Financial Management

MSc

  • Entry Year 2024
  • Duration Full time 1 Year
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Overview

Introduction

Our one-year MSc Financial Management programme will equip you with the core skills to pursue a highly successful career at top employers in the financial management industry as well as in a variety of finance-oriented roles in other sectors.

Our programme will enable you to study a wide range of innovative topics that will give you a competitive edge in the job market, including the knowledge of corporate finance, financial markets, financial reporting, AI and cyber security, sustainability, and climate finance.

During the programme, you will receive job market training and have the opportunity to use your newly acquired skills in a market simulation and final dissertation.

Course outline

In the first term, from October to December, you will take four core modules (Quantitative Methods for Financial Management, Financial Markets and Institutions, Financial Reporting, Foundations of Corporate Finance).

During the second term, from January to March, you will take four modules (AI and Cyber Security for Business, Sustainability Accounting and Climate Finance, Corporate Financial Strategy, Management Accounting and Control) with the option of replacing up to two of them with electives.

Between May and July, you will engage in a market simulation and work on your Master's dissertation with guidance from your academic supervisor. You will continue to work on your dissertation throughout the remainder of the summer, submitting your dissertation in September, at the end of the Master's programme.

Throughout this programme, you will be enrolled in a careers development module and have access to the Management School’s dedicated career support. Advisers will help shape a one-to-one plan to play to your strengths and help your advancement.

Careers

For many students, the desire to boost their career prospects and move more quickly into senior roles is a key reason for acquiring a Master's degree. That's why we integrate careers support into our MSc programmes and offer a range of facilities to help you in your career development and job search process.

LUMS Careers Team

You will benefit from our specialist careers support throughout your studies and beyond graduation. We host more than 100 careers events every year, providing you with the opportunity to network with top graduate employers within the UK and overseas, and supporting you to achieve your future career aspirations.

Financial Careers Coach

To give you extra industry-specific job-hunting skills, we have partnered up with a financial markets specialist who has worked for several leading investment banks and financial technology institutions. As a financial careers coach still working in the financial market, his role is to make you aware of opportunities within the sector, giving you a clear picture of the particular skills required and, crucially, an insider view of what employers will be looking for. To help you differentiate yourself in a fiercely competitive market, he provides guidance on writing CVs and cover letters for the financial market, interview skills, and performing well at assessment centres.

Employer Events

You will be able to take part in the many workshops and other employer events provided throughout the year by the Careers Team at LUMS. Many of the workshops are run by major companies, allowing you to find out what companies look for when recruiting at this level and to improve skills that employers regard as essential in good candidates.

Where do our graduates go?

Our MSc graduates go on to work for many different kinds of organisations in roles such as treasury managers, financial analysts, investment managers, regulators and policymakers, consultants, etc. Some have used their finance expertise to set up their own companies, and other have gone on to accounting or finance-related academic careers. Companies that have recruited our Master's graduates in recent years include: Bangkok Bank, Bank of China, BNP Paribas, Citi, Deloitte, Deutsche Bank, EY, Grant Thornton, HSBC, JPMorgan Chase, KPMG, PwC, Standard Chartered and UBS.

Tab Content: Term 1 (60 credits)

During your first term, you will study the following four modules:

Quantitative Methods for Financial Management (15 credits)

The key skills to carry out empirical financial data analysis.

Foundations of Corporate Finance (15 credits)

The basic building blocks of finance that are of primary concern to corporate managers to make financial decisions.

Financial Reporting (15 credits)

This module covers basic financial accounting concepts, the context within which financial reporting occurs, the main components of financial statements, and techniques for analysing financial statements and valuing businesses.

Financial Markets and Institutions (15 credit)

An introduction to basic concepts related to financial markets, including key categories of market participants as well as the main types of securities traded in these markets.

Tab Content: Term 2 (60 credits)

In your second term, you take the four 15-credit modules listed below:

AI and Cyber Security for Business

Key developments in artificial intelligence, its use in corporations and an overview of cyber security in a digitalized business environment.

Sustainability Accounting and Climate Finance

Key concepts in sustainability accounting, environmental, social and governance considerations for corporations and an overview of the latest challenges in climate finance.

Corporate Financial Strategy

This module covers key aspects of a firm’s financial strategy, such as ways of raising capital, valuing financial and tangible assets, trade-offs associated with capital structure choices, managerial incentives, risk management and corporate restructuring.

Management Accounting and Control

You will learn the main approaches to measuring, analysing and reporting information to support management decisions, including insights into planning, decision-making, performance evaluation and control.

Tab Content: Term 3 (60 credits)

During your third term, you will take the following modules:

Dissertation

Professional and Careers Development

Skills that will help you navigate the job market via dedicated career and professional training.

Business Simulation

This module aims to equip you with the necessary skills to understand and apply the relevant financial practices in a real-world setting to make efficient business decisions

Entry Requirements

Academic requirements

2:2 (UK Hons) degree or equivalent in Finance, Accounting, Economics or other business-related subject. We are looking for marks consistently at 2:2 level throughout your undergraduate studies.

We may also consider non-standard applicants, please contact us for information.

If you have studied outside of the UK, we would advise you to check our list of international qualifications before submitting your application.

English language requirements

We may ask you to provide a recognised English language qualification, dependent upon your nationality and where you have studied previously.

We normally require an IELTS (Academic) Test with an overall score of at least 6.5, and a minimum of 6.0 in each element of the test. We also consider other English language qualifications.

If your score is below our requirements, you may be eligible for one of our pre-sessional English language programmes.

Contact: Admissions Team +44 (0) 1524 592032 or email pgadmissions@lancaster.ac.uk

Course Structure

Detailed module information for this postgraduate programme will follow shortly. However, if you have any questions please contact the department.

Fees and Funding

Location Full Time (per year) Part Time (per year)
Home £15,650 n/a
International £31,500 n/a

Scholarships and Bursaries

You may be eligible for the following funding opportunities, depending on your fee status and course. You will be automatically considered for our main scholarships and bursaries when you apply, so there's nothing extra that you need to do.

Unfortunately no scholarships and bursaries match your selection, but there are more listed on scholarships and bursaries page.

If you're considering postgraduate research you should look at our funded PhD opportunities.

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We also have other, more specialised scholarships and bursaries - such as those for students from specific countries.

Browse Lancaster University's scholarships and bursaries.

QS Top 100 logo

=65th in the world for Accounting and Finance

Lancaster is ranked 11th in the UK and joint 65th in the world for Accounting and Finance according to the QS World Rankings by Subject 2023, one of nine subjects at Lancaster to be featured in the top 100 in these prestigious listings.

QS Rankings 2023

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Postgraduate open day: Saturday 10 February 2024

Join our on-campus open day this February to talk to students and lecturers and find out how and when to apply.

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Important Information

The information on this site relates primarily to 2024/2025 entry to the University and every effort has been taken to ensure the information is correct at the time of publication.

The University will use all reasonable effort to deliver the courses as described, but the University reserves the right to make changes to advertised courses. In exceptional circumstances that are beyond the University’s reasonable control (Force Majeure Events), we may need to amend the programmes and provision advertised. In this event, the University will take reasonable steps to minimise the disruption to your studies. If a course is withdrawn or if there are any fundamental changes to your course, we will give you reasonable notice and you will be entitled to request that you are considered for an alternative course or withdraw your application. You are advised to revisit our website for up-to-date course information before you submit your application.

More information on limits to the University’s liability can be found in our legal information.

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