Programmes

Degree levels, fields of study and specialisations.

SIDF programmes are modular. You select a degree level, a field of study and a specialisation. You can progress from a Postgraduate Certificate to a Master’s degree and to a PhD.

How the parts fit together

Level × field × specialisation

Three choices define each programme. The degree level defines the depth and the number of credits. The field of study defines the academic discipline of the award. The specialisation defines the topics of your modules, projects and thesis.

1

Degree level

Postgraduate Certificate (30 ECTS), MBA or MSc (90 ECTS), or PhD (180 ECTS).

2

Field of study

Business Informatics & Data Science (PGCert, MSc, PhD) or Business Administration (PGCert, MBA, PhD).

3

Specialisation

Quantitative Finance, Financial Markets, or Intraday, Day & High-Frequency Trading.

Programme finder

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Overview

Which award for which field?

Degree levelBusiness Informatics & Data ScienceBusiness AdministrationCredits · Level · Duration
Postgraduate CertificatePGCert in Business Informatics & Data SciencePGCert in Business Administration30 ECTS · Level 7 · approx. 6 months
Master’s degreeMSc in Business Informatics & Data ScienceMBA in Business Administration90 ECTS · Level 7 · 12 to 24 months
DoctoratePhD in Business Informatics & Data SciencePhD in Business Administration180 ECTS · Level 8 · 3 to 5 years

Each award is available with a specialisation in Quantitative Finance, Financial Markets, or Intraday, Day & High-Frequency Trading. The levels refer to the Malta Qualifications Framework (MQF). The MQF is referenced to the European Qualifications Framework (EQF).

Fields of study

Two disciplines, one market.

The two fields examine the same markets from two perspectives. One perspective is the systems and data that operate the markets. The other is the organisations and rules that govern them.

PGCert · MSc · PhD

Business Informatics & Data Science

This field connects information systems, data engineering and machine learning with finance. You learn to design, build and evaluate the data systems that price risk, execute orders and supervise markets.

  • Programming and data engineering for finance (Python, SQL, cloud)
  • Statistics, econometrics and machine learning
  • Information systems and market infrastructure
  • Quantitative modelling and simulation
  • Data governance, security and digital ethics

PGCert · MBA · PhD

Business Administration

This field covers management, strategy and governance for financial institutions and market participants. You learn to lead teams, products and companies in regulated, technology-driven markets.

  • Strategy, leadership and governance
  • Corporate finance, accounting and risk
  • Financial market regulation and compliance
  • Entrepreneurship and digital innovation
  • Business ethics and responsible finance

Specialisations

Select your focus.

The specialisation defines the content of your specialisation modules, your applied project and, at Master’s and PhD level, your thesis.

Quantitative Finance

Stochastic calculus, derivatives pricing, portfolio and risk analytics, and machine learning for finance. A quant curriculum at master’s level, comparable to professional quant qualifications, inside academic degrees.

  • Stochastic calculus
  • Derivatives
  • Risk and portfolio
  • ML for finance
Learn more

Financial Markets

The institutions, instruments and infrastructure of modern markets, and the regulation that governs them. From MiFID II and EMIR to the Swiss FinSA/FinIA and the DLT Act, from funds to tokenised assets.

  • Market infrastructure
  • Regulation and supervision
  • Asset management
  • Digital assets
Learn more

Intraday, Day & High-Frequency Trading

Systematic trading across all time horizons: market microstructure, intraday and day-trading strategies, algorithmic execution, high-frequency market making, low-latency technology, risk and regulation.

  • Microstructure
  • Algo and HFT
  • Execution and TCA
  • Trading technology
Learn more

Delivery

Digital, live and personal.

Live online seminars

Weekly interactive sessions with faculty. We record the sessions for review.

Tutorials

Small-group tutorials and individual feedback on weekly assignments.

Labs

Coding labs, market data and a simulated trading environment.

Assessment

Coursework, examinations and applied projects. Master’s and PhD programmes end with a thesis or a dissertation.

Awarding body

EIM (European Institute of Management) awards the degrees. The MFHEA licenses EIM as a Higher Education Institution (Licence No. 2022-004) to provide higher education programmes exclusively through digital channels. SIDF designs and delivers the programmes in cooperation with EIM.

Accreditation and recognition