International Finance and Political Relations

Entry requirements

Our minimum entry requirement for this programme is an degree at 2:2 (lower second class) UK Honours level (or a degree from a non-UK institution which is judged by the University to be of equivalent worth).

We welcome applications from students from across a wide range of academic backgrounds. You do not need a degree in business or politics to be considered for this programme.

Applicants without this qualification may be admitted subject to having an alternative qualification, or an approved level of work experience appropriate to the field of study. Also taken into careful consideration is the trajectory of results, an applicant without an overall 2:2 but with 2:2 results in their final two years of study may be admitted.

Months of entry

January, September

Course content

The MSc International Finance and Political Relations combines the strengths of the School of Social Science and the Business School to explore the intersection between money, politics and power and the relationship between international finance and policymaking at the transnational level.

Over the last few decades, there has been a steady increase in cross-border financial flows, as a result of the globalisation of financial markets. At the same time, we have witnessed fundamental societal and political changes and how nation-states behave and interact with one another, as well as technological advances and financial innovation.

As a result, businesses, governments, and investors therefore face an ever-growing need to understand the relationship between political relations and international markets. This programme is designed to train specialists for careers in the international finance or in the government/non-government (NGO) sectors, where an understanding of global flows of money, trade and labour, and the global distribution of wealth they engender, is required.

By combining the key theories and themes in the study of international political economy with corporate finance and investments, this Masters programme addresses the need, by teaching the advanced skills needed to gather, analyse and evaluate information on the politics of international finance and to enable you to communicate how international finance, banking, and stock markets intersect with national and international political events.

The MSc International Finance and Political Relations programme is designed to train specialists for careers in the international finance or in the government/non-government (NGO) sectors, where an understanding of global flows of money, trade and labour, and the global distribution of wealth they engender, is required. Graduates are well-equipped for diverse paths in the global marketplace, a research career, or continued studies at PhD level.

Information for international students

English Language Requirements

To study for a Postgraduate Taught degree at the University of Aberdeen it is essential that you can speak, understand, read, and write English fluently. The minimum requirements for this degree are as follows:

IELTS Academic:

OVERALL - 6.5 with: Listening - 5.5; Reading - 6.0; Speaking - 5.5; Writing - 6.0

TOEFL iBT:

OVERALL - 90 with: Listening - 17; Reading - 21; Speaking - 20; Writing - 21

PTE Academic:

OVERALL - 62 with: Listening - 59; Reading - 59; Speaking - 59; Writing - 59

Cambridge English B2 First, C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency:

OVERALL - 176 with: Listening - 162; Reading - 169; Speaking - 162; Writing - 169

Fees and funding

We are pleased to offer a range of scholarships and funding opportunities for our students. A full list of available funding opportunities is available on our Funding Database.

Aberdeen Global Scholarship - Eligible self-funded Postgraduate Taught (PGT) students will receive the Aberdeen Global Scholarship. Eligibility details and further information are available here.

Alumni Discount Scheme - We are pleased to offer a 20% discount for postgraduate tuition fees to all alumni who have an undergraduate degree from the University of Aberdeen. Please note, the Aberdeen Alumni Discount cannot be claimed in conjunction with any other scholarship award. Learn more about the Aberdeen Alumni Discount here.