Financial Engineering

Scientific director: Prof. Dr. Jörn Saß

Complex financial markets

In-depth knowledge of and expertise in modern financial mathematics and actuarial science, and the ability to apply these statistically and numerically, are becoming increasingly important in the financial and insurance sectors.

Target group

The English-language Master's programme is aimed at graduates of mathematics or other subjects with significant proportions of mathematics who wish to acquire a detailed understanding of financial mathematics.

Objective and degree

The distance learning programme provides the participants with the necessary advanced and theoretical foundations and competencies in the areas of financial mathematics and financial economics, the ability to create links to actuarial science, and imparts statistical and numerical methods.

Graduates are awarded a diploma from the RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau, a certificate documenting conferment of the academic degree Master of Science (M.Sc.) as well as an English-language Diploma Supplement.

Programme concept

Programme content

The distance learning programme comprises twelve compulsory modules that focus on, for example

Financial mathematics,
Interest rate models,
Financial decision making,
Economics of banking,
Insurance mathematics,
Risk measures and rating systems,
Financial statistics,
Computational methods in finance.

Admission requirements

Access with a first university degree: The application is open to persons with a first university degree of at least six semesters qualifying for a profession in any field and at least one year of relevant and qualified professional experience in the field of finance or insurance or in a mathematically oriented profession afterwards.
Access without a first university degree: Interested persons without a first university degree qualifying for a profession, but with a university entrance qualification (e.g. Allgemeine Hochschulreife or Meisterprüfung) as well as relevant and qualified professional experience of at least three years, have the opportunity to qualify for the degree programme by passing an aptitude test. In addition, evidence of at least one year of relevant and qualified professional experience in the field of finance or insurance or in a mathematically oriented profession must be provided.

For detailed and legally binding information on the admission requirements, please refer to the examination regulations of the degree programme.

Schedule and organisation

The distance learning programme in Financial Engineering has a standard period of study of six semesters (part-time). Mandatory on-campus phases take place once or twice per semester over a (long) weekend in Kaiserslautern. All written module examinations are completed during mandatory on-campus phases.

A weekly commitment of around 16-18 hours is required to study the material, complete the assignments (mail-in exercises), take the examinations, complete the online tutorials, pass the oral examinations and complete the Master's thesis (amongst others).

At a glance

At the moment, the tuition fees amount to EUR 1,990 per semester. In addition, there is a social contribution, which, starting in the winter semester of 2023/24, will amount to 114 euros per semester. The one-time fee for the Master's thesis is EUR 720. The tuition fees do not include travel and accommodation expenses or meal allowances during the on-campus phases. Only the social contribution is charged in the first semester after the end of the standard period of study. Tuition fees are reduced to 30 percent of the original fee as of the second semester exceeding the standard period of study; this does not apply to the Master's thesis fee. The tuition fees are exempted from German VAT and may be tax-deductible if the legal requirements are fulfilled. An instalment payment request is possible, further information can be found here.

Subject to change.

The aim of the aptitude test is to determine whether candidates with professional experience but no university degree have comparable skills and knowledge to candidates with a completed undergraduate degree. The application for admission to the aptitude test must be submitted to the Subdivision Distance Student Affairs.

Information on deadlines and requirements will be provided in due time.

The distance learning programme starts in the winter semester (October) of every year. Information on the application procedure and deadlines are provided here.

The legal and organisational framework of Financial Engineering is defined in the examination regulations.

The distance learning programme's scientific director is Prof. Dr. Jörn Saß (RPTU).

The distance learning programme Financial Engineering is accredited to award the academic degree Master of Science (M.Sc.). The programme received system accreditation in an internal process from the accreditation council of the cross-university quality management centre. Information on the accreditation of the study programme is also provided in the database of Akkreditierungsrat (the Accreditation Council).

Admission to the distance learning programme is regulated through a special evaluation points system. The required prior knowledge of analysis and stochastics can also be acquired in courses that may have to be taken subject to conditions.

Distance learning programmes are basically defined by the fact that students do not physically attend the institution of higher education, instead the institution of higher education comes to them. Both programme organisation and the didactically prepared learning materials are based on the concept of independent learning: the learners are supported in taking personal responsibility for their own learning process by a teaching-learning arrangement that consists of a combination of self-learning materials, on-campus phases and online-based interactions in the online campus. Each programme has an own virtual learning environment within the online campus that accompanies the students for the duration of their course. During the on-campus phases, the students have the opportunity to consolidate and substantiate the self-taught content in the context of practical classes and group work and to further discuss their acquired skills and knowledge in consideration of current issues.

The Master’s programme is set up in English, therefore the primary language of coursework and examinations is also English. However, coursework (mail-in exercises) and examinations (presentations, written exams, Master's thesis) may be submitted in German upon request.