MSc Banking and Finance

Overview

Our MSc Banking and Finance course is suitable for everyone, whether you already have related qualifications or experience, or want to change the direction of your career. The course helps you progress towards recognised professional qualifications that are accredited by the Chartered Banker Institute, making our course one of the few UK programmes to offer this level of recognition.

You will acquire the analytical skills and the critical knowledge and thinking required to begin or enhance your career in the banking and financial sector worldwide. You will develop an understanding of the concepts and methodologies of banking practice, an appreciation of the value and limitations of research, and a critical awareness of the current and potential problems facing the industry. You will also improve your ability to understand and compile economic reports, company accounts and financial forecasts.

We encourage students to reflect on the benefits of a more ethical approach to banking and finance. We ensure you’re aware of the importance of sustainability in financial decision making, and in particular how social and environmental risk factors affect financial performance.

Course objectives

The overall objective of this course is to help you develop the knowledge and skills needed for a successful career in banking and finance, or a related field. A particular strength of our course is the focus on the practical application of key banking and finance concepts, financial reporting, risk management tools, and professional ethics in the banking industry.

You’ll develop a sound understanding of the different types of banking and financial systems that exist globally, including those in emerging countries and countries in transition. The course also covers theory, methodology and research techniques within the dissertation module.

Throughout this Masters course you’ll develop:

• A systematic understanding of key concepts and methods in banking and finance, such as operations and strategy, risk management tools and the regulatory framework for risk management, financial reporting and data analysis.
• Critical awareness of current problems and new insights in banking and finance.
• Practical understanding of the techniques of enquiry and research used in banking and finance, and how they are used to create and interpret knowledge.
• Conceptual understanding for evaluating current research and scholarship in banking and finance.