LBS MFA or HEC MIF

Hi,

I am currently deciding between the LBS Masters in Financial Analysis and the HEC Master in International Finance. I want to work in London and I know both place well but I wonder if one is preferred by employers. (My Bachelor is from LSE so I have a 'strong' start).

Any advice is welcome

13 Comments
 
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Anecdotally HEC had much better placement than LBS this year (there are a couple of threads on this) - unless you think the profile of the class is materially stronger at HEC, this suggests employers view the HEC brand even more highly than that of LBS.

I believe the class size is substantially smaller at HEC (~120) versus 220 at LBS, which improves your recruiting odds greatly. And given you've already studied at LSE, HEC would add an international dimension to your profile that would be very valuable despite your intention to work in London

 

Agree here. 
Only push to LBS in my mind is right to work status (though I have not even kept up with how the UK has butchered that, and could very well change with the election again). 

 

Let's not forget that HEC is a 2-year program, so stats are definitely skewed compared to LBS, which is only a year long. 

 

Skewed how?
In my mind a 1-yr program where you graduate into an SA is more skewed - you might not even get a return then that employment report is moot (ofc this is possible with HEC, too). 

 

I already have a very international background (I have lived in 3 countries prior to my undergraduate) and I speak fluent French so I can make the most of the HEC master. Does anyone have any negative experiences or a critique about the programme? How is the social life (are there interactions with other courses), is the programme well structured and how is the career service (also for LBS)

many thanks again

 

If you're fluent in French I think HEC is a no-brainer. The network is super strong as many classmates of yours will also end up in London. There's even a multi-day trip to London in September to network with a whole bunch of top banks. Academically it's top notch and since the campus is just outside the city proper of Paris, you get a real college/university feel and I'd bet that social life is good (can't comment from experience here)

Of course LBS also has a good reputation in London but networking will be more self-driven, careers wouldn't help you as much as alums and older students in the MiF, MBA etc. programs

 

Lmfaooo completely wrong. The first graduating class of the MFA in 2017 had 70-80 students, now it's 220 and this upcoming batch is likely to be even larger, clearly just a cash cow for them. Their reputation comes from their MBA and MIF programs, not pre-experience masters

If MFA is so good why is placement so mid compared to HEC? If you go to HEC you are at the very least in an equally competitive position for London recruiting (in truth you're in a better one) and in the worst case scenario, you can recruit for Paris with much better odds

 

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