, taught in English.