MSc Financial Economics

Elevate your financial expertise and shape the future of the industry by pursuing our MSc in Financial Economics.

• Triple Crown accreditation from AACSB, AMBA and EQUIS
• #3 most targeted university of top UK employers (High Fliers Research 2023)

In today's dynamic financial landscape, characterised by global and interconnected markets, our MSc in Financial Economics stands as the ideal stepping stone for ambitious students seeking to embark on rewarding and successful careers across various sectors of the finance industry.

Designed to provide students with a profound understanding of economic principles, financial markets, and essential quantitative tools and methods, our MSc Financial Economics programme will thoroughly prepare you to navigate and excel in the complex yet highly rewarding world of finance.

Through our strong links with industry, your academic study is combined with a real practical focus, leading to vast and varied job opportunities once you graduate.

Why study this course at Birmingham?

• Learn from expert academics to acquire comprehensive knowledge and essential skills in key financial and economic topics, setting you on a path to a successful career.
• Gain a significant competitive edge by developing advanced quantitative methods and analytical skills enabling you to take on a diverse range of challenges in empirical financial market and institution analysis.
• Conduct an innovative and practical research project during the summer term, fostering valuable and transferable skills that will significantly boost your career prospects.
• Located in the UK’s second city, the University of Birmingham is globally ranked and a proud member of the prestigious Russell Group. With a vibrant young population and a dynamic forward-looking financial sector, Birmingham and the West Midlands offer unparalleled opportunities for immersive learning and networking in both national and European financial markets.
• Birmingham Business School belongs to the elite tier of global business schools holding the prestigious Triple-Crown accreditation from leading bodies AMBA, EQUIS and AACSB. This distinction ensures the highest standards in education and research excellence.

Unless indicated otherwise the modules listed for this programme are for students starting in 2024.

The following modules must be taken which are worth 20 credits each unless specified otherwise:

Semester 1

• Microfoundations of Finance (20 credits)
• Economics of Financial Intermediation (20 credits)
• Financial Econometrics (20 credits)

Semester 2

• Advanced Asset Pricing (20 credits)

Summer

• Dissertation (60 credits)

Optional modules

Students will choose two of the following three optional modules to complete their second semester:

• Economics of Corporate Finance (20 credits)
• Behavioural Economics and Finance (20 credits)
• Advanced Quantitative Methods (20 credits)

Please note: The modules listed on the website for this programme are regularly reviewed to ensure they are up-to-date and informed by the latest research and teaching methods. On rare occasions, we may need to make unexpected changes to compulsory modules; in this event we will contact offer holders as soon as possible to inform or consult them as appropriate.

Students will be taught through a mixture of lectures, workshops, and seminars, and will be assessed through exams, group and individual projects and presentations, reports, essays, videos, digital artefacts, and case studies.

The world of finance is affected by the current challenges we are facing. This is why this course, in line with Birmingham Business School’s responsible business ethos, will examine issues relating to financial ethics and sustainability.

The programme is designed to enhance your employability by building your knowledge and skills in key areas of financial economics, such as developing expertise in economics, econometrics, and financial data analysis.

Our graduates can expect to take on a combination of specialist finance career roles in the UK and abroad, including, amongst others:

• Financial economist
• Financial risk analyst
• Treasury and export finance analyst
• Financial consultant
• Consulting analyst
• Pricing and distribution analyst
• Financial advisor support planner
• Strategy consultant

Our graduates go on to work for industry leaders such as:

• Deloitte
• PwC
• KPMG
• JCB
• Amazon
• UK Trade Remedies Authority
• Greene King
• BT
• And much more!

This postgraduate course is also a great first step towards doctoral research for those students who wish to pursue a career in academia.