MSc Finance
Lincoln, United Kingdom
MSc
DURATION
2 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time, Part time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* most of our postgraduate courses have no specific closing date for applications. Please allow enough time for your application to be considered prior to the start date. If you are an international student you may need to factor in time for your visa application. We would advise you to apply as soon as possible
Key Summary
About: Lincoln's MSc Finance builds advanced finance and economics skills in a quantitative, research-oriented programme. It uses Bloomberg and Datastream, focuses on quantitative methods, critical thinking and applied research, and links to the Lincoln Economics and Finance Research Group (LEAF). You'll join a Student Managed Investment Fund, hear guest industry speakers, seek ACCA/CIMA/AIA exam exemptions, and buy textbooks.
Career Outcomes: Career opportunities include banking, foreign exchange, sales, risk assessment and management, financial analysis, portfolio and asset management, investment banking, accounting, research or academia. Graduates have become finance officers, operations analysts, trainee accountants, central bank accountants and PhD students (scholarship awarded).
Deregulation, globalization, and the effect of the worldwide economic crisis across international stock markets have led to a growing interest in the subject of finance. Professionals in today's market need to be adept at managing investments of both a financial and economic nature and use sound and informed judgment in order to make crucial decisions.
Lincoln's MSc Finance degree is designed to provide a framework for consolidating and enhancing students' finance and economics skills. It offers students the ability to explore practice in the context of relevant contemporary theory and research. Students can go beyond the fundamental theories to study advanced techniques, with a focus on quantitative methods and developing critical thinking skills. The program is both quantitative and research-orientated in nature and makes use of industry-level databases such as Bloomberg.
Programme-Specific Additional Costs
For each course, you may find that there are additional costs. With regards to textbooks, the University provides students who enroll with a comprehensive reading list and you will find that our extensive library holds either material or virtual versions of the core texts that you are required to read. However, you may prefer to purchase some of these for yourself and you will be responsible for this cost.
Research at Lincoln International Business School
Academics on the MSc Finance are involved in the Lincoln Economics and Finance Research Group (LEAF). LEAF brings together economics and finance academics from the University of Lincoln&rsquo's International Business School and School of Social and Political Sciences, graduate students, and a diverse network of collaborators, with the aim of facilitating the creation and diffusion of rigorous and policy-relevant research as well as research skills within the University, the local community, and society at large.
Their research is based on microeconomic models encompassing heterogeneous individual and firm behaviors and extends to the functioning of particular industries. Furthermore, the macroeconomic perspective that brings into the picture the interplay of institutions, markets, and policies in the diverse contexts of developing, emerging, and developed economies is also explored.
Industry Expertise
Students in this program can benefit from working alongside an experienced team of staff consisting of academically and professionally qualified lecturers with relevant industrial experience and wide-ranging research interests. They can engage with Datastream, a global financial and macroeconomic data platform, and have the opportunity to apply for exemptions from elements of examination for a number of professional bodies, including the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, and the Association of International Accountants.
The School hosts a series of visiting speakers each year, enabling students to hear and learn from industry experts. Previous speakers have included representatives from organizations such as Deloitte, Santander, HSBC, Innocent, The Institute of Internal Auditors, and Sir David Tweedie (ex-Chairman of the IASB).
Student Managed Investment Fund
Lincoln International Business School offers the Student Managed Investment Fund (LSMIF), which is an investment fund created, operated, and maintained by students within the school, with everything running within the real-world environment of finance.
Students will be managing real money with the objective of positive returns whilst managing risk. Industry veteran and long-time lecturer Hao Quach will help support the students throughout, with many years of experience in all aspects of investment banking and 20 years of teaching in multiple countries, Hao will use his experience to ensure the stability of the fund and provide guidance.
"This information was correct at the time of publishing (October 2024)"
How You Study
The taught element of the programme consists of eight compulsory modules, split over two terms:
- Financial Reporting
- Corporate Finance 1
- Portfolio Analysis
- Quantitative Methods for Economics and Finance 1
- Bond Markets and Investment Analysis
- Corporate Finance 2
- International Macroeconomics and Finance
- Quantitative Methods for Economics and Finance 2
Following the taught element, students are expected to complete the final master's stage of the programme through a dissertation supported by a research methods module.
Learning and teaching methods can include lectures, seminars, computer-based lab classes, experiments, and independent study. These will vary according to the subject matter and module.
Part-time students will complete the programme within two years. The programme structure for part-time study will be at the discretion of the programme leader.
This programme is available for both a September and February start. Optional modules may be restricted for those choosing to enrol in February due to student numbers, timetabling, and staffing constraints. Please note that February admission is only available for full-time study.
Modules
- Bond Markets and Investment Analysis (Core)
- Corporate Finance 1 (Core)
- Corporate Finance 2 (Core)
- Dissertation and Research Design for Finance (Core)
- Financial Reporting (Core)
- International Macroeconomics and Finance (Core)
- Portfolio Analysis (Core)
- Quantitative Methods for Economics and Finance I (Core)
- Quantitative Methods for Economics and Finance II (Core)
- Lincoln Student Managed Investment Fund - Masters (Option)†
† Some courses may offer optional modules. The availability of optional modules may vary from year to year and will be subject to minimum student numbers being achieved. This means that the availability of specific optional modules cannot be guaranteed. Optional module selection may also be affected by staff availability.
How You Are Assessed
Assessment methods reflect the different theoretical and practical approaches and learning outcomes of each individual module. They include unseen written examinations and individual coursework.
Formative assessments, such as problem-solving in seminars or class tests, are integrated into the programme. Whether the assessment is formative or summative, students will be offered feedback with the aim of ensuring that it contributes to the learning process. Some coursework and module projects will be marked and returned during the teaching period, providing written feedback and allowing students to make any necessary improvements before the final assessment.
The University of Lincoln's policy on assessment feedback aims to ensure that academics will return in-course assessments to students promptly – usually within 15 working days of the submission date.
How You Study
The taught element of the Program consists of eight compulsory modules, split over two terms. Following the taught element, students are expected to complete the final master's stage of the Program through a dissertation supported by a research methods module.
Learning and teaching methods can include lectures, seminars, computer-based lab-classes, experiment, and independent study. These will vary according to the subject matter and module.
Fees and Funding
For eligible students, there are more ways than ever before to fund your postgraduate study, whether you want to do a taught or research course. For those wishing to undertake a Master's course, UK students can apply for a loan as a contribution towards the course and living costs. Loans are also available to those who wish to undertake doctoral study. The University offers a number of scholarships and funded studentships for those interested in postgraduate study.
Programme-Specific Additional Costs
For each course, you may find that there are additional costs. With regards to textbooks, the University provides students who enroll with a comprehensive reading list and you will find that our extensive library holds either material or virtual versions of the core texts that you are required to read. However, you may prefer to purchase some of these for yourself and you will be responsible for this cost.
Several scholarship options are available. Please check the university website for more information.
MSc Finance graduates may find opportunities across the financial sector in areas including banking, foreign exchange, sales, and financial risk assessment and management, while some students go on to pursue careers in research or academia.
Graduates from the Department of Accountancy, Finance, and Economics have gone on to secure the following roles: Finance Officer at The Woodland Trust; Graduate Career at Hang Seng Bank (a subsidiary of HSBC group), Hong Kong; Operations Analyst at Cantab Capital Partners LLP; Evaluation Analyst at Humankind Charity; Trainee Accountant at Dexter and Sharpe; Accountant at Central Bank of Oman; PhD student (awarded scholarship).
Our webinars, subject masterclasses, question and answer sessions, and student panel talks are a great way to discover what it is like to live and study at the University of Lincoln.
Each module typically consists of two weekly teaching hours over a teaching term of 12 weeks, plus assessment. Hours of study may vary from term to term for both full and part-time students and can be spread throughout the week.
Part-time students will complete the Program within two years, and the Program structure will be at the discretion of the Program leader. Part-time students will generally study two modules per term, equating to four hours of contact time per week.
Postgraduate level study involves a significant proportion of independent study, exploring the material covered in lectures and seminars. As a general guide, for every hour spent in class, students are expected to spend four to six hours in independent study. For more detailed information please contact the Program Leader.
