Finance (Banking) MSc
University of Westminster
Key Information
Select location
Campus location
London, United Kingdom
Languages
English
Study format
On-Campus
Duration
1 year
Pace
Full time
Tuition fees
GBP 15,000 / per year **
Application deadline
Request info *
Earliest start date
Sep 2024
* we urge applicants to apply as soon possible and recommend applicants to apply at least three months before the course starts
** international | UK: £14,500
Introduction
Responsive to trends and issues in global financial services industries, our MSc Finance (Banking pathway) degree aims to equip you with the advanced skills to pursue careers in retail, commercial and private banking as a loan officer, private banker, private wealth consultant, or to work within the back and middle offices of an investment bank, in risk management, administrative or support services. It combines a broad range of topics, including finance, economics, quantitative methods and big data analysis.
Study with us and, on successful completion, Finance (Banking) MSc students will receive Associate Chartered Banker status with the Chartered Banker Institute. This is the first step on the ladder for professional recognition as Chartered Banker, the gold standard for professionals working in the banking sector.
You'll study a common first semester providing a solid introduction to financial markets, institutions and intermediaries, and the function of banks in relation to these. This allows you to make a more informed choice about your specialist pathway (in Banking or International Finance) for the second semester, where you delve more into retail and investment banking, choosing options according to your interests, for example, in banking technology compliance or behavioural finance.
In our state-of-the-art Financial Markets Suite (FMS), you'll receive hands-on training and have access to live and historical news and data, experiencing the same Bloomberg platform used by leading global investment banks. You’ll gain a real-world understanding of assets, indices, currencies, derivatives, stocks, shares and interest rates, better preparing you for the business and finance world that awaits.
Our graduates have gone on to work for large banks, including Standard Chartered, Citibank, Société Générale and Paribas.
Our course was designed with input from a range of industry professionals with expertise in financial markets, institutions and financial regulation.
To retain currency and relevance, we receive ongoing feedback from the School of Finance and Accounting’s Employability Advisory Board, whose members include practitioner representatives from Vanguard, JPMorgan and Global Structured Finance, as well as former students now working in the finance industry who provide suggestions on how to improve future employability for students.
Top reasons to study with us
- 100% overall student satisfaction in the 2019 Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey (PTES)
- Professionally accredited by Chartered Banker Institute – completion offers the Associate Chartered Banker status with the Chartered Banker Institute
- Courses are delivered by a multicultural and international teaching body, who come from professional practice and/or regularly publish in top international journals
- Flexibility to choose your specialist pathway after the first semester
- Access to one of the largest financial databases in our state-of-the-art Bloomberg virtual trading room
- Opportunity to undertake an internship – one student spent a summer at Santander in Madrid
- Guest lectures from industry practitioners – recent talks featured a senior business manager from Barclays and a seasoned entrepreneur
- Field trips to financial institutions – students recently had a guided tour of the new Bloomberg HQ in London
- Structured orientation programme to meet students and staff and find your way around campus
- Free online subscription to The Financial Times
Why study this course?
- Fantastic facilities
State-of-the-art Bloomberg-powered Financial Markets Suite (FMS) featuring industry-leading technology and software - Combine theory and practice
Link theory to global practice through real-life case studies, guest lectures, field trips and insight from one of the world’s largest financial databases - Professional software
Free access to professional software including Bloomberg, Datastream, Fame, Factiva, EViews, Matlab, Nvivo, SPSS, Sage, Statista, EIU Viewswire, Mintel, Passport (Euromonitor), and LinkedIn Learning
Accreditation
This course is professionally accredited by Chartered Banker Institute – completion offers the Associate Chartered Banker status with the Chartered Banker Institute.
Career Opportunities
This degree can lead to a global career in equity, bond and foreign currency markets, banking, investment management, hedge fund management, corporate treasury or risk management. You may even decide to start your own business venture as a private wealth consultant.
Previous graduates in this area have gone to work for commercial and central banks here in the UK and throughout the world. You'll also have the knowledge and skills to study for an MPhil/PhD degree or seek further professional qualifications.
With a growing global network of 3,000 employers, our Careers and Employability Service is here to support you in achieving your full potential.
Develop your CQ
Develop your cultural intelligence – or ‘CQ’ – by studying alongside students and staff representing more than 100 nationalities.
Kickstart your career
Learn how to use social media in your job hunt or LinkedIn to kickstart your career.
Careers support
Postgraduate students have access to the University’s Careers and Employability Service for up to three years after graduation.
Industry links
We have excellent industry links with the Chartered Banker Institute, some of the top firms in financial services, along with leading financial technology and data vendor services providers such as Bloomberg.
Staff who currently teach on this course also have extensive professional experience, having worked in a range of roles and areas, including:
- Credit risk analyst
- Financial analyst
- Financial consultant
- Global entrepreneur
- Lending specialist in the banking sector
- Research consultant
- Risk management
- Software development and management
Job roles
This course will prepare you for roles such as:
- Banker
- Financial consultant
- Government consultant
- Investment advisor
- Market analyst
- Middle and back office positions
- Private wealth consultant
- Regulatory officer
- Venture capitalist
Graduate employers
Graduates from this course have found employment at organisations including:
- Amazon
- Citibank
- Financial Conduct Authority
- Paribas
- Santander
- Sberbank
- Société Générale
- Standard Chartered
- World Economic Forum
Westminster Employability Award
Employers value graduates who have invested in their personal and professional development – and our Westminster Employability Award gives you the chance to formally document and demonstrate these activities and achievements.
The award is flexible and can be completed in your own time, comprising a set of core and optional extracurricular activities.
Activities might include gaining experience through a part-time job or placement, signing up to a University-run scheme – such as mentoring or teaching in a school – or completing online exercises.
Admissions
Curriculum
The innovative structure of our MSc Finance degree, with its shared first semester curriculum of core financial knowledge, is intended to provide you with a deep and systematic understanding of general financial markets.
You’ll be introduced to the latest financial theories, learn how to analyse financial matters, and consider the current challenges and issues facing financial institutions, markets and multinational corporations, such as the changing ethical and corporate responsibility issues or the need for continuous improvement in a digital age, where omnichannel service and operational strategies are now essential.
Depending on your area of interest, you will then choose whether to pursue a Banking or International Finance pathway specialisation for Semester 2.
Semester 1
The first semester is designed to build a strong foundation of knowledge of financial modelling, decision-making and risk management in contemporary business enterprises. You will start by taking part in an orientation programme with sessions including introductions to Bloomberg and Excel for Finance, postgraduate research skills, current issues in finance and financial markets, and a revision of statistics and probability.
Essential finance topics covered in the first semester include capital structure; investment appraisal methods; dividend policy; modern portfolio theory, valuation of financial securities, foreign exchange, interest rate and credit risk; and the existing regulatory framework.
You'll learn to use mathematical and statistical analytical methods, such as matrix algebra, differential calculus, probability theory, descriptive statistics, hypothesis testing, regression analysis, forecasting and modelling volatility.
Semester 2
The Banking pathway will deepen your understanding of the structure and operations of both domestic and global banks, focusing on the challenges and risks they face – from regulation, political interference and changing technology, for example. Through the study of wealth management, you'll learn to provide advice on financial planning, portfolio management, taxation, pensions and other aggregated financial services for individuals.
Depending on your career aspirations, you can choose from options in corporate financial strategy or investment banking, for example.
Your studies culminate with the final Project, an intensive piece of research and an 8,000-10,000-word dissertation. Previous students in this course have covered topics as diverse as efficient sovereign credit risk measures and algorithmic trading and portfolio management.
Modules
The following modules are indicative of what you will study on this course.
Core modules (Both Banking and International Finance Pathways)
- Contemporary Finance
- Financial Modelling
- Financial Risk Management
- Project
- Research Methods
Core modules (Banking Pathway)
- Commercial Lending
- Global Banking
- Wealth Management
Optional modules (Banking Pathway)
- Banking Technology
- Behavioural Finance
- Compliance and Banking Law
- Corporate Financial Strategy
- Evidence Law
- Investment Banking
- Legal Aspects of International Banking
- Legal Aspects of International Finance, Sustainability and Innovation
- Managing Cyber Crime
- RegTech and Financial Crime
Program Tuition Fee
Scholarships and Funding
The University is dedicated to supporting ambitious and outstanding students and we offer a variety of scholarships to eligible undergraduate students, which cover all or part of your tuition fees.
Gallery
English Language Requirements
Certify your English proficiency with the Duolingo English Test! The DET is a convenient, fast, and affordable online English test accepted by over 4,000 universities (like this one) around the world.