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Form of study: full-time

Study period: 3 semesters, winter semester admission for economists and non-economists

Supervisor: Assoc. Prof. Eleonora Stancheva-Todorova, PhD

e-mail: e_stancheva@feb.uni-sofia.bg

Administrator: Assoc. Prof. Marcellin Yovogan, PhD

e-mail: myovogan@feb.uni-sofia.bg

 

Aim of the programme:

In a world growing more and more dependent on information, the integration of analytical solutions (data driven solutions) into operations and management of a company is of increasing importance both for its successful performance and for maintainence and development of its competitiveness. For this reason, managers and owners of companies, regardless of the size and nature of their business, are increasingly frequently and more intensively applying data analytics in order to make various decisions. At the same time, with the development of new technologies, the data which companies have access to, is in ever greater volumes, and the speed of collecting and updating available data sets is continuously increasing. Last but not least, the diversity of information sources determines the need for skills to analyse not only structured but also unstructured data. The development of such skills is increasingly important for professionals in the field of finance and accounting. As finance and accounting professionals have access to different and very large datasets, they can analyse them when preparing financial indicators that they regularly provide to management, use them to assess the risks to the company, to identify its strengths and weaknesses, toincreasing operational efficiency, preparing financial forecasts, etc. Financiers and accountants have the ability to use big data analytics, to position themselves as strategic business partners, rather than their more traditional role in the organisation.

Leading international professional bodies as well as large international audit firms, have already made clear their views on the changing finance function in the organisation and the need to acquire new skills to deal with big data.

The creation of the programme is in line with the policy and strategy of the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration of bringing the Master's programmes to the practice and to serve its needs for well prepared specialists possessing multidisciplinary knowledge and skills.

Graduates of the programme obtain the qualification of Master in Finance, Accounting and Big Data Analytics.

 

Admission requirements: see general requirements. For admission to the programmes applicants send CV to: e_stancheva@feb.uni-sofia.bg and attend an oral interview.

 

Tuition fees in Sofia University for the academic 2023 / 2024 year

 

Finance, accounting and big data analysis graduates can be employed as:

- financial managers, analysts and department heads in companies from various spheres after gaining the necessary professional experience;

- junior auditors, including in large international audit firms;

- operational accountants, and, after acquiring the necessary professional experience , as chief accountants of enterprises in various sectors of the of the economy;

- inspectors and auditors in the tax administration system;

- administrative officials in regional and local authorities;

- lecturers and researchers;

- employees in other fields and institutions requiring accounting, financial and control functions.

 

The duration of training is 1.5 years (3 semesters) for economists and non-economists.

The curriculum of the Master's programme is in line with the needs of practice for highly qualified professionals. In addition to the specialised knowledge in finance and accounting, students acquire theoretical and practical knowledge and develop specific skills for managing large sets of data. The main objectives of the course are for students to acquire, expand and deepen their theoretical and practical knowledge in:

- financial activities of companies by offering profiled courses on financial analysis, business valuation, financial markets and behavioural economics and finance;

- the accounting of enterprises in different sectors of the economy; and application of big data;

- operational efficiency in the management of the financial and accounting activities of firm;

- tax accounting of enterprises in Bulgaria;

- the use of tools for the analysis of large data sets in order to supporting the management functions of the company's management through profiled courses in machine self-learning, data science, research data visualisation;

- financial and management accounting;

- national accounting legislation.

In addition, students can choose between specialised courses covering topics such as budgeting for European programmes, audit practices in European projects, financial management, fintech, artificial intelligence, crypto-currencies, international financial reporting standards, alternative investments, bank accounting, digital business, etc.

Non-economist students must take four general economics preparatory courses - microeconomics, statistical analysis of economic data and financial reporting in the first semester, and finance in the second semester finance in the second semester.

The aim is to ensure a minimum basic training and knowledge in fundamental economic, accounting and financial and statistical subjects to assist non-economists in taking compulsory subjects such as accounting and big data, financial analysis of firms, machine learning for business and finance, etc.

Completion of the Master's programme is by the defence of a Master's thesis within the state examination sessions in November and February.