MSc Investment and Risk Finance

Following the collapse of Lehman Brothers in September 2008,  the ensuing credit crisis dramatically and permanently changed the global financial markets and institutions landscape.  Since that time there has been a significant tightening up of legal risk management in banks and by regulators.

On the financial education front, the credit market events of 2007/2008 and the complexity of financial instruments used by institutions have increased the need to develop a better understanding of hedging and investment products. You will learn about valuations of simple and complex financial assets. Additionally, on the use and development of financial products, you will gain higher level skills in risk assessment and management of financial portfolios. In response to these key issues our expertise on this course is directed at the provision of high quality graduate level education in areas of investment, risk and numerical finance.

This Master’s degree in Investment and Risk Finance is a modular course. Modules cover financial theory, valuation principles and forecasting methodologies common in two key areas of finance – investments and risk management. By the end of the course you will have the necessary knowledge of investments, financial mathematics and models to price a range of traditional and novel financial products. You will also have the skills to turn theory into practice within a work environment, and to explore new ideas and innovative techniques in a contemporary global financial market setting.

Length of course: 1 year full-time starting in September or January, 2 years part-time starting in January

Students applying for the MSc Investment and Risk Finance need a minimum of a lower second class BSc honours degree from a UK University, or its equivalent from another University in another country as detailed below. It is important that all students can provide evidence of good basic mathematics or statistics skills. Familiarity with basic software tools and computer packages will be beneficial.

Students will need either one of the following:

• A first degree in a finance or a related business management degree 
• A first degree demonstrating a high level of numerical content
• Non-graduates with evidence of extensive work/professional experience in the financial services industry may be considered.
• Additionally,students for whom English is not their first language are required to have an English language qualification.  Minimum requirement is an IELTS 6.5 overall mark with a minimum of 6.0 in any element or equivalent.

Contact The Westminster Business School for more admissions information.

Core modules:

• Data Analysis for Finance, Economics and Business
• Modern Portfolio Management
• Financial Derivatives
• International qRisk Management
• Research Methods and Project.

Sub-core modules - a selection of two or maximum of three modules are offered from the following list:

• Financial Markets and Institutions
• Forecasting Financial Markets
• Fixed Income Analysis
• and Modern Finance.

Option modules - it may be possible to choose one from:

• Financial Strategy
• Managerial Accounting
• Financial  Information Systems
• International Financial Reporting
• Financial Accounting Policy

You may take another module from the postgraduate portfolio, at the course leader’s discretion.

A variety of teaching methods are employed, ranging from lectures to smaller-scale seminars and laboratory sessions. In addition students work on their own on assignments involving data collection and analysis, typically drawing on specific databases.  All students are inducted into The Westminster Business School's Financial Markets Suite (FMS), a purpose built room housing the Bloomberg  proprietary database and capital markets information system. The School's financial commitment to this resource will provide a quality teaching and learning environment complementing theory with practice.

Contact The Westminster Business School to learn more about the curriculum.

The fees for the full-time course are: £12,375. Part-time fees are £6,188 per year.