Finance at Aberystwyth University

The MSc in Finance provides a broad range of specialised theoretical and practical knowledge and skills that will underpin a future career in the financial sector. You will study financial markets, investments, corporate finance, and financial econometrics; and there are options in portfolio management, and banking and capital markets.

Overview

By studying the MSc in Finance you will gain a thorough understanding of international financial markets, financial institutions, and financial instruments. You will study equity instruments, bonds and other fixed-income instruments, derivatives, and risk management. In corporate finance, you will build an in-depth understanding of the financing options available to companies and their tax implications, the choice of a company’s capital structure, evaluation of the company’s cost of capital and its relevance to investment decisions, measurement and evaluation of financial performance, and dividend policy.

To underpin your study of financial instruments and financial markets, you will be encouraged to develop an independent capability to design and estimate appropriate models for the analysis of financial data. The programme also includes advanced coverage of econometric methods and practices that are used to model financial data, with an emphasis on the design, estimation and evaluation of appropriate econometric models using econometrics software.

Potential careers:

• Financial strategy;
• Actuarial profession;
• Corporate banking;
• Tax;
• Investment analysis;
• Financial trading;
• Retail banking.

Transferable skills:

• Understanding organisational behaviour and structure;
• Improved numeracy skills and the ability to research, interpret and use business and financial data;
• Deep understanding of the causes and effects of economic and other external changes;
• The ability to communicate clearly written and spoken;
• Effective problem solving;
• Analytical and creative thinking skills;
• Decision-making;
• The ability to work independently and as part of a team;
• Time-management and organisational skills;
• Self-motivation and self-reliance.