Finance (Economics and Finance)

Entry requirements

The equivalent of a UK first or upper second class honours degree with evidence on your degree transcript of a good grade in a minimum of one mathematical/statistics module at a level equivalent to a second year British Honours Degree standard. Where the only evidence of mathematical/statistics modules is at a level equivalent to a first year British Honours Degree standard, we may require that applicants undertake our admissions mathematics test. This will be determined by the Postgraduate Admissions Team upon considering each application.

Check the full list of equivalent qualifications.

If you are an international student who does not meet the requirements for direct entry to this degree, you may be eligible to take a pre-Masters pathway programme at the Durham University International Study Centre.

NB Chinese Applicants: Applications will be accepted from students who have graduated from a prestigious university in China. Entry requirements may vary depending upon the reputation of the university you have graduated from and the academic programme you have applied for. As a guide, applicants are normally expected to have achieved an overall average of 85%.

Months of entry

September

Course content

Our MSc Finance programmes are designed to provide you with rigorous training at the frontier of research, as well as the advanced analytical and technical skills that are highly sought after by global employers and, if you wish to continue your studies, by world-leading PhD programmes.

Our MSc programmes have partnership status with the Chartered Financial Analyst Institute (CFA). The CFA is the world’s premier association for investment professionals and the accepted benchmark for technical excellence in financial markets. It guarantees you benefit from a curriculum of the highest standards and enables you to participate in the CFA Global Investment Research Challenge, as well as CFA employer network events and scholarships.

The programme consists of a set of core and elective modules, culminating in a practice-based business project or a research-based dissertation.

Core and elective modules

You will study:

• Advanced Financial Theory
• Advanced Macroeconomics
• Advanced Microeconomics
• Corporate Finance

Based on your prior knowledge and experience you will be streamed to study one of the following module pairings:

• Econometrics I and Econometrics II
• Econometric Methods and Financial Modelling and Business Forecasting

You will then choose two elective modules. The list of modules may vary from year to year, but has typically included:

• Auditing and Assurance Services
• Behavioural Finance and Economics
• Derivative Markets
• Financial Risk Management
• Market Microstructure.

Dissertation

In the third term, you will carry out an original research project. This may be an independent piece of work or, alternatively, you may decide to develop a more applied project with an appropriate organisation. Supervised by a faculty member with relevant experience, you’ll investigate in greater detail a subject that you’ve already studied as part of your programme. This is an opportunity for you to develop your business insight and present your analysis and ideas in a scholarly and professional manner.

Adding to your experience

We’re proud of our strong international connections. Helping you get an inside perspective on global business is a key part of the programme. That’s why we offer a range of opportunities to help you immerse yourself in a country’s business and academic environment, make new contacts and stand out in a competitive job market. These include:

• Dissertation Abroad: If your ambitions lie beyond the UK, we offer a number of places on our unique Dissertation Abroad scheme. This will involve writing a dissertation at one of our international partner institutions in the period June to August. A number of scholarships are available.

• International Study Tour: We organise an optional International Study Tour to a European destination, typically Switzerland. This intensive programme takes place over several days, normally in March/April, and offers you a great opportunity to get an ‘inside perspective’ on international business, and to network with key staff within organisations.

Guest Speakers

As part of your programme, you have the opportunity to enjoy presentations by academics and practitioners within your chosen area of interest. Past speakers have included representatives of major global multinationals and leading academics, providing an ideal opportunity to gain practical knowledge and progressive insight.

Investment Club

Ten students are selected to manage a genuine fund and meet on a monthly basis to evaluate their research and place their trades. At the end of the year, the monetary fund and a report on its performance are passed to next year’s club. This exciting initiative gives you the chance to put your financial skills to the test and enhance your CV.

Trading Challenge

This challenge will give you the opportunity to monitor and analyse real-time financial market data movements to build a hypothetical portfolio with securities of your choice. This gives you hands on experience and the chance to improve your investment and security selection skills. It looks great on your CV, plus there is a cash prize for the winner.

Additional Resources

The School has made a significant investment in database resources to give you access to both live and historical data from providers which include Thomson Reuters, Datasteam and Orbis. These state-of-the-art databases give you the opportunity to interrogate the financial records of millions of companies worldwide and add valuable insight to your research.

Trading Room

As part of our provision of a wide range of software and databases, we offer training on our Bloomberg terminals for accessing economic and financial data.

Information for international students

Scholarships available for 2022 entry will be determined in September 2021. Over 60 scholarships are available, each year. Some scholarships are awarded to more than one person. For further information see the course listing.

Fees and funding

durham.ac.uk/study/pg/finance