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Finance MSc

UCL's Finance MSc covers the key aspects of finance underpinning effective functioning within the financial sector. It engages with the theory and application of core concepts in a variety of topics including corporate finance, portfolio management, asset pricing, derivatives, behavioural finance or mergers and divestments, and other essentials. Students will develop transferable skills to help them assume leadership roles.

Covid-19 programme updates

Due to COVID-19, there may have been updates to this programme for the 2020 academic year. Where there has been an update, these are indicated with a red alert and a link which will provide further information.

Key information

Programme starts

September 2020

Modes and duration

Full time: 1 year

Application dates

All applicants
Open: 1 December 2019
Close: 11 August 2020
Notification
Please note: the reference deadline for this programme is 5.00pm, 28 August 2020.

Tuition fees (2020/21)

UK/EU:
£30,400 (FT)
Overseas:
£30,400 (FT)


Note on fees: The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Fees for subsequent years may increase or otherwise vary. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website.

Fee deposit: All full time students are required to pay a fee deposit of £2,000 for this programme. All part-time students are required to pay a fee deposit of £1,000.

Location: London, Canary Wharf

Entry requirements

A minimum of an upper-second class Bachelor's degree from a UK university or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard in one of the following subjects: Finance, mathematics, engineering, economic theory, science or statistics. Degrees from other disciplines may be considered if they are related to finance and/or mathematics.

English language requirements

If your education has not been conducted in the English language, you will be expected to demonstrate evidence of an adequate level of English proficiency.

The English language level for this programme is: Good

Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.

International students

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website.

International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below.

Select your country:

About this degree

Students will acquire a firm grasp of fundamental finance-related concepts, and be able to apply their knowledge to practical tasks by, for example, utilising mathematical models to predict market behaviour. Graduates will acquire the skills and knowledge required to work in any of the major financial centres from New York, to London, to Tokyo - indeed, globally.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.

The programme consists of six core modules (90 credits), four optional modules (60 credits) and a dissertation (30 credits).

Upon successful completion of 180 credits, you will be awarded a MSc in Finance.

Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability is subject to change.

Compulsory module

Students must take six core taught modules (four in term one and two in term two).

  • Advanced Quantitative Finance
  • Time Series Analysis and Forecasting
  • Asset Pricing
  • Corporate Finance
  • Introduction to Quantitative Finance
  • Financial Econometrics

Optional modules

The optional modules listed are subject to change each year and are indicative only. Optional modules can change for a variety of reasons including but not limited to updated learning outcomes, lack of demand and resourcing. For questions about optional modules, please contact us at mgmt-finance@ucl.ac.uk.

Students choose four optional modules. They are likely to be from the following list: 

  • Corporate Finance Practices
  • Behavioural Finance
  • Wealth Management and Private Banking
  • Further Topics in Mathematical and Computational Finance
  • Private Equity & Venture Capital
  • Fintech
  • Big Data Analytics
  • Hedge Fund Strategies
Covid-19 module updates
Due to COVID-19, there may be updates to the modules for your chosen programme of study this year. Some modules may not be available or may need to be moved to a later term or year of study. These updates are relevant for 2020-21 academic year only.  The full list of modules will be available in the module catalogue from late August.  From the first week of September, you will be invited to complete module selection from Portico, our student record system. There may need to be additional updates or changes to modules during the academic year to allow for new guidance from the UK Government and Public Health England. Your department shall keep you updated of these changes as they become available.

Dissertation/report

All students undertake an independent research project which culminates in a report of 7,500 words.

Teaching and learning

The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars, and online modules. Assessment is through written examinations, individual/group coursework, and a 7,500-word dissertation.

Covid-19 contact hours on campus
In Term One, while campus will be open, all the learning activity for the core content of your modules will take place online – including lectures, tutorials, seminars and assessments. By “core content” we mean everything you need to learn to complete the module successfully. In addition to these online contact hours, we will be offering some face-to-face educational activities for students on campus, and we will provide alternative online activities for those students unable to join us on campus. These activities, which will include contact with academic staff, will be relevant to your programme of study may include seminars, academic and employability skills workshops, small-group or individual tutorials, lab and practice-based teaching. UK Government safety guidelines will limit the amount of ‘in person’ activity we can offer and while it will vary from programme to programme, is likely to be no more than 1-2 hours per week. This will vary across departments, particularly if your programme includes laboratory/practical/studio/workshop sessions. You will be updated with more specific details as they are available and your timetable will indicate which sessions will be on campus and which will be available online.
Covid-19 assessment updates
There may be changes to the format of assessments for modules in this programme due to COVID-19. These will be summarised for each module on the module catalogue from 17 August 2020.   If any changes to assessments need to be made during the academic year due to updates in government guidance, these will be communicated to you as soon as possible from your department.    
Communicating further Covid-19 mitigation plans
We are continuing to follow UK Government guidance, as well as the expertise of our researchers, including specialists in health, education, human behaviour and infection prevention, to make sure UCL is as safe as possible during the COVID-19 pandemic. If it becomes necessary to make further changes to your programme as a result of new guidance/regulations, UCL and your department will communicate these as soon as this becomes clear. We will keep you up-to-date with our plans throughout term one, so you have the information you need to be able to take decisions that are right for your circumstances. Please ensure that you keep in touch with your department by regularly checking your UCL emails, Moodle courses, the Coronavirus FAQs for Students page and any UCL online groups or social media you follow.

Additional costs

For more information on additional costs for prospective students please go to our estimated cost of essential expenditure at Accommodation and living costs.

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble. Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support & Wellbeing team.

Funding

Scholarships relevant to this department are displayed below.

Brown Family Bursary

Note:
This scheme is now closed for 2020/21
Value:
£15,000 (1 year)
Eligibility:
UK
Criteria:
Based on both academic merit and financial need

Fulbright – UCL Entrepreneurship Award

Note:
Now closed for 2020/21
Value:
Tuition fees plus stipend (1 year)
Eligibility:
Overseas
Criteria:
Based on academic merit

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website.

Careers

The scope of the financial industry at national and international level is extensive, and includes a range of types of banks, investment and hedge funds, asset management companies, insurance companies, rating agencies, brokers, and large, medium and boutique financial companies specialising in generic and bespoke products and services. The aim of the Finance MSc is to prepare individuals for effective roles in any of these different organisations within the financial industry.

Employability

Finance MSc graduates will be able to demonstrate deep knowledge and understanding of the specialist subject area while placing that subject within a wider organisational and contextual framework. They will understand current issues and thinking along with techniques applicable to research in the subject area. Graduates will have both theoretical and applied perspectives and will be able to apply a range of specialist skills to the organisations - as well as the context - in which they as specialists may operate.

Why study this degree at UCL?

This programme draws upon the combined strengths of two highly-rated departments: UCL School of Management and UCL Economics. Academic staff's knowledge and expertise combine to provide a repository for students to draw upon as they identify and respond to challenges and issues located in real-world scenarios.

UCL's proximity to the financial heartland of London offers the ideal location for this specialised Finance MSc. As a leading financial centre London provides the environment and exposure required to develop a finance career.

UCL School of Management is based at One Canada Square in Canary Wharf, offering students a myriad of opportunities to meet industry professionals. The school is located beneath Europe’s biggest fintech accelerator, Level 39, which currently hosts 180 start-ups focused on finance, retail, and cyber-security. UCL Economics has long-established links with leading financial institutions, reflected within hard-edged, meaningful research.

Department: UCL School of Management

Application and next steps

Applications

Students are advised to apply as early as possible due to competition for places. Those applying for scholarship funding (particularly overseas applicants) should take note of application deadlines.

There is an application processing fee for this programme of £150 for both online and paper applications. Further information can be found at: www.ucl.ac.uk/prospective-students/graduate/taught/application.

Who can apply?

The Finance MSc is for those with a strong quantitative and mathematical background, seeking a potentially high-profile career in the financial sector, or advancing further an established career path. This course is suitable for those who have a passion for finance and a clear drive to work in the finance industry.

Application deadlines

All applicants
11 August 2020

For more information see our Applications page.

Apply now

What are we looking for?

When we assess your application we would like to learn:
• why you want to study Finance at graduate level
• why you want to study the Finance MSc at UCL
• what particularly attracts you to the chosen programme
• how your academic and professional background meets the demands of this challenging programme
• where you would like to go professionally with your degree.

Together with essential academic requirements, the personal statement is your opportunity to illustrate whether your reasons for applying to this programme match what the programme will deliver.

UCL is regulated by the Office for Students.

Page last modified on 13 August 2020