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 Master's will help you enhance your skills and knowledge, and advance your career. You will gain a competitive edge by acquiring an advanced and critical understanding of theoretical frameworks and applied aspects of banking, financial regulation, financial markets, bank management and corporate financial management.
Our courses focus on providing you with practical application of banking and finance knowledge and techniques. This will allow you to develop the ability to research issues, analyse and solve problems and operate effectively in the context of modern banking and finance environments.
Recognising that the banking industry and financial markets are highly globalised and dynamic, this Master's has been developed so that it incorporates a study of different banking systems, international financial markets and emerging global trends and developments in banking in its core content.
Our innovative courses offer you a chance to explore in depth cutting edge developments in areas such as risk measurement and modelling, business and corporate banking and Islamic banking.
The dissertation element will give you an unique chance to develop your research abilities and deepen your expertise in an area of banking and finance in which you have developed a specific interest.
Our accounting and finance subjects at the University of Greenwich are ranked:
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.
This degree aims to:
Students are required to study the following compulsory courses.
Students are required to choose 1 course 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 required to study the following compulsory courses.
Students are required to choose 75 credits from this list of options.
Students are assessed through:
Graduates have management opportunities in the banking and finance areas. In recent years employers of our students and graduates include:
Helping graduates into careers is a very important part of our mission as a university. Job prospects for Greenwich graduates have been improving rapidly, with 93 per cent of 2014/15 Greenwich graduates looking for work were already in jobs or further study by January 2016 (according to latest national figures).
You will have frequent networking opportunities: Industry experts provide guest lectures, career development advice and curriculum input. Sector professionals are involved in developing content and teaching on various courses.
As part of our continuing Big Picture guest seminar series, senior executives from organisations including Northern Trust and Barclays are invited to pass on their insights and experience.
We have developed strong relations with companies in London's financial centres, including in the City, Canary Wharf and Fenchurch Street. This offers you networking, mentoring and internship opportunities in a perfect location to develop your career.
You can also reach out to top employers through our dedicated Business School Employability Office (BSEO). The BSEO team develops your employment skills through CV support, careers fairs, interview skills workshops and guidance through mentors to progress in the industry.
The BSEO team was shortlisted for the Times Higher Education Leadership and Management Awards which shows its dedication to actively support your 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.
Banking and financial services represents a highly competitive and rapidly changing sector in every modern economy. Changes in customer requirements, technology, competitive conditions and regulation create the need for managers, traders and analysts to make rapid and often far-reaching decisions about their short term operations and long term strategies. The MSc and MA in Banking and Finance degree courses at Bangor offer you a unique opportunity to study advanced theory and practice relating to financial services, and to develop an appreciation of the causes and significance of current developments in this vitally important and dynamic sector of the economy.
Issues you will tackle as part of your MA/MSc Banking and Finance degree programme include:
Why are the banking systems in different countries (such as the UK, Germany, Japan and the US) so diverse?
What determines the structure, performance and efficiency of banking and financial markets?
Why do banks and financial intermediaries exist?
What are the main theories of the banking firm?
How relevant are financial intermediaries in a world of increasing securitization and with the evolution of virtual banking?
How do banks optimally allocate capital?
Does bank regulation increase or decrease risks?
How do we measure the risks undertaken by banks?
Can regulators reduce the likelihood of systemic (system-wide) risk?
What are the relationships between risk and return governing investment in company shares and other derivative instruments?
Can market risk be priced accurately? Can credit risk be priced accurately?
How should institutional investors go about constructing a portfolio of assets to maximise returns on behalf of investors?
How can we assess the investment performance of pension funds, insurance companies and unit trusts?
How do banks use futures, options, derivatives and swaps to manage their balance sheet and off-balance sheet risks?
What are the key principles of international portfolio management in a world of fast and unpredictable movements in exchange rates?
How do banks manage their business so as to maintain customer relationships, improve operational efficiency and add shareholder value?
With these needs in mind, the MSc and MA Banking and Finance programmes at Bangor are designed to develop participants' existing skills through a scheme of specialist advanced study. An important objective is to provide participants with relevant analytical training, so that they are familiar with the latest theoretical and practical developments relating to banking, finance and capital markets. These programmes provide a coherent theoretical framework for the various subject areas, but the emphasis throughout is on advanced practical application of financial techniques in a real-world setting.
The availability of parallel MSc and MA degrees in Banking and Finance allows you to choose between registering for a more technical MSc degree (including a compulsory element in Financial Econometrics), and a less technical MA degree (for which Financial Econometrics is optional). The MSc degree may be more suitable for applicants with some previous background in mathematics, statistics or econometrics, while the MA degree is more suitable for applicants who prefer to adopt a predominantly non-quantitative approach to their studies. However, both degrees include a compulsory module in Research Methods, which includes coverage of both quantitative and non-quantitative research techniques.
The MA Banking and Finance is recognised by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) as the first year of a 1+3 PhD training programme.
January intake: Taught modules are undertaken in the period of January to June and September to January and will involve the study of 120 credits. The dissertation (or equivalent) is valued at 60 credits and is undertaken during the period of June to September.
September intake: Taught modules are undertaken in the period of September to June and will involve the study of 120 credits. The dissertation (or equivalent) is valued at 60 credits and is undertaken during the period of June to September.
Research Methods: This module develops knowledge of intermediate and advanced research methods, and provides a basis in research methodology for those who may eventually wish to pursue research degrees.
Bank Financial Management: This module provides a grounding in the nature, strategic context and managerial functions of financial management in banks, and other financial services firms.
International Financial Markets: This module provides an overview of financial instruments in a multi-currency world, taking account of insights from portfolio theory concerning the relationship between risk and return, the diversification of risk, and the pricing of assets.
International Banking: This module examines the origins of international banking, the activities of international banks, the markets in which they participate, and the sources of risk.
Financial Crises and Bank Regulation: This module examines why banks and financial markets are inherently vulnerable to crises, and analyses the role of policy makers and institutions. The roles of monetary policy, bank supervision and regulation, corporate governance and ratings agencies in mitigating or exacerbating crises are considered.
International Financial Management: In this module the financial management of multinational companies and the influence of macroeconomic, fiscal, currency and political environments on business and financial decision-making are examined in an international and global context.
Islamic Finance: This course provides an insight into topical issues relating to Islamic financial instruments and related risk management issues.
Corporate Risk Management: This module provides an analysis of pure risk and its management.
Financial Institutions Strategic Management: This module examines the main theoretical and practical issues concerning banking business. You will develop a critical awareness of the theory of the banking firm, the motives for international banking, and regulatory and structural issues impacting on bank behaviour.
Financial Analysis: This module analyses the techniques that are used to evaluate a company’s financial position and performance.
Investment Strategy and Portfolio Management: This module evaluates the development of investment strategies for bonds, equities and derivatives that are designed to achieve optimal risk-return outcomes, and examines the measurement and evaluation of the performance of a portfolio of investments.
Islamic Banking: This module provides an insight into the key features of Islamic banking business.
You will gain the necessary skills and knowledge required to work in this growing and sophisticated banking and finance sector.
On completion of your programme you will be able to effectively perform relevant banking and finance tasks, including specific requirements of Islamic banking, financial products and services.
You will also learn to be effective, working independently and as part of a team, while critically evaluating and developing good practice in the planning and management of general, commercial and Islamic banking and financial products and services.
The programme is block delivered and there are six entry points per year.
This course has been designed to provide you with necessary skills and in-depth knowledge required to work in this growing and sophisticated Islamic banking and finance sector. Specifically the course will:
On successful completion of the course students will be able to:
The course is delivered in four blocks of three day intensive study periods, followed by independent study and online support through the University’s virtual learning environment, Blackboard. Each module is taken and assessed over a six week block. Teaching is delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars and tutorials, using a wide range of learning activities.
Over the duration of your course a range of assessment techniques will be used.
Types of assessment include:
The weighting between exams and coursework varies between modules and years, but exams still play a major role.
Salford Business School is located at the heart of the University’s Peel campus in the newly refurbished Lady Hale Building, and the Chapman Building, offering state-of-the-art facilities for the Business School’s student learning community and just minutes from Manchester city centre. Chapman is a stylish modern space with six lecture theatres equipped with the very latest technology and large screen displays, a series of communal learning and breakout spaces, plus a Fairtrade café with panoramic views across the campus.
Lady Hale is the home to all dedicated business school student support including the school office, an employability hub, a base for the Business School society, and several open study spaces.
All University of Salford students also have access to the MediaCityUK campus including its study facilities. MediaCityUK is home to major BBC and ITV departments and over 80 businesses across the creative and digital sectors. It is recognised as one of the most innovative developments in Britain and is a vibrant place in which to live, work, socialise and study.
Visit our website for more information on fees, scholarships, postgraduate loans and other funding options to study International Banking and Finance at Swansea University - 'Welsh University of the Year 2017' (Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2017).
The Master's (MSc) in International Banking and Finance is aimed at candidates who wish to acquire a solid foundation in international banking and finance which will equip them for careers in banking, trading or financial analysis.
- An enhanced specialist programme that maybe completed in a single year
- All modules on the International Banking and Finance course are taught by our world-class faculty who have a breadth of industrial and academic knowledge
- Swansea is joint 1st in Wales for international ranked research (REF 2014)
- A wide range of professional accreditations to accelerate your career depending on the optional modules you take
- 93% of Swansea students in employment six months after graduating
- Access to the School of Management investment and trading simulation room to support in-depth understanding of finance in practice
- High contact time – our modules come with a lecture (in class sizes capped at approximately 150 students) and seminar/tutorial (in class sizes capped at 30) every single week
- Fully refurbished facilities – we have invested half a million pounds in a recent refurbishment to our student facilities
- Scholarships available for outstanding students
- Swansea is 1st in Wales for world-leading impact - 60% at 4-star level (REF 2014)
The International Banking and Finance course will equip graduates with an advanced understanding of the principles and techniques of international finance, development, trade and banking, a knowledge of the activities of financial markets and financial institutions in advanced and emerging economies, and an appreciation of the role of risk management in complex organisations.
Modules on the International Banking and Finance programme may include:
Corporate Finance
Financial Econometrics
International Financial Markets and Institutions
Financial Reporting and Statement Analysis
International Financial Crises and Bank Regulation
Risk Management in Banking
Economics of Banking
Market Micro-structures
Derivatives and Risk Management
Equities & Fixed Income Securities
Corporate Governance & Ethics
Asset Management
Empirical Finance
Contemporary Issues in Finance
Advanced Corporate Finance
Financial Market Efficiency & Behavioural Finance
Development Finance
We have an excellent track record of placing our graduates including those from the International Banking and Finance programme with major multinational companies and our graduate employment rate is 92%.
From the moment you arrive at the School of Management as a student on the MSc in International Banking and Finance programme we will work with you to help you build your skills and experience to enhance your career prospects. During your time with us you’ll have the chance to:
- Undertake a work placement or internship through the Swansea Paid Internship Network (SPIN) or ‘Week of Work’ initiative
- Work and network with employers from a range of national and multi-national companies through our visiting speaker programme
- In conjunction with the International Development Office, undertake an Internship in India, with a company such as GE, Thomson Reuters, 3M, Private Equity or Kanvic Consulting
- Boost your skills and meet employers during our biannual Employability Week
- Complete the Swansea Employability Award
- Participate in one of our student challenges and competitions, such as the Branding Challenge, and CIM student competition ‘The Pitch’
International Banking and Finance students will be based in a state-of-the-art building and will benefit from the applied research, innovation and employment opportunities offered by this exceptional working environment on the Bay Campus.
International Banking and Finance students will have access to high-tech teaching and research spaces, that together with collaborative working and practice areas will ensue the School is able to deliver its commitment to offer an engaging and innovative student experience.
Over the past two or three decades or so, Islamic banking and finance has emerged as another viable way of financial intermediation. It has gained credibility and has spread worldwide and is the preferred way of banking for one fifth of the world’s population. This taught MA offers an opportunity to study the structure of the Islamic banking and finance industry, including its theoretical foundations, products, performance, Islamic financial instruments and risk management issues. These and other topics will be studied within the wider context of the banking and finance industry worldwide. There is also an MSc version of this MA programme, and whilst the MSc is more suitable for candidates with some previous background in mathematics, statistics or econometrics, this MA is more suitable for candidates who prefer a less quantitative approach to their studies.
Course structure
January intake: Taught modules are undertaken in the period of January to June and September to January and will involve the study of 120 credits. The dissertation (or equivalent) is valued at 60 credits and is undertaken during the period of June to September.
September intake: Taught modules are undertaken in the period of September to June and will involve the study of 120 credits. The dissertation (or equivalent) is valued at 60 credits and is undertaken during the period of June to September.
Compulsory modules:
Research Methods: This module develops knowledge of intermediate and advanced research methods, and provides a basis in research methodology for those who may eventually wish to pursue research degrees.
International Financial Markets: This module provides an overview of financial instruments in a multi-currency world, taking account of insights from portfolio theory concerning the relationship between risk and return, the diversification of risk, and the pricing of assets.
Islamic Finance: This module provides an insight into topical issues relating to Islamic financial instruments and related risk management issues. The first part of the module examines issues relating to financial contracting, instruments and various intermediation issues. The second part focuses on the role of the capital market in providing Islamic financing, and highlights financial engineering and risk management features of this type of business.
Islamic Banking: This module provides an insight into the key features of Islamic banking business. The first part of the course outlines the theoretical foundations and development of Islamic banking practices. In particular, the main characteristics of various types of Islamic banking products are discussed. The second part of the course examines the operational features of Islamic banks, focusing on their performance and how they compete with conventional interest-based banks. The final part of the course outlines contemporary challenges to Islamic banking business.
International Banking: This module examines the origins of international banking, the activities of international banks, the markets in which they participate, and the sources of risk. You will investigate the determinants of the efficiency of international banks, and evaluate the implications for banks’ strategic decision-making.
Financial Crises and Bank Regulation: This module examines why banks and financial markets are inherently vulnerable to crises, and analyses the role of policy makers and institutions. The roles of monetary policy, bank supervision and regulation, corporate governance and ratings agencies in mitigating or exacerbating crises are considered.
Optional modules (choose 2):
Islamic Accounting and Financial Reporting: This module develops a critical awareness of theoretical and practical approaches to Islamic accounting and financial reporting. Islamic accounting standards are compared with IFRS, and the content and impact of academic research in this area is examined.
Corporate Risk Management: This module provides an analysis of pure risk and its management.
Bank Financial Management: This module provides a grounding in the nature, strategic context and managerial functions of financial management in banks and other financial services firms. Three key themes are: identification and management of the trade-off between risk and return; improvement of a bank’s value using market models; and external market-based tests of bank performance.
Financial Institutions Strategic Management: This module examines the main theoretical and practical issues concerning banking business. You will develop a critical awareness of the theory of the banking firm, the motives for international banking, and regulatory and structural issues impacting on bank behaviour.
Investment Strategy and Portfolio Management: This module evaluates the development of investment strategies for bonds, equities and derivatives that are designed to achieve optimal risk-return outcomes, and examines the measurement and evaluation of the performance of a portfolio of investments.
Islamic Insurance: This module analyses the nature and principles of Islamic insurance, and examines the operational modes and practice of Islamic insurance. The structure of Islamic insurance markets is described, and constraints and opportunities are highlighted.
Over the past two or three decades or so, Islamic banking and finance has emerged as another viable way of financial intermediation. It has gained credibility and has spread worldwide and is the preferred way of banking for one fifth of the world's population. This taught MBA offers an opportunity to study the structure of the Islamic banking and finance industry, including its theoretical foundations, products, performance, Islamic financial instruments and risk management issues. These and other topics will be studied within the wider context of the banking and finance industry worldwide. The MBA aims to develop executives who will progress quickly to senior management positions in institutions that transact banking business on Islamic principles.
Course Structure
January intake: Taught modules are undertaken in the period of January to June and September to January and will involve the study of 120 credits. The dissertation (or equivalent) is valued at 60 credits and is undertaken during the period of June to September.
September intake: Taught modules are undertaken in the period of September to June and will involve the study of 120 credits. The dissertation (or equivalent) is valued at 60 credits and is undertaken during the period of June to September.
Compulsory Modules:
Organisations and People: This module examines key issues arising from contemporary research in organisational behaviour (OB) and human resource management (HRM). It provides an integrated analysis of management, organisations and people, developing the conceptual, strategic and practical skills necessary for managers in complex, global organisational contexts.
Management Research: This module analyses the philosophical basis for research in the management sciences, and examines a number of key methodological issues and approaches. Research designs for both quantitative and qualitative research methodologies are developed, including interviews, case studies, focus groups, surveys and experiments.
Islamic Finance: This course provides an insight into topical issues relating to Islamic financial instruments and related risk management issues. The first part of the course examines issues relating to financial contracting, instruments and various intermediation issues. The second part of the course focuses on the role of the capital market in providing Islamic financing and highlights financial engineering issues and well as risk management features of this type of business.
Islamic Banking: This module provides an insight into the key features of Islamic banking business. The first part of the course outlines the theoretical foundations and development of Islamic banking practices. In particular, the main characteristics of various types of Islamic banking products are discussed. The second part of the course examines the operational features of Islamic banks focusing on their performance and how they compete with conventional interest-based banks. The final part of the course outlines contemporary challenges to Islamic banking business.
International Banking: This module examines the origins of international banking, the activities of international banks, the markets in which they participate, and the sources of risk. You will investigate the determinants of the efficiency of international banks, and evaluate the implications for banks' strategic decision-making.
Optional Modules:
International Strategic Management: This module analyses strategic decision-making within business. You will develop a critical understanding of the strategic processes of business management, the interconnections with the functional domains of marketing, human resource management and corporate finance, and the management of knowledge systems.
Marketing Financial Services: This module surveys the tools of modern financial services marketing, focussing on the key methods of financial services marketing in the acquisition of customers and sale and distribution of financial services. The module progresses considering consumer behaviour, the changing customer demands, consumer heuristics and biases and ways in which financial services marketing has succeeded and failed.
Islamic Accounting and Financial Reporting: This module develops a critical awareness of theoretical and practical approaches to Islamic accounting and financial reporting. Islamic accounting standards are compared with IFRS, and the content and impact of academic research in this area is examined.
Contemporary Issues in Management: This module develops several theories and concepts introduced in Organisations and People, critiquing key issues arising from contemporary research in organisational behaviour (OB) and management. It provides a detailed and critical analysis of management, further developing the conceptual, strategic and practical skills necessary for managers in complex, global organisational contexts.
Banking and Development: This module critically evaluates the theory underlying the policy of financial liberalisation, and examines its implementation, primarily in developing countries. The impact of financial liberalisation on the financial systems of developing countries is analysed in depth.
Islamic Insurance: This module analyses the nature and principles of Islamic insurance, and examines the operational modes and practice of Islamic insurance. The structure of Islamic insurance markets is described, and constraints and opportunities for Islamic insurance and Islamic insurance accounting are highlighted.
Marketing Strategy: This module critically evaluates the contributions of various schools of thought in marketing, and examines the relevant analytical models and management practices, with emphasis on the strategic importance of marketing to all organisations.
Merger and Acquisition: This module provides an analysis of incentives and outcomes associated with merger and acquisition deals. It covers the development and execution of an acquisition strategy, the valuation of the target, the conduct of the negotiation, and the implementation of the post-merger integration plan.
Leicester Castle Business School - created by De Montfort University to meet the needs of 21st century business
