Two new master's degrees add to business arsenal

April 30, 2009

At a time when many executives are going back to school rather than compete for advancement, Anglo American University is adding two business master's programs for just such an audience. And the graduate degrees, Quantitative Asset and Risk Management and Business and Law in International Markets, both starting in the fall, are not just of interest to business students.

Considering the shortage of master's degree programs available in the Czech Republic, says AAU student Adam Bechny, "I am glad there are new options. I was thinking about where to continue my studies. Even though I am a student of Politics and Society, these new majors sound interesting to me too."

AAU won a European Union grant for its Quantitative Asset and Risk Management program, which will be run in coordination with other schools, the University of Applied Sciences in Vienna, Thames Valley University in London and Yeditepe University in Istanbul. 

Each student of this major must spend one semester abroad at one of the sister universities of their choice, resulting in another degree from that school. 
AAU recommends the third of the four semesters of the course for this, allowing students to focus on their thesis and state exams during the last semester. 

This program is aimed at students who have a full-time job, with classes in the evenings and sometimes on weekends.
AAU business school faculty did not return email queries but the school describes the program as contributing to the stabilization of European capital markets "by improving the risk management capabilities of professionals who work...in financial services industries." 

This program applies quantitative methods to financial theory, risk measurement, asset management, private banking and fund management, risk management in banks, integrated bank management and risk management for insurance companies and integrated insurance management.

The M.A. in Business and Law in International Markets prepares students for careers in those fields and "combines theoretical knowledge in economics, finance, and politology, with practical applications in the areas of management, legal aspects of running a business, strategic decision making, and management of operations."
Both programs require 60 credits.

AAU student Michaela Simkova says there is certainly demand for such degrees.
"I am glad that area of master programs at Anglo American University broadens," she says. "I hope other major programs will offer new master programs too."