Postgraduate Studentships - Search for funding opportunities.
Postgraduate Studentships - Search for funding opportunities.
Study Details: MSc 1 year
This degree programme provides the opportunity to follow the prestigious CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) specialist pathway and acquire the skills to complete the CFA Level 1 examination (for both September-intake and January-intake students). Click here for more information.
The ever-changing nature of financial markets, financial institutions and business firms, has made it increasingly important for finance experts including financial managers in multinational companies, investment analysts in securities firms, lending officers in banks and other financial institutions and traders in capital markets and dealing rooms – to have a clear understanding of the theory and practice relating to financial market operations and corporate financial strategy. Familiarity with the most recent developments in risk appraisal, portfolio analysis, the engineering of synthetic products, modelling techniques, financial analysis and valuation are essential requirements for all those involved directly in financial activities or who wish to gain a deeper understanding of this important area of business management.
The MSc and MA Finance programmes at Bangor offer you a unique opportunity to develop an appreciation of the causes and significance of current developments in the financial and corporate sectors, and to study advanced theory and practice relating to financial markets and the financial management of business firms.
Issues you will tackle as part of your MSc or MA Finance degree programme include:
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?
Which factors are most likely to influence the evaluation and implementation of international investment projects?
How can we calculate a suitable cost of capital to appraise the capital investment decision?
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 are futures, options, derivatives and swaps used to manage 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 can spreadsheets be used to develop financial models, and what techniques are required to obtain computational solutions to finance problems?
What are the main features of financial engineering, and how can one asset be transformed into another?
What are the design features of synthetic assets, and how do they help us to develop strategies for hedging risks?
How can financial forecasts be used in business valuation, and what techniques should be used to improve trend analysis and interfirm comparison?
With these needs in mind, the MSc and MA 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 corporate finance and the 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 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. Provided you are registered for the correct modules for your chosen degree, it is normally possible to transfer between the MSc and MA degrees during the first few weeks following your initial registration.
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.
Programme Length
12 months (January and September start dates). A 10 month version also available (September start only). Students on the 10 month course will study 5 modules in the Autumn and 5 in the Spring.
Entry to the MSc Finance requires a 2(ii) undergraduate degree in a relevant subject, e.g. economics, finance, accounting or management from a university, or a similar qualification from any other institution. Alternatively, possession of a suitable professional qualification and relevant practical experience may also be accepted. In general, however, applicants are judged on their individual merits and age, work experience and other factors are also considered. Bangor University also offers International Incorporated Masters Degrees for International students whose academic credentials are different from those outlined above. The first year is studied at the Bangor International College , an embedded College on our University campus and delivered by Oxford International Education Group.
If your native language is not English, you must provide satisfactory evidence that you have an adequate knowledge and understanding of written and spoken English.
IELTS: 6.0 (with no element below 5.5)
Pearson PTE: a score of 56 (with no element lower than 51)
Cambridge English Test – Advanced: 169 (with no element lower than 162)
It may be necessary for applicants falling short of this minimum standard to attend an intensive English Language course before registering for the academic programme. Such a course is available at Bangor, and full details and an application form may be obtained here.
The course will be of interest to the following people:
Graduates who wish to develop advanced analytical skills in finance
Science graduates with the relevant technical skills who wish to undertake advanced study in the finance area
Graduates who wish to pursue a career in investment banking and other capital markets related areas
Employees in public and private organisations who wish to develop their finance
Managers employed in central banks, development banks and other banking and financial services firms who wish to advance their finance skills
Graduates contemplating a career in the investment banking sector and also in other financial service firms
Graduates who have relevant practical experience and wish to enhance their skills in the areas of finance
For fees and funding options, please visit website to find out more
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