Studies & Degrees in Financial Management
Financial Management Study Programs
Financial management is the part of business studies that deals with how an organisation plans, raises and uses its money. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) describes financial managers as the people responsible for the financial health of an organisation: they create financial reports, direct investment activities and develop plans for its long-term financial goals. In Spanish the subject is called dirección financiera, and CESTE, a business school in Zaragoza, defines it as the function that plans, obtains and manages the economic resources of an organisation.
What students learn
Programmes combine accounting with decision-making. Typical modules are financial statement analysis, financial planning and budgeting, management control, working capital and treasury, short- and long-term financing, corporate finance, risk management and taxation. The Máster en Dirección Financiera at EAE Business School, for example, groups its Barcelona study plan into financial strategy, financial planning and management control. Data tools are now a standard part of the course: EAE includes Microsoft Power BI, and Bentley University in the United States offers Financial Analytics and Fintech majors within its Master of Science in Finance.
Qualifications and levels
- Vocational training in Spain. The Técnico Superior en Administración y Finanzas is a higher-level vocational qualification (grado superior) of 2,000 hours in the Administración y Gestión professional family. It covers administrative work in the commercial, financial, accounting and tax areas of a company.
- Bachelor's degree. Financial management is usually studied inside a degree in business administration, finance or accounting. According to the BLS, financial managers typically need at least a bachelor's degree in business, economics or a related field. Official bachelor's degrees in Spain have 240 ECTS credits.
- Master's degree. This is the level at which the subject appears under its own name. Official Spanish university master's degrees have 60, 90 or 120 ECTS credits. Business schools also offer their own qualifications: EAE Business School states that its 60 ECTS, part-time Máster en Dirección Financiera leads to a título propio (Máster de Formación Permanente). CESTE states that its 90 ECTS Máster en Dirección Financiera leads to a British Master (MSc) in Financial Management validated by the University of Wales Trinity Saint David. In the United States, Bentley University's Master of Science in Finance consists of 10 courses and can be completed in 9 to 15 months. In the United Kingdom, the University of Salford offers a one-year MSc Accounting and Finance.
- Professional certifications. These are taken alongside or after a degree. The CFA Program consists of three exams and, according to the CFA Institute, takes three to four years to complete. Some degrees give exemptions: the University of Salford states that its MSc is accredited by the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA).
Because official degrees and schools' own qualifications exist side by side, ask each school what recognition its qualification has before you enrol, especially if you need it for a doctorate or for recognition in your home country.
Where to study
SpainExchange lists 55 active schools for financial management. Spain has 23, the United States 13 and the United Kingdom 7. France and China have two each, and Australia, Colombia, Italy, Sweden, Switzerland, Mexico and Japan one each. In Spain the list includes CUNEF Universidad, the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, EAE Business School, ENAE Business School, IMF Business School, ESERP Business School and CESTE. Abroad it includes Bentley University, Temple University, Vanderbilt University, The University of Sheffield, the University of Sunderland, Salford Business School and the Universidad de Guadalajara.
Spanish business schools teach most of these programmes in Spanish, and several offer part-time, online or blended formats for people who already work. EAE's master's is taught in Spanish and part-time (in Madrid over 12 months, on weekday evenings), and CESTE offers classroom, remote and blended options.
Admission
Master's programmes normally ask for a university degree. EAE addresses its programme to graduates who want to specialise in financial management and to professionals with experience in finance or accounting, and candidates from other disciplines take an extra module in financial accounting. CESTE admits graduates in business administration, finance and accounting or economics, as well as graduates in engineering or sciences who want to move into finance.
Careers
Typical roles are financial controller, treasurer, credit manager, risk manager, financial analyst and, with experience, chief financial officer (CFO). Senior positions are not entry-level jobs: the BLS states that financial managers typically need a bachelor's degree and five years or more of experience in another business or financial occupation, such as accountant or financial analyst. In the United States, financial managers held about 879,700 jobs in 2025, and the BLS projects employment to grow 10 percent from 2025 to 2035.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between financial management and accounting?
Accounting records and reports what has happened. Financial management uses that information to decide how to fund the organisation, invest and control risk. Most programmes teach both.
Do I need a business degree to take a master's in financial management?
Not always. EAE Business School asks candidates from disciplines other than economics or business administration to take an additional module in financial accounting, and CESTE also admits graduates in engineering or sciences.
How long does a master's in financial management take?
Usually about one academic year. Official Spanish master's degrees have 60, 90 or 120 ECTS credits. Bentley University's Master of Science in Finance can be completed in 9 to 15 months.
Is a master's from a business school an official degree?
It depends on the programme. EAE Business School states that its Máster en Dirección Financiera is a título propio, while other programmes are official university master's degrees. Ask the school which kind of qualification you will receive.