Financial Economics MSc

This course provides you with the core skills and techniques needed to understand the economics of financial markets. The course is taught by economists with substantial experience working with central banks, regulators and other financial institutions.

MSc Financial Economics is designed for those intending to prepare for a career in the financial sector, including those with an interest in central banks or regulatory authorities which oversee financial markets and institutions. It provides relevant preparation for work as an economist, supervisor or regulator in commercial and investment banks, credit rating agencies, pension companies and insurers, as well as in the public sector.

The course includes an introduction to the fundamentals of financial economics, which means that this degree is suitable for those who have not specialised in this area of economics before. You will also be given modules in consumer and firm behaviour, and the macroeconomic context for policymaking. You will also take a “hands-on” data analysis module with applications relevant to financial economics.

In semester two, specialised modules are available in corporate and household finance as well as monetary economics and policy. Options are also available in financial and macroeconometrics and in the general equilibrium (DSGE) modelling techniques used widely by central banks and regulators. These modules offer advanced understanding of institutions, policymaking bodies and techniques used to evaluate policies.

This course has close links with the Centre for Finance, Credit and Macroeconomics (CFCM), which focuses on issues arising from the operation of financial markets, household debt and corporate finance. Teaching is conducted by centre Fellows and draw on research published in the working paper series and internationally recognised peer-reviewed journals. It is further supported by a weekly seminar series, one-day conferences and regular public lectures.

Key facts

6th in the UK for research power in the latest Research Excellence Framework
Top 100 worldwide for economics in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2020

Careers

This course provides excellent preparation for work as an economist, supervisor or regulator in the Bank of England, the Prudential Regulation Authority, the Financial Conduct Authority, or in the private sector in commercial and investment banks, credit rating agencies, pension companies and insurers. Equivalent organisations and firms exist in most countries, and the course has been designed to refer to a broader set of institutions around the world.

A masters in economics provides a logical and rigorous perspective on human behaviour which is valued by a wide-range of employers around the world, in banking, business, consulting, government and academia.