The finance and wealth management industry has become increasingly globalised, complex and reliant on information technology to create and manage financial asset portfolios, private equity, and hedge funds. This course provides you with the theoretical and practical knowledge of corporate and investment finance to prepare you for the practical requirements of your profession and increase your career opportunities.
This course allows you to explore corporate and entrepreneurial finance as well as financial and managerial accounting, portfolio theory, and investment analysis and management. You will be enabled to create and manage your own investment portfolios as well as effectively manage clients’ portfolios or wealth funds.
There will also be an international focus on risk management, treasury, investment and private banking and you will gain advanced skills in financial modelling, econometrics, and quantitative risk management.
The year-long module will help to improve your learning and enhance your assimilation of complex subjects in a rewarding and beneficial manner.
*Please note this course is subject to review.
This programme is dual accredited by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI), the only organisation in the UK that can award Chartered Manager status. Upon graduating, you will be eligible for a CMI Strategic Management and Leadership qualification (subject to CMI moderation) in addition to your Middlesex University Degree*. The qualification recognises the core skills necessary to succeed in Management and aims at enhancing employability and earning potential.
*Graduates that commenced their degree from 2019 onwards will be eligible for a CMI Level 7 Strategic Management and Leadership qualification if they pass the programme’s mapped modules without compensation. Programme handbooks detail the mapped modules on each programme.
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Our modules are specifically structured to give you plenty of time to utilise large amounts of data and explore complex subjects to their fullest. The course will equip you with the theory and practice needed to communicate and evaluate empirical work, as well as giving you valuable training in specialist databases and software packages.
You will then move on to explore relevant theories such as financial derivative products, financial risk management and key aspects of corporate finance, as well as how to apply them to practical situations in the financial sector.
The dissertation research project is a chance for you to extend your knowledge of a selected topic and to apply it to the formulation and design of a substantive investigation.
Upon completion of this course, you will have further developed your professional experience and have solid theoretical and practical knowledge and understanding of:
This module aims to provide a rigorous grounding in the theory of finance and equip you with knowledge and techniques that are required for arriving at investment and financing decisions.
You will be able to identify the sources of agency problems and their effect on firm value as well as apply various techniques used in capital budgeting and evaluate financial assets. You will also understand the theories on which asset pricing models are built with reference to arbitrage opportunities.
You will critically discuss the validity of modern theories that assess the impact of financing decision on the firm value and cost of capital and have the ability to evaluate the benefits and costs from both cash or share funded mergers and acquisitions.
This module will provide an overview of the nature and operation of international financial markets and their traded instruments. You are introduced to the organisation of the international financial system, the markets for foreign exchanges, stocks, bonds, commodities, and the risks and opportunities offered in these markets and systems. You will also gain essential knowledge for your future career in business, especially in the financial sector.
The module aims to equip you with the knowledge essential to critically engage with modern financial risk management theory and practice undertaken by both financial and non-financial institutions.
It offers advanced study of key issues, including categories of managed financial risk, the arbitrage-free theory of spot-forward price relations, valuing optionality in a financial risk environment, a comparison of over-the-counter and exchange-traded risk management arrangements, the limitations of risk management techniques and the evolving regulatory environment.
You will be able to develop risk modelling skills, analytical and quantitative skills through engagement with current market data on Bloomberg Financial Database and Capital IQ.
This module provides you with a sound grounding in the theory and practice of investment management. You will focus on and explore strategies of portfolio construction, generating investment ideas, estimating investment risk and returns, and the use of derivative instruments.
This module will provide you with a sound grounding in portfolio theory and equity analysis. You will be exposed to the key concepts and tools involved and be required to apply those tools to analyse real life financial assets.
The module provides you with the opportunity to select your own specialised research topic in the area of financial management. You will be expected to apply relevant theoretical frameworks, the existing seminal and the most up-to-date scholarly literature together with the relevant research methodologies and methods whilst conducting your research. You will be required to independently plan, organise, and coherently produce a limited but a well-researched work.
This module deals with basic statistical methods and explores the application of these methods to analytical models in finance. You will gain the analytical and programming skills necessary to pursue empirical studies in finance. You will also be encouraged to use previous knowledge in statistics and computer programming.
This module deepens your knowledge of fixed income products. A practical understanding of the pricing mechanics of fixed income products will be developed. The module will also incorporate new developments in fixed-income derivatives such as mortgage-backed securities, collateralised debt obligations, and other structured fixed-income financial products. The module will incorporate the Bloomberg Financial Database in teaching the concepts, valuation principles and application of financial derivative products.
This module aims to provide a rigorous grounding in the theory of finance and equip you with knowledge and techniques that are required for arriving at investment and financing decisions.
You will be able to identify the sources of agency problems and their effect on firm value as well as apply various techniques used in capital budgeting and evaluate financial assets. You will also understand the theories on which asset pricing models are built with reference to arbitrage opportunities.
You will critically discuss the validity of modern theories that assess the impact of financing decision on the firm value and cost of capital and have the ability to evaluate the benefits and costs from both cash or share funded mergers and acquisitions.
This module will provide an overview of the nature and operation of international financial markets and their traded instruments. You are introduced to the organisation of the international financial system, the markets for foreign exchanges, stocks, bonds, commodities, and the risks and opportunities offered in these markets and systems. You will also gain essential knowledge for your future career in business, especially in the financial sector.
The module aims to equip you with the knowledge essential to critically engage with modern financial risk management theory and practice undertaken by both financial and non-financial institutions.
It offers advanced study of key issues, including categories of managed financial risk, the arbitrage-free theory of spot-forward price relations, valuing optionality in a financial risk environment, a comparison of over-the-counter and exchange-traded risk management arrangements, the limitations of risk management techniques and the evolving regulatory environment.
You will be able to develop risk modelling skills, analytical and quantitative skills through engagement with current market data on Bloomberg Financial Database and Capital IQ.
This module provides you with a sound grounding in the theory and practice of investment management. You will focus on and explore strategies of portfolio construction, generating investment ideas, estimating investment risk and returns, and the use of derivative instruments.
This module will provide you with a sound grounding in portfolio theory and equity analysis. You will be exposed to the key concepts and tools involved and be required to apply those tools to analyse real life financial assets.
The module provides you with the opportunity to select your own specialised research topic in the area of financial management. You will be expected to apply relevant theoretical frameworks, the existing seminal and the most up-to-date scholarly literature together with the relevant research methodologies and methods whilst conducting your research. You will be required to independently plan, organise, and coherently produce a limited but a well-researched work.
This module deals with basic statistical methods and explores the application of these methods to analytical models in finance. You will gain the analytical and programming skills necessary to pursue empirical studies in finance. You will also be encouraged to use previous knowledge in statistics and computer programming.
This module provides a critical understanding of management accounting techniques and practices and their relevance to contemporary business. The relevant concepts and theories, together with a range of emerging issues will be presented and critically evaluated.
This module deepens your knowledge of fixed income products. A practical understanding of the pricing mechanics of fixed income products will be developed. The module will also incorporate new developments in fixed-income derivatives such as mortgage-backed securities, collateralised debt obligations, and other structured fixed-income financial products. The module will incorporate the Bloomberg Financial Database in teaching the concepts, valuation principles and application of financial derivative products.
The quantity of data available to analysts is growing at an ever-increasing rate. This data has become a vital tool for decision-making in a competitive world. However the size which makes the data so valuable also makes it difficult to analyse using traditional statistical methods. This module introduces you to a variety of methodologies now employed to explore, analyse, categorise and visualise data from large data sets and multiple related data sets. You will also explore the issues with data sets that are too large even for established data mining methods (“big data”).
More information about this course
See the course specification for more information about typical course content outside of the coronavirus outbreak:
Optional modules are usually available at levels 5 and 6, although optional modules are not offered on every course. Where optional modules are available, you will be asked to make your choice during the previous academic year. If we have insufficient numbers of students interested in an optional module, or there are staffing changes which affect the teaching, it may not be offered. If an optional module will not run, we will advise you after the module selection period when numbers are confirmed, or at the earliest time that the programme team make the decision not to run the module, and help you choose an alternative module.
As well as online lectures and seminars, the course will also entail individual and group presentations. You will also be shown how to collect data from resources such as Datastream, IQCapital, and Fame.
The course also includes several online workshops on the different aspects of writing a dissertation delivered by academics who have produced high-quality, internationally-known research.
Your knowledge and understanding is assessed by presentations, examinations and written assignments, and through the research and writing undertaken to complete your dissertation.
The assessment of the compulsory modules comprises in-class tests, presentations and individual or group coursework.
We are back on campus for the majority of teaching in Autumn 2021, as long as restrictions allow. Your timetable will be built around on campus sessions using our professional facilities, with online sessions for some activities where we know being virtual will add value. We’ll use technology to enhance all of your learning and give you access to online resources to use in your own time.
In case of any changes to government guidance, we‘ll be ready to move to teaching with more restrictions in place and continue to give you an excellent learning experience. In this scenario, on campus teaching should continue although more of your course will take place online.
The table below gives you an idea of what your learning will look like across a typical week. Some weeks might be different due to how we schedule classes and arrange on campus sessions.
This information may change slightly as we receive further guidance from the government. You’ll receive final arrangements for your teaching and a full course timetable before you start.
Scenario A: Without social distancing | ||
Live in-person on campus learning | Contact hours per week, per level: | 4 hours |
Live online learning | Average hours per week, per level: | 8 hours |
Scenario B: With social distancing and/or with restrictions on travel to campus | ||
Live in-person on campus learning | Contact hours per week, per level: | N/A |
Live online learning | Average hours per week, per level: | 12 hours |
Outside of these hours, you’ll be expected to do independent study where you read, listen and reflect on other learning activities. This can include preparation for future classes. In a year, you’ll typically be expected to commit 1800 hours to your course across all styles of learning. If you are taking a placement, you might have some additional hours.
Read more about our scenarios for returning to campus and what they might mean for your teaching and learning experience, and how you’ll be able to access student support.
Future plans for teaching
We’re developing our plans for in-person on campus teaching following government advice to keep you safe. If more restrictions are put in place in the future, or there is another lockdown, we’ll deliver your learning and support fully online for a temporary period. We’ll make alternative arrangements for any required placements if they can’t go ahead as planned. We’ll always give you notice of any changes that we make.
Definitions of terms
Support
You’ll have a strong support network available to you to make sure you develop all the necessary academic skills you need to do well on your course.
Our support services will be delivered online and on campus and you’ll have access to a range of different resources so you can get the help you need, whether you’re studying at home or have the opportunity to come to campus.
You’ll have access to one to one and group sessions for personal learning and academic support from our library and IT teams, and our network of learning experts. Our teams will also be here to offer financial advice, and personal wellbeing, mental health and disability support.
More on teaching for your subject in 2021/22
Read our guide to what you can look forward to when you study your subject with us including more information about your teaching experience this autumn.
This MSc course has been designed to allow you to develop your analytical skills, acquire a body of knowledge, and be exposed to the frontiers of the subject.
Potential careers span across many sectors and can include:
Devisha Bheemuck
Investment and Finance MSc graduate and Financial Consultant at Deloitte
The MSc Investment and Finance was an ideal choice for me because I wanted to develop my career in the finance sector. I easily found a good job in Mauritius thanks to the course - I'm working as financial consultant at Kemp Chatteris Deloitte. Thanks to my masters I got job interviews in all the blue chip financial organisations in Mauritius.
The course has consolidated by financial knowledge through the diversity of its modules and now I feel more prepared to undertake courses like the CFA exams (which I'm about to embark on) and perhaps later on a PhD. I carry out all my job assignments with ease and confidence as I have a very good financial knowledge to back me up.
Staying in the UK for one whole year has been a very difficult though cherished experience. The lecturers and staff have been helpful in all possible ways.
We’ll carefully manage any future changes to courses, or the support and other services available to you, if these are necessary because of things like changes to government health and safety advice, or any changes to the law.
Any decisions will be taken in line with both external advice and the University’s Regulations which include information on this.
Our priority will always be to maintain academic standards and quality so that your learning outcomes are not affected by any adjustments that we may have to make.
At all times we’ll aim to keep you well informed of how we may need to respond to changing circumstances, and about support that we’ll provide to you.
Start: October 2021
Duration: 1 year full-time, 2 years part-time
Code: PGN399
Start: October 2021
Duration: 1 year full-time, 2 years part-time
Code: PGN302
