Postgraduate Studentships - Search for funding opportunities.
Postgraduate Studentships - Search for funding opportunities.
This MSc programme focuses on the financial decision making and financial analysis appropriate for the understanding of financial markets and institutions, and is particularly attractive to those students whose career choices are likely to lie in the financial sector.
The course also provides a sound foundation for those interested in continuing with research towards a PhD, and former students are now working as academics at institutions including the Australian School of Business, Glasgow University and Oslo Business School.
Through the core units, the aim of the course is to provide a rigorous treatment of the theory of corporate finance as well as to provide you with the econometric and mathematical techniques necessary to understand the literature and undertake empirical investigations in the area of finance.
Through a selection of optional units, the course is designed to offer you the opportunity to obtain more specialised knowledge of options such as Financial Engineering, International Finance, and Money and Banking.
Financial Engineering considers stock options and futures contracts on indices and how such assets might be used to hedge and evaluate risk.
International Finance is informative both from the perspective of the derivatives used to hedge exchange rate risk and of the macroeconomic understanding of what drives exchange rate behaviour in an open economy.
Our range of general and specialist courses reflects our particular strengths in financial
markets and institutions, financial accounting, macroeconomics, econometrics and microeconomics.
Academic staff are involved in international research, reflected in a strong publications record and a vibrant PhD programme. In the 2008 RAE, 95% of academics were rated as conducting research of international standing.
Students in Economics and Finance benefit from the combination of specialist lecturer expertise, access to wider disciplinary expertise, and a multi‑disciplinary approach to course development that is a particular strength of the School of Social Sciences.
A 2.1 degree in Economics; Finance; Mathematics; Statistics; Physics; Engineering; or an equivalent qualification from overseas. All applicants would be required to have a minimum background in mathematics or statistics and economics or finance. However a strong background in mathematics or statistics could be a substitute for the required background in economics and finance.
Brunel also offers our own BrunELT English Test and accept a range of other language courses. We also have a range of Pre-sessional English language courses, for students who do not meet these requirements, or who wish to improve their English.
Fees for 2012/13 entry
Home/EU: £9,430 full-time, £4,715 part-time
International students: £13,860 full-time
For funding opportunities please visit: http://www.brunel.ac.uk/courses/pg/funding
The Department of Economics and Finance is proud to be celebrating 20 years of taught postgraduate education in Finance this year. The MSc in Business Finance started in October 1991: former students from this course are now themselves teaching in the Australian Business School, EdHec Business School, Nice, Glasgow University and Oslo Business School. Other MSc students hold senior positions in financial institutions and some students from the Business Finance degrees are at the Bank of Cyprus, HSBC in Istanbul, Standard Life in the UK and TD Bank Financial Group in Canada.
The Business Finance MSc analyses the theory and practice of business finance, focusing on financial decision making, financial analysis, and financial markets and institutions.
Through the core units, the aim of the course is to provide a rigorous treatment of the theory of corporate finance as well as to provide you with the econometric and mathematical techniques necessary to understand the literature and undertake empirical investigations in the area of finance.
Through the optional units the course is also designed to offer a broader perspective on the subject matter and allows you to specialise in an area of finance that is of particular interest to you.
Modelling Financial Decisions and Markets
This unit provides a firm foundation in the theory and practice of econometric modelling of financial decisions and markets. The first half of the course is mainly theoretical, with examples of academic and professional applications used to illustrate and elucidate; the second half reverses the emphasis. The emphasis throughout is on the rationale of the econometric methods analysed and their use in practical applications.
Advanced Financial Theory and Corporate Policy
This unit provides a rigorous grounding in the theory and practice of corporate finance. This is achieved by giving particular attention to testable propositions and to the literature that has developed empirical tests of fundamental elements of modern finance theory. In particular, this module provides a thorough understanding of the three major decisions of corporate finance: the capital investment decision, the capital structure/financing decision and the dividend decision, within the framework of an uncertain operating environment. Both normative and positive aspects of the theory are examined, together with the supporting descriptive and empirical evidence. The emphasis is upon applications of the principles.
Dissertation
Recent examples of dissertations by students taking this course include:
Financial Engineering
This unit covers the theory and practice of financial engineering, with an emphasis on the pricing and hedging of derivative securities. The contents will encompass the definitions of the major classes of derivative instruments (futures, options, swapts), their use in complex deal structuring, their uses in risk management, and the mathematical theory of their valuation. The course will include coverage of interest rate modelling and exotic options.
Money and Banking
This unit explores the links between money, financial intermediaries and the economy. In particular, the unit seeks to address the following questions: Can monetary policy be used to affect real economic variables? What are the possible sources of non-neutrality of money? How do monetary authorities conduct monetary policy? Why do capital markets sometimes fail to allocate credit efficiently? Can banking institutions improve the efficient allocation of credit? The unit investigates whether, in the light of recent banking failures, there is scope for tighter regulation and/or supervision. The latest developments in international banking are also discussed.
Financial Accounting
This unit provides a critical review of the principles that underpin accounting standards in the UK, at the Financial Accounting Standards Board in the US, and at the International Accounting Standards committee. It also examines the limitations of financial reporting in capturing all the aspects of company performance; the role of accounting information in the valuation of enterprises; and the role which a common set of accounting standards can play in international business.
Development Finance
This unit provides an in-depth examination of the finance-growth relationship. Theoretical models and empirical evidence relating to the role of financial factors on the growth process will be discussed. The concepts of financial repression / liberalisation and the role of financial sector policies in promoting the development of the financial sector itself as well as savings, investment and growth will be examined with particular emphasis on developing countries.
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