Fintech aims at the application of digital technology and innovation to compete with traditional financial methods in the delivery of new financial services, resulting in new phenomena like digitized monetary networks or asset-light banking systems.
Digital technology and finance have been inextricably linked for decades, but we are entering a new era. Technologies like machine learning, data analytics, biometrics or blockchain are creating new possibilities to address credit and risk management, identity management, information security, secure payments or portfolio management.
The full impact on the banking and insurance sectors is yet to be seen, but the impact on every aspect of our lives can still be only imagined. Imagine for example: what will be the impact on businesses when customers can pay anytime, anywhere, using only biometric information?
The new Fintech programme at the 28DIGITAL Master School is designed to provide graduates in Computer Engineering with a holistic skill set, a cross-functional perspective and an entrepreneurial mindset that will enable them to lead organisations in this new paradigm. They will not only be able to imagine these new technology applications, but to develop them and bring them to market.
First-year program at POLIMI
Politecnico di Milano offers the entry-year for Fintech providing 60 ECTS specifically designed for Computer Engineering graduates. It integrates a set of courses in Computer Science and Engineering with a focus on Digital Finance (36 ECTS), the Innovation & Entrepreneurship Minor (20 ECTS) and a thematic I&E Summer School (4 ECTS).
The I&E Minor will be increasingly offered in a blended format, with online modules and innovative teaching methods leveraging a distributed learning environment in which students have the chance to collaborate on a project together with other 28DIGITAL students from different partner universities (blended I&E Education and cross-university activities)
The following summarizes the study plan for the first year. Please notice that, on the basis of the curriculum of previous BSc studies, the Admission Committee at Politecnico can specify some little directions on the individual study plan, regarding the choice of elective courses.
| First Semester | ECTS | Second Semester |
|---|---|---|
| Technical Major – mandatory courses (21 ECTS) | ||
| Data Bases II | 5 | |
| Software Engineering II | 5 | |
| 5 | Computer Security | |
| 6 | Fintech | |
| Elective courses (15 ECTS – make 3 choices) | ||
| Artificial Neural Networks and Deep Learning | 5 | |
| Data Mining | 5 | |
| Game Theory | 5 | |
| Recommender Systems | 5 | |
| 5 | Algorithmic Game Theory | |
| 5 | Cryptography and Architectures for Computer Security | |
| 5 | Computing Infrastructures | |
| 5 | Multidisciplinary Project | |
| I&E Minor – mandatory courses (24 ECTS) | ||
| I&E Basics (5 ECTS, 1 choice) | ||
| High-Tech Startups: creating and scaling up | 5 | |
| 5 | High-Tech Entrepreneurship | |
| 5 | Digital Business | |
| I&E Business Development Lab (10 ECTS) | ||
| 10 | Digital Business Lab | |
| I&E Complementary (5 ECTS, 1 choice) | ||
| Financial Markets and Institutions | 5 | |
| Regulation of Digital Innovation on Payments and Finance | 5 | |
| 5 | Financial Risk Management | |
| I&E Summer School (4 ECTS, in the summer) (*) | ||
(*) The Summer School takes place between the first and second year, being computed among the 60 ECTS of the first year. It brings students together for two weeks to work in groups on a business modelling and planning project in the context of a societally relevant thematic area. Summer Schools take place at different locations throughout Europe, supporting a multidisciplinary and international dimension, with a clear 28DIGITAL flavour to education. You can choose the one you like to attend from the catalogue of Summer Schools organised by 28DIGITAL.
Detailed descriptions for Polimi courses on our Manifesto degli Studi
Second year abroad
During the second year, students have the option to specialise in one of the technical areas that are offered by their respective Exit Universities, providing 30 ECTS of exams + 30 ECTS for the Thesis. Please, refer to their local programs for the second year study plans, you can find them on the 28DIGITAL Master School webpage for Fintech.
Double Degree
At the end of the programme, a Master degree will be awarded by both universities involved in the mobility pathway (namely, by Polimi and by your exit university). Moreover you will receive an “EIT label” certificate, which attests to the Innovation and Entrepreneurship skills acquired during the programme.
EIT label: a seal of quality for entrepreneurial education
The EIT Label, granted by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), recognises education programmes that develop practical skills in innovation and entrepreneurship, preparing students to address real-world challenges. Courses that bear our EIT Label are all guaranteed to make sure you’re getting hands-on experience across Europe that directly prepares you for your chosen sector and connects you to the like-minded people ready to help get your ideas off the ground.
The Fintech at Polimi is a track of the Study Course in Computer Science and Engineering (MSc). Therefore, this entry university is best suited for applicants with a bachelor degree in Computer Engineering (or equivalent programmes). This means a strong base of ICT, computer science, programming and engineering courses in your transcript of records, including physics and math courses at academic level.
Contacts
Nicola Gatti
Fintech Coordinator at Polimi
