In the aftermath of the 2007-2009 financial crisis, most organisations in finance, banking and insurance are undergoing major changes. These organisations are actively seeking postgraduates who are disciplined in these fields. Westminster Business School is one of just a handful of UK universities to offer a Master's degree in Finance, Banking and Insurance, leaving our graduates' skills sought after on the job market.
Studying the Finance, Banking and Insurance MSc will enable you to pursue a wide range of careers in the financial services industry and to study further for professional institute exams. This year-long full-time programme is designed for students who want to work in the areas of finance, financial services and banking, investment banking, retail banking, insurance, re-insurance and hedged funds as private client advisors and financial analysis both in the public and private sectors.
The course is designed to give you an essential understanding of the role and operations of the finance, banks and insurance companies. The course is delivered by highly qualified individuals with extensive research experience and strong industry links. During your studies, you will acquire essential knowledge and skills that will set the foundations for a successful career in the financial services sector, and you will gain access to our ever-growing alumni network which will support your career development following your graduation.
A highlight for many students are the field trips and social events organised throughout the course which provide an opportunity for networking with peers, alumni and industry professionals.
Students on this course benefit from free access to part of the material on the course reading list and an online subscription to Financial Times.
The following modules are indicative of what you will study on this course.
Core Modules
Option Modules
All students on our full-time Business Masters courses can apply to undertake the PG/MBA Internship Programme, which forms part of the Reflective Practitioner Module.
The internship allows you to test drive a career and explore one of your career interests before you complete your Postgraduate studies!
Completing an 8-12 week accredited internship helps students gain invaluable work experience. This fantastic work experience can be taken in addition to option modules. Students are responsible for finding their own internship with the support of the Business Experience Team.
To express an interest in the module, students must submit a completed application form and a copy of their updated CV. This will give students membership a dedicated website that offers exclusive access to internship vacancies, one to-one CV guidance appointments, mock interviews, employability workshops and much more.
Students can apply to London-based organisations and have the flexibility to take their internship in the summer period or alongside their studies.
Every year we receive very positive feedback from both postgraduate students and employers and expect that the internship programme will continue to remain popular amongst our students.
Find out about postgraduate internships
The MSc Finance, Banking and Insurance degree is perfect for students who want options in their career in that it allows students to specialise in insurance, banking and general finance. This 1-year course is designed for students who want to work in jobs such as:
Students benefit from the fact that the course is practice-focused and is therefore focused on the skill-base needed in the industry. Successful and engaged students will have developed a systematic understanding of the finance, banking and insurance disciplines, using the most up-to- date material and exposure to the latest theory and research on these topics. The elective modules also give students to the ability to further specialise in their area of interest.
This course provides a thorough theoretical and practical grounding in the key aspects of investment and risk finance, delivered in an intensive learning environment. You will learn how to apply the knowledge and theory you have gained in class to real-world problems facing the international financial services industry and the corporate financial management community. This practical application of investment and risk principles is one of the main strengths of this programme.
The learning and skills development is integrated with resources available in our Financial Markets Suite (FMS), a state-of-the-art virtual trading room environment. The FMS is interfaced with the Bloomberg system, a leading source of economics and capital markets information available to the global professional financial community. Provision of this Bloomberg resource, along with the academic and professional career development opportunities are the main reasons why our students prefer to select this programme.
The Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment (CISI) – a financial services professional body, has recognised Westminster Business School as a Centre of Excellence based on the taught elements of this course. All students enrolled on the course are eligible for the student membership of the institute. Some of the benefits include free attendance at CPD events, accessibility to industry news and online resources. Students on the course are also eligible to sit the CISI L3 derivatives examinations.
The course has been in existence since 1999 and has continued to evolve to meet the changing educational needs of the investment and risk finance professional. It's delivered by qualified academics and professionals who have worked many years in the industry and are actively engaged in research and consultancy.
The course consists of core modules which help you acquire the ability to perform quantitative investment and risk analyses on a variety of financial instruments and structured products. You'll also learn how to use capital market products in both investment and risk finance applications. As a result you will develop good transferable skills and solve financial problems in a group setting.
The research and project modules are designed to develop your research abilities and create opportunities to explore finance subject areas of your own interest in more depth. This will enable you to apply the analytical and technical management skills you will encounter to real-life situations.
A highlight for many students are the social events organised throughout the course which provide an opportunity for networking with fellow students and alumni. Students on this course also benefit from free access to part of the material on the course reading list.
The following modules are indicative of what you will study on this course.
Core modules
Choose two or three of the following:
Core elective modules
If you take two core elective modules, you then need to choose one option module.
Option modules
You may also take another module from the postgraduate portfolio, at the course leader’s discretion.
Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment, CISI
All students on our full-time Business Masters courses can apply to undertake the PG/MBA Internship Programme, which forms part of the Reflective Practitioner Module.
The internship allows you to test drive a career and explore one of your career interests before you complete your Postgraduate studies!
Completing an 8-12 week accredited internship helps students gain invaluable work experience. This fantastic work experience can be taken in addition to option modules. Students are responsible for finding their own internship with the support of the Business Experience Team.
To express an interest in the module, students must submit a completed application form and a copy of their updated CV. This will give students membership a dedicated website that offers exclusive access to internship vacancies, one to-one CV guidance appointments, mock interviews, employability workshops and much more.
Students can apply to London-based organisations and have the flexibility to take their internship in the summer period or alongside their studies.
Every year we receive very positive feedback from both postgraduate students and employers and expect that the internship programme will continue to remain popular amongst our students.
Find out about postgraduate internships
This course is designed to prepare you for a variety of roles. Career choices include security and financial analysis, trading and fund management, capital market sales and administration. The skills you will acquire through the teaching and learning experiences combined with a post-graduate qualification in this area of finance will allow you to expand your career in a dynamic and rapidly evolving global industry. Our graduates go on to develop careers in treasury and front office positions in investment banks and securities companies. They occupy management positions as financial analysts, finance and sales administrators or similar jobs in the global financial services sector and the corporate finance world.
This course has been designed to develop the knowledge, skills, research interests and career prospects of those who work, or wish to work, in finance, treasury management or accountancy. It’s especially useful if you’re a graduate with little or no accounting experience, as it offers the opportunity to study modules which will cover this shortfall.
If you are a graduate member of a UK accountancy body, or an overseas equivalent, you may claim up to four exemptions from this Masters by applying for Accreditation of Prior Certificated Learning. This would enable you to complete the taught part of the course in one semester.
The course provides exemptions from 9 papers of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) exams. The Westminster Business School is an ACCA Gold approved learning partner and is the only UK institution to offer this many ACCA exemptions on completion of a one-year course. Furthermore, graduates of the course have the chance to enter the the Gateway route of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA). On successful completion of the Gateway examination, students will gain exemptions from 11 of the 16 CIMA examinations.
As a postgraduate finance student you will have access to the Financial Markets Suite, which uses the Bloomberg computer system to monitor real-time financial market movements and trends. It’s a resource available to very few UK universities, and one which provides a modern and progressive teaching environment combining finance theory with practice.
A highlight for many students are the social events organised throughout the course which provide an opportunity for networking with fellow students and alumni. Students on this course also benefit from free access to part of the material on the course reading list.
The following modules are indicative of what you will study on this course.
You can choose a total of three option modules – two or three from the following list, and a third module may be chosen from anywhere within the University, subject to the course leader’s approval.
Core modules
Option modules
As a Finance and Accounting MSc graduate, you can look forward to excellent career prospects in finance, banking, treasury management or accountancy, as well as general management and other senior finance-based positions. A number of our graduates have gone on to work for the "Big 4" accountancy firms.
Your exposure to the Financial Markets Suite simulated financial trading facility will mean you will be equipped in both the theory and practice of international finance.
Graduates of the course can apply to various professional accountancy bodies, which give exemptions on the basis of electives you have studied. The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) allow graduates to go through a "Gateway" route. Successful completion of the Gateway exam grants 12 exemptions from CIMA's 17 examinations. You also have the opportunity to gain exemption from 9 papers of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) examinations during this degree.
The Business Experience Team also offers full-time overseas postgraduate (MA, MSc, MBA) students the opportunity to take part in our WBS Mentoring Programme. We will match students with a senior professional (mentor) from their field of expertise to give them an exact insight into British working practices and policies. Experienced professionals in any business field share their career experiences and knowledge with students who may wish to venture down a similar path in the near future. Our mentors come from a wide range of backgrounds, including Marketing, General Management, Finance and Entrepreneurship. In addition, our mentors typically offer 3 hours of their time over a 3 month period to the mentee (student). In addition, to one-to-one meetings, students are encouraged to keep in touch with their mentor over email and telephone.
This multidisciplinary programme will provide students with an in-depth understanding of the interrelationships between areas of finance and the global economy as they play out in a rapidly evolving international environment.
This programme examines key issues from both a business and economic perspective, including how multinational corporations leverage financial markets when seeking to exploit international business opportunities, the management challenges presented, and the relevance of these to financial and capital markets.
Students will gain an understanding of the international business environment and its competitive and investment climate. Using frameworks and methodologies, students will also investigate the interaction between firm strategies, economic policies and the changing international environment.
Module descriptions are correct for modules taught in the academic year 2017/18. Optional module listings are indicative, and may be subject to change.
Compulsory Modules
Optional Modules
In addition students must choose optional modules up to the value of 60 credits. Students must choose at least 20 credits from section B and section C from the lists below and a further 20 credits from either section B or C.
Section B:
Section C:
Exams, applied project and individual and group assignments
Graduates of the MSc International Business and Finance follow a variety of career paths upon graduation. These include roles in finance or general management, working for a range of employers such as large corporations or multinational enterprises, financial institutions, banks, securities companies or government agencies.
Our graduates tell us that the programme gives them the key skills and knowledge required to build a career in finance in multinational enterprises, financial institutions or government agencies.
There is a growth in the number of entrepreneurs starting businesses with social and environmental purposes. This exciting MA will enable you to develop a critical understanding of and practical insights into modes of social enterprise.
There is an urgent need for talented individuals who can design novel solutions to our most profound societal challenges.
This international MA provides practical and sociological tools to individuals motivated to develop alternative economic practices and frameworks to meet such challenges. These might include (but are not limited to) social enterprises, collaborative innovation networks, hubs, digital platforms, support intermediaries and/or policy proposals.
Benefitting from the MA’s timely educational content as well as from its firm roots in London’s rich networks, our students go on to become thought leaders in the burgeoning social innovation field, advancing it in a creative fashion from their chosen angle. Past graduates have gone on to create their own social enterprises or to work for prestigious organisations such as the Yunus Institute and Social Enterprise UK, while some have elected to carry out advanced research into social innovation.
The MA in Social Entrepreneurship is one of the few graduate programmes in the world dedicated entirely to the study of the fast-moving field of social entrepreneurship and innovation.
It will equip you with a strong understanding of foundational theories of entrepreneurship, innovation, social problems and policy (with organisational sociology as the base discipline) while supplying practical tools in relation to entrepreneurial modelling and SROI.
There is also a marked emphasis on creativity, which means that you will have considerable scope to choose the precise topics you wish to tackle and the approaches you wish to apply. Teaching on the course is interactive and seminar-driven rather than based on the traditional model of long lectures and limited discussions.
The programme will introduce you to key concepts in the historical development of social enterprise and innovation and to its changing role in society and the economy. Seminars and talks will be given by social entrepreneurs, as well as leading professionals.
You'll learn innovative approaches to developing an enterprise, and gain confidence in revenue generation and financial modelling.
A significant amount of the learning is delivered through group projects and activities. This is designed to develop your individual communication skills and teamwork.
The programme consists of five core modules:
In addition to these main modules, we also regularly invite external experts from intermediaries such as UnLtd and other educational institutions such as the University of Oxford to ensure our students get access to a wide range of cutting-edge topics in the field. Social and alternative finance is among the key areas examined in such guest lectures; social innovation cases from particular country-contexts such as, for example, South Korea, Japan and Colombia also feature frequently.
We are occasionally able to provide additional training in related fields (such as accounting) in the form of short-term workshops to strengthen our students’ educational experience at Goldsmiths and at the University of London. We also encourage you to become members of various social entrepreneurship/collaboration hubs around London for learning and networking purposes.
The MA in Social Entrepreneurship at Goldsmiths is quite unlike traditional business/management-driven courses in the field: on the one hand, it allows scope for a far deeper examination of the theoretical and practical foundations of social innovation; on the other, it provides unique access to an expanding learning community (formed by our students and our wider, growing network) engaged in real-time research.
Equally important is the fact that students are consciously encouraged to, and supported with, forming their professional public profiles, through things like:
Because our students possess diverse, highly relevant knowledge that they have accumulated prior to coming to Goldsmiths, real efforts are made to integrate this knowledge and experience into the collective learning processes.
One relevant tool that we employ here is an interactive peer-review process that we employ to raise the quality of student output, which means that often student essays (not just dissertations) are of publishable quality. Furthermore, we take full advantage of our location within London’s bustling community of social innovation by engaging with leading intermediaries, practitioners and (junior as well as senior) thought leaders.
The skills you'll develop throughout the MA include: entrepreneurial knowledge and skills; a critical understanding of the interdisciplinary nature of social entrepreneurship; the ability to critically examine the conditions required for innovation and entrepreneurship to make a strong impact on societal problems; the ability to apply entrepreneurial approaches to projects; effective business and communication skills.
It is intended that students completing this programme will seek employment primarily in two areas.
Firstly: self-employed in their own social enterprise or a member of a team of an SME developing from an existing or new practice.
Secondly: within government or NGO organisations concerned with developing the infrastructure and environment for new social enterprises to flourish.
Find out more about employability at Goldsmiths.
With the banking industry undergoing major changes, there has never been a more exciting or challenging time to join the profession.
Our Finance and Banking MSc programme will prepare you for a wide range of careers in finance, designed to equip you with the knowledge and skills to help organisations understand complex financial issues and develop practical solutions.
The course explores the changing environment within which financial institutions operate, the globalisation of finance, changes in technology, and the regulatory environment. You will also gain an appreciation of the evolution of finance and banking theory, as well as contemporary debates and controversies.
This course is part of our Finance MSc programme. All students complete the same core finance modules, then from the end of the first term you will be able to tailor the course to your individual strengths and career aspirations through option modules and the option to specialise in one of five areas.
The other specialisms offered are:
The course is composed of three phases:
All modules on the course involve both taught sessions and guided independent study. For a typical module, approximately 30% of the total hours comprise taught activity, 10% is guided study and supervision, and the remainder is independent study.
Core modules will give you practical background knowledge in key finance subjects. From term 2 you will be able to tailor your course through a choice of specialisms and option modules. The specialisms currently offered are banking, accounting, investment, economics and risk management.
Core modules
Mandatory specialism module (Term 2)
Option modules (choose one)
Completion of your final project (dissertation) takes place throughout the summer after teaching finishes. You submit your project in October and receive your MSc award in December.
In the final phase of the course, you will complete a dissertation relating to finance and banking.
The dissertation will be 10,000–15,000 words long. It will address an accounting problem that requires you to undertake research leading to practicable recommendations based on sound analysis and judgement. You will finalise the topic in consultation with the course leader and other specialists in banking research.
You will receive help from your dissertation supervisor, who will monitor and support your progress. The dissertation is submitted in October.
As part of your course you will have access to modern computing facilities and specialist computing packages, for students on the Market-making and Investment Strategies module this includes access to our real-time trading room, fed by up-to-the-minute data from Reuters.
One of a handful of such facilities across the UK, our trading room sessions are supervised by guest traders and provide you with the opportunity to apply your skills to real markets and real data, and make use of simulation software to recreate the pressure of a trading floor.
We also invite guest traders to discuss curriculum topics, pass on their trading experience and supervise trading sessions.
We highly recommend students join our thriving Student Investment and Trading Society, which is established and run by students for the purpose of organising social and networking events, arranging talks by visiting industry experts and facilitating annual trading competitions against other universities.
Experienced, professionally qualified lecturers and small class sizes will ensure your learning needs are supported. Online learning tools and libraries also ensure academic journals, e-books, business articles and other resources are available to you 24/7, both for use at the university and at home.
You will also have access to our Careers Service, including CV checking, mock interviews and advice on setting up your own business.
Banking is a profession that offers a huge variety of opportunities, the possibility of rapid career progression, and good pay and benefits.
The course prepares you for a range of careers in central banks, finance departments of industrial and service companies, regulatory bodies, government agencies, financial consultancies and auditors. Such companies are actively looking to recruit postgraduate-level professionals.
According to Michael Page’s 2015 annual Banking & Financial Services Survey, employment is expected to grow across the sector, with 45% of respondents expecting an increase in their team’s headcount.
There is a particularly strong demand for banking graduates in developing economies where financial organisations are seeking postgraduate-level professionals with a sophisticated understanding of banking.
The course is also ideal preparation for continuing your studies at MPhil or PhD level, or working as a professional researcher in finance.
The Executive MSc Social Business and Entrepreneurship is LSE’s ground-breaking programme for business leaders and entrepreneurs across the private, public and non-profit sectors.
The programme offers a compelling alternative to an MBA for executives who not only wish to lead successful organisations, but are also committed to tackling the world’s most pressing social challenges.
We integrate social purpose and social impact with the highest level of business and management training, delivered in a flexible modular format enabling you to continue working full-time whilst studying.
Whether you wish to launch your own socially-focused entrepreneurial venture, or to deliver social impact alongside profit in an established company, we will give you the knowledge, skills and entrepreneurial mindset you need to become more effective and reflective in creating social impact.
Guided by expert LSE faculty and leading practitioners in the field, you will explore the political and economic context for socially-focused business models, and gain an understanding of social impact evaluation and intervention design, including the latest insights from behavioural economics. You will also develop core management and leadership skills, including marketing, strategy, entrepreneurship, and social finance.
Studying alongside an outstanding class of like-minded peers from across the world, you will graduate with the knowledge, skills and networks to take the next step in your career in social business.
This programme is offered jointly by the LSE Marshall Institute and the LSE Department of Management.
We are launching this new programme for the first intake of students in September 2018.
This programme offers you a platform to become a leader in social business, whether you would like to set up your own entrepreneurial venture, progress your career in your current organisation, or transition to a new job role or industry.
By joining the programme you will become a part of LSE’s prestigious network of over 100,000 students and alumni worldwide, including business leaders, heads of state and Nobel laureates. You will develop the knowledge, skills and networks to pursue a broad range of career paths according to your individual goals, including:
This refreshed programme explores issues, concepts, and debates in social and public policy research to gain an insight into policy making and its social impacts on individuals and communities.
Core modules will explore social theories, issues and research methods relevant to social policy and welfare. You will also develop core skills in critical policy analysis and policy evaluation. There will be opportunities to study and debate current policy issues, such as work and welfare, child and family policy or the challenges of ageing populations, with a focus on real-life examples.
Supported by our well-known research centres and taught by expert tutors, you’ll tailor the programme to suit your own interests and career aspirations. With a range of optional modules to choose from, you could pursue further advanced research skills or study complementary social topics such as disability studies, gender studies, racism and ethnicity studies, or globalisation.
You’ll gain an insight into some of the most sensitive and complex social issues affecting governments worldwide.
Research insight
You’ll learn in a research-intensive, stimulating environment. As well as the Leeds Social Sciences Institute which fosters collaboration, you’ll benefit from the interdisciplinary expertise hosted by the Centre for Disability Studies, Centre for Ethnicity and Racism Studies, Centre for Interdisciplinary Gender Studies and many others. All of these centres run their own calendars of events such as workshops and seminars.
From the start of the programme you’ll study core modules that introduce you to the social contexts and social problems that challenge policy makers, understanding society and social research. As the course develops you will focus more specifically on the welfare state, the process of social policy formation, and the kinds of evidence on which new policies and programmes are founded, and against which their effectiveness is evaluated.
You’ll gain a thorough understanding of research methods, the theoretical assumptions which underpin them and how these affect the way the findings are interpreted. You’ll also focus on specific examples such as welfare reform or employment activation policies.
With this foundation, you’ll choose from optional modules to specialise in topics that suit you. You could study contemporary social thought to contextualise your work, or look at issues such as labour mobility, care, healthcare, disability or ‘race’ and ethnicity. You could study further data analysis and research methods to prepare for future research.
At the end of the programme, you’ll submit your dissertation – an independent piece of research on a related topic of your choice, which allows you to demonstrate and apply the knowledge and skills you’ve acquired during the year.
Compulsory modules
Optional modules
We use a range of teaching and learning methods including presentations, seminars, workshops, tutorials and lectures. Optional modules may also use other methods such as online learning. 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.
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.
You’ll gain a wide range of knowledge and skills throughout this programme, including sophisticated skills in research, communication and analysis that will be useful in a variety of careers.
Social and Public Policy graduates have gone on to a wide range of posts across the third-sector public services, government and business. These have included central and local government departments, community bodies, housing and health organisations, research consultancies and advocacy or campaigning.
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.
The Graduate School - work across subject boundaries, with an emphasis on the development and application of practical skills
Get a Masters degree from Leeds University Business School and prepare for a rewarding career
Prepare for a global business career with Durham University Business School – Scholarships Available
Study for your specialist masters degree at a University ranked 13th in the UK for Law.
Tackle climate change using world-class online learning from the MSc in Carbon Management programme at the University of Edinburgh
Join one of our 16 International English-language Master’s programs at the University of Haifa
Discover a full range of graduate programs offering a truly international experience at emlyon business school
Develop your understanding of financial markets and find solutions to global economic issues
