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MSc International Money, Finance and Investment

  • DeadlineStudy Details:

    MSc 1-year full-time

Course Description

About the Course

This course is a specialised degree course providing a rigorous treatment of the theory of international, money, finance and investment, and training in the techniques and practice relevant to the international financial setting.

The course develops a thorough understanding of international financial markets and the role of the firm in an international context, identifying and applying the appropriate analytical techniques in financial decision making in an international monetary environment. It pays particular attention to the credit and the causes of bank failure. It also allows you to develop an understanding of the effects of market activity on the implementation of international financial strategies.

Aims

The course will allow students whose career choices are likely to lie with financial institutions or in financial management with an international flavour to develop the relevant analytical tools and techniques necessary for such a career. The course should also be of interest to applicants who are already practitioners in the international financial field.

Entry Requirements

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.

 

 

English Language Requirements

  • IELTS: 6.5 (min 6 in all areas)
  • TOEFL Paper test: 580 (TWE 4.5)
  • TOEFL Internet test: 92 (R20, L20, S20, W20)
  • Pearson: 59 (51 in all subscores)
  • BrunELT 65% (min 60% in all areas)

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.

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Fees

Fees for 2012/13 entry
Home/EU: £9,430 full-time

International students: £13,860 full-time

For funding opportunities please visit: http://www.brunel.ac.uk/courses/pg/funding

Student Destinations

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 MS c 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.

Module Details

Course Content

The Finance and Investment MSc is designed to be a specialised degree course focusing on security/portfolio investment decision making and as such it is structured around the syllabus of the Institute of Investment Management Research. The emphasis of the course is on issues related to investment in capital markets, such as investment strategies, the evaluation of investment performance and the use of financial statement information in evaluating company performance.

Typical Modules

Core

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.

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 which 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:

  • Capital flows and the stability of the financial system
  • Factors that affect interest rate swap spreads; evidence from the UK market
  • Testing the long run validity of purchasing power parity using black market exchange rates

Elective (two from)

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.

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.

International Finance
This unit analyses the international financial system. In particular, it considers the operation of foreign exchange markets, including forward, futures and option markets; the main theories of exchange rate determination and speculative attacks; and issues on foreign exchange risk management and international capital budgeting.

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