Masters Degrees (Westminster)

The Finance and Financial Law MSc is designed to integrate learning in financial theory, markets and institutions, combined with legal study in complementary and specialist areas of financial law. You will gain a deeper understanding of the legal issues and an ability to apply knowledge and skills in professional capacities in a variety of roles in the global financial services industry.

This course is delivered by an experienced inter-faculty teaching team drawn from the Westminster Business School and the Westminster Law School.

The course has an international dimension - you will study in the heart of the capital at our Marylebone campus minutes away from the major global financial and legal centres of the world.

Course content

Study will cover a range of contemporary topics, namely: financial markets and institutions, financial products, regulation and compliance, financial and legal risk management and financial crime.

In addition, the focus on policy matters related to financial regulation will equip you with the skills required to conduct deeper analyses and to undertake research in this multi-disciplinary area of study.

To enable students to build the common key core skills and knowledge base, all students are expected to undergo the Westminster Business School’s pre-course induction process, covering the fundamentals of finance and commercial law.

Modules

The following modules are indicative of what you will study on this course.

Core modules
-Financial Markets and Institutions
-Financial Services Regulation, Risk and Law
-Global Banking
-Legal Aspects of Financial Law
-Project
-Regulatory Risk Management
-Research Methods in Finance and Law

Option modules - You can choose a total of two option modules. Choose one or two from the following list; one may be chosen from anywhere within the University, subject to the Course Leader’s approval.
-Banking Risk and Operations
-Compliance and Law in Banking and Insurance
-Contemporary International Financial Management
-Corporate Governance and Business Ethics
-Derivatives & Structured Finance: Law & Practice

Careers

Our dedicated Career Development Centre is actively working with an ever-expanding network of over 3,000 employers to provide you with exceptional employability support and guidance. As a result we were nominated as finalists for a significant industry award – the NUE Awards Most Improved Commitment to Employability 2016.

We provide our students with work placements and international opportunities to support them in becoming highly employable, globally engaged graduates, and with one million businesses operating within 20 miles of the University of Westminster, over 84% of our students are in work or further study six months after graduation. Our graduates work in a variety of sectors and organisations, from small/medium-sized companies and start-ups to large not-for-profit organisations and corporates.

During your time at Westminster you will be able to use our comprehensive online vacancy service and meet with our experienced careers consultants, providing you with thorough training and support on CV writing, application forms, interview preparation and assessment centres.

In addition to this, you will receive careers support from academic staff and faculty work placement teams, offering targeted course-specific careers advice and assistance in securing a work placement during your time at Westminster.

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You understand that the world is increasingly volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous.

You have at least three years of professional or managerial experience where you have held a position of responsibility and can share your experience with others.

You are aiming high and are prepared for a challenge – that’s why you’re reading this.

The Aspiring Director’s MBA

Born of Westminster Business School’s 30 years’ experience of delivering MBA programmes, the new Westminster MBA is designed to support your aspirations.

It prepares you to work with, for and on boards, as a professional and versatile director.

It prepares you to lead, to innovate, and collaborate.

You will experience
-Being a strategist, steward and a change agent
-Advocating for people, ideas and technologies
-Being an entrepreneur and a mentor

By the time you graduate, you will understand your board-level strengths and know how and where you wish to apply them.

Course content

The Westminster MBA builds on your existing professional experience, skills and capabilities using self-directed and experiential learning. The programme incorporates action learning, and runs within our Directors’ Community: a physical board room and a virtual space where you interact with faculty, peers, real organisations and MBA alumni.

You will design your own learning journey using the learning and teaching formats offered by the MBA team in a way that best suits your learning style, your strengths, and your career needs.

You will experience four different roles on four shadow boards, working with different kinds of host organisation.

When you graduate you will be able to provide tangible evidence of your ability to perform as a professional board member.

[[The Westminster MBA process]
The programme is divided into three components
-Preparing for the Board: starter knowledge, skills and competencies
-Route to the Board: a transformational pillar of support throughout the MBA which includes comprehensive action learning and reflexive research
-Experiencing the Board: work with four different host organisations – international, corporate, entrepreneurial and not-for-profit – in four different roles.

The three elements of the Westminster MBA are designed to help you gain the skills, knowledge and competencies to:
-Understand the scope of business and organisational problems
-Reflect on and develop your own journey as leader and potential board member
-Experience real organisational contexts and demonstrate you have what it takes to perform well.

Learning methods will include:
-Seminars, practical sessions/workshops, masterclasses and lectures
-Online resource-based learning journeys
-Working with academic subject expert tutors and your supervisor
-Regular contact with your university-based tutors/supervisor
-Action learning sets and client meetings
-Use of diagnostic tools
-Short courses, conferences, other training and learning events relevant to your needs and negotiated as part of our programme
-Self-managed inquiry research and journaling

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The Postgraduate Certificate of Special Study in Supporting Learning is a one-semester 20-credit module at level 7 (Masters level). It is designed for colleagues in the University of Westminster (or teaching on University of Westminster programmes in partner colleges) who have a role in teaching/supporting the learning of students at the University of Westminster, but who do not have the full role of an academic member of staff. You might be interested in the module if you are for example:
-A research student or research fellow who tutors or demonstrates to students or who runs a seminar group
-A visiting lecturer with only a small teaching load
-A librarian or careers advisor who does face-to-face sessions with groups of students
-A member of the technical staff who supports students in the studio, laboratory or computer suite

It is normally necessary for you to have at least 15 hours of supporting student learning during the semester in which you would take the course.

The course is delivered by educational development specialists in the Department of Leadership and Professional Development (Westminster Business School), and led by Jennifer Bright. The educational development team supports the University in a range of teaching and learning developments, including the Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education (PGCHE), which is a course for new and established academic staff.

The module aims to help you enhance your students’ learning by helping you to gain an understanding of effective learning design, planning and student engagement, and further aims to encourage a culture of quality enhancement in teaching and supporting learning.

Course content

You will be encouraged to consider current thinking in pedagogic practices in relation to designing, delivering and supporting student learning in HE through a reflective process using multiple feedback sources. The module activities will include evaluating the nature of the student learning experience in your own context, an observation of your own teaching/supporting learning activities (and that of others) and an investigation of relevant literature/theory.

Modules

The following modules are indicative of what you will study on this course.

Module topics and themes supporting this process include:
-The scholarship of learning and teaching and linking teaching and research
-Reflective practices and using student feedback for evaluation and development
-Threshold concepts, graduate attributes and signature pedagogies
-Session design and peer observation of teaching
-Learning design, sustainability and ethics
-Managing the learning environment
-Using technology to enhance student learning
-Student-centred and activity-based learning
-Facilitating student learning in different subject contexts and in face to face and online environments
-Facilitating one to one, small group and whole group learning
-Inclusive practices and using student diversity as a resource
-Personal and professional development planning

Teaching and learning methods used

-Work-based learning including teaching/supporting learning practice (15 hours minimum)
-Observation of your practice as well as your observation of the practice of an experienced peer
-On-line learning of approximately four hours per week
-Self-directed study and recording of on-going reflections on practice for reflective narrative-building and assessment, together with teaching observations and professional practice conversations with your subject mentor or educational development tutor, will comprise the remaining hours of this 20-credit module

The sessions will all take place on-line; however, when your teaching/supporting learning session is observed, your tutor will go to the location in which you work. (If you are teaching outside the University of Westminster, you will need to arrange for a tutor from your own institution to observe you.) There will also be a face-to-face Induction session which you will be invited to attend.

Assessment

Assessment is wholly coursework based; there are no examinations.
-The assessment will include formative piece of work that is compulsory but ungraded and which is submitted for feedback
-The final assessment is a reflexive narrative that integrates theory and practice supported by practice-based feedback from different sources. These will include two teaching practice observations by an experienced peer in your workplace (one of which may be a WEx tutor) plus your observation of an experienced peer.

The narrative will provide a place for you to evidence your continuing professional development in teaching and supporting learning.

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The MA Global Media Business, awarded by the University of Westminster is the final award, of a two-year programme managed jointly by Westminster and the Communication University of China (CUC). Conferred by the University of Westminster, the Masters degree is also licensed and recognised by the Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China.

Media professionals and media firms are united in their need to acquire the commercial, strategic and managerial skills to prosper in an industry undergoing constant fundamental change. This course is designed to address these needs, developing entrepreneurial leaders equipped to deal with the complex and novel challenges presented by new technologies, consumer behaviour, and evolving business models.

The course will enable you to identify and analyse strategic and operational problems and opportunities, understand, quantify and access national and international media markets, and use foresight and planning techniques to understand and respond to change. As well as being able to manage complex media projects, you will also have the skills to engage in strategic direction setting, deploy business-planning skills, and excel in leadership and implementation.

The course is delivered by academic staff with lengthy experience of advising and managing media organisations. Teaching methods are based around practical problems and include in-class exercises and individuals and group projects and assessment. Assignments will enable you to develop and apply your skills in creative project development and business planning.

The MA Global Media Business is a full-time course, delivered using a combination of full-time and intensive block mode teaching. Although a collaborative programme, the final degree is assessed and awarded by the University of Westminster, and is governed by its regulations and quality assurance procedures.

Course content

The course provides a rounded suite of managerial and commercial skills, rooted in a critical understanding of today's media and content industries, building on our role as a leader in UK media research. Practice-based assignments, such as the integrating business-planning project, play an essential role in enabling you to apply ideas and learning in a creative fashion.

The course consists of eight credit-bearing modules and an additional key skills module which includes the use of quantitative methods and software tools.

Modules

Delivery of the MA in Global Media Business is divided between Beijing and Westminster’s Harrow campus. The first semester is taught by UK faculty staff making regular visits to Beijing. They deliver the programme in intensive teaching blocks, typically of 2-4 days teaching.

Block mode teaching is interspersed by guided independent study and project work. Downloadable lectures and supplementary information is provided via the University’s Virtual Learning Environment. Tutors are also available for remote tutorials using services such as Collaborate, Skype or WeChat.

The following modules are indicative of what you will study on this course.
-DISSERTATION
-MEDIA MANAGEMENT: STRATEGY, CONTEXT AND TOOLS
-MEDIA MARKETS
-MEDIA OPERATIONS AND ORGANISATION
-RESPONDING TO A CHANGING MEDIA ENVIRONMENT
-STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION IN THE MEDIA FIRM
-THE INTERNATIONAL MEDIA FIRM IN TRANSITION

Associated careers

Graduates of the course are working in mid-level and senior positions in analysis and consultancy, business development, content distribution, and creative team leadership. They occupy managerial roles within media organisations, project management, regulation and policy, and strategy analysis.

Graduates from the Media Management MA have found roles in a wide variety of media organisations including: CCTV, Hunan Television, State Administration of Radio Film and Television (China), the BBC, eBay, Screen Digest (UK) Deutsche Telekom (Germany) NTV (Russia) MBC (South Korea) NDTV, Hindustan Times (India) Welhoo (Finland) and Globo TV (Brazil).

Success in their Masters has allowed many to move into more senior roles within the businesses they have been working in, to transfer to new sectors of the media, or set up their own businesses.

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Globalisation and immigration have transformed the religious and cultural landscape in 21st century multicultural societies, leading to many challenges and complexities posed by religion in modern democracies.

This new course, which is the first of its kind in the UK, addresses those challenges and complexities and will provide you with a framework to engage with issues relating to the place of religion in public life.

The course is hosted by Westminster Law School and shares modules with the rest of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities as well as Westminster School of Media Art and Design. The course is not affiliated to any particular faith but takes a broad approach to religion including non-religious beliefs. It will allow you to gain a deeper understanding of the place of religion in society and the role of law.

You can choose whether you want to study for the MA or LLM. For the MA you will need to have obtained a minimum of 180 credits at Level 7. You will have to take the three compulsory core modules which are: Law and Religion: Theory and Practice; Law and Religion in Context and Sociology of Law and Religion. In addition, you will have to write a dissertation and take an additional three optional modules of your choice.

Students who wish to obtain the award of LLM will need to write a dissertation with a substantial law element and are expected to take at least one law option in addition to the core modules.

MA
-Law and Religion Theory and Practice (20 credits)
-Law and Religion in Context (20 credits)
-Sociology of Religion (20 credits)
-MA Dissertation (60 credits)

3 options of your choice (from the proposed list)

LLM
-Law and Religion Theory and Practice (20 credits)
-Law and Religion in Context (20 credits)
-Sociology of Religion (20 credits)
-LLM Dissertation in Law (60 credits)

3 options one of which must be from Law

The course will equip you with key skills such as the ability to carry out independent research and to deal with sensitive topics. You will develop an awareness of world challenges posed by religion, a thorough knowledge of equality and non-discrimination legislation, debating and mooting skills, the ability to be non-judgmental, and to work in a multicultural environment.

Students will also benefit significantly from the Law and Religion Research Cluster which launched in February 2017. The research cluster will hold regular events on topical issues and provide an opportunity for students to network with academics and professionals associated with the field of religion, law and society.

Course content

The Religion, Law and Society MA/LLM provides a platform for critical debates around the relevance of religion in modern pluralist societies and the challenges that democratic states face in dealing with religion in the public sphere. Current debates in law and religion include the pursuit of freedom of and from religion; non-discrimination, manifestation of religion and beliefs, church-state relations, religion and democracy as well as the threat of extremism, terrorism and fundamentalism in liberal and pluralist societies.

The programme aims to explore those issues and contribute to a culture of tolerance by encouraging dialogue and critical self-awareness of individuals’ personal trajectories. You will be encouraged to challenge your own perception of religion in order to enter into a constructive dialogue. This will be done through respectful debates, peer review, critical thinking and reflection. The programme draws on interdisciplinary perspectives and offers students a wide range of options from the social sciences such as law, politics, sociology and media. This interdisciplinary perspective will allow you to develop your own theoretical framework for evaluating the interaction between law and religion in modern contemporary societies.

Employability

Our dedicated Career Development Centre is actively working with an ever-expanding network of over 3,000 employers to provide you with exceptional employability support and guidance. As a result we were nominated as finalists for a significant industry award – the NUE Awards Most Improved Commitment to Employability 2016.

We provide our students with work placements and international opportunities to support them in becoming highly employable, globally engaged graduates, and with one million businesses operating within 20 miles of the University of Westminster, over 84% of our students are in work or further study six months after graduation. Our graduates work in a variety of sectors and organisations, from small/medium-sized companies and start-ups to large not-for-profit organisations and corporates.

During your time at Westminster you will be able to use our comprehensive online vacancy service and meet with our experienced careers consultants, providing you with thorough training and support on CV writing, application forms, interview preparation and assessment centres.

In addition to this, you will receive careers support from academic staff and faculty work placement teams, offering targeted course-specific careers advice and assistance in securing a work placement during your time at Westminster. You can find out more about course-specific career opportunities by visiting the Prospects website.

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This innovative course offers both MSc and MA streams. It has been designed to develop your ability to apply economic analysis to policy issues and business problems, which are often ambiguous and multi-faceted. Although there is a strong theoretical core, the course focus of the course is very much on the practical application of economic techniques to problems, and on developing the ability to communicate the insights that economic analysis can provide.

The course has been created in conjunction with the Government Economic Service (GES) – a major employer of economics graduates in the UK. The University of Westminster is the only English university to have secured GES recommended status for a postgraduate course in economics.

The course aims to provide you with an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the latest developments in economics, with a focus on practical skills and development of the skills needed by a working economist. It is specifically aimed at those with a genuine interest in the application of economics to real-world situations.

As well as enhancing your ability to apply relevant economic principles in the support of policy and strategy development, the course aims to develop your ability to communicate complex issues to wide audiences, your awareness of significant sources of economic and financial data, the problems faced when carrying out policy evaluation and your capability for self-awareness and group working.

Course content

You will gain an understanding of the key concepts in economics that underpin public sector policy and business decision making. This includes the various scenarios where we explore opportunity cost, equilibrium and disequilibrium, strategic interaction, market failure and the related concept of externalities.

You'll develop your analytical skills by applying these concepts to current challenges that face the profession, at both macro and micro levels, and in both private and public sectors. This will provide you with the latest insights drawn from both the academic and practitioner arenas.

Around a common core of modules covering key theoretical and practical elements, the MSc stream offers the possibility of pursuing a course of study in economics with a greater quantitative focus, while the MA stream has a stronger international emphasis.

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. In addition, you will get exposure to a global network of professional economists through a free student membership to the Society of Business Economists.

Modules

The following modules are indicative of what you will study on this course. For more details on course structure and modules, and how you will be taught and assessed, see the full course document.

Core modules
-Economic Evaluation Project
-Macroeconomic Analysis and Policy
-Microeconomic Analysis and Policy
-Research Methods
-Strategy and Appraisal in Economics
-Data Analysis
-Economic Policy Perspectives

Option modules
-Innovation Economics
-Labour Economics

Accredited internship

All students on our full-time business Masters courses can apply to undertake the PG/MBA Internship Programme Reflective Practitioner Module. This is an 8 week unpaid accredited internship, which can be taken in addition to option modules and will help students to gain invaluable work experience. The internships, which are with London-based organisations, take place during the summer period. To apply, students must submit a completed application form and a copy of their updated CV to the Business Experience Team; the team then shortlist from the applications and conduct group meetings with the applicants.

Ultimately it is up to our internship employers to decide whether they would like to interview the candidate(s) and offer him/her an internship. We have received very positive feedback from both postgraduate students and employers and expect that the internship programme will continue to remain popular amongst our students.

Careers

Our dedicated Career Development Centre is actively working with an ever-expanding network of over 3,000 employers to provide you with exceptional employability support and guidance. As a result we were nominated as finalists for a significant industry award – the NUE Awards Most Improved Commitment to Employability 2016.

We provide our students with work placements and international opportunities to support them in becoming highly employable, globally engaged graduates, and with one million businesses operating within 20 miles of the University of Westminster, over 84% of our students are in work or further study six months after graduation. Our graduates work in a variety of sectors and organisations, from small/medium-sized companies and start-ups to large not-for-profit organisations and corporates.

During your time at Westminster you will be able to use our comprehensive online vacancy service and meet with our experienced careers consultants, providing you with thorough training and support on CV writing, application forms, interview preparation and assessment centres.

In addition to this, you will receive careers support from academic staff and faculty work placement teams, offering targeted course-specific careers advice and assistance in securing a work placement during your time at Westminster.

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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 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.

Course content

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.

Modules

The following modules are indicative of what you will study on this course.

Core modules
-Compliance and Law in Banking and Insurance
-Global Banking
-Insurance Markets and Operations
-International Risk Management
-Modern Finance
-Research Methods
-Project

Option modules
-Advanced Topics in Insurance
-Banking Risk and Operations
-Financial Derivatives
-Financial Markets and Institutions
-Fixed Income Analysis and Trading
-Forecasting Markets and Risk Modelling
-International Financial Reporting
-Modern Portfolio Management

Accredited internship

All students on our full-time business Masters courses can apply to undertake the PG/MBA Internship Programme Reflective Practitioner Module. This is an 8 week unpaid accredited internship, which can be taken in addition to option modules and will help students to gain invaluable work experience. The internships, which are with London-based organisations, take place during the summer period. To apply, students must submit a completed application form and a copy of their updated CV to the Business Experience Team; the team then shortlist from the applications and conduct group meetings with the applicants.

Ultimately it is up to our internship employers to decide whether they would like to interview the candidate(s) and offer him/her an internship. We have received very positive feedback from both postgraduate students and employers and expect that the internship programme will continue to remain popular amongst our students.

Careers

Our dedicated Career Development Centre is actively working with an ever-expanding network of over 3,000 employers to provide you with exceptional employability support and guidance. As a result we were nominated as finalists for a significant industry award – the NUE Awards Most Improved Commitment to Employability 2016.

We provide our students with work placements and international opportunities to support them in becoming highly employable, globally engaged graduates, and with one million businesses operating within 20 miles of the University of Westminster, over 84% of our students are in work or further study six months after graduation. Our graduates work in a variety of sectors and organisations, from small/medium-sized companies and start-ups to large not-for-profit organisations and corporates.

During your time at Westminster you will be able to use our comprehensive online vacancy service and meet with our experienced careers consultants, providing you with thorough training and support on CV writing, application forms, interview preparation and assessment centres.

In addition to this, you will receive careers support from academic staff and faculty work placement teams, offering targeted course-specific careers advice and assistance in securing a work placement during your time at Westminster.

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The course is designed to provide you with expertise in international finance and enable you to pursue a career within the finance profession. As well as the strong disciplinary base in international finance, you will draw on other cognate disciplines including accounting, quantitative methods and economics, and so be able to work with specialists in other areas and present findings and analysis to non-specialists. The course is open to people with no detailed prior knowledge of international finance, although this is desirable.

Course content

During your studies, you will have access to a significant resource in 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.

In addition, as a student on this course you will receive a student membership to Chartered Management Institute (CMI) and access to the CMI professional network, opportunity to attend events and get the latest news from the sector of leadership and management.

Modules

The following modules are indicative of what you will study on this course.

Core modules
-Behavioural Finance
-Data Analysis
-Financial Markets and Institutions
-Global Financial Markets
-International Risk Management
-Modern Finance
-Project
-Research Methods in Finance and Accounting

Option modules - Choose one from the following:
-Corporate Governance and Business Ethics
-Fixed Income Analysis and Trading
-Forecasting Markets and Risk Modelling
-International Aspects of Business Law
-International Financial Reporting
-Managerial Accounting
-Modern Portfolio Management

Accredited internship

All students on our full-time business Masters courses can apply to undertake the PG/MBA Internship Programme Reflective Practitioner Module. This is an 8 week unpaid accredited internship, which can be taken in addition to option modules and will help students to gain invaluable work experience. The internships, which are with London-based organisations, take place during the summer period. To apply, students must submit a completed application form and a copy of their updated CV to the Business Experience Team; the team then shortlist from the applications and conduct group meetings with the applicants.

Ultimately it is up to our internship employers to decide whether they would like to interview the candidate(s) and offer him/her an internship. We have received very positive feedback from both postgraduate students and employers and expect that the internship programme will continue to remain popular amongst our students.

Careers

Our dedicated Career Development Centre is actively working with an ever-expanding network of over 3,000 employers to provide you with exceptional employability support and guidance. As a result we were nominated as finalists for a significant industry award – the NUE Awards Most Improved Commitment to Employability 2016.

We provide our students with work placements and international opportunities to support them in becoming highly employable, globally engaged graduates, and with one million businesses operating within 20 miles of the University of Westminster, over 84% of our students are in work or further study six months after graduation. Our graduates work in a variety of sectors and organisations, from small/medium-sized companies and start-ups to large not-for-profit organisations and corporates.

During your time at Westminster you will be able to use our comprehensive online vacancy service and meet with our experienced careers consultants, providing you with thorough training and support on CV writing, application forms, interview preparation and assessment centres.

In addition to this, you will receive careers support from academic staff and faculty work placement teams, offering targeted course-specific careers advice and assistance in securing a work placement during your time at Westminster.

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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.

Upon successful completion of the course, you are eligible for a student membership of Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment (CISI) – a financial services professional body. Some of the benefits include free attendance at CPD events, accessibility to industry news and online resources.

Course content

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.

Modules

The following modules are indicative of what you will study on this course.

Core modules
-Data Analysis
-Financial Derivatives
-Modern Portfolio Management
-Project
-Research Methods in Finance and Accounting
-International Risk Management

Sub-core modules - Choose two or three of the following:
-Contemporary International Financial Management
-Financial Markets and Institutions
-Fixed Income Analysis and Trading
-Forecasting Markets and Risk Modelling

Option modules - If you take two sub-core modules, you then need to choose one from the following:
-Financial Accounting Policy
-Financial Information Systems
-International Financial Reporting
-Managerial Accounting
-Modern Finance

Accredited internship

All students on our full-time business Masters courses can apply to undertake the PG/MBA Internship Programme Reflective Practitioner Module. This is an 8 week unpaid accredited internship, which can be taken in addition to option modules and will help students to gain invaluable work experience. The internships, which are with London-based organisations, take place during the summer period. To apply, students must submit a completed application form and a copy of their updated CV to the Business Experience Team; the team then shortlist from the applications and conduct group meetings with the applicants.

Ultimately it is up to our internship employers to decide whether they would like to interview the candidate(s) and offer him/her an internship. We have received very positive feedback from both postgraduate students and employers and expect that the internship programme will continue to remain popular amongst our students.

Careers

Our dedicated Career Development Centre is actively working with an ever-expanding network of over 3,000 employers to provide you with exceptional employability support and guidance. As a result we were nominated as finalists for a significant industry award – the NUE Awards Most Improved Commitment to Employability 2016.

We provide our students with work placements and international opportunities to support them in becoming highly employable, globally engaged graduates, and with one million businesses operating within 20 miles of the University of Westminster, over 84% of our students are in work or further study six months after graduation. Our graduates work in a variety of sectors and organisations, from small/medium-sized companies and start-ups to large not-for-profit organisations and corporates.

During your time at Westminster you will be able to use our comprehensive online vacancy service and meet with our experienced careers consultants, providing you with thorough training and support on CV writing, application forms, interview preparation and assessment centres.

In addition to this, you will receive careers support from academic staff and faculty work placement teams, offering targeted course-specific careers advice and assistance in securing a work placement during your time at Westminster.

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If you want to practise as a solicitor in England and Wales you will need to complete the Legal Practice Course (LPC) – the vocational stage of training that bridges the gap between academic studies and life in a law firm.

For 2016/17, we are offering the LPC as part of a Masters' degree – an LLM in Legal Practice which incorporates both Stages 1 and 2 of the LPC.

Students enrolling onto this course have the option either to:
-Complete the LPC on its own at a cost of £12,000 (see below) without the addition of the LLM. (Students who exit with the LPC by itself are awarded a Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice.)
-Complete the LPC and enrol subsequently onto additional research and dissertation modules with a view to the award of an LLM in Legal Practice. (Progression to the research and dissertation modules is only in accordance with the Course Regulations and is subject to payment of the 'top-up' fee for 2016/17 of £2000.)

Westminster Law School has a well established reputation for the delivery of solicitors' vocational training and our LLM in Legal Practice (incorporating the LPC) equips you with the skills and knowledge needed to be a successful 21st-century lawyer.

Distinctive features of the course include:
-Highly experienced and approachable lecturers who are all qualified solicitors or barristers.
-Small, interactive group work, allowing you to benefit from individual guidance and help.
-All sessions are set within a balanced timetable to replicate the tasks undertaken in practice.
-A broad range of Stage 2 electives, reflecting areas of practice from high-street to city firms.
-The opportunity to undertake real client legal work under the supervision of tutors working in the Student Law Centre. Currently students can choose to specialise in one of three streams of work: judicial review, family or property. The focus is on experiential learning through reflection, analysis and planning.
-A mentoring scheme which pairs you with mentors working in an area you are interested in. Our mentors are predominantly ex. LPC Westminster students.

The course is taught at Westminster Law School's newly refurbished state-of-the-art premises in the heart of London's West End and within the vicinity of many law firms.

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In an increasingly urbanised world, there is growing international demand for urban design graduates. These courses will equip you with the knowledge and skills you need to participate in this rapidly expanding profession. Urban design involves shaping the physical setting for life in cities. The pace of urban change, and the challenge of making cities efficient, sustainable and meaningful, demands creative solutions to design and management. The Urban Design courses at Westminster provide a coherent approach to issues that face our cities, combining structured academic study with live design projects, allowing you to develop practical skills, a theoretical understanding and an informed approach to sustainable urban development.

Our Urban Design programme is one of the largest and longest established in the UK. It enjoys an excellent reputation and our graduates are highly respected in the profession. Our students are from a variety of professions and backgrounds, including architecture, landscape architecture and planning, from the UK, Europe, and across the globe. They range from recent graduates seeking to expand their skill base before commencing their career or those considering a shift from an allied profession, to established professionals seeking to specialise or develop a more informed critical approach. Our central London location allows you to interact with a huge variety of practitioners and organisations, as well as drawing on the city's huge range of resources; you will be at the heart of the debate over the future of cities.

Course content

The course places a strong emphasis on design, practical outputs and a multidisciplinary approach. While focusing on UK examples, the lessons from the courses are applicable to a wide range of international and economic contexts. This flexible and student-centred approach is highly valued by former graduates and their employers. The course is delivered by staff with many years' experience in practice, education, training, research, and consultancy in the UK and overseas. Outputs from the course combine into a portfolio demonstrating your ability to deal with the complexities of urban design in a practical and informed manner.

Professional accreditation

The course gives full RTPI accreditation when combined with an RTPI-accredited spatial planning course.

Careers

Our dedicated Career Development Centre is actively working with an ever-expanding network of over 3,000 employers to provide you with exceptional employability support and guidance. As a result we were nominated as finalists for a significant industry award – the NUE Awards Most Improved Commitment to Employability 2016.

We provide our students with work placements and international opportunities to support them in becoming highly employable, globally engaged graduates, and with one million businesses operating within 20 miles of the University of Westminster, over 84% of our students are in work or further study six months after graduation. Our graduates work in a variety of sectors and organisations, from small/medium-sized companies and start-ups to large not-for-profit organisations and corporates.

During your time at Westminster you will be able to use our comprehensive online vacancy service and meet with our experienced careers consultants, providing you with thorough training and support on CV writing, application forms, interview preparation and assessment centres.

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We work with the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEx) to provide an alternative route to becoming a qualified lawyer. Our CILEx courses are taken part-time, so that you can continue to work while studying towards your qualification.

The CILEx education and training programme is recognised by the Ministry of Justice as one of the three main routes to becoming a qualified lawyer in England and Wales.

What is CILEx?

CILEx is an established legal professional body that represents over 20,000 trainee and practising legal executives in England and Wales.

An important feature of CILEx study is that it is open access. This means that students who have no previous legal experience or academic qualifications can start their legal education at Level 3 (equivalent to A Level standard), while those who have already completed a law degree or Graduate Diploma in Law are qualified to take the CILEx Graduate Fast-Track or CILEx Level 6 qualifications. We offer all of these at the University of Westminster.

The flexibility of the CILEx programme is increasingly popular with students and with employers, who are able to train their staff in a variety of ways – from selecting individual parts of the training for staff they want to develop in just one area of law or practice, to full training and qualification as a legal executive, and supporting staff with law degrees.

There are CILEx-qualified lawyers at most top law firms. Some go on to become partners, while others have been appointed as district judges and tribunal chairmen, or become specialist advocates.

What is a chartered legal executive lawyer?

A chartered legal executive lawyer specialises in a particular area of law. Fully qualified and experienced chartered legal executive lawyers undertake many of the legal activities that solicitors do. For example, they will have their own clients (with full conduct of cases) and can undertake representation in court.

Qualify as a chartered legal executive lawyer

To undertake the academic stage of training as a chartered legal executive lawyer, you must be over 16 years old and have registered as a member with CILEx. The academic stage of qualification as a chartered legal executive lawyer can be broken down into the following phases (depending on your entry level):
-CILEx Level 3 Certificate and the Diploma in Law and Practice
These two awards, each taking one year to study, form the academic stage of training. You can study for these awards without any previous legal experience or qualifications, but you need both to continue to the Level 6 academic stage of your training.
-CILEx Level 6 Higher Diploma in Law and Practice
This two-year, part-time course forms the second academic stage to becoming a chartered legal executive lawyer.
Once you have completed the Level 3 stage of your academic training you will become an associate member of CILEx; after you complete the Level 6 stage you will become a graduate member of CILEx.

Alternatively, if you already hold a qualifying law degree, the University of Westminster also offers a CILEx Level 6 Graduate Fast Track Diploma. This one-year course will equip you with the practice and professional skills you need to enter into the legal sector.

Whichever academic training route you take, you will also need to complete three years’ qualifying employment to become a fellow of CILEx. For further details, please see the CILEx website on qualifying employment.

Use the CILEx qualification to become a solicitor

To become a solicitor you must study at graduate level (the academic training stage) and postgraduate level (the vocational training stage), as well as gaining an approved level of work experience. The rules on how to qualify as a solicitor are set by the Solicitors Regulation Authority and explained in their Training Regulations 2011.

Although the 'traditional' route to becoming a solicitor is to complete the academic training stage by taking a law degree, alternative routes to qualification – particularly the chartered legal executive route – are increasingly popular.

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The Architecture MA incorporates a number of different study options including an extensive range of individual module choices and specialist pathways in Cultural Identity and Globalisation, History and Theory, and Digital Media.

Situated in the progressive intellectual milieu of London, the Architecture MA programme offers a flexible programme of study and a unique opportunity to pursue advanced postgraduate research combining high-level theoretical investigation with innovative design approaches.

The Department of Architecture at the University of Westminster provides first-class facilities such as state-of-the-art digital design/fabrication equipment and a team of lecturers and researchers deeply immersed in the very latest developments in architectural design, theory, historical research, and technology. The Architecture MA is part of a suite of Masters offered by the Department of Architecture aimed at graduates looking to further their education and enhance their employability by acquiring new knowledge and skills. Focused on architectural research, the Architecture MA also offers a firm grounding for those seeking to pursue further research and/or an academic career.

Course content

The Architecture MA provides a course that is wide-ranging and flexible, facilitating alternative modes of study and a range of options, including the choice of either a written or design-based thesis. The programme also allows for specialism through its three designated pathways: Architecture (Cultural Identity and Globalisation); Architecture (Digital Media) and Architecture (History and Theory), or alternatively, you can also create your own pathway, under the heading Architecture MA, by selecting and combining relevant modules that meet your individual requirements.

The range of optional and specialist modules offered allows you to develop your individual learning trajectories through the in-depth study of specific subject areas, involving theoretical components as well as practical applications. A series of theory rich modules will stimulate you to analyse current trends in architecture, design theory and practice on the basis of your research and critical judgement, and use these insights to produce high quality written work in a scholarly manner.

In parallel, a set of design-oriented activities encourages you to develop your artistic, aesthetic and intellectual vision through the use of different media, in order to produce individual proposals with a high level of spatial, material and formal resolution. The course is taught within a dynamic learning environment that comprises seminar-based sessions along with studio-based activities, suitably integrated by a wide range of lectures, tutorials, site visits, research training sessions, and independent study periods.

Modules

The following modules are indicative of what you will study on this course.

Core modules
-Research and Positioning
-Thesis Development and Major Thesis Project

Pathway/option modules
-Critical Issues in Architecture
-Programming and Computational Design
-Theories of Identity
-Applied Animation
-City Cultures: Conceptual Design for Complex Cultural Contexts
-Ethnographic Ways of Knowing: Critical and Creative Explorations of Site
-Introduction to Design Computing
-Picturing London
-Site and Motion

Careers

Our dedicated Career Development Centre is actively working with an ever-expanding network of over 3,000 employers to provide you with exceptional employability support and guidance. As a result we were nominated as finalists for a significant industry award – the NUE Awards Most Improved Commitment to Employability 2016.

We provide our students with work placements and international opportunities to support them in becoming highly employable, globally engaged graduates, and with one million businesses operating within 20 miles of the University of Westminster, over 84% of our students are in work or further study six months after graduation. Our graduates work in a variety of sectors and organisations, from small/medium-sized companies and start-ups to large not-for-profit organisations and corporates.

During your time at Westminster you will be able to use our comprehensive online vacancy service and meet with our experienced careers consultants, providing you with thorough training and support on CV writing, application forms, interview preparation and assessment centres.

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In an increasingly urbanised world, there is growing international demand for urban design graduates. This course will equip you with the knowledge and skills you need to participate in this rapidly expanding profession. Urban design involves shaping the physical setting for life in cities. The pace of urban change, and the challenge of making cities efficient, sustainable and meaningful, demands creative solutions to design and management. The Urban Design courses at Westminster provide a coherent approach to issues that face our cities, combining structured academic study with live design projects, allowing you to develop practical skills, a theoretical understanding and an informed approach to sustainable urban development.

Our Urban Design course is one of the largest and longest established in the UK. It enjoys an excellent reputation and our graduates are highly respected in the profession. Our students are from a variety of professions and backgrounds, including architecture, landscape architecture and planning, from the UK, Europe, and across the globe. They range from recent graduates seeking to expand their skill base before commencing their career or those considering a shift from an allied profession, to established professionals seeking to specialise or develop a more informed critical approach. Our central London location allows you to interact with a huge variety of practitioners and organisations, as well as drawing on the city’s huge range of resources; you will be at the heart of the debate over the future of cities.

Course content

The course places a strong emphasis on design, practical outputs and a multidisciplinary approach. While focusing on UK examples, the lessons from the courses are applicable to a wide range of international and economic contexts. This flexible and student-centred approach is highly valued by former graduates and their employers. The course is delivered by staff with many years' experience in practice, education, training, research, and consultancy in the UK and overseas. Outputs from the course combine into a portfolio demonstrating your ability to deal with the complexities of urban design in a practical and informed manner.

Professional accreditation

The course gives full RTPI accreditation when combined with an RTPI-accredited spatial planning course.

Careers

Our dedicated Career Development Centre is actively working with an ever-expanding network of over 3,000 employers to provide you with exceptional employability support and guidance. As a result we were nominated as finalists for a significant industry award – the NUE Awards Most Improved Commitment to Employability 2016.

We provide our students with work placements and international opportunities to support them in becoming highly employable, globally engaged graduates, and with one million businesses operating within 20 miles of the University of Westminster, over 84% of our students are in work or further study six months after graduation. Our graduates work in a variety of sectors and organisations, from small/medium-sized companies and start-ups to large not-for-profit organisations and corporates.

During your time at Westminster you will be able to use our comprehensive online vacancy service and meet with our experienced careers consultants, providing you with thorough training and support on CV writing, application forms, interview preparation and assessment centres.

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This Masters reflects the multidisciplinary nature of contemporary communications, bringing together key subject disciplines in visual communication including graphic design, moving image, digital media and illustration. The course will help you to develop the analytical skills and generate conceptual thinking needed to prepare for high-level professional practice.

We are committed to having a broad scope of activities on the course, from traditional graphic skills to future communication delivery methods. The course offers strong links to new media industries, and we work in collaboration with them, and use their advice and expertise, in the ongoing development of the course content.

This is an ambitious programme for students who want to realise their creative potential and self-reliance, working as a freelance or small business operators in the challenging and changing world of the creative communication industries.

Course content

The content of the course is industry focused, and encompasses issues central to contemporary design practice through a process of analysis, experimentation and the practical testing and implementation of creative ideas.

Modules

The following modules are indicative of what you will study on this course.
-BUSINESS FOR DESIGN
-CRITICAL DEBATES IN DESIGN
-DESIGN PROJECT A: VISUAL IDENTITY
-DESIGN PROJECT B: DESIGN AUTHORSHIP
-DESIGN RESEARCH METHODS
-MAJOR PROJECT/EXHIBITION

Careers

Our dedicated Career Development Centre is actively working with an ever-expanding network of over 3,000 employers to provide you with exceptional employability support and guidance. As a result we were nominated as finalists for a significant industry award – the NUE Awards Most Improved Commitment to Employability 2016.

We provide our students with work placements and international opportunities to support them in becoming highly employable, globally engaged graduates, and with one million businesses operating within 20 miles of the University of Westminster, over 84% of our students are in work or further study six months after graduation. Our graduates work in a variety of sectors and organisations, from small/medium-sized companies and start-ups to large not-for-profit organisations and corporates.

During your time at Westminster you will be able to use our comprehensive online vacancy service and meet with our experienced careers consultants, providing you with thorough training and support on CV writing, application forms, interview preparation and assessment centres.

Read less