Masters degrees in Investment explore the processes through which money and other assets are deployed for various purposes (including growing those assets). They examine the theory and practice of investment processes as well as their regulation.
Related subjects include Banking, Insurance, and Financial Management. Entry requirements normally include an undergraduate degree in a relevant subject such as Business Management or Finance.
This degree programme prepares students for entry into the fast growing and exciting investment industry. It provides a practical knowledge of portfolio management and quantitative finance, together with an applied set of courses looking at industry structure and trends. Students benefit from professional guest speakers drawn from the heart of the global investment industry in the City of London, only a short distance away.
During the course you will develop expertise in a range of specialised areas such as trading strategies, portfolio and fund management, alternative and responsible investments, ethics in investment management and risk management, among others. You will also have the opportunity to apply this knowledge in practice through the use of simulations, case studies and take part in the portfolio management challenge designed for MSc Investment Management students.
Integral to the academic course is the parallel study of the Chartered Financial Analyst® (CFA® ) programme, level 1. The two programmes support and reinforce the other, ensuring that graduates acquire both the academic and professional knowledge and qualifications required to succeed in the investment management industry.
The tuition for this programme includes the candidate’s registration in the June CFA Level I exam that is written just after the end of the academic year. The tuition also includes substantial CFA teaching outside of the academic teaching.
The ICMA Centre is a CFA University Affiliate; this is in recognition that this degree covers at least 70% of the CFA Program Candidate Body of Knowledge, the CFA Institute Ethical and Professional Standards, and other requirements.
October – December: Part 1 Autumn Term
January: Part 1 Exams
January-April: Part 2 Spring Term
May – June: Part 2 Exams
June – August (12 month programme only): Part 3
August/Sep (12 month programme only): Part 3 Coursework deadlines
Part 1 compulsory modules
Part 2 compulsory modules
Part 2 optional modules
Students on the 9-month (12-month) programme can select 50 (30) credits from the following modules:
Part 3 optional modules
Students on the 12-months programme should take 20 credits from the following:
Full-time: 9 months Full-time: 12 months
Students will be resident and undertake full-time study in the UK. Under both, the 9 and 12-month programmes students take compulsory and/or elective modules in Part 2.
The 12 month option involves taking an elective 20 credit module between July and August, which would also mean a 20 credit reduction in the number of taught modules taken in the spring term.
After completion, our graduates are qualified to work in a variety of investment functions, including as portfolio managers, hedge fund managers and traders, within a diverse range of organisations such as investment banks, regulators, fund management firms and consultants.
The wide recognition of the programme contributes to the majority of our graduates securing employment offers within 6 months of graduation.
CFA Level 1
Studied alongside the degree.
CISI Diploma
The ICMA Centre is a Chartered Institute of Securities and Investment (CISI)
Centre of Excellence. Centres of Excellence are a select group of UK universities, recognised by the CISI as offering leadership in academic education on financial markets. Students who are on a financially-related masters course recognised by the CISI are eligible for exemptions and membership.
ICMA Centre students who register and successfully complete two CISI Diploma in Capital Markets modules (Securities and Bonds & Fixed Interest Markets) are eligible for an exemption from the third module (Financial Markets).
ICMA Fixed Income Certificate
To obtain the requisite knowledge to pass the rigorous FIC exam, students are required to take the ICMA Centre Fixed Income Cash and Derivatives Markets module at Part 2. In order to receive the FIC certificate, students will need to register and pass the FIC exam through ICMA.
World-ranked for Masters in Finance by the Financial Times, this degree is widely regarded as one of the leading applied finance programmes in Europe. It has been specially designed with the support of industry practitioners to equip you with the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in the challenging field of international securities and investment banking. It enables our graduates to acquire the practical skills and knowledge sought by employers in the sector through a unique combination of interactive, technically advanced teaching and hands-on training.
It is our longest established programme with over 2,000 alumni around the world. It is also the most flexible finance programme with a choice of over 20 elective modules, providing a broad expertise to equip those who have yet to settle on a specialism, and who look to a wider choice of potential career paths. You will benefit from exposure to advanced analysis tools and resources valued by the financial markets that aim to enhance your practical skills and market awareness. As part of the programme, you will gain an in-depth understanding of the operations of financial markets, securities trading, corporate transactions, valuation, investment strategies and quantitative techniques.
October – December: Part 1 Autumn Term
January: Part 1 Exams
January-April: Part 2 Spring Term
May – June: Part 2 Exams
June – August (12 month programme only): Part 3
August/Sep (12 month programme only): Part 3 Coursework deadlines
Part 1 compulsory modules
Part 2 optional modules
Students on the 9-month (12-month) programme can select 100 (80) credits from the following modules:
Part 3 optional modules
Students on the 12-months programme should take 20 credits from the following:
Full-time: 9 months Full-time: 12 months
Students will be resident and undertake full-time study in the UK. Under both, the 9 and 12-month programmes students take compulsory and/or elective modules in Part 2.
The 12 month option involves taking an elective 20 credit module between July and August, which would also mean a 20 credit reduction in the number of taught modules taken in the spring term.
Those who graduate in ISIB will leave us well equipped to pursue a wide range of careers in financial services. Many join investment banks to train as financial markets professionals in trading, sales and research, whilst others specialise in complex derivative products and others join brokers and commodity bankers. In addition, many graduates follow other career paths including consultancy, accountancy, operations, IT, and higher education and doctoral research.
CISI Diploma
The ICMA Centre is a Chartered Institute of Securities and Investment (CISI) Centre of Excellence. Centres of Excellence are a select group of UK universities, recognised by the CISI as offering leadership in academic education on financial markets. Students who are on a financially-related masters course recognised by the CISI are eligible for exemptions and membership.
ICMA Centre students who register and successfully complete two CISI Diploma in Capital Markets modules (Securities and Bonds & Fixed Interest Markets) are eligible for an exemption from the third module (Financial Markets).
ICMA Fixed Income Certificate
To obtain the requisite knowledge to pass the rigorous FIC exam, students are required to take the ICMA Centre Fixed Income Cash and Derivatives Markets module at Part 2. In order to receive the FIC certificate, students will need to register and pass the FIC exam through ICMA.
This programme is attuned to the current needs of investment and finance professionals: it combines a rigorous theoretical approach to investment management with the practical tools and opportunities to solve real-life investment problems.
You will learn the analytical, decision-making, problem-solving, risk mitigation and technical financial skills needed to succeed in the field. On graduation, you will have mastered each stage of the investment management process and be able to make informed decisions within that context.
Our compulsory modules deliver a fundamental understanding of investment management concepts, while optional modules allow you to tailor your learning based on your interests or career path. We also incorporate use of our Bloomberg Lab into the programme and you should obtain a Bloomberg Market Competency certificate during their studies.
As the focus of the programme is to prepare you for a career in investment the use of Bloomberg is incorporated into the programme. There is also an opportunity to undertake a preparation course for CFA Level 1 exams once Semester 2 teaching has finished.
This programme is studied full-time over one academic year. It consists of eight taught modules and a dissertation.
Example module listing
The following modules are indicative, reflecting the information available at the time of publication. Please note that not all modules described are compulsory and may be subject to teaching availability and/or student demand.
The need for an Investment Management programme arises from the continuing global demand for professionals working in the fields of investment management, investment banking, pension funds, insurance companies and alternative investment partnerships (such as hedge funds, private equity and sovereign wealth funds).
The aim of the programme is to provide students with the array of skills required to operate successfully in an investment management or investment analysis role within the finance industry or to pursue further academic study within the subject area.
The programme will provide a high quality education that is current, intellectually rigorous and attuned to the needs of investment and finance professionals. It provides the theoretical underpinning and the practical skills that such professionals need in order to cope with an increasingly complex global financial environment.
It also provides a valuable foundation for those considering continuing their academic studies in the field of applied finance, accounting and banking to PhD level. The programme provides students with a basis for developing their own approach to learning and personal development through a combination of compulsory and optional modules that are united by a focus on dialogue between theory and practice.
The compulsory modules provide a rigorous grounding in theory plus the quantitative techniques necessary to undertake empirical investigations and form balanced evaluations of practice. The optional modules offer students the opportunity to focus their study and to specialise in areas that are of particular interest to them and their future career needs.
Graduates of the programme will obtain the skills that enable them to function as an investment professional or to develop independent academic research. These include:
Students will also gain a wide range of technical financial skills as part of their understanding the investment process (the method by which a universe of potential investments is filtered to result in a final portfolio of investment holdings which reflect investment objectives).
They will also able to evaluate investment performance against a peer group or an investment benchmark such as an appropriate stock market or bond market index.
Personal Development Planning (PDP) has recently been introduced at postgraduate level and is available through a PDP area in SurreyLearn.
We encourage you to take full advantage of the wide range of materials and courses available to help develop your personal skills portfolio, ranging from academic writing training through to CV preparation and presentation skills.
Course-specific personal development is incorporated via Bloomberg competency certification and preparation for Level 1 Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) exams.
We often give our students the opportunity to acquire international experience during their degrees by taking advantage of our exchange agreements with overseas universities.
In addition to the hugely enjoyable and satisfying experience, time spent abroad adds a distinctive element to your CV.
Learn more about opportunities that might be available for this particular programme by using our student exchanges search tool.
Surrey Business School is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) and by the Association of MBAs (AMBA).
The programme aims to provide students with the specialist knowledge and skills necessary to enhance their careers in the International and UK real estate sector.
This programme is delivered on a part time block release basis.
Its specific objective is to provide students with a structured but flexible learning framework to enable students to fully understand real estate investment and financing decisions. The MSc Real Estate Investment and Finance Flexible programme is a blend of academic rigour and applied practical analysis. It also aims to provide students with a range of transferable skills applicable to other possible future career paths. Students will have had the opportunity to enhance their skills relating to career management, communication (both written and oral), information handling, numeracy, problem-solving, team working and use of information technology.
Students who have completed the IPF - Investment Education Programme to Diploma level are eligible to continue to our MSc Real Estate Investment and Finance (Flexible) programme using the IPF entry route which will give you 100 credits towards your degree.
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
Elective Modules
Four optional modules from a range that may include:
Students must be in relevant employment in order to undertake the programme. Their career prospects will be enhanced by the skills and knowledge gained on each of the modules.
Students will benefit from the networking opportunities with fellow real estate professionals afforded to them in the various modules.
The School of Real Estate & Planning has a worldwide reputation and a long history of providing postgraduate education in real estate. All our postgraduate programmes open up many options for employment in the real estate industry around the world.
Our alumni association, The Reading Real Estate Foundation, organise career development and recruitment events for real estate students throughout the year. These include an evening lectures series with key industry speakers, an annual Careers Fair and our highly successful Mentoring Programme which pairs students with professionals in the real estate industry.
We have a professional Careers Development Advisor, [email protected], who helps our students with every aspect of the career development process, including identifying work placement, internships and permanent career opportunities.
On graduation our students are employed by the largest and most prestigious firms including:
Real Estate Service Firms:
CBRE, Cluttons, Cushman & Wakefield, Drivers Jonas Deloitte, DTZ, Jones Lang LaSalle, KingSturge, Knight Frank and Savills
Investment Banks:
Barclays Capital, BNP Paribas, Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, Merrill Lynch and Morgan Stanley
Institutional Investors and Investment Funds:
Aviva, Invesco, Legal & General
Consultancy Firms:
Accenture, Ernst & Young, PriceWaterhouseCoopers and Property Portfolio Research
Investment and Development Companies:
British Land, Grosvenor, Hines, Land Securities and SEGRO
The programme is accredited within the University of Reading – Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) partnership arrangement
Global capital and money markets are rapidly evolving and critical expertise is highly sought after. If you’re interested in a professional career in finance and investment, this Masters will equip you to apply your problem-solving skills to the financial markets.
You’ll be introduced to advanced concepts and practices in essential topics including international investment, financial modelling, corporate finance and security investment analysis.
Thanks to our excellent links with industry, commerce and professional bodies, you’ll gain a practical understanding of how essential financial theory is applied in practice. Case study exercises and simulations test your knowledge in real business scenarios, connecting you with the latest challenges and issues in the financial markets.
You’ll learn from leading academics with research and consultancy expertise to gain a qualification valued worldwide in the finance and investment industry.
Academic excellence
As a student, you will be able to access the knowledge of our advanced specialist research units, which also have strong links with leading institutions in the US, Europe and Asia. These include the Centre for Advanced Study in Finance (CASIF), the Institute of Banking and Investment (IBI) and the Credit Management Research Centre (CMRC). This research makes an important contribution to your learning on the MSc Finance and Investment; you will benefit from a curriculum that is informed by the latest knowledge and critical thinking.
You will also benefit from our strong relationships with the finance, credit and accounting professions. This provides a connection to the latest practitioner and policy developments, giving you a masters degree that is relevant to the contemporary environment.
Throughout the course we support you to develop the professional skills that will be critical for a successful career in the financial services.
You’ll build knowledge of key topics in finance and investment such as financial modelling, corporate finance, security investment analysis and international business finance. You’ll apply this knowledge of financial theory to solve real problems and explore international investment in depth.
Your choice of optional modules will allow you to gain specialist knowledge in areas that suit your career plans. You’ll be expected to take at least one of Corporate Governance or Behavioural Finance, but you could also study accounting, financial derivatives, forensic finance and more.
The programme will improve your understanding of research methods in finance, during a dedicated module led by experts currently involved in cutting-edge research. You’ll apply this knowledge to design and carry out your own research dissertation on a related topic of your choice, developing your ability to tackle the most pressing challenges currently facing the industry.
Compulsory modules
You’ll take eight compulsory modules including your dissertation.
Optional modules
You’ll also take two optional modules, one of which must be either Behavioural Finance or International Business Finance.
For more information on typical modules, read Finance and Investment MSc in the course catalogue
We use a variety of teaching and learning methods to help you make the most of your studies. These will include lectures, seminars, workshops, online learning and tutorials. Independent study is also vital for this course allowing you to prepare for taught classes and sharpen your own research and critical skills.
In addition to the assessed modules and research dissertation, you benefit from professional training activities and employability workshops. Thanks to our links with major companies across the business world, you can also gain a practical understanding of key issues.
For example, students have developed their knowledge of financial markets through a one-week trading simulation delivered in partnership with Amplify Trading. Read more about professional development activities for finance students.
Assessment methods emphasise not just knowledge, but essential skills development too. They include formal exams, group projects, reports, computer simulation exercises, essays and written assignments, group and individual presentations and reflective logs.
As a graduate of this course you will be able to demonstrate in-depth knowledge of core finance and investment principles, and the numerical and analytical skills to succeed in this rapidly changing complex environment.
Graduates have a broad appeal to employers in the worldwide finance sector. Many have gone on to careers such as traders, risk managers, portfolio managers and security analysts.
Our unique combination of business and mathematics modules enables you to perform successfully in a business environment by making the best use of your analytical and programming skills.
We help you to achieve your career ambitions by providing professional development support and training as part of the course. You benefit from the support of a Professional Development Tutor, who will work with you to develop the important professional skills that employers value.
We’re committed to offering a wide range of development and training opportunities. Recent activities have included field trips, CV building and interview sessions, professional risk management workshops and commercial awareness networking events.
Read more about our careers and professional development support.
The University of Leeds Careers Centre also provides a range of help and advice to help you plan your career and make well-informed decisions along the way, even after you graduate.
Our Master's will set your career path by helping you prepare for professional qualifications within the investment sector. It also covers the key theoretical areas of finance and investment analysis.
This degree has a strong focus on developing the analytical skills needed in the finance industry. You will be taught by academics who have recent experience as practitioners in the field as well as relevant research expertise.
You will study financial markets and products, investment management, financial analysis and valuation, and financial econometrics. You will also carry out a research project focusing on data analysis of financial markets.
Our Master's finance suite of programmes has a typical intake of over 80 students with over 30 nationalities. This provides you with an excellent opportunity to exchange viewpoints on global financial impacts with peers from around the world.
Greenwich is one of the top two most globally diverse universities in the UK, US, Australia and New Zealand, by Hotcourses Diversity Index.
We have also been named as one of the "most international" universities on the planet by Times Higher Education magazine.
Our degree will enhance your employability skills through its professional recognition: the MSc Finance and Investment has been accepted into the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Institute University Recognition Program. The CFA Institute exams are considered the gold standard for measuring competency and integrity in investment professionals.
Our accounting and finance subjects at the University of Greenwich are ranked:
This degree aims to:
Students are required to study the following compulsory courses.
Students are required to study the following compulsory courses.
Students are required to choose 30 credits from this list of options.
Students are required to study the following compulsory courses.
Students are required to choose 60 credits from this list of options.
Students are assessed through:
MSc Finance and Investment has been accepted into the CFA Institute University Recognition Program. This status is granted to institutions whose degree program incorporate at least 70% of the CFA Program Candidate Body of Knowledge (CBOK), which provide students with a solid grounding in the CBOK and positions them well to sit for the CFA exams.
Graduates can pursue careers in investment and financial analysis such as investment management, corporate finance, financial management or consulting. Graduates who go on to gain the CFA Institute's Chartered Financial Analyst status will be in great demand in many areas of business and finance.
We have developed strong relations with companies in the financial centres in London, including in the City, Canary Wharf, and Fenchurch Street. This offers you networking, mentoring and internship opportunities, making it a perfect location to develop your career.
You can also reach out to top employers through our dedicated Business School Employability Office (BSEO). Our team focuses on developing your employment skills through CV support, interview skills workshops and guidance through mentors to progress in the industry. This includes the opportunity to network with employers and recruiters at career fairs.
The BSEO team was shortlisted for the Times Higher Education Leadership and Management Awards; which shows their dedication to actively support career development.
We encourage you to join societies such as the Trading and Investment Society and take part in student competitions like the UK Trading Challenge. We are proud that our team of first year Greenwich students won the competition, beating teams from many other universities.
Leicester Castle Business School - created by De Montfort University to meet the needs of 21st century business
