Minor in Accounting & Corporate Finance

The minor study program in Accounting and Finance (Master’s level) deals with the world of managing company finances and the language this practice uses. Financial management primarily aims to create sustainable value for company owners and therefore has to take account of a whole range of basic conditions, which themselves are subject to constant change. It has to consider not only the interests of key stakeholders, but also the legal and regulatory environment in which a company operates – and must stand up to the challenges presented by increasingly global markets.

Financial management requires an in-depth understanding of the complex interplay between corporate finance, accounting, reporting, controlling, plus internal and external auditing. In the course of your minor study program, you will become familiar with core financial and accounting-related operations, and gain an understanding of how various corporate governance instruments may affect them. It will give you not only a sound grasp of accounting and finance, but also problem-based knowledge of the structure and fundamental relationships that exist within this subject.

The minor combines two tightly connected fields and their governance perspective:

1. Accounting
   Building advanced understanding of financial and managerial accounting, including how firms measure, report, and use financial information for internal decisions and external communication.

2. Auditing & Governance
   Examining assurance processes and corporate governance mechanisms, and how transparency, incentives, and oversight affect firms’ reporting quality and decision making.

3. Corporate Finance
   Understanding firms’ financing and investment decisions, including capital structure, valuation, investment appraisal, and the financial management of corporations in competitive markets. 

Together, these areas equip students to assess how financial reporting, governance, and financing choices interact in shaping firm performance and stakeholder outcomes.
 

Target group

• The minor is designed primarily for students from the Faculty of Business, Economics and Informatics and is, to a limited extent, also open to students from other faculties. 
• This minor is designed for students who want to specialize in the financial management of organizations and develop strong analytical skills in accounting, auditing, governance, and corporate finance. It is especially suitable for students aiming for careers in auditing, controlling, finance, investment management, consulting, or financial leadership roles across industries.

ECTS:

• The program requires a total of 30 ECTS credits
• 18 ECTS credits from the core elective areas: BWL 1 (Accounting, Auditing & Governance) and FIN 3 (Corporate Finance)
• 12 ECTS credits from the compulsory modules Corporate Finance (6ECTS) and Advanced Financial Accounting (6 ECTS)

After completing the minor, students are able to:

• understand and apply advanced principles of financial and managerial accounting;

• analyze financial statements and evaluate reporting choices in light of incentives, governance, and regulation;

• assess auditing and corporate governance mechanisms and their impact on transparency and firm behavior;

• apply corporate-finance tools to valuation, investment, and financing decisions;

• integrate accounting information and finance reasoning to support evidence-based managerial decisions.
   

Career perspectives

The minor qualifies graduates for specialized and management roles in financial business management. Typical career paths include:

• auditing and assurance,

• controlling and managerial finance,

• financial accounting and reporting,

• corporate finance / treasury,

• investment and asset management,

• and consulting in accounting, finance, or governance.

Graduates can apply their expertise both in consulting and auditing firms and in companies across a wide range of industries, where high-quality financial information and strong finance decisions are central to value creation.