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University of Leicester

MSc Finance

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At A Glance

Course Title

MSc Finance

Course Type

Full Degree

Course Level

Postgraduate

Study Method

Distance Learning

Start Date

February / May / August / November

Course Duration

24 months

Awarded & Delivered By

University of Leicester
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Course Description

The MSc in Finance will develop your understanding of the concepts of finance and the role of financial management in a variety of organisations and sectors, and is approved by the Chartered Financial Analysis Institute. This provides you with a foundation for a career in the finance industry or a finance-related role more broadly such as in business, government or major international organisations.
You will gain a greater understanding of how finance is central to organisational decision-making by looking at key areas including financial analysis and investment, financial statements, strategic financial management, financial modelling and financial risk management and corporate finance. You will be able to pursue your own areas of interest when taking your option modules and dissertation.
As well as gaining a deeper theoretical and conceptual knowledge of finance, this degree will develop your ability to analyse and evaluate financial management problems and make sound strategic decisions in your professional role. The skills and knowledge gained during the course will enable you to enhance your career in finance or move into further study and academic work in the area.

Course Content

This formative assessment module introduces you to the virtual learning environment and shows you how to effectively utilise this during your course. It assesses different approaches to learning and helps you to apply these to your own learning experience. Introducing different methods of note taking and methods of critique, it allows you to identify the best approach for you to get the most out of your studies so that you can tackle the assessments with confidence and flair.
This module will enable you to establish and critique the essential conceptual and ethical frameworks that lie at the foundations of modern financial analysis. It will allow you to explore the mutual interactions between ‘finance’ and the financial markets, on the one hand, and the so-called fundamentals, on the other. The module draws upon various disciplines, in particular economics and political economy, in order to explore parts of the package of conceptual tools employed by financial managers who have to provide information across a variety of topics. Emphasis is placed upon risk and uncertainty and, more broadly, upon the sociopolitical, cultural and economic environment in which financial decisions are made.
This module will enable you to become familiar with the key financial reporting documents, the information they contain and the potential users and uses of that information. It will teach you how to analyse the information within financial reports, appreciate the economic and behavioural implications of accounting decisions and policy choices and reflect upon the issues associated with accounting, particularly with respect to contemporary issues surrounding communication, agency and control.
This module is designed to consider corporate strategy, strategic investment decisions and the underlying financial management issues relevant to these decisions. Throughout this module key financial inputs to strategic formulation and implementation will be explored. This module will focus on strategies for growth and in particular on capital investment and merger and acquisition activity. The module will deal with practical decision-making issues faced by managers in organization of different types. Furthermore, issues will be dealt with both from a theoretical economics-based viewpoint and from a social perspective, which will recognize the behavioural aspects of organizations and their processes.

This module will provide a foundation in applied financial modelling. It is designed to show how quantitative techniques can be used to analyse financial information and aid decision making.

At the end of the module students will be able to:

  • Summarise financial information in a format useful for decision making
  • Construct and evaluate quantitative models
  • Form an assessment of the likelihood of future events using past information
  • Analyse problems/opportunities using numerical information
  • Make inferences on the basis of survey information
  • Construct and evaluate quantitative models
  • Identify causal relationships
  • Evaluate quantitative analysis undertaken by others
  • Recognise the limitations of quantitative analysis.

This module provides an overview of risk management, forward and future markets, the Capital Asset Pricing Model and Arbitrage Pricing Theory, swaps, options and corporate finance, warrants and convertibles, risk management strategy, interest rate risk and security design.
At the end of this module students will:

  • Understand the nature of financial risks.
  • Understand the trading rules for financial derivatives.
  • Understand how financial derivatives can help to hedge financial risks.
  • Have the ability to evaluate alternative methods available and their shortcomings in hedging.
  • Have the ability to take decisions on whether or not to hedge a particular financial risk.

Corporate finance involves the study of the financial resources necessary for businesses to survive and prosper. As such, it is relevant to senior management who select the form and amount of funding appropriate to meet the strategic objectives of the company. Corporate finance is also relevant to investors and analysts in assessing the potential risks and rewards associated with provision of that funding. This module aims to introduce the debates of whether financing and dividend decisions affect firms’ market values. Different financing and distribution methods and their potential impacts will be discussed and the concepts and techniques of Equity Investment Management will also be introduced.
This module is delivered by distance learning.
This module is delivered by distance learning. The dissertation, is 15,000 words.
In additional to the core modules above, choose two option modules from:

  • Public Finance
  • International Finance and Globalisation
  • Business-to-Business Marketing and Supply Chain Management
  • Leadership

Study Method

The MSc Finance degree is studied 100% online through the University of Leicester distance learning platform. As a distance learning student you will receive support throughout the course from a group of dedicated academic mentors and module tutors. You will use module study books – available in hard copy and electronically – and Blackboard, our virtual learning environment. This will give you online access to materials to support each module, discussion forums hosted by module tutors and chat rooms where you can network with fellow students.
As a distance learning student, you will have access to the University Library’s electronic service, the Leicester Digital Library, which includes a large number of e-journals and e-books.
You will be assessed at the end of each module by written assignment which is usually between 3,000 to 4,000 words. Your final piece of work, the dissertation, is 15,000 words.

Course Fees

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Entry Requirements

  • A good second class honours degree from a British University, or its equivalent
  • Or a postgraduate diploma from a recognised institution
  • A relevant graduate level professional qualification alongside substantial relevant work experience

If you do not hold a relevant qualification but have three or more years of substantial work experience in finance then you can be considered for the course based on providing a copy of your CV and a personal statement of 500-1,000 words detailing your suitability and relevant work experience.
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This degree programme has intakes in February, May, August & November. Click the Enrol Now button and share your information so that one of our Academic Advisors will get in touch with you promptly.

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