An MBA challenges how you think and act in business. Employers want more from their managers than knowledge and strategic thinking – they also seek leadership skills, commitment and creativity. The Leeds MBA equips you to meet these challenges.
This top global MBA programme (Financial Times Top 100 Global MBA Ranking, 2016) integrates business and management theory with practice, but also emphasises your personal and professional development. You’ll study the foundations of business such as marketing, accounting, finance, operations and human resource management.
Importantly, you’ll also gain key qualities expected of leaders including commercial awareness, interpersonal skills, a genuine understanding of the fundamental business functions and a critical and questioning outlook.
You’ll apply what you’ve learned to examine significant business issues in a set of live challenges working with a range of external organisations. You’ll gain an international outlook and build valuable connections, helping you become a global leader.
Academic excellence, professional focus
You’ll benefit from the expertise and support of several major research centres. The Business School boasts the UK’s premier research centre in international business, the Centre for International Business at the University of Leeds (CIBUL) led by Professor Peter Buckley OBE and our Global and Strategic Marketing Research Centre (GLOSMARC) is led by one of the UK’s foremost professors of marketing, Professor Constantine Katsikeas.
Given Leeds’ position as a financial services hub, it’s not surprising that our academics working through our Institute for Banking and Investment, and the Credit Management Research Centre, are among the most respected in the UK. As organisations and the nature of work change in an ultracompetitive marketplace, specialists from our Centre for Employment Relations, Innovation and Change work with employers and staff to develop effective working practices.
If you’re thinking of starting your own business, you’ll also benefit from the support of Spark – our specialist team will be there to support and encourage you in turning your business idea into a reality.
You’ll also come across plenty of opportunities to build your professional network, and your project work will bring you into contact with some of our many industry partners. We have extensive relationships with Marks & Spencer, IBM, Yorkshire Bank, Asda-Walmart, Lloyds Banking Group, KPMG, Accenture and the NHS, as well as small and medium-sized enterprises, charities and social enterprises.
Accreditation
The Leeds MBA is accredited by the Association of MBAs.
Through a variety of taught modules, you’ll gain an understanding of the key components of business management – marketing, accounting, finance, operations and human resource management. Alongside these subjects we explore how to manage and lead people in organisations. You’ll also have the option to take part in one of our international study tours.
You’ll build and apply your skills as you complete live challenges in two of your modules. One of these exciting projects allows you to generate ideas for new commercial opportunities and turn them into viable business plans, either for an existing organisation or in a start-up. The other gives you the chance to provide consultancy support to an external business, social enterprise or voluntary sector organisation.
The course culminates in your MBA Project, giving you the opportunity to turn your knowledge into practice that relates to your own ambitions. Your project can be desk-based if you want to research a topic in-depth, or you can work on a live management issue with an external organization to develop links with employers and industry. If you’re planning to start your own company, you could even put together a comprehensive business plan.
Compulsory modules
For more information on typical modules, read Full Time MBA in the course catalogue
We use a range of teaching methods including lectures, seminars, tutorials, online learning, computer simulations and more.
Your interactions with other students are also a key element of your learning experience, and you could meet prominent external speakers and professionals through events such as our prestigious Corporate Wisdom Lecture Series.
Independent study is also vital, allowing you to sharpen your research and critical skills.
Assessment methods emphasise not just knowledge, but essential skills development too. They include formal exams, group projects, essays and written assignments, group and individual presentations.
MBA students have the opportunity to take part in a one or two-week international study tour.
Typically we try to offer a variety of trips. You’ll have the chance to visit local companies and partner business schools, enjoy business seminars and networking opportunities with local students, businesses and leaders and still have time to explore the culture, history and sights of the region.
Please note these trips are optional and are not covered bythe basic programme fees.
Read more about MBA study tours
You are an individual with your own career aspirations and goals – so we take a person-centred approach. Our professional development programme is tailored to help you compete effectively in the global marketplace. We will support you in developing your career plans by providing high-quality careers information, advice and coaching that realistically meets your needs and the market’s requirements.
You'll also interact with experts, gain knowledge in global developments and enhance your leadership and transferable skills. Some professional development activities are embedded in the core programme, others are delivered virtually, run as a workshop, seminar or through one-to-one coaching. Ultimately we want to equip you with the skills you need to manage your career for life.
Read more about Career Development in The Leeds MBA.
The Leeds Executive MBA will inspire and challenge you to achieve your full potential. The skills and knowledge you gain, coupled with the experience of working alongside a diverse range of personalities and professional backgrounds, shapes your own management perspective and learning, benefitting both you and your business.
A set of core modules will give you a foundation in aspects of business such as human resource management, corporate finance and international business. You’ll also choose from optional modules to suit your own interests and career plans such as ethics, sustainability or global marketing. Once you’ve gained these new skills you’ll test them in a safe environment through live challenges setting up new ventures, taking on consultancy work and even experiencing the boardroom.
Taught by experienced practitioners and world-leading researchers in intensive teaching blocks, this programme will stretch your abilities and challenge how you think and act in business.
Academic excellence
You’ll benefit from the expertise and support of several major research centres. The School boasts the UK’s premier research centre in international business, the Centre for International Business at the University of Leeds (CIBUL) led by Professor Peter Buckley OBE and our Global and Strategic Marketing Research Centre is led by one of the UK’s foremost professors of marketing, Professor Costas Katsikeas.
Given Leeds’ position as a financial services hub, it’s not surprising that our academics working through our International Institute for Banking and Financial Services, and the Credit Management Research Centre, are among the most respected in the UK. As organisations and the nature of work change in an ultracompetitive marketplace, specialists from our Centre for Employment Relations, Innovation and Change work with employers and staff to develop effective working practices.
The Centre for Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Studies at the University of Leeds is the focal point for enterprise research on campus and supports business start-ups through SPARK.
You’ll also come across plenty of opportunities to build your professional network, and your project work will bring you into contact with some of our many industrial partners. We have extensive relationships with Marks & Spencer, IBM, Yorkshire Bank, Asda-Walmart, Lloyds Banking Group, KPMG, Accenture and the NHS, as well as small and medium-sized enterprises, charities and social enterprises.
This programme is accredited by the Association of MBAs (AMBA), the international impartial authority on postgraduate business education, representing the global standard for all MBA, DBA and MBM programmes. Membership allows graduates to network with each other and access job vacancies, careers support, CPD events and more. Find out more about AMBA accreditation.
The course begins with an online pre-induction programme and the on-site induction takes place in October. This is an opportunity to meet the MBA team, academic staff and brush up on study skills. During the induction you are introduced to the Leading Change module, which runs alongside your core and option modules throughout the programme.
To complement and enhance your studies you will undertake three live challenges that allow you to test your new skills and knowledge in a safe environment. You’ll develop a business plan for a new business, take on consultancy work for an external organisation and simulate a board room situation.
The course culminates with either your MBA Project, where you’ll undertake independent research – you could even focus on a topic of direct relevance to your own organisation - or your choice of two optional modules. You also have the opportunity to take part in an optional international study tour.
Year 1
Compulsory modules
Year 2
In Year Two you’ll take four compulsory modules, as well as studying 30 credits of optional modules.
Compulsory modules
Optional modules
For more information on typical modules, read Executive MBA in the course catalogue
The Leeds Executive MBA is flexible enough so you can fit it in around your work, whilst giving you time away from the office to fully focus on your studies. It’s delivered in intensive three day blocks Thursday to Saturday, every six weeks with a few modules delivered over four days, Thursday to Sunday. Most teaching takes place at our executive conference facility, Weetwood Hall.
The majority of assessment is by work-based assignments, allowing you to develop a more strategic understanding of your organisation by focusing your work on a specific management problem or issue.
MBA students have the opportunity to take part in a one or two-week international study tour.
Typically we try and offer a variety of trips in any year to a European and/or American University. You’ll have the chance to visit local companies and partner business schools, enjoy business seminars and networking opportunities with local students, businesses and leaders and still have time to explore the culture, history and sights of the region.
If you are looking to develop yourself and your career then the Executive MBA is the ideal choice in helping you achieve these goals. It will provide the opportunity for you to:
Our MSc Enterprise and Entrepreneurship develops your enterprise skills and gives you an insight into how you can create economic and social value through entrepreneurial activity. You’ll gain the skills and knowledge to develop and manage your own business and identify new products, processes and markets to exploit opportunities in innovative ways.
Delivered and supported by award-winning academics and successful entrepreneurs, this practical course develops your understanding of enterprise and entrepreneurship on a global scale. You’ll develop your skills through practical activities such as creating a ‘pop-up’ business, acting as a consultant to an existing organisation and exploring your own entrepreneurial potential.
Key modules focus on creating, developing and managing ventures, including social and family organisations. Our action-based teaching techniques stimulate and enhance your skills, allowing you to experience genuine business challenges faced by enterprise both locally and globally.
The course offers flexible study options and you can choose to follow either our full-time or part-time course.
Academic excellence
The Centre for Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Studies is the focal point for enterprise education on campus at the University of Leeds. It provides exceptional research-based enterprise teaching and practical support.
The Centre can help you locate enterprise opportunities and get involved in entrepreneurial activities outside of your studies, such as joining a student enterprise group, starting a business, taking on a social project or entering a national competition.
You will also benefit from the centre’s network of Enterprise Ambassadors. These successful entrepreneurs provide real-world projects as part of the programme, which helps you to understand how to apply your enterprise education in practice.
The University of Leeds is recognised as a leading entrepreneurial University in the UK. We have won the title Entrepreneurial University of the Year (Times Higher Education Awards 2015), received The Duke of York Award for University Entrepreneurship (Lloyds Bank National Business Awards 2015) and Kairen Skelley, Head of Spark, the University's business start-up service, has been named Higher Education Enterprise Champion (National Enterprise Educator Awards 2015).
Introductory modules explore the concepts of enterprise and entrepreneurship and their role in society. You’ll examine how enterprise is seen around the world, and how different geographical and economic contexts create challenges for new ventures.
You’ll consider contemporary issues and debates during guest lectures with successful entrepreneurs, hearing first-hand about their experience of the latest topics. You’ll also develop your understanding of research methods in business and enterprise studies.
The course has a practical focus and you will work on a range of projects that allow you to gain real experience – you’ll create a new venture and work in a team to deliver a consultancy project for an entrepreneurial business.
In the final semester, you’ll complete a dissertation project on a research question of your choice - this can be used to explore your own ideas for a business venture or social enterprise, or look at how best to support or grow an existing firm.
You’ll also have a choice of optional modules in key areas of management and international business, including cross-cultural management, supply chain management and the emerging markets.
If you study part-time, you’ll study one day per week over 24 months and take only the compulsory modules, plus a dedicated module in applied enterprise. The part-time option enables existing entrepreneurs to continue to develop their own enterprise, whilst professionals and budding entrepreneurs can work alongside their studies.
Compulsory modules
You’ll take seven compulsory modules including your dissertation.
Optional modules
You'll also choose three optional modules.
For more information on typical modules, read Enterprise MSc Full Time in the course catalogue
For more information on typical modules, read Enterprise MSc Part Time in the course catalogue
We use a variety of different teaching methods such as lectures, seminars, tutorials, work-based learning, fieldwork and workshops. Independent study is also vital to this programme, allowing you to develop your skills and prepare for taught sessions and assessments.
The Enterprise Project module is one example of how practical learning and teaching is embedded in the programme. This gives students the chance to work closely with an entrepreneur and undertake a strategic developmental role within their business. For example, recent student Ratawan Tanadumrongsak completed a group project for Twinkl Ltd, an online business supplying education resources worldwide. You can read a case study about this project here.
Assessment methods emphasise not just knowledge, but essential skills development too. You’ll be assessed using a range of techniques including exams, group projects, written assignments and essays, in-course assessment, group and individual presentations and reports.
Start your own business
If you’re interested in developing and running your own business in the UK, you can get support from Spark, the University of Leeds business start-up service for students and graduates provided by the Careers Centre. The initiative offers a range of practical advice and resources to support the development of your business ideas, as well as opportunities to apply for funding.
Links with industry
Students have the opportunity to develop leadership skills as part of our Leaders in Residence initiative, which gives management students the opportunity to engage with senior figures from the world of business. This is a rare opportunity where successful and established business people will help you connect the theory of your course to real world practice, and offer their advice for career success.
Study part-time at the UK’s leading university for Enterprise to develop the confidence and networks you need to successfully build a business, and your own career.
This course is ideal if you have ambitions to start your own business, are working in an existing organisation or already run your own company. You'll learn to identify new products, processes and markets, and adopt innovative techniques to exploit opportunities.
The course is supported by award-winning academics and an influential network of highly skilled entrepreneurs, giving you access to their expertise and experience as well as providing valuable connections for the future. They help to deepen your understanding of the challenges faced by people in enterprise.
We aim to equip you with a practical toolkit to support the knowledge you will gain, providing immediate relevance and the tools to launch your career or business. You will develop the skills to identify promising opportunities that are right for you, and to create a business that will exploit these opportunities.
You’ll work on a range of projects to gain practical experience and connect with successful entrepreneurs, including creating your own pop-up business, as well as visits to small businesses to explore their approaches to growth. Then we use theory to deepen your understanding and to shed light on complex issues and challenges faced by enterprising people.
Part-time delivery enables you to work while you learn and leaves you with time for other commitments.
Academic and entrepreneurial excellence
The University of Leeds offers a diverse learning environment for people from a range of backgrounds who have a keen desire to learn and practice enterprise.
The Centre for Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Studies is the focal point for enterprise education on campus at the University of Leeds. It provides exceptional research-based enterprise teaching and practical support.
The Centre can help you locate enterprise opportunities and get involved in entrepreneurial activities outside of your studies, such as joining a student enterprise group, starting a business, taking on a social project or entering a national competition.
You will also benefit from our excellent connections with business, locally, regionally and nationally. The Centre’s network of Enterprise Ambassadors provide real-world projects and deliver workshops as part of the programme. They come from a wide range of business sectors, helping you to understand how to apply your enterprise education in practice.
The University of Leeds is recognised as a leading entrepreneurial University in the UK. We have won the title Entrepreneurial University of the Year (Times Higher Education Awards 2015), received The Duke of York Award for University Entrepreneurship (Lloyds Bank National Business Awards 2015) and The Guardian University Award for Entrepreneurship (2016). Kairen Skelley, Head of Spark, the University's business start-up service, has also been named Higher Education Enterprise Champion (National Enterprise Educator Awards 2015).
In year one you’ll explore successful enterprise and entrepreneurship and their role in society worldwide. You’ll explore how enterprise is seen around the world, and how different geographical and economic contexts create challenges for new ventures.
You’ll consider contemporary challenges and debates during guest lectures with successful entrepreneurs, hearing first-hand about their experience of the latest topics. You’ll also have the opportunity to apply what you have learned to your own business idea or an existing business, whilst drawing on their expertise.
In year two, you’ll take an in-depth look at social enterprises and alternative business models, including how best to grow an existing small business.
You’ll also work alongside our full-time students on a consultancy project for a local small-medium enterprise, building relationships with the founders and staff (you can read a student case study about a recent project). Some examples of recent projects include: ‘helping an ethical gifts retailer turn their sales performance around’; ‘undertaking a market and brand analysis for a luxury camping business’ and ‘researching the Jordanian and Indian market for a healthcare software company’.
You’ll be introduced to research methods, developing understanding of how to gain important market insights and analyse the viability of a business idea.
In the final semester of year two, you’ll complete the Enterprise Dissertation, an individual project that can be used to explore opportunities for your own business venture, develop a plan for growth in an existing business you are connected to, or to research in-depth an area of interest.
Part-time study
This part-time course enables existing entrepreneurs to continue to develop their business, whilst professionals and budding entrepreneurs can work alongside their studies. Combining work and study can often be to your advantage, since the experiences gained in your professional life will add depth and relevance.
You’ll study over two years, attending classes for one day per week from late September to early May with one-month breaks at Christmas and Easter. In year one, you'll also study for five days across June and early September. In year two, you’ll attend meetings with your dissertation supervisor from April to September. You can expect to attend for approximately 27 days in year one and 17 days in year two (plus dissertation meetings).
Year 1 Compulsory modules
Year 2 Compulsory modules
For more information on typical modules, read Enterprise MSc in the course catalogue
We use a variety of different teaching methods such as lectures, small group seminars, personal tutorials, consultancy fieldwork, market research fieldwork, and company visits. Independent study is also vital to this programme, allowing you to develop your skills and prepare for taught sessions and assessments.
You’ll also be assessed using a range of techniques including exams, group projects, written assignments and essays, in-course assessment, group and individual presentations and reports.
This innovative programme combines expertise from the universities of Leeds and Southampton, both renowned for their Geographic Information Systems (GIS) teaching and research. It builds on the University of Leeds’ considerable experience in successfully delivering taught Masters programmes in GIS and draws on the University of Southampton’s expertise in teaching GIS in non-traditional settings.
The programme is designed to meet a wide range of requirements, covering areas of specialisation as diverse as business, environment, health and planning and is well-suited to an international audience.
It offers open distance learning for people working in commercial or public sector organisations, who need core training and skills development, as well as those who simply want to study in their own environment and at their own pace.
You’ll benefit from tutor support, including regular newsletter updates, and online discussion with fellow-students, and will have access to online resources at both universities.
More information
The Business, Planning and Developer streams are taught entirely by the University of Leeds, the Health and Remote Sensing streams are taught by the University of Southampton and the Environment stream is taught jointly by both universities. If you choose an environment, health or remote sensing stream you will complete your dissertation and graduate with a qualification from the University of Southampton. If you choose any of the other streams you will graduate with a qualification from the University of Leeds. Read more about the programme on the GIS Online Learning website.
You can also study this subject at Postgraduate Diploma and Postgraduate Certificate levels.
The programme manager is Helen Durham.
The programme runs over three years on a part-time basis, with study to Postgraduate Certificate level in year one, Postgraduate Diploma level in year two and an MSc achieved after three years.
The first year consists of four core modules, providing an introduction to theories and concepts that underpin GIS, skills in GIS software and database systems, knowledge of spatial analysis, statistical and mathematical modelling and the requirement to undertake a feasibility study of GIS in a workplace.
In year two you tailor your study to specialise in areas as diverse as business, environment, health, planning, remote sensing and GIS development. This is ideal for students already in full-time employment and looking to enhance their existing GIS skills to progress in their chosen career or make a career change.
In year three, you further build on your interests and expertise by undertaking a programme of independent research through the dissertation module. This gives you the opportunity to develop research in any area of GIS, expanding on work undertaken as part of the course, studying a problem of personal interest or researching a topic relevant to a workplace. You’ll be supported by a supervisor from amongst the distance learning teaching staff. We aim to submit the best dissertations for journal publication.
Year 1 Compulsory modules
Year 2 Compulsory modules
Year 3 Compulsory modules
The University of Leeds and the University of Southampton are linked seamlessly through the Worldwide Universities Network.
You’ll be provided with a variety of online learning materials throughout the programme. You’ll work as part of a virtual online community, discussing the materials online, collaborating in group tasks, participating in group exercises and generally supporting one another.
You’ll also get plenty of one-on-one support. Our qualified tutors are experts in the theory and practice of GIS and are there to support you and your group. Our tutors will act as mentors and provide you with personal guidance as you progress, advising you on how to make the most of the course and helping you to overcome any obstacles that you encounter. Any work you hand in will be returned to you with detailed comments and advice. Past students have found this comprehensive personal feedback one of the most valuable aspects of their study.
Assessment is through coursework with no exams. There is a mix of essays and reports, the latter usually based on analysis of real world datasets. Most modules have two assessments which are due for submission at the end of each three-month study period.
Typical roles undertaken by our recent graduates are:
The School of Geography has a very strong commitment to enhancing student employability. Read more about our employability support.
We encourage you to prepare for your career from day one. That’s one of the reasons Leeds graduates are so sought after by employers.
The Careers Centre and staff in your faculty provide a range of help and advice to help you plan your career and make well-informed decisions along the way, even after you graduate. Find out more at the Careers website.
Businesses and governments rely on sound financial knowledge to underpin their strategies for success.
This popular course has been ranked among the world’s best, placed Top 60 worldwide and Top 15 in the UK (Financial Times Masters in Finance Pre-experience rankings 2017). The rankings also recognise the career progression of our graduates, placing us 2nd worldwide and 1st in the UK for salary increase after graduation. This course will kick-start your professional career, providing you with advanced knowledge of modern financial theories, accounting practices and controls, as well as an understanding of the organisational context.
You’ll cover fundamental topics such as corporate finance and financial analysis, and can specialise your knowledge with optional modules, from international business finance to forensic accounting or corporate governance. The course also allows you to apply your learning to practical case studies and simulations to test your knowledge in genuine business scenarios.
Academic Excellence
You’ll learn from academics who are experts in their field, with extensive teaching, research and consultancy experience of international standing. At the same time, you’ll collaborate with graduates from diverse international backgrounds for a challenging, rewarding and rounded learning experience.
As a student, you will be able to access the knowledge of our advanced specialist research units, which also have strong links with leading institutions in the US, Europe and Asia. These include the Centre for Advanced Study in Finance (CASIF), the Institute of Banking and Investment (IBI) and the Credit Management Research Centre (CMRC). This research makes an important contribution to your learning on the MSc Accounting and Finance; you will benefit from a curriculum that is informed by the latest knowledge and critical thinking.
You will also benefit from our strong relationships with the finance, credit and accounting professions. This provides a connection to the latest practitioner and policy developments, giving you a Masters that is relevant to the contemporary environment.
You’ll explore the essentials of corporate finance and the relationship between accounting information and organisational performance. At the same time, you’ll build advanced skills in handling quantitative data and examine how modern finance theories are applied to solve complex finance problems.
You will gain an understanding of important research methods in finance and their impact on current practice, and explore topics such as financial analysis, reporting and regulation.
Beyond these core modules, you’ll be able to specialise in areas that suit your career plans with your choice of optional modules. You’ll take at least one of Corporate Governance or Information and Organisation Design, but you could also study topics such as forensic accounting, behavioural finance or international investment.
A professional skills module runs throughout the year to help you develop the critical skills that will allow you to take your knowledge into the workplace. By the end of the year, you’ll be prepared to design and carry out your own research dissertation on a related topic of your choice, developing your ability to tackle the most pressing challenges currently facing the industry.
Compulsory modules
You’ll study eight compulsory modules including your dissertation.
Optional modules
You’ll also take two optional modules. One of these must be either Information and Organisation Design or Corporate Governance.
For more information on typical modules, read Accounting and Finance MSc in the course catalogue
We use a variety of teaching and learning methods to help you make the most of your studies. These will include lectures, seminars, workshops, online learning and tutorials. In addition to the assessed modules and research dissertation, you benefit from professional training activities and employability workshops.
Thanks to our links with major companies across the business world, you can also gain a practical understanding of key issues. For example, students have developed their knowledge of financial markets through a one-week trading simulation delivered in partnership with Amplify Trading. Read more about professional development activities for finance students.
You’ll be assessed using methods such as exams, project work, presentations, reports and essays. This diversity enables you to develop a broad range of skills as preparation for professional life.
Career opportunities for graduates of this masters course are vast. You will be able to demonstrate in-depth knowledge of core accounting and finance principles, and the numerical and analytical skills to succeed in this rapidly changing complex environment.
Graduates have gone on to work as management accountants, management consultants, audit managers, finance managers, equity managers and credit risk officers.
We help you to achieve your career ambitions by providing professional development support and training as part of the Masters programme. You benefit from our dedicated Professional Development Tutor, who will work with you to develop the important professional skills that employers value.
We’re also committed to offering a wide range of development and training events and activities. Recent activities and events have included field trips to corporate headquarters, CV building and interview sessions, professional risk management workshops and commercial awareness networking events.
Read more about our careers and professional development support.
The University of Leeds Careers Centre also provides a range of help and advice to help you plan your career and make well-informed decisions along the way, even after you graduate.
Integrated financial markets and global businesses contribute significantly to modern banking, which is inseparable from international finance.
This course gives you a comprehensive overview of central issues in banking and international finance, with an understanding of the forces that sway financial markets as well as the theories underlying commercial and international banking. You’ll gain knowledge and skills that can be practically applied, and put them to the test in real-life scenarios through practical exercises.
You’ll learn from highly qualified tutors with research and consultancy expertise in credit, banking and finance. A strong research culture and excellent links with industry, commerce and professional bodies will give you the rare opportunity to gain a real understanding of the current challenges and issues facing the world’s international financial institutions.
Academic excellence
As a student, you will be able to access the knowledge of our advanced specialist research units, which also have strong links with leading institutions in the US, Europe and Asia. These include the Centre for Advanced Study in Finance (CASIF), the Institute of Banking and Investment (IBI) and the Credit Management Research Centre (CMRC). This research makes an important contribution to your learning on the MSc Banking and International Finance; you will benefit from a curriculum that is informed by the latest knowledge and critical thinking.
You will also benefit from our strong relationships with the finance, credit and accounting professions. This provides a connection to the latest practitioner and policy developments, giving you a masters degree that is relevant to the contemporary environment.
This course develops your knowledge of international finance and business to an advanced level.
You’ll develop your existing skills in quantitative data analysis, applying financial methods and theories to solve complex business problems. You’ll examine the global financial sector as you study corporate finance, international business finance and commercial banking.
You’ll be able to gain specialist knowledge with your choice of optional modules in a range of subject areas, including International Investment, Economics of Globalisation and Risk and Insurance.
To demonstrate the knowledge and skills you gain during the programme, you’ll design and carry out your own research dissertation in the final semester. This allows you to focus on a topic of your choice, developing your ability to tackle the most pressing challenges currently facing the industry.
Throughout the course we support you to develop the professional skills that will be critical for a successful career in the financial services.
Compulsory modules
You’ll study eight compulsory modules including your dissertation.
Optional modules
You'll also take two options, one of which must be either International Investment or Economics of Globalisation and the International Economy.
We use a variety of teaching and learning methods to help you make the most of your studies. These will include lectures, seminars, workshops, online learning and tutorials.
In addition to the assessed modules and research dissertation, you benefit from professional training activities and employability workshops. Thanks to our links with major companies across the business world, you can also gain a practical understanding of key issues.
For example, students have developed their knowledge of financial markets through a one-week trading simulation delivered in partnership with Amplify Trading. Read more about professional development activities for finance students.
Independent study is also vital for this course allowing you to prepare for taught classes and sharpen your own research and critical skills.
Assessment methods emphasise not just knowledge, but essential skills development too. They include formal exams, group projects, reports, computer simulation exercises, essays and written assignments, group and individual presentations and reflective logs.
This diversity enables you to develop a broad range of skills as preparation for professional life.
Graduates of the MSc Banking and International Finance can expect to have worldwide appeal to employers in finance, investment banking and financial services.
Many of our graduates have gone on to pursue successful careers in commercial and investment banking, corporate finance and financial analysis. Alternatively, the course can provide an excellent grounding for a career in financial journalism.
This masters is also an excellent qualification for individuals seeking to pursue a postgraduate research degree.
We help you to achieve your career ambitions by providing professional development support and training as part of the Masters programme. You benefit from the support of a Professional Development Tutor, who will work with you to develop the important professional skills that employers value.
We’re committed to offering a wide range of development and training opportunities. Recent activities have included CV building and interview sessions, professional risk management workshops and commercial awareness networking events.
Read more about our careers and professional development support.
The University of Leeds Careers Centre also provides a range of help and advice to help you plan your career and make well-informed decisions along the way, even after you graduate.
Sustainable economic development and environmental management are two key challenges facing the world today.
You will be provided with high-quality interdisciplinary training to help you understand the many perspectives on these issues. This Masters is led by the Sustainability Research Institute and brings together a wide range of academic expertise from the School of Earth and Environment, the School of Politics and International Studies, and from the practitioner community.
A key part of your learning will be based around an international field course to Tanzania, where you will gain first-hand practical experience and apply classroom-based learning in a developing country context.
Investigate the issues associated with achieving development that is environmentally, socially and economically sustainable and contribute towards achieving solutions in this topical, fast-growing field.
And gain the knowledge, skills and practical experience, employers require to focus on the issues where the need for sustainable economic development and environmental conservation meet.
The course is ideal if you would like to develop or continue a career in environment and/or development practice, policy, training or research, and/or if you are thinking of working in an international capacity. The Masters will prepare you for work in both the public and private sectors, and within local, national and international institutions. Alternatively, you could pursue a research career or go on to a PhD.
Course highlights:
Fieldwork
Fieldwork forms an integral part of the course, which develops your on-the-ground understanding of how the tools and skills you learn in lectures can be applied.
When completed on a full-time basis, this 12 month Masters is split into 3 semesters. In the first 2 semesters you will take lectures and seminars, followed by approximately 4 months of individual work leading to the submission of a dissertation in late August
When completed on a part-time basis, the course runs for 24 months, with each year split into 3 semesters. You will take 2 modules in each semester, followed by individual work leading to the submission of a dissertation in semester 3 of your final year.
Compulsory modules
Optional modules
You will learn through a variety of teaching methods to help you develop both generic and subject-specific skills.
This includes lectures, practical workshops, field trips (UK and overseas), computer lab sessions, research seminars and project work (individual and groupwork).
Practical exercises focus around real-world scenarios and case studies to produce optimal solutions including familiarisation with state-of-the-art technical approaches, software and the regulatory regimes that companies and public sector organisations operate within.
The research-intensive environment of the School ensures that course material is both up-to-date and research led.
You'll also learn the scientific and rational principles lying behind the practical approaches used in the world outside academia, so that your skills keep pace with changes in technology or the regulatory environment.
Facilities
The School of Earth and Environment’s £23m building gives you access to world-class research, teaching and facilities.
You will be assessed through a variety of ways including both written and oral assignments and exams.
We have successful and productive links with many partners with different perspectives on sustainability, environment and development.
You will come in contact with our network of partners throughout the course. For example, during the field courses in East Yorkshire and Tanzania there are opportunities to network with organisations such as the Tanzanian National Institute of Medical Research, East Usambara Tea Company, WWF-Tanzania, The Wildlife Trusts and Associated British Ports.
In addition, staff members in the Sustainability Research Institute, Institute for Climate and Atmospheric Studies and the School of Politics and International Studies maintain their own network of contacts and your dissertation project provides you with an opportunity to build on these links.
This Masters will prepare you in the physical sciences and mathematics for a research career in climate, atmospheric or environmental sciences. It ideally bridges the gap between undergraduate studies in physical/natural sciences and engineering, and study for a PhD.
Alternatively, if you decide to leave academia, the highly transferable skills gained from this course could lead to a research role in industry or government.
Gain a broad overview of physical problems in climate and atmospheric science, together with a sound physical understanding of natural processes. Alongside this, develop highly transferable skills to conduct research in these subjects with a strong emphasis on quantitative data analysis and physical and numerical modelling.
A career in scientific research is always interesting – sometimes exciting – but might not suit everyone. This course provides an excellent opportunity to get a taste of postgraduate research study and decide whether it is really the career for you.
Course highlights:
Interact with academics who are at the forefront of major global issues. Leeds is a leading centre of excellence across both the physical science of the climate and atmosphere science, and the resultant socio-economic impacts and processes:
National Centre for Atmospheric Science (NCAS), one of six research centres funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), providing its core atmospheric research.
Institute for Climate and Atmospheric Science (ICAS) is the UK’s most diverse academic institute for atmospheric research.
Priestley International Centre for Climate Change (PICC) a world-leading centre for policy-relevant, solution-driven climate research.
Centre for Polar Observation and Modelling (CPOM) is a research centre that studies processes in the Earth's polar latitudes that may affect the Earth's albedo, polar atmosphere and ocean circulation, and global sea level.
Develop your research skills – you will be regarded as a researcher in the School and expected to work closely with ICAS staff as well as presenting at the annual ICAS Science Conference along with academics and doctoral researchers.
Continue on to a PhD, or move into a research role in industry or government. Highly numerate graduates with training in independent research are widely sought after in many sectors.
The School's £23m building gives you access to world-class research, teaching and laboratory facilities, and dedicated computer facilities – many of which will be available to you throughout your studies.
You will be regarded as a researcher within the School and be expected to work closely with ICAS staff as well as presenting at the annual ICAS away day along with academic staff and doctoral researchers.
Programme team
Be taught by staff from across the School, primarily from ICAS. Your programme manager is Dr Ryan Neely (ICAS) who also teaches as well as regularly supervises your research project and provides tutorial support.
You'll undertake 180 credits worth of work during the year, based on 4 super-modules, each of which is made up of several components.
Two of these super-modules (Quantitative Skills and Specialist Knowledge) allow you to choose from an expansive range of 'atmospheric' and/or 'climate science' options.
You can choose modules based on the direction of your research project and your first degree, as well as any other previous experience.
These are typical modules/components studied and may change from time to time. Read more in our Terms and conditions.
Compulsory modules
You’ll be taught through classwork, research seminars, lectures, tutorials, poster presentation, fieldwork and tutorials, group work and/or individual.
For your dissertation project, instead of the traditional thesis, you’ll submit a manuscript suitable for submission to an academic journal. This aims to teach the key transferable skill of communicating results professionally and efficiently, and increase the frequency of publication of students’ research.
Facilities
The School’s £23m building gives you access to world-class research, teaching and laboratory facilities. You'll also have access to a dedicated computer suite throughout your studies.
Your dissertation project accounts for a significant part of your assessment.
You’re also assessed on work you do in course, for example through field notebooks, project proposals, seminars, submission of a computer project and a literature-based survey.
Students carry out research-directed work, implementing new developments and joining existing and new collaborations with agencies such as the Meteorological Office, British Antarctic Survey and the National Centre for Atmospheric Science. Many students perform field projects in conjunction with international field campaigns.
You will be prepared for a research career, usually onwards to a PhD but this could also lead to a research role in government or industry.
Traditionally a very high proportion of our students go on to further PhD study in climate or atmospheric science. In fact, over the last three years all our students who applied for funded PhD positions at Leeds were successful, with several of them holding multiple offers of fully funded research studentships.
While others have obtained places at Cambridge, Reading, Edinburgh, and UEA, among others.
Highly numerate graduates with training in independent research are widely sought after. And our graduates who choose to leave academia have strong employment prospects – landing jobs with national agencies, environmental consultancies, wind-power companies and the insurance sector.
Combine your knowledge and skills in music with managerial training with this distinctive and diverse degree.
Taught by the School of Music and Leeds University Business School, this programme will allow you to specialise in an aspect of music that suits your interests and talents while gaining an insight into the principles and strategies of management across the creative industries. You’ll also study modules designed specifically for this programme which bring music and management together, giving you the chance to connect with professionals in the music industry.
You could specialise in music management and promotion, performance, composition, music psychology, electronic and computer music or source studies while exploring strategic management, marketing and entrepreneurship. Whether you’re looking to launch a management career in the music industry or you want to enhance your skills and promotion prospects, you’ll learn from experts in both subjects to gain the diversity of skills to succeed.
We have a variety of excellent facilities to support your learning, including rehearsal, performance and practice spaces, a lab for studying the psychology of music and studios for sound recording, software development and computer music composition. We also have good working relationships with a range of prestigious arts organisations: we host BBC Radio 3 concerts, Leeds Lieder and the Leeds International Pianoforte Competition, as well as enjoying a close partnership with Opera North and many others in a city with a thriving music and cultural scene.
Take a virtual tour of the School of Music
Leeds University Business School is internationally recognised for the quality of its teaching and research. It’s among just 1% of institutions offering business degrees to be triple-accredited by the world’s best-known accreditation bodies.
Read more about Leeds University Business School
The focus of the degree will be a major project: working with a tutor, most of our students devise a music and management project to combine and reflect upon music management theory and practice. This could include, for example, organising an event, acting as a consultant during a work placement you organise, or managing a musical group. Alternatively, you can complete a dissertation on a topic of your choice.
A core module throughout the year will introduce you to research methods in music, equipping you with the skills to support the rest of your studies. You’ll also choose from optional modules to specialise in one of computer music, aesthetics, musicology, editing, psychology of music, performance, composition, artistic management or live music promotion.
In both semesters you’ll study core modules run by Leeds University Business School. These will introduce you to strategic management, marketing for managers and how businesses in the creative industries are actually run and managed, applying concepts and theories to understand the business models of media companies, as well as the impact of digital technologies and the rise of exciting new markets.
If you choose to study part-time, you’ll study over a longer period and take fewer modules in each year.
Compulsory modules
You’ll take four compulsory modules over the year, and you’ll choose whether to do a Music and Management Project (60 credits) or a Dissertation (60 credits).
Optional modules
You will choose Digital Business (15 credits) or Strategic Management (15 credits), and then choose one from the optional modules below.
Because this programme is so diverse, you’ll come across a range of teaching and learning methods. These will include lectures, seminars and tutorials as well as group learning. You’ll also take instrumental or vocal lessons in some modules, depending on your choices. Independent study is also vital to this programme, allowing you to build a variety of skills and express your creativity
You’ll also be assessed using a range of methods, including presentations, bibliographic exercises, essays and group project work. LUBS modules may include written exams. Specialised music modules will also use relevant methods of assessment, such as compositions, recitals, critical editions and commentaries on musical sources.
This programme will equip you with in-depth knowledge of economic and management issues, both within and beyond the music industry. It will also equip you with transferable skills in research, analysis, interpretation, communication, cultural and commercial awareness that are valuable to a wide range of employers.
All of this will put you in a great position to succeed in the music industry, as well as other related areas of arts and creative industries management .
We also offer additional support as you develop your career plans: the School of Music boasts a unique Alumni Mentoring Network, where students can be supported by past students as they start to plan their next steps.
We encourage you to prepare for your career from day one. That’s one of the reasons Leeds graduates are so sought after by employers.
The Careers Centre and staff in your faculty provide a range of help and advice to help you plan your career and make well-informed decisions along the way, even after you graduate. Find out more at the Careers website.
This Masters degree provides you with knowledge of advanced finance concepts, whilst developing your quantitative, mathematical and research skills.
Taught by experienced academics based in both Leeds University Business School and the School of Mathematics, you’ll cover key topics including financial derivative pricing, discrete and continuous time models, risk management and portfolio optimisation, as well as statistical methods for finance.
You will be equipped with a rare combination of mathematical skills and the latest business finance knowledge, which is highly sought after in the financial sector by banks, investment and consultancy companies. It’s also excellent preparation if you’re interested in pursuing further academic research.
This course is ideal if you’ve previously studied finance, economics, mathematics, physics or computing, and are interested in applying your skills to financial markets.
Academic excellence
As a student, you will be able to access the knowledge of our advanced specialist research units, which also have strong links with leading institutions in the US, Europe and Asia. These include the Centre for Advanced Study in Finance (CASIF), the Institute of Banking and Investment (IBI) and the Credit Management Research Centre (CMRC).
This research makes an important contribution to your learning on the MSc Financial Mathematics; you will benefit from a curriculum that is informed by the latest knowledge and critical thinking.
You will also benefit from our strong relationships with the finance, credit and accounting professions. This provides a connection to the latest practitioner and policy developments, giving you a masters degree that is relevant to the contemporary environment.
In your first semester you’ll develop a broad understanding of corporate finance and how financial theory relates to practice in business and financial markets. This will put your mathematical studies into context while you develop your skills in applied statistics and probability, optimisation methods and discrete time finance.
You’ll build on these skills in topics such as continuous time finance, risk management and computational methods. You’ll also gain specialist knowledge in topics that suit your career ambitions such as risk and insurance, actuarial science and behavioural finance.
The programme will improve your research skills and allow you to study different research methodologies, including those employed by our own leading academics. This will prepare you for your dissertation – an independent research project on a topic of your choice that you’ll submit by the end of the year.
Compulsory modules
Optional modules
You'll also take two optional modules.
For more information on typical modules, read Financial Mathematics MSc in the course catalogue
We use a variety of teaching and learning methods to help you make the most of your studies. These will include lectures, seminars, workshops, online learning and tutorials. Independent study is also vital for this course allowing you to prepare for taught classes and sharpen your own research and critical skills.
In addition to the assessed modules and research dissertation, you benefit from professional training activities and employability workshops. Thanks to our links with major companies across the business world, you can also gain a practical understanding of key issues.
Recent activities have included CV building and interview sessions, professional risk management workshops and commercial awareness events. For example, students have developed their knowledge of financial markets through a one-week trading simulation. Read more about professional development activities for postgraduate finance students.
Assessment methods emphasise not just knowledge, but essential skills development too. They include formal exams, group projects, reports, computer simulation exercises, essays and written assignments, group and individual presentations.
This diversity enables you to develop a broad range of skills as preparation for professional life.
You have various opportunities open to you as a Financial Mathematics graduate, including: quantitative analysis, risk management, investment banking, financial consultancy, insurance, accounting and academia.
Previous graduates have gone on to secure employment with Allianz (London), AstraZeneca, Barclays, Cathay Life Insurance, CITIC Group, Commerzbank, Deloitte, First Direct, Gaz de France, HSBC, KPMG, Moody’s, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Royal Bank of Scotland, RSA and UK Government Actuary’s Department.
We help you to achieve your career ambitions by providing professional development support and training as part of the course. You benefit from the support of a professional development tutor, who will work with you to develop the important professional skills that employers value.
Read more about our careers and professional development support.
The University of Leeds Careers Centre also provides a range of help and advice to help you plan your career and make well-informed decisions along the way, even after you graduate. Find out more at the Careers website
Global capital and money markets are rapidly evolving and critical expertise is highly sought after. If you’re interested in a professional career in finance and investment, this Masters will equip you to apply your problem-solving skills to the financial markets.
You’ll be introduced to advanced concepts and practices in essential topics including international investment, financial modelling, corporate finance and security investment analysis.
Thanks to our excellent links with industry, commerce and professional bodies, you’ll gain a practical understanding of how essential financial theory is applied in practice. Case study exercises and simulations test your knowledge in real business scenarios, connecting you with the latest challenges and issues in the financial markets.
You’ll learn from leading academics with research and consultancy expertise to gain a qualification valued worldwide in the finance and investment industry.
Academic excellence
As a student, you will be able to access the knowledge of our advanced specialist research units, which also have strong links with leading institutions in the US, Europe and Asia. These include the Centre for Advanced Study in Finance (CASIF), the Institute of Banking and Investment (IBI) and the Credit Management Research Centre (CMRC). This research makes an important contribution to your learning on the MSc Finance and Investment; you will benefit from a curriculum that is informed by the latest knowledge and critical thinking.
You will also benefit from our strong relationships with the finance, credit and accounting professions. This provides a connection to the latest practitioner and policy developments, giving you a masters degree that is relevant to the contemporary environment.
Throughout the course we support you to develop the professional skills that will be critical for a successful career in the financial services.
You’ll build knowledge of key topics in finance and investment such as financial modelling, corporate finance, security investment analysis and international business finance. You’ll apply this knowledge of financial theory to solve real problems and explore international investment in depth.
Your choice of optional modules will allow you to gain specialist knowledge in areas that suit your career plans. You’ll be expected to take at least one of Corporate Governance or Behavioural Finance, but you could also study accounting, financial derivatives, forensic finance and more.
The programme will improve your understanding of research methods in finance, during a dedicated module led by experts currently involved in cutting-edge research. You’ll apply this knowledge to design and carry out your own research dissertation on a related topic of your choice, developing your ability to tackle the most pressing challenges currently facing the industry.
Compulsory modules
You’ll take eight compulsory modules including your dissertation.
Optional modules
You’ll also take two optional modules, one of which must be either Behavioural Finance or International Business Finance.
For more information on typical modules, read Finance and Investment MSc in the course catalogue
We use a variety of teaching and learning methods to help you make the most of your studies. These will include lectures, seminars, workshops, online learning and tutorials. Independent study is also vital for this course allowing you to prepare for taught classes and sharpen your own research and critical skills.
In addition to the assessed modules and research dissertation, you benefit from professional training activities and employability workshops. Thanks to our links with major companies across the business world, you can also gain a practical understanding of key issues.
For example, students have developed their knowledge of financial markets through a one-week trading simulation delivered in partnership with Amplify Trading. Read more about professional development activities for finance students.
Assessment methods emphasise not just knowledge, but essential skills development too. They include formal exams, group projects, reports, computer simulation exercises, essays and written assignments, group and individual presentations and reflective logs.
As a graduate of this course you will be able to demonstrate in-depth knowledge of core finance and investment principles, and the numerical and analytical skills to succeed in this rapidly changing complex environment.
Graduates have a broad appeal to employers in the worldwide finance sector. Many have gone on to careers such as traders, risk managers, portfolio managers and security analysts.
Our unique combination of business and mathematics modules enables you to perform successfully in a business environment by making the best use of your analytical and programming skills.
We help you to achieve your career ambitions by providing professional development support and training as part of the course. You benefit from the support of a Professional Development Tutor, who will work with you to develop the important professional skills that employers value.
We’re committed to offering a wide range of development and training opportunities. Recent activities have included field trips, CV building and interview sessions, professional risk management workshops and commercial awareness networking events.
Read more about our careers and professional development support.
The University of Leeds Careers Centre also provides a range of help and advice to help you plan your career and make well-informed decisions along the way, even after you graduate.
We are pleased to announce the creation of our new MSc Ecological Economics. The course is based in the School of Earth and Environment with some of the modules being taught by the Leeds University Business School.
It reflects a new approach to teaching economics that focuses on real-world problems and integrates a wide range of different perspectives.
Many of the most serious environmental and social problems that we face can be traced to root causes in our economic system.
On this course, you'll develop an understanding of how economic activity gives rise to environmental and social problems, and be introduced to the main tools to tackle them.
You'll join one of the largest and most renowned centres of ecological economics research in the world on a course that challenges conventional thinking and introduces a real-world approach to teaching economics.
You can combine modules that help you build strong conceptual foundations in sustainability with specialist modules in ecological, environmental, and heterodox economics.
The course is ideal if you have an interest in economic issues with a focus on their social and environmental consequences, but you don't need to have completed a previous degree in economics.
You are expected to complete 8 modules (6 compulsory including the research dissertation project, plus 3 options).
You'll have 3 terms of lectures and seminars followed by approximately 4 four months of individual work leading to the submission of a dissertation in late August.
You can potentially carry-out your research dissertation project with a partner organisation. This collaborative arrangement is designed to help you to deliver research that generates a real-world impact, while at the same time creating high employment prospects.
Please see the Career Opportunities section for a list of organisations you could possibly partner with.
When completed on a full-time basis, this Masters is a 12-month course split into 3 semesters. When undertaken on a part-time basis, the course runs for 2 years with 2 taught modules completed in each semester.
Compulsory modules
Optional modules
Choose 3 from the following list:
You'll learn through a variety of teaching methods including lectures, discussion seminars, computer-based practicals, presentations, one-to-one supervision, group projects, and self-led study.
Teaching is research-led so that you are learning about and working on real-world problems, using cutting-edge research approaches and data in practical applications.
Facilities
The School of Earth and Environment’s £23m building gives you access to world-class research, teaching and facilities.
You'll be assessed through a variety of ways including essays, group and individual projects, presentations, computer-based practicals and exams.
You are encouraged to carry-out your research with a partner organisation. This collaborative arrangement is designed to help you to deliver research that generates a real-world impact, while at the same time creating high employment prospects.
Potential organisations for research partnerships include:
Recent graduates have pursued a research career, either moving on to a PhD, or working for local government or NGOs. While others are now working for consultancy companies.
We offer extra support and activities to help you stand out in your chosen field and achieve your career goals.
The School of Earth and Environment has a strong commitment to enhancing student employability and has its own dedicated Employability Officer. Read more about our careers and employability.
We encourage you to prepare for your career from day one. That’s one of the reasons Leeds graduates are so sought after by employers.
The Careers Centre and staff in your faculty provide a range of help and advice to help you plan your career and make well-informed decisions along the way, even after you graduate. Find out more at the Careers website.
At the local, national and global level, we are witnessing an intense period of social transformation and fragmentation. Within this context, there is growing political and policy recognition of the need to better understand and thereby address social inequalities. The social sciences have an important role to play in mapping and understanding how inequalities arise and in tackling their causes and consequences. Innovative developments in the social sciences are offering new methodological, theoretical and empirical insights into entrenched and emerging inequalities of status, resource, outcome and opportunity. This has inspired us to create an interdisciplinary programme focusing on inequality in all its forms and its social, political and economic implications.
This Masters programme equips students with the necessary knowledge and skills to engage in and contribute towards work that tackles the realities and effects of social inequality. Capitalising on academic and applied expertise in the School of Sociology and Social Policy and the Leeds Inequalities Research Network, this programme harnesses leading analytical approaches combining qualitative, quantitative and data analytic methods (in close collaboration with the School of Geography).
In addition to offering an advanced understanding of rising material inequality, the programme encourages an intersectional approach to understanding socio-economic stratification and how this links with physical (dis) ability, race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, sexuality, class and age. It provides a stimulating intellectual environment and cutting edge methodological approaches to comparing and contrasting the formation and consequences of inequalities across a range of national and international contexts. Through an examination of geopolitical and socioeconomic shifts, such as urbanisation and globalisation, students are actively supported to critically interrogate the contemporary character and extent of social inequality.
Research insight
Whilst undertaking this programme, students will join a vibrant and dynamic research led teaching and learning environment in the School of Sociology and Social Policy. You will benefit from the interdisciplinary expertise and extra-curricular activities hosted by the School and its research centres including those in Disability Studies, Ethnicity and Racism Studies, Interdisciplinary Gender Studies and Research into Families, the Life Course and Generations. You will also access events through the Leeds Social Sciences Institute (LSSI), which fosters cross-departmental collaboration, learning and impact, Students will also benefit from workshops on global inequalities by academic leaders from across campus and research seminars with external speakers; along with career development opportunities and events. As such, students can take advantage of academic and applied expertise both within and beyond the University whilst also developing specialist knowledge and transferable skills for their future career development in the public, private or third sector.
The programme bridges disciplinary divides to provide a detailed understanding of the ways in which social inequality manifests across diverse communities and contexts at the national and international level. It offers insight into the character, causes and consequences of social inequality, as well as forms of resistance and policy responses. It has a strong and innovative methodological focus, including traditional qualitative and quantitative approaches to the social analysis of inequality, as well as new approaches to data visualisation and analytics from across the social sciences. The programme uses a range of teaching methods, including lectures, seminars and workshops, complemented by a range of co-curricular activities partly facilitated through the Leeds Inequalities Research Network.
The core modules of the programme introduce students to contemporary research on global inequalities of social difference and disadvantage, emphasizing a diversity of theoretical and research design strategies, including international evidence surrounding the shifting nature and extent of inequality. Students are able to tailor the programme according to their interests and needs by choosing from a specially selected range of optional modules, which address major social and economic inequalities across diverse social science subjects and substantive issues. As such, students can choose to develop in-depth specialist knowledge on a particular area and/or focus more generally on the social processes and arrangements that give rise to inequalities.
Compulsory modules
PLUS TWO OF THE BELOW:
We use a range of teaching and learning methods including presentations, seminars, workshops, tutorials and lectures. However, independent study is crucial to this degree – it allows you to prepare for taught sessions, develop your research interests and build a range of skills. This is particularly the case for the dissertation/applied project module of this programme.
Supported through workshops and supervision, students develop their research dissertation or an applied project in partnership with external organisations. This offers students an exciting opportunity to gain experience of applying their knowledge and skills to policy and practice.
Your core modules will be assessed using essays. Optional modules may use other forms of assessment that reflect the diversity of the topics you can study, including presentations, book and literature reviews, research proposals and reports among others.
This programme prepares students for policy, research and applied careers across the private, public and third sectors. The interdisciplinary and dynamic nature of the programme equips students with the critical, analytical and methodological skills to deploy their specialist expertise in a clear, efficient and effective manner. You will develop transferable skills in research, analysis and communication, as well as in-depth knowledge that can be applied across a range of domains and contexts.
Due to the rigorous and applied nature of our teaching, graduates might pursue careers across a diverse range of organisational settings such as in government, NGOS, charities, think tanks, social enterprises and business. The programme also offers excellent development opportunities to pursue a career in social research or undertake research at PhD level.
Irrespective of your future career intentions, we offer tailored guidance and support through ESSL Faculty staff and the Leeds Careers Centre.
Actuaries evaluate and manage financial risk. They apply advanced mathematical and statistical techniques to solve financial problems, assess the likelihood of a particular event and the possible financial costs. The role of the actuary is increasingly important in the current economic climate, where volatile markets are contributing to financial uncertainty.
Our MSc Actuarial Finance will introduce you to essential business topics and enable you to apply your quantitative skills to solve complex business problems, such as risk management, insurance and derivatives. You’ll gain comprehensive knowledge in business areas such as accountancy, corporate finance and economics, as well as key analytical techniques, processes and models that have significant applications in actuarial finance.
The Business School has strong links with the actuarial profession and the insurance and pensions industry, giving you the opportunity to interact with practising actuaries and industry experts.
Academic excellence
This course is delivered in partnership with the University’s School of Mathematics. You’ll learn from leading academics based in both schools, giving you access to world-class expertise in both areas.
As a student, you will be able to access the knowledge of our advanced specialist research units, which also have strong links with leading institutions in the US, Europe and Asia. These include the Centre for Advanced Study in Finance (CASIF), the Institute of Banking and Investment (IBI) and the Credit Management Research Centre (CMRC).
You will also benefit from our strong relationships with the actuarial profession. This provides a connection to the latest developments in the industry and gives you a masters degree that is relevant to the contemporary environment.
You’ll take compulsory modules in corporate finance and economics allowing you to put your work into context and understand the importance of the role played by actuaries. At the same time, you’ll build your mathematical skills with classes in applied statistics and probability, as well as discrete time finance.
Building on this, you’ll study continuous time finance and gain an understanding of how different stochastic processes and survival models are applied to actuarial science. This will compliment your studies in topics such as accounting, professionalism and ethics, international investment and portfolio risk management.
Throughout the year you’ll build your professional skills with a core module focussing on critical practical skills that will prepare you for the workplace. At the end of the course, you’ll bring together your business, mathematical and professional knowledge to complete an independent project on a topic of your choice, which will demonstrate your ability to apply the skills you’ve gained.
Compulsory modules
For more information on typical modules, read Actuarial Finance MSc in the course catalogue
Our tutors come from highly respected professional and academic backgrounds. We use a range of teaching methods so you can benefit from their expertise including lectures, workshops, seminars, computer simulations and tutorials.
In addition to the assessed modules and research dissertation, you benefit from professional training activities and employability workshops.
Independent study is also an important part of the course, allowing you to prepare for taught classes and sharpen your own research and critical thinking skills.
Assessment methods emphasise not just knowledge, but essential skills development too. They include formal exams, group projects, reports, computer simulation exercises, essays and written assignments, presentations and reflective logs. This diversity enables you to develop a broad range of skills as preparation for professional life.
As a graduate of this course you will be able to demonstrate in-depth knowledge of core actuarial principles, and the numerical and analytical skills to succeed in this rapidly changing complex environment.
Graduates have entered successful careers in insurance, pensions, accountancy, risk management and consultancy. Job prospects are wide ranging and include careers as accountants, consultants, scheme and insurance actuaries, and employment in investment banking and risk management.
As a result of the high level of quantitative skills developed, you also gain an excellent grounding for PhD study in accounting, finance and economics.
We help you to achieve your career ambitions by providing professional development support and training as part of the Masters programme. You benefit from the support of a Professional Development Tutor, who will work with you to develop the important professional skills that employers value.
We’re committed to offering a wide range of development and training opportunities. Recent activities have included CV building and interview sessions, professional risk management workshops and commercial awareness networking events.
Read more about our careers and professional development support.
The University of Leeds Careers Centre also provides a range of help and advice to help you plan your career and make well-informed decisions along the way, even after you graduate.
Sustainability, Earth and Atmospheric Science Masters Degrees - School of Earth and Environment
