MSc Finance and Risk

Program Overview

If you want to pursue, or advance,  a career in financial management, this master's course is a great choice. It is designed for anyone who wants to gain the professional qualifications of the Chartered Banker Institute (CBI) Investment Management Certificate (IMC) or Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA). The course is one of only a handful of its kind to be accredited by the CBI, giving our students the chance to apply for Associated Membership and enjoy Associate Chartered Banker status. We work closely with the CBI to ensure our course continues to meet the Institute's high standards and gives our graduates the most relevant, sought-after skills.

You will gain skills in financial analysis and econometrics to help prepare you for the course's practical, research-focused assignments and a career in the industry, learning about financial risk management and how this affects company behaviour.

Our students come from all over the world and are motivated to learn in the financial capital with all of the advantages that brings. Based in Stratford, close to the financial powerhouses of the City of London and Canary Wharf, you will live and breathe the financial services industry with this hands-on course.

Program Outline

We consistently review and develop our courses and modules to ensure they are up-to-date with sector and industry graduate skills demands. Course structure, modules and options are subject to change.

On this course you will combine a master's-level knowledge of key theories, concepts and literature with a practical understanding of data collection and analysis. Throughout your studies you will gain insights into how governments and other organisations address financial risks.

You will learn about international finance, investment management and portfolio theory and will also complete a dissertation based on a relevant topic that you choose. (Please note that January and September intake students will study semesters in a different order. January intake students will take the dissertation module midway through the course, rather than at the end. Contact our applicant enquiries team if you have any questions about this).

To develop your practical skills you will learn how to use our trading tool, giving you an advantage over students on similar courses across London, as you will have experience on exactly the same tools that financial managers use on the job.

We will also prepare you for the financial services industry qualifications, which you will take after the course, including the Chartered Financial Analyst exam, which is recognised throughout the world, and the UK-specific Investment Management Certificate.

Throughout the course you will find an emphasis on collecting, modelling and analysing data to improve your skills and understanding.

You will have access to the same trading, Datastream and e-stream databases that are used by financial professionals.

You will be using trading terminals in exactly the same way as traders in stocks and shares, derivatives and bonds to build and oversee a portfolio (although you won’t be putting your own - or anyone else's - money at risk.)

This practical work will be backed by a stimulating mix of classroom-based lectures, seminars and workshops, taught by our experienced, research active staff.

For example, Dr Shampa Roy-Mukherjee, Head of Finance, Economics and Risk, has interests that include mathematical and statistical modelling, privatization and moral hazard and the economics of the Arab Spring.

You will be taught by up to eight staff with specialist expertise in all aspects of the field and will benefit from employability workshops and guest speakers from the world of finance.

As a master's student, in addition to the face time you have with your teaching staff, you will be expected to undertake a lot of your own research and independent study. We provide the resources, with a range of online and other resources.

You will combine individual study with group work and will be expected to make a contribution to discussions and communicate effectively through written assignments and presentations.

You will take a variety of assessments. These include individual and group assignments, presentations and examinations. Emphasis is on collecting and collating real data and developing advanced skills in modelling using this data.