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 course provides a thorough theoretical and practical grounding in the key aspects of investment and risk finance, delivered in an intensive learning environment. You will learn how to apply the knowledge and theory you have gained in class to real-world problems facing the international financial services industry and the corporate financial management community. This practical application of investment and risk principles is one of the main strengths of this programme.
The learning and skills development is integrated with resources available in our Financial Markets Suite (FMS), a state-of-the-art virtual trading room environment. The FMS is interfaced with the Bloomberg system, a leading source of economics and capital markets information available to the global professional financial community. Provision of this Bloomberg resource, along with the academic and professional career development opportunities are the main reasons why our students prefer to select this programme.
The Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment (CISI) – a financial services professional body, has recognised Westminster Business School as a Centre of Excellence based on the taught elements of this course. All students enrolled on the course are eligible for the student membership of the institute. Some of the benefits include free attendance at CPD events, accessibility to industry news and online resources. Students on the course are also eligible to sit the CISI L3 derivatives examinations.
The course has been in existence since 1999 and has continued to evolve to meet the changing educational needs of the investment and risk finance professional. It's delivered by qualified academics and professionals who have worked many years in the industry and are actively engaged in research and consultancy.
The course consists of core modules which help you acquire the ability to perform quantitative investment and risk analyses on a variety of financial instruments and structured products. You'll also learn how to use capital market products in both investment and risk finance applications. As a result you will develop good transferable skills and solve financial problems in a group setting.
The research and project modules are designed to develop your research abilities and create opportunities to explore finance subject areas of your own interest in more depth. This will enable you to apply the analytical and technical management skills you will encounter to real-life situations.
A highlight for many students are the social events organised throughout the course which provide an opportunity for networking with fellow students and alumni. Students on this course also benefit from free access to part of the material on the course reading list.
The following modules are indicative of what you will study on this course.
Core modules
Choose two or three of the following:
Core elective modules
If you take two core elective modules, you then need to choose one option module.
Option modules
You may also take another module from the postgraduate portfolio, at the course leader’s discretion.
Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment, CISI
All students on our full-time Business Masters courses can apply to undertake the PG/MBA Internship Programme, which forms part of the Reflective Practitioner Module.
The internship allows you to test drive a career and explore one of your career interests before you complete your Postgraduate studies!
Completing an 8-12 week accredited internship helps students gain invaluable work experience. This fantastic work experience can be taken in addition to option modules. Students are responsible for finding their own internship with the support of the Business Experience Team.
To express an interest in the module, students must submit a completed application form and a copy of their updated CV. This will give students membership a dedicated website that offers exclusive access to internship vacancies, one to-one CV guidance appointments, mock interviews, employability workshops and much more.
Students can apply to London-based organisations and have the flexibility to take their internship in the summer period or alongside their studies.
Every year we receive very positive feedback from both postgraduate students and employers and expect that the internship programme will continue to remain popular amongst our students.
Find out about postgraduate internships
This course is designed to prepare you for a variety of roles. Career choices include security and financial analysis, trading and fund management, capital market sales and administration. The skills you will acquire through the teaching and learning experiences combined with a post-graduate qualification in this area of finance will allow you to expand your career in a dynamic and rapidly evolving global industry. Our graduates go on to develop careers in treasury and front office positions in investment banks and securities companies. They occupy management positions as financial analysts, finance and sales administrators or similar jobs in the global financial services sector and the corporate finance world.
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
There is growing demand for infrastructure investment globally as traditional sources of public funding and finance can no longer be presumed to provide the required levels of capital. This innovative MSc considers the perspectives of procuring infrastructure as well as providing the private finance to deliver the required investments to close the infrastructure gap.
With a strong commercial focus, the MSc in Infrastructure Investment and Finance (IIF) provides candidates with a well-balanced mix of economic and financial theory as well as industry practice, including modules exploring:
MSc students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.
The programme consists of eight core modules (120 credits) and a research dissertation (60 credits).
A Postgraduate Diploma, eight core modules (120 credits) is offered.
Core modules
There are no optional modules for this programme.
Dissertation/research project
All students undertake a substantial research-based dissertation on a research question of their own choosing.
Teaching and learning
The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars, group tutorials/workshops, project briefings, and individual supervision for the research-based dissertation element. Assessment is through unseen written examinations, 3,000-word written term papers and the 10,000-word dissertation.
Further information on modules and degree structure is available on the department website: Infrastructure Investment and Finance MSc
This degree is designed to enable infrastructure specialists to develop the skills essential to the delivery of complex infrastructure projects. It will equip graduates with the potential to become future innovators, leaders, senior managers, policymakers, researchers and teachers in the fields of infrastructure finance, infrastructure ownership and project management industries. Organisations that are likely to take on graduates of this MSc include infrastructure developers, infrastructure financiers and investors such as banks and equity funds, infrastructure operators, public sector commissioning and regulatory bodies, as well as advisory firms active in the growing infrastructure market.
Recent career destinations for this degree
Employability
Completing this MSc will equip graduates with skills necessary for a career in infrastructure financing, procurement and development whether as a public sector advisor, private sector financing specialist or consultant within advisory firms.
Students successfully completing the programme will be able to show:
Careers data is taken from the ‘Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education’ survey undertaken by HESA looking at the destinations of UK and EU students in the 2013–2015 graduating cohorts six months after graduation.
Many governments including the UK, US, the EU, China and India are increasing their focus on improving infrastructure. The required capital for investment is estimated to be in the trillions of US dollars. At the same time there is a compelling need for professionals equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to deliver regional, national and international infrastructure projects. This pioneering MSc is the only programme in the UK, and one of few globally, to focus on the finance, funding and commercial issues associated with these vast sums of investment and global infrastructure needs.
The School of Construction & Project Management is placed within the renowned UCL Bartlett Faculty of the Built Environment. Based in central London, it is close to world-leading financial, engineering and consulting practices, many of whom are partners. The school has both specialist expertise and excellent relations with a range of industry and government bodies, which will provide a valuable network to students seeking careers in the exciting area of infrastructure financing and development.
The MSc directly benefits from the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between UCL and the European Investment Bank (EIB). This MoU sets out the scope of the EIB's support and ongoing involvement in the planning and delivery of the MSc IIF. The EIB’s involvement aims to enhance students’ understanding of infrastructure finance and investment, through their exposure to the bank’s long and multi-faceted experience in this field.
Accreditation:
The IIF MSc is accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and has entered into an academic partnership with the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment (CISI).
The Research Excellence Framework, or REF, is the system for assessing the quality of research in UK higher education institutions. The 2014 REF was carried out by the UK's higher education funding bodies, and the results used to allocate research funding from 2015/16.
The following REF score was awarded to the department: Bartlett School of Construction & Project Management
81% rated 4* (‘world-leading’) or 3* (‘internationally excellent’)
Learn more about the scope of UCL's research, and browse case studies, on our Research Impact website.
Global capital and money markets are rapidly evolving and critical expertise is highly sought after. If you’re interested in a professional career in finance and investment, this Masters will equip you to apply your problem-solving skills to the financial markets.
You’ll be introduced to advanced concepts and practices in essential topics including international investment, financial modelling, corporate finance and security investment analysis.
Thanks to our excellent links with industry, commerce and professional bodies, you’ll gain a practical understanding of how essential financial theory is applied in practice. Case study exercises and simulations test your knowledge in real business scenarios, connecting you with the latest challenges and issues in the financial markets.
You’ll learn from leading academics with research and consultancy expertise to gain a qualification valued worldwide in the finance and investment industry.
Academic excellence
As a student, you will be able to access the knowledge of our advanced specialist research units, which also have strong links with leading institutions in the US, Europe and Asia. These include the Centre for Advanced Study in Finance (CASIF), the Institute of Banking and Investment (IBI) and the Credit Management Research Centre (CMRC). This research makes an important contribution to your learning on the MSc Finance and Investment; you will benefit from a curriculum that is informed by the latest knowledge and critical thinking.
You will also benefit from our strong relationships with the finance, credit and accounting professions. This provides a connection to the latest practitioner and policy developments, giving you a masters degree that is relevant to the contemporary environment.
Throughout the course we support you to develop the professional skills that will be critical for a successful career in the financial services.
You’ll build knowledge of key topics in finance and investment such as financial modelling, corporate finance, security investment analysis and international business finance. You’ll apply this knowledge of financial theory to solve real problems and explore international investment in depth.
Your choice of optional modules will allow you to gain specialist knowledge in areas that suit your career plans. You’ll be expected to take at least one of Corporate Governance or Behavioural Finance, but you could also study accounting, financial derivatives, forensic finance and more.
The programme will improve your understanding of research methods in finance, during a dedicated module led by experts currently involved in cutting-edge research. You’ll apply this knowledge to design and carry out your own research dissertation on a related topic of your choice, developing your ability to tackle the most pressing challenges currently facing the industry.
Compulsory modules
You’ll take eight compulsory modules including your dissertation.
Optional modules
You’ll also take two optional modules, one of which must be either Behavioural Finance or International Business Finance.
For more information on typical modules, read Finance and Investment MSc in the course catalogue
We use a variety of teaching and learning methods to help you make the most of your studies. These will include lectures, seminars, workshops, online learning and tutorials. Independent study is also vital for this course allowing you to prepare for taught classes and sharpen your own research and critical skills.
In addition to the assessed modules and research dissertation, you benefit from professional training activities and employability workshops. Thanks to our links with major companies across the business world, you can also gain a practical understanding of key issues.
For example, students have developed their knowledge of financial markets through a one-week trading simulation delivered in partnership with Amplify Trading. Read more about professional development activities for finance students.
Assessment methods emphasise not just knowledge, but essential skills development too. They include formal exams, group projects, reports, computer simulation exercises, essays and written assignments, group and individual presentations and reflective logs.
As a graduate of this course you will be able to demonstrate in-depth knowledge of core finance and investment principles, and the numerical and analytical skills to succeed in this rapidly changing complex environment.
Graduates have a broad appeal to employers in the worldwide finance sector. Many have gone on to careers such as traders, risk managers, portfolio managers and security analysts.
Our unique combination of business and mathematics modules enables you to perform successfully in a business environment by making the best use of your analytical and programming skills.
We help you to achieve your career ambitions by providing professional development support and training as part of the course. You benefit from the support of a Professional Development Tutor, who will work with you to develop the important professional skills that employers value.
We’re committed to offering a wide range of development and training opportunities. Recent activities have included field trips, CV building and interview sessions, professional risk management workshops and commercial awareness networking events.
Read more about our careers and professional development support.
The University of Leeds Careers Centre also provides a range of help and advice to help you plan your career and make well-informed decisions along the way, even after you graduate.
The Investment Management MSc will provide you with advanced knowledge of the various functional dimensions of the complex world of investment management. It is distinctive in covering the principles, tools and techniques of both investment and management, as well as how to apply them in real work situations globally.
More than just an academic institution, Cranfield School of Management’s world-class research, expertise and teaching result in practical management solutions that are transforming the world of business today. For 50 years, we have been working with leading companies across the globe, pursuing our mission to improve the practice of management.
Our Investment Management MSc is distinctive in covering the principles, tools and techniques of investment management, as well as how to apply them in real work situations. You will gain an in-depth understanding of financial and management accounting, economics, international financial markets, statistical analysis, financial modelling, investment and portfolio management and derivatives and financial risk management.
The programme of study is distinct and unique in the way that it provides a link between the School and the business community. You will be taught by faculty with experience of the real world of finance and business, together with practitioners from different areas of finance.
Modules focus on real-world challenges, and include a combination of case studies, participative exercises, interactive lectures and group projects. In addition, you will also have the opportunity to expand your knowledge and get ready to face the professional world through attendance at regular seminars and speeches.
Our classes are small and each academic tutor has no more than five students in any one cohort, ensuring close contact continuous interaction.
The course will prepare you for roles in the investment industry such as portfolio management, hedge-fund specialist, investment specialist, trader, fund management, risk management, security analyst, broker or corporate treasurer. High standard content and fruitful discussions about its application within different cultures and geographical areas prepares you for working in every part of our increasingly globalised world.
An external advisory panel, comprised of senior practitioners in investment management, informs the design and development of the course, reinforcing its relevance to the modern financial world. Our faculty are also supported by a team of international visiting industry speakers and professors who bring the latest thinking and best practice into the classroom.
The course content covers much of the syllabus of the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) qualification, giving you the opportunity to work towards an additional professional qualification while you are studying with us through the CFA Institute University Affiliation Program. If you choose this option, you will receive revision support from our faculty ahead of sitting the first examination in term three of your course. You can then sit parts two and three of the qualification after completing your course. More information about the CFA Institute University Affiliation Program and associated CFA Program Awareness Scholarships can be found on the CFA website.
The course comprises 10 core modules and four elective modules. This enables you to tailor the course to suit your personal career plan. Throughout the course you will have access to a highly effective infrastructure including Bloomberg live financial news and data, DataStream, FAME and EBSCO, and use real-world, international case studies to support your learning. The culmination of the learning process is your opportunity to undertake an empirical research project for your individual thesis.
Individual project
You will undertake an empirical research project for your individual thesis, enabling you to apply the knowledge and skills you have learnt during the course. This provides the opportunity to work in an original way, and may involve undertaking a research project for one of our industrial partners on a real-world challenge.
Assessment
Taught modules 60%, individual project 40%
95% of School of Management students were employed within 3 months of graduation*.
The Cranfield Career Development Service offers a comprehensive service to help you develop a set of career management skills that will remain with you throughout your career.
During your course you will receive support and guidance to help you plan an effective strategy for your personal and professional development, whether you are looking to secure your first management role, or wanting take your career to the next level.
Our graduates are highly valued in the job market and aim for careers in investment banking, financial services or the financial function of a diverse range of global corporations. Last year's Investment Management MSc graduates secured jobs with a diverse range of organisations including JP Morgan, Standard Chartered, CommerzBank, Henderson and Gimv.
*based on those students for whom we hold data, across all School of Management full-time master's courses (2015/16 cohort).
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:
Year 1
Students are required to study the following compulsory courses.
Year 1
Students are required to study the following compulsory courses.
Students are required to choose 30 credits from this list of options.
Year 2
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.
Designed to evolve your decision-making capabilities and awareness of best practice in investment strategies and performance evaluation, our Finance and Investment MSc will prepare you for a career in investment, trading, financial analysis, fund management, banking, financial services or financial consultancy.
This course will equip you with a thorough grounding in the theoretical and practical aspects of economics, finance and investment. By the end of the course, you will have the skills necessary to use advanced tools and quantitative techniques to appraise financial opportunities.
As part of this course you will also have access to our real-time trading room, streaming up-to-the-minute data from Reuters.
This course is part of our Finance MSc programme. All students complete the same core finance modules, then from the end of the first term you will be able to tailor the course to your individual strengths and career aspirations through option modules and the option to specialise in one of five areas.
The other specialisms offered are:
The course is composed of three phases:
All modules on the course involve both taught sessions and guided independent study. For a typical module, approximately 30% of the total hours comprise taught activity, 10% is guided study and supervision, and the remainder is independent study.
Modules
Core modules will give you practical background knowledge in key finance subjects. From term 2 you will be able to tailor your course through a choice of specialisms and option modules. The specialisms currently offered are banking, accounting, investment, economics and risk management.
Core modules
Specialism modules (choose two)
Option modules (choose one)
Completion of your final project (dissertation) takes place throughout the summer after teaching finishes. You submit your project in October and receive your MSc award in December.
In the final phase of the course, you will complete a dissertation relating to finance and investment.
The dissertation will be 10,000–15,000 words long. It will address a financial markets problem which will require you to undertake research leading to implementable recommendations based on sound analysis and judgment.
Alternatively, you may wish to carry out a more theoretical dissertation relating to a financial markets topic of personal interest. You will receive help from your appointed dissertation supervisor who will monitor and support your progress. The dissertation is submitted in October.
As part of your course you will have access to modern computing facilities and specialist computing packages, for students on the Market-making and Investment Strategies module this includes access to our real-time trading room, fed by up-to-the-minute data from Reuters.
One of a handful of such facilities across the UK, our trading room sessions are supervised by guest traders and provide you with the opportunity to apply your skills to real markets and real data, and make use of simulation software to recreate the pressure of a trading floor.
We also invite guest traders to discuss curriculum topics, pass on their trading experience and supervise trading sessions.
We highly recommend students join our thriving Student Investment and Trading Society, which is established and run by students for the purpose of organising social and networking events, arranging talks by visiting industry experts and facilitating annual trading competitions against other universities.
Experienced, professionally qualified lecturers and small class sizes will ensure your learning needs are supported. Online learning tools and libraries also ensure academic journals, e-books, business articles and other resources are available to you 24/7, both for use at the university and at home.
You will also have access to our Careers Service, including CV checking, mock interviews and advice on setting up your own business.
A postgraduate qualification from Brighton Business School will help you to specialise and stand out in today's highly competitive job market
Many of our Finance and Investment MSc graduates go on to work in investment, trading, financial analysis, fund management, banking and financial consultancy.
The course is also ideal preparation for continuing your studies at MPhil or PhD level, or working as a professional researcher in finance.
You are an ambitious recent graduate looking to develop a full range of skills to help launch your career in finance or accounting. This is a highly practical course so you’ll need to possess a high level of quantitative skills. Your coursework will involve you in examining accounting and finance from the perspective of those who use financial reports to evaluate company and managerial performance.
This one-year, full-time, expertly structured programme will provide you with the real world accounting and finance expertise that leads to a wide range of rewarding international roles.
You will acquire a sound knowledge of the theoretical foundations that underpin modern investment and risk management techniques. These principles are applied in practice via case studies and the use of online databases such as Bloomberg and simulators. The practical aspect is delivered with extensive input from City of London institutions. Many leading practitioners teach on the course, providing a vital link between theory and practice.
The MSc in Investment Management is a demanding course. During the course you will cover the traditional syllabus of a general Masters degree in finance and develop extensive expertise in a range of specialised areas such as the management of equity and bond portfolios; trading techniques; asset-liability management; risk management; alternative investments; venture capital and management of foreign exchange.
An advisory panel of senior practitioners ensures that the course remains at the forefront of developments within financial markets and reflects topical and technical developments in the marketplace.
We review all our courses regularly to keep them up-to-date on issues of both theory and practice.
To satisfy the requirements of the degree course students must complete:
and either
Assessment of modules on the MSc in Investment Management, in most cases, is by means of coursework and unseen examination. Coursework may consist of standard essays, individual and group presentations, group reports, classwork, unseen tests and problem sets. Please note that any group work may include an element of peer assessment.
The MSc in Investment Management course starts with two compulsory induction weeks, including:
Graduates are prepared for pursuing careers in asset management, wealth management, investment and private equity. Our dedicated Careers Team will help you identify your ideal career path and work with you to maximise the potential of accomplishing your professional goals.
The opportunity to tailor-make your master degree to your career aspirations is facilitated through a wide range of electives, and the possibility to undertake faculty-supervised applied research projects that blend the latest academic developments and current market practice.
Our Graduate Destination Survey of the MSc in Investment Management class of 2014 shows that 70.7% of graduates are now either in work (64%) or not job seeking as they are in further study, military service etc. (6.7%)
Some examples of where graduates from the MSc in Investment Management class of 2014 are working are:
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