MAS Financial Management HWZ Combines Accounting and Controlling

MAS Financial Management HWZ: A New Framework for Financial Continuing Education

The HWZ Zurich University of Applied Sciences is merging its existing MAS Accounting and MAS Controlling programs into the newly designed MAS Financial Management program. According to HWZ, the program is designed to combine cross-functional financial management with targeted professional specialization, thereby setting a new standard in the Swiss continuing education landscape. The first cohorts will begin in October 2026 and April 2027.

The new concept is based on the recognition that, while accounting and controlling fulfill different roles, they work closely together in corporate financial management. External and internal reporting, planning, financing, performance management, and governance cannot be managed in isolation. Finance professionals and executives must therefore understand not only their own discipline but also the interrelationships within the entire CFO organization.

A Shared Foundation, Two Majors

The CAS in Integrated Financial Management at HWZ forms the common foundation of the program. This required CAS demonstrates how accounting, controlling, corporate finance, and performance management interact and, together, provide a solid basis for decision-making by management and executive leadership. Specialization begins only after this common module: Students choose between the Accounting major and the Controlling major.

The Accounting major focuses on how reliable financial information is generated, organized, and made usable for corporate management. The Controlling major focuses on how financial information can be used to derive forward-looking management insights and make well-informed decisions. Both majors deepen students’ expertise in their respective fields without losing sight of the broader financial organization.

«The finance function needs specialists and leaders who have a firm grasp of their discipline while also thinking beyond its boundaries. Only in this way can a company be successfully managed financially in today’s market and competitive environment. That is exactly what the MAS program prepares students for,» says Dr. Nadine Eve Rusch-Schenker, Program Director of the MAS in Financial Management at HWZ and Head of the Department of Banking & Finance, Controlling, and Real Estate.

Earn a degree in four semesters while working

The part-time MAS in Financial Management consists of three CAS programs and a master’s thesis, lasts four semesters, and leads to 60 ECTS credits. With approximately 3,000 students and 800 faculty members with professional experience, the HWZ claims to be the largest university in Switzerland offering exclusively part-time degree programs in business. It is institutionally accredited by the Swiss Accreditation Council.

More information about the new degree program can be found on the HWZ website: https://www.fh-hwz.ch