MSc in Banking and Finance
St Andrews, United Kingdom
MSc
DURATION
1 year
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
07 Aug 2026
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2026
TUITION FEES
GBP 29,950 / per year *
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* overseas / home: £14,140
Key Summary
About: The MSc in Banking and Finance at The University of St Andrews builds specialist skills for banking and financial services, combining theory and practice. The one-year taught programme is accredited by the Chartered Banker Institute and can lead to Chartered Banker Status. You’ll use the Bloomberg Trading Suite, join an Amplify Trading workshop, and can earn Bloomberg Market Concepts and ESG certificates free.
Career Outcomes: Alumni work in consulting, accountancy, investment and commercial banking at firms including Accenture, BlackRock and Credit Suisse. Many pursue PhD study. The programme supports career opportunities in trading, risk management, compliance and corporate finance.
Gain the skills and knowledge needed for specialist roles in banking and the wider financial services sector, as well as exposure to contemporary global issues and research in banking and finance.
The MSc Banking and Finance programme is currently accredited by the Chartered Banker Institute and can lead to Chartered Banker Status.
Trading Workshop
In collaboration with Amplify Trading, a leading global financial trading and training firm, you will have the exclusive opportunity to participate in a day-long Trading Workshop in a live trading floor environment. You will be guided by two seasoned traders utilising specialised software.
Bloomberg Trading Suite
You will also benefit from accessing the Bloomberg Trading Suite, an invaluable resource that facilitates dynamic learning via real-time streaming of data. This is used on several modules within the programme.
You have the opportunity to obtain two certifications − Bloomberg Market Concept (BMC) and Environmental Social and Governance (ESG) – without incurring any costs.
Course details
The Masters in Banking and Finance is a one-year taught programme run by the Business School.
Highlights
- The course provides an in-depth study of the theory and practice of modern banking and finance
- The Centre for Responsible Banking and Finance (CRBF) exposes students to the research and work of eminent academics and business executives
- This programme opens a wide range of new and exciting career opportunities as many financial firms and government agencies require an in-depth knowledge of the functioning of financial markets and institutions
- The MSc Banking and Finance is currently accredited by the Chartered Banker Institute. Students who complete this programme will currently achieve Chartered Banker Status. To obtain this status, students are required to choose MN5608 'Risk Management' and MN5604 'Financial Systems' as their optional modules.
The modules published below are examples of what has been taught in previous academic years and may be subject to change before you start your program.
The modules in this program have varying methods of delivery and assessment. Typically, each module consists of three to five contact hours per week including lectures, seminars, and tutorials. Assessment is either entirely by coursework or through a combination of class tests, coursework, and an end-of-semester examination.
Compulsory
- Advanced Corporate Finance: focuses on empirical and theoretical issues that arise in modern corporate finance
- Applied Financial Econometrics: further develops the econometrical skills of students to implement statistical analysis in the area of banking and finance
- Banking and Finance: provides students with in-depth knowledge and rigorous background in the mainstream areas of modern banking and finance
- Financial Technology (FinTech): equips students with an understanding of the technology underlying FinTech by introducing advancements in blockchain, machine learning, and artificial intelligence. Provides an overview of key trends and considers the impact of FinTech on financial services such as payments, investing, lending, borrowing, and spending
Exciting new developments to this program are under consideration. This page will be updated as soon as the approvals are in place.
Optional
Students choose two optional modules, taking one each semester.
Here is a sample of optional modules that may be offered.
- Behavioural Finance: introduces students to key concepts in behavioral finance and distinguishes between conventional financial theory and behavioral approaches. Focuses on deviations from rational models, illuminating resulting biases that impact upon financial markets, their institutions, and other participants
- Financial Systems: outlines the fundamentals of financial systems, focusing on the influence of technology and innovation along with the challenges that these pose to regulators. This module is required for achieving Chartered Banker Status
- International Financial Management: studies in the international monetary frameworks and the conduct of monetary policies in major developed economies
- Risk Management: provides an insight into managing risk exposure and how to apply relevant theories to realistic financial decision problems. This module is required for achieving Chartered Banker Status.
Dissertation
Students attend lectures throughout Semesters 1 and 2 to prepare them for conducting the research portion of the dissertation. The dissertation is normally on a specific area of banking and finance; however, you will have the freedom to develop a topic of your own, which is of interest to you and will contribute towards career development or further study goals.
You will be assigned a supervisor based on your research proposal submitted in the second semester. Students will then research and write a 15,000-word dissertation over the summer to be submitted on a date specified in August.
If students choose not to complete the dissertation requirement for their Master's degree (MSc), there are exit awards available that allow suitably qualified candidates to receive a Postgraduate Diploma. By choosing an exit award, you will finish your degree at the end of the second semester of study and receive a PGDip instead of an MSc.
Teaching
Teaching format
The taught elements of the programme are delivered through a mixture of core and optional modules, using a range of delivery methods including lectures, small group tutorials, workshops and seminars.
The average lecture size is 30 students, but in some cases, there will be seminars of 15 to 18 students or larger lectures with up to 100 students, which would normally be augmented by small group tutorials or seminars.
From June to August, students undertake a research project culminating in a written dissertation of 15,000 words.
You will attend a weekly series of lectures and workshops focusing on research methods and other topics to provide support and help prepare you for the dissertation.
Assessment
Assessment comprises a combination of coursework and examinations.
The University of St Andrews is committed to attracting the very best students, regardless of financial circumstances.
The University of St Andrews offers postgraduate scholarships and other financial awards. These may be held in addition to external funding or awards from a government body. These may also cover (fully or partially) tuition fees, maintenance (living costs including accommodation), or both.
Scholarships are available based on academic merit and financial need. There are scholarships available for both home and overseas fee status. The scholarship team recommends reading the terms of each award carefully and applying to a range of funding sources.
Postgraduate scholarships
Postgraduate study is an investment in your intellectual development and career potential. The University of St Andrews provides scholarships to help as many students as possible continue in higher education.
Scholarship availability may depend on your area of study or fee status (for example, whether you are a 'Home' or 'Overseas' student).
Alumni from the Banking and Finance programme and more generally from other Masters programmes in the School of Management have secured employment in the fields of management consultancy, accountancy, investment analysis, investment banking, commercial banking, fund administration and other aspects of the financial services industry.
Graduates from the Masters in Banking and Finance have taken up roles in a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors including:
- Accenture
- Blackrock Global Investment Management
- Credit Suisse Group
- Deutsche Bank
- HSBC
- IBM
- Nomura Bank
- Royal Bank of Scotland
- Procter and Gamble.
Further study
Many Management graduates continue their education by enrolling in PhD programmes at St Andrews or elsewhere.