Master Of Family Wealth Management Program Review | Curriculum, Careers & Application

Find out how the Master of Family Wealth Management at the University of Hong Kong Business School is preparing students for a career in bespoke wealth management

If you are looking to move into the dynamic and diverse world of family wealth management—or an adjacent role—a specialized master’s degree might be for you.

The Master of Family Wealth Management at The University of Hong Kong (HKU) Business School offers a unique curriculum that combines essential learning such as financial and tax planning and management with courses in philosophy and faith.

Taught by first-class professors and experts in banking, investing and asset management, the program takes full advantage of Hong Kong’s position as a global financial center and hub for growing wealth, preparing students for successful careers in the wealth management industry.

BusinessBecause spoke to program director Bonnie Leung to find out more about the Master of Family Wealth Management.

Master of Family Wealth Management | Who is it for?

The Master of Family Wealth Management is a one-year full-time taught master’s program.

“Applicants should be interested in becoming family wealth managers,” says Bonnie. “They may be looking to manage their own family’s wealth, so typically from an ultra-high-net-worth (UHNW) background, or want to work with such a family, or families.”

The program targets people who have or wish to work with a single-family or multi-family office, or organizations that support these offices.

Master of Family Wealth Management | Curriculum

The course was originally designed with early-tenure professionals in mind, but Bonnie says that the current student intake includes fresh graduates as well as people with 10-20 years of professional experience.

“We’re also seeing more people who want to be entrepreneurs, who may have previously been working in a wealth management firm, who want to set up their own shop.”

“We are a unique program,” says Bonnie (pictured). “The program has an interdisciplinary slant and is at the intersection of business history and social sciences.”

The core courses include the foundations of wealth management, entrepreneurial and corporate finance, and law, regulation, and compliance in wealth management, complemented by courses on psychology and faith and religion.

“It is useful to develop an understanding of family dynamics, and how faith interacts with decision-making. We even have a course on the history of family dynasties,” says Bonnie.

Master of Family Wealth Management | Experiential learning

Students enjoy all the offerings of the business school and being located in Hong Kong, including an international alumni network and career services as well as access to family wealth management professionals.

Bonnie, who worked in asset management and consulting before joining the university, teaches a course on current issues in family office management, while other elective courses are taught by industry professionals including a hedge-fund manager and a private equity investor, so students gain first-hand insight into the wealth management field.

For the capstone course, students either take an internship, spending eight weeks in a family office or adjacent organization, or undertake a research project.

“We assign an industry sponsor for each research team. The sponsor decides on a real-life topic for the students to work on,” says Bonnie.

“We provide an industry sponsor for research projects, the sponsor decides on a real-life topic,” she adds. Bonnie, who worked in asset management and consulting before joining the university, teaches a course on current issues in family office management, while other elective courses are taught by industry professionals including a hedge-fund manager and a private equity investor, so students gain first-hand insight into the wealth management field.

Master of Family Wealth Management | Application

As well as a bachelor’s degree, students must have a good command of English as the program is taught in English. Bonnie says it’s also important that students possess quantitative skills and need to feel comfortable around finance and investment.

“We look for students who work well with others,” adds Bonnie, who regularly speaks to applicants to understand their thinking processes as well as professional experiences.

“I want to see people who have a strong reason for doing the course, a connection to a family, a desire to start a business, or making a career change.”

Entry to the program is competitive—out of 1,000 applications, only around 70 students are accepted.

Master of Family Wealth Management | Career opportunities

Students may go on to work in the family office space, either single or multiple, but might also become tax consultants, compliance advisors, private bankers or work on a family’s philanthropic ventures.