Finance & Economics – (M.Sc.)

Contents

The study programme runs for 12 months full-time. You will be taught by academics from both the WBS Finance group and the University of Warwick's Department of Economics. By the end of your studies, you will have received all the training necessary to undertake research in finance on your own.

The course is delivered through a combination of lectures, classes, and computer lab sessions. This ensures you have the right theoretical and technical skills. Lectures introduce key theories, concepts, and economic models. In classes you will solve financial problems and numerical exercises, analyse case studies, and make presentations of research published in academic journals.

Lab work will give you the practical experience of using software to perform calculations and conduct realistic simulations. Econometric methods are also taught in the lab. You will learn to apply econometric software to empirical research and financial market estimations.

The course is assessed 80 percent by exams, and 20 percent by coursework and tests. You will complete:

Six core modules

Particular aspects of finance and economics are crucial to your expertise. You will study six core modules covering key material in finance, economics, and econometrics.

• Asset Pricing
• Corporate Finance
• Macroeconomics
• Microeconomics
• Econometrics
• Empirical Finance.

Two elective modules

Elective modules allow you to explore areas of particular interest in greater detail. Or you might choose elective modules which focus on areas not covered by the core modules.

You will be able to select three modules from a wide range in the field of finance and economics. At least one must be from the WBS electives in finance. The choice varies from year to year.

WBS electives

• Behavioural Finance
• Derivative Securities
• Financial Reporting & Statement Analysis
• Financial Risk Management
• Fixed Income & Credit Risk
• Advanced Corporate Finance
• International Financial Management
• Financial Engineering & Structured Products new for 2011, more details soon
• Mergers & Acquisitions and Corporate Governance new for 2011, more details soon
• Judgement and Decision Making new for 2011, more details soon
• International Financial Markets
• Investment Management

Electives from the Department of Economics

• Game Theory
• Industrial Economics
• International Monetary Economics
• International Trade Theory
• Monetary Economics
• Topics in Development & Transition
• Topics in Global Finance.

A dissertation.

Your project is preceded by a series of seminars introducing a variety of research methods used in empirical research in finance. You will examine and discuss varied research papers chosen to illustrate particular techniques and issues to help you with your own research.

Your project work will enable you to complete an original research study in the context of recently published literature. You may also be offered the opportunity to undertake a project for an external organisation. The dissertation word limit of 6–8,000 words provides the discipline of writing for a journal whilst being sufficient to describe even the more complex studies.

Funding details

We strongly advise you to arrange funding for your time at WBS as early as possible.

Scholarships

In 2011-2012, we offered more than 80 WBS scholarships for UK/EU students,
worth over £400,000. We automatically consider all eligible applicants to WBS courses, while funds are available.

We strongly recommend that you apply for a place on your chosen course as early as possible if you'd like to be considered.

WBS Scholarships

WBS Scholarships are intended for participants who are likely to be in the top 20 percent of their class. You must bring both outstanding experience and diversity of background to the class, and be a successful ambassador for WBS following graduation.

Warwick Scholarships

The University of Warwick Graduate School also offers some scholarships which may be available to applicants. You will generally need to apply for these separately.
Scholarships are usually awarded towards payment of your academic fee. Some funding sources have deadlines, some closing as early as February in the year of entry.

Banks & loans

Your bank might be able to offer you preferential borrowing rates on a loan, or an interest-free overdraft. You might want to make an early appointment with a bank representative to discuss your requirements.

Some United Kingdom banks may offer you a Career Development Loans (CDL), backed by the Government. The scheme is available to those intending to work in the United Kingdom or European Union countries. It can help fund up to two years of study.

Overseas students

There is some funding available for overseas students who are studying in the UK. However, available funding is usually awarded on a competitive basis and there are often many applicants for few awards.

The University of Warwick International Office's web site holds lots of information on funding for overseas students.

It may be possible to apply in your own country for British government awards. Talk to your local British Council office. In particular, overseas students are able to apply for a British Chevening Scholarship.

Check the conditions of eligibility in the booklets produced by the different grant-awarding bodies to see if you are eligible. Sometimes you may be able to put together small grants from different agencies, one paying fees alone while another contributes to your living expenses or travel.