Finance
Do you wish to supercharge your quantitative skills and open the door to lucrative job opportunities in the finance sector?
Do you wish to supercharge your quantitative skills and open the door to lucrative job opportunities in the finance sector?
Finance is a broad but booming sector, working within it means you may be involved in investing money, managing it, protecting it or accounting for it. Good finance workers need a head for numbers, detail-driven organisational skills but also the ability to communicate well and be resilient to pressure.
Our CFA, PRMIA and GARP-accredited MSc Finance course sculpts graduates who understand the financial needs and risks of enterprise and have a good handle on the systems and longstanding practices to succeed in this field. Taught by academic experts and co-designed with industry experts, our MSc develops highly employable graduates. Further, our Bloomberg Finance Lab allows students to apply their learnings to real business data. Also available with an optional Industrial Placement.
You’ll learn the capstones of finance such as foundations of finance, investments and portfolio management, financial risk management, financial econometrics and derivatives alongside modules on research methods and skills and in particular quantitative methods. You will finish your master's with a detailed report with the support of a dedicated expert supervisor.
This course is accredited by the CFA Institute who aims to lead the investment profession globally by promoting the highest standards of ethics, education, and professional excellence for the ultimate benefit of society.
It is also accredited by the Professional Risk Managers’ International Association (PRMIA), the leading professional body in the risk management profession. As a result of this accreditation, graduates of the programme are eligible for a number of exemptions for the Professional Risk Manager Designation (PRM) exams.
A third accreditation is offered by GARP (Global Association of Risk Professionals), the world's leading professional organisation for risk managers. It is dedicated to the advancement of the risk profession through education, research and the promotion of best practices globally.
My postgraduate degree certainly helped me get into the industry, as I was able to talk with confidence about the financial world.
~ Darren Smith, KBS Finance student
A minimum of a second-class UK degree, or an equivalent internationally recognised qualification in finance, accounting, business-related disciplines, the sciences, engineering, or mathematics.
All applicants are considered on an individual basis and additional qualifications, professional qualifications and relevant experience may also be taken into account when considering applications.
Please see our International Student website for entry requirements by country and other relevant information. Due to visa restrictions, students who require a student visa to study cannot study part-time unless undertaking a distance or blended-learning programme with no on-campus provision.
This course requires a Good level of English language, equivalent to B2 on CEFR.
Details on how to meet this requirement can be found on our English Language requirements webpage.
Examples:
IELTS 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in each component
PTE Academic 63 with a minimum of 59 in each sub-test
A degree from a UK university
A degree from a Majority English Speaking Country
Please note that if you are required to meet an English language condition, we offer a number of pre-sessional courses in English for Academic Purposes through Kent International Pathways.
The following modules are indicative of those offered on this programme. This list is based on the current curriculum and may change year to year in response to new curriculum developments and innovation.
In Stage 1 you will take all eight compulsory modules and choose two of the available optional modules to give your course a specific focus based on your ambitions and goals.
If you want a successful career in finance, an understanding of financial risk management is a crucial skill you need to make it happen. You'll gain a full understanding of risk categories through the context of both financial and non-financial institutions, portfolio risk modelling, market risk assessment through VAR techniques and exploring the intricacies of credit risk, you'll be ready to apply theory to practice. This understanding and experience of practical application is key for employers, empowering you to make well informed decisions on risk management. The confidence to do this and the skills to get these decisions right means you can make rapid progress in your career.
Financial markets are undergoing rapid evolution. In this dynamic era, it's crucial for financial participants to leverage modern technology to uncover the intrinsic value of financial assets and analyse economic activities. You'll explore the practical application of financial theories, prioritising their use over the derivation of proofs or the memorisation of formulas. You’ll be brought up to date with all the recently developed approaches in the field - accessible without prior knowledge of econometrics. Through applying statistical and econometric techniques within a financial context, you’ll develop and implement effective tools for financial analysis and planning models. By the end of the module, you’ll have the ability to utilise various financial models and theories to address real world challenges in your career.
The global derivative markets have emerged as crucial platforms for trading for both financial and non-financial institutions. You'll explore the complex realm of derivative markets, thoroughly examining the fundamental principles and inherent characteristics of different financial instruments. Through the analysis of Futures, Forwards, Options, Swaps, Credit Default Products and Structured Products, you'll acquire a thorough understanding of the functions, importance and operating mechanisms of these financial instruments.
You’ll examine valuation methodologies and the fundamental models necessary for determining the prices and managing the risks of these financial instruments. You’ll analyse information from a constantly changing body of academic research and professional literature in the field of derivatives and their dynamic use in financial markets. This will give you a deep awareness of derivative markets, enhanced by a skilled comprehension of its operational complexities, valuation techniques, and risk management strategies. You’ll gain a competitive advantage by utilising knowledge from academic and professional literature to efficiently use derivatives in financial markets – leading to improved risk management techniques and a stronger financial ecosystem.
Finance plays an important role in everyone's decisions. It allows individuals and companies to take informed decisions on how to use money and plan for the future. You'll learn the role of various participants in the financial markets and study the theoretical framework guiding companies' long-term financial decisions - from investing in real assets to raising capital - and explore financial investors' decisions using a risk-return trade-off approach.
You’ll also learn how to use various financial databases to extract real financial data and apply all the techniques and models to assist companies and investors when investing in new long-term projects to ensure their success.
Quantitative skills are as important as ever in finance. As the financial landscape becomes more complex, how can we make intuitive sense of financial data and their statistical analysis? By focusing on practical applications using real market data, you'll develop the quantitative skills required in today's information-driven finance sector. Learn how to go beyond calculations and focus on making real sense of financial data and their quantitative analysis to give you the skill set needed for a successful career in finance.
Advanced investment management is all about ensuring investment decisions are effective and sustainable. You'll gain the skills, knowledge and confidence to create, manage and evaluate portfolios to drive profits. Through examining asset valuation models, exploring asset classes available for investment and mastering the process of investing as a whole, you'll be ready to impress employers and embark on a career in investment.
Explore ethical business practices and responsible corporate governance through academic and real world case studies. You'll cover critical topics such as shareholder vs. stakeholder perspectives, board dynamics, and the evolving landscape of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG).
You'll gain a nuanced understanding and analytical skills to dissect corporate governance mechanisms and assess sustainable decision-making processes. We prepare you to excel in diverse business settings with the business acumen needed to navigate corporate responsibility intricacies and spearhead positive change within organisations and beyond.
'Do your research' is a phrase we are all familiar with. But how can we trust the sources we draw on? In an information-rich environment, how can you ensure that the research you do stands out from other sources of knowledge and is seen as trustworthy and valuable?
You'll build understanding of who you are as a researcher and the type of research that is valued in both academic and professional settings. You'll gain the knowledge you need to build a research project from an idea into a mature investigation that can make a novel contribution to broader research debates. Study how to craft research questions, build a sample of respondents, work with databases, design data collection tools, perform quantitative and qualitative analyses of data and communicate your results to the wider world.
Learn how to use an array of research tools to create world-leading research and become known as an innovative and dynamic researcher driving growth and positive change.
Corporate finance is about growing companies and driving profits. Through mastering the core areas of corporate finance, you'll be able to understand what corporations value when making decisions with a direct impact on wealth creation. You’ll develop skills in maximising company wealth alongside building your knowledge base, so by the time you graduate, you’ll have exactly the skills you need for an exciting, successful and profitable career in corporate finance.
In the global financial market, fixed income markets are dominant at more than three times bigger than the total size of global equity markets. So, if you want a successful career in global business, you need an advanced understanding of fixed income markets, and at Kent Business School, we can get you there. You'll answer the key questions. What are the main assets being traded in fixed income markets? What are the main risks and opportunities? How do I take advantage of these? Through answering these questions, you'll gain an understanding of the risk profile of different fixed income assets, while learning how to apply modern techniques to build effective fixed income portfolios and create efficient solutions for a wide range of employers across hedging, speculation and arbitrage strategies.
Is Excel really powerful enough to integrate into business processes as a tool for financial analysis? You'll find out in this module, through a foundation in financial modelling, exploring key financial concepts with hands-on Excel applications, including data analysis, risk management and portfolio analysis. The practical emphasis ensures that theoretical knowledge is directly applicable to real world scenarios. You'll gain practical skills in putting Excel to use as a strategic tool for financial analysis and management, enhancing your professional toolkit for the demands of the finance industry.
In the current financial environment of uncertainty and volatility, effective credit risk management is crucial. You'll study a range of approaches from credit ratings to structural and reduced approaches to access credit risk.
You'll also explore techniques and tools used by companies and financial institutions to manage this risk. Using real case data, you’ll learn how to use credit risk models in assessing companies' credit risk and evaluate their risk management techniques, which is vital for a successful career in finance.
Algorithmic trading has been revolutionised through exciting developments in big data, cloud storage and AI, making it accessible and feasible for individual investors and small institutions. As a result, algorithmic trading is more relevant than ever before. You'll learn all the theory of algorithmic trading and how to transform this theory into practical skills through hands-on work on Python, programming financial models and trading strategies. This bridges the gap between classical and contemporary theories and gives you the experience you need to build the skills, knowledge and confidence to launch an exciting career in trading.
Python is one of the most commonly used programming languages on a global scale, with one of the best support systems in the field. There is a close relation between artificial intelligence (AI) and finance, and so it's natural for Python to have become the go-to language for AI-supported data analysis. You'll learn how to use Python in a finance setting, and construct scripts that will be able to handle data and perform analyses automatically and at a large scale. You’ll learn to create scripts that will contribute towards your client's decision-making processes and profit. These practical skills will enhance your professional toolkit for the demands of the finance industry.
In Stage 2 you will complete your Finance Project. This is a fantastic example of your skills, knowledge and insight to show employers after you graduate.
You will have developed expert skills and knowledge needed as a finance professional, now is the time to make it count and demonstrate what you can do. In your finance project you'll learn how to practically apply concepts and techniques you have learned throughout your degree. Organising your findings in a professional report, you'll examine a contemporary finance topic in-depth within a specialised area. Show employers your knowledge and understanding of finance and launch a successful and exciting career in finance with confidence.
We use a variety of teaching methods, including:
Classroom-based learning is supported by the latest online technologies and learning platforms.
Your progress on this course is assessed through a variety of means, including:
This course embeds employability into our teaching, learning, and assessment practices. We work with employers and industry partners in order provide all of our students with exceptional career development support and opportunities to develop skills, knowledge, and experiences to thrive in their future careers.
From the moment you start with us, our efforts are focused on helping you gain the knowledge, skills and experience you need to thrive in an increasingly competitive workplace. As part of the course, you may wish to undertake an Industrial Placement or opt for an In-Company Scheme to work on a real business case study as part of your capstone Research project. Go on our Business Start-up Journey and transform your idea into a business through ASPIRE. Our qualified careers practitioners provide support for up to three years after graduation.
Our lively and active postgraduate community is brought about in part by our strong research culture and by the close community between our staff and students. Staff publish regularly and widely in journals, conference proceedings and books and embed their research in their teaching.
Students have regular contact with their course and module conveners with staff on hand to answer any questions and to provide helpful and constructive feedback on submitted work. Also, all students on our postgraduate courses take part in our ‘Ambition in Motion’ programme – a set of supportive workshops which ensure that students are progressing through their learning journeys smoothly.
You can also get involved with extra-curricular academic and social activities with guest lectures, talks and workshops organised by our academic staff, research centres and the ASPIRE team.
Our Canterbury campus provides a welcoming environment and a close-knit student community. Kent Business School is based within the Sibson Building which opened in 2017 and its impressive design won the RIBA Regional and National Award. It houses well-equipped lecture and seminar spaces, as well as breakout spaces for group work, Bloomberg suite, computer labs, a dedicated MBA suite, and our ASPIRE Lab Space. There is also a cafe on site.
The School is conveniently located at the University of Kent’s campus, close to continental Europe and with easy access to London. World-famous Canterbury Cathedral is situated in the heart of the historic city centre, just a 25-minute walk or a short bus ride.
Kent Business School has close links with: Universität Innsbruck; Beijing Normal University - Bay Area International Business School; ESSEC Business School; Neoma Business School; Rennes Business School; EBS Universität für Wirtschaft und Recht; Freie Universität Berlin; City University of Hong Kong; Hong Kong Baptist University; University of Hong Kong; Institut Teknologi Bandung (The Bandung Institute of Technology); Università Carlo Cattaneo in Castellanza; Università degli Studi di Bologna; Università degli Studi di Firenze (University of Florence); IE Madrid; Stockholm University.
All students registered for a taught Master's programme are eligible to apply for a place on our Global Skills Award Programme. The programme is designed to broaden your understanding of global issues and current affairs as well as to develop personal skills which will enhance your employability.
Our world-class academics influence management strategies and practices world-wide through our outstanding research projects and direct involvements with industry. We address some of the biggest challenges of our time such as sustainability and responsible leadership to drive progress and create better business globally.
At its core, our research strategy is about delivering a sustainable tomorrow - a theme that Kent Business School embodies in all areas. We want to answer the big questions - How can innovation that enables sustainable long-term economic growth be created and supported? How can sustainable business practices improve environmental and social conditions? These are the problems we are here to solve.
We are global leaders advancing knowledge through constant collaboration and promotion of innovative research. We collaborate with local, national and international business, but we don't stop there. We have forged partnerships with other academic institutions and organisations such as the NHS. This wider focus allows us to advance towards our goal of a sustainable tomorrow.
Research Departments
Department of Accounting and Finance – The Department enjoys a significant international presence and reputation in several fields, including critical accounting, accounting history, sustainability accounting, corporate finance, banking and options pricing and performance.
Department for Analytics, Operations and Systems – The Department offers world class education and conducts internationally leading research in operational research, data analytics, operations management, information systems and sustainability.
Department of Marketing, Entrepreneurship and International Business – The Department brings together experts in the areas of three key management disciplines promoting interdisciplinary teaching and research as well as cross interdisciplinary knowledge exchange.
Department of Leadership and Management – The Department is a cross-disciplinary community dedicated to tackling complex business and societal challenges. Our teaching and innovative research encompasses the economic, psychological, social, political, and technological contexts in which organisations operate worldwide.
Research centres
The Centre for Logistics and Sustainability Analytics – The Centre helps companies to address a wide range of transport, logistics, and supply chain problems with sustainability considerations.
The Centre for Productivity and Workplace Performance – The Centre contributes to the evidence base for competitiveness, environmental growth, regional productivity, technology and innovation.
The Centre for Quantitative Finance – Providing quantitative analysis of issues in the financial markets for businesses and policymakers.
Dynamic Publishing
Staff publish regularly and widely in journals, conference proceedings and books. Among others, they have recently contributed to: Journal of Corporate Finance, British Journal of Management, Organizations and Society, European Journal of Operational Research, Journal of Environmental Management, Financial Accountability & Management, Journal of Banking and Finance, Management Science, Transportation Science, International Journal of Operations and Production Management, British Journal of Management, Journal of Business Venturing, Entrepreneurship, Theory and Practice, British Journal of Management, Journal of International Business Studies, Journal of World Business, Research Policy, European Journal of Operational Research, European Journal of Marketing, International Journal of Research in Marketing, International Marketing Review.
From the moment you start with us, our efforts are focused on helping you gain the knowledge, skills and experience you need to thrive in an increasingly competitive workplace. As part of the course, you may wish to undertake an Industrial Placement or opt for an In-Company Scheme to work on a real business case study as part of your capstone Research project. Go on our Business Start-up Journey and transform your idea into a business through ASPIRE. Our qualified careers practitioners provide support for up to three years after graduation.
Our careers and employability support at Kent Business School is designed to make sure you are ready to hit the ground running when you graduate, when you study with us you can expect:
Additionally, the Postgraduate Employability Edge programme, available to postgraduate students at Kent Business School takes place from Welcome Week until the end of your studies and is designed to enhance your career prospects further.
Our Finance graduates find work in public and private sector management and consultancy both overseas and in the UK in a wide range of companies and organisations, including:
Many of our students also stay local and find job opportunities regionally in small and medium firms or even set-up their own businesses as well-equipped entrepreneurs.
The MSc Finance programme is accredited by GARP (Global Association of Risk Professionals), CFA Institute and PRMIA (Professional Risk Managers Internal Association).
Kent Business School works closely with all three bodies to ensure that our Finance MSc is to the highest of standards.
The 2024/25 annual tuition fees for this course are:
For details of when and how to pay fees and charges, please see our Student Finance Guide.
For students continuing on this programme fees will increase year on year by no more than RPI + 3% in each academic year of study except where regulated.* If you are uncertain about your fee status please contact information@kent.ac.uk.
The University will assess your fee status as part of the application process. If you are uncertain about your fee status you may wish to seek advice from UKCISA before applying.
For details of when and how to pay fees and charges, please see our Student Finance Guide.
For students continuing on this programme, fees will increase year on year by no more than RPI + 3% in each academic year of study except where regulated.*
The University will assess your fee status as part of the application process. If you are uncertain about your fee status you may wish to seek advice from UKCISA before applying.
Find out more about general additional costs that you may pay when studying at Kent.
Search our scholarships finder for possible funding opportunities. You may find it helpful to look at both:
We have a range of subject-specific awards and scholarships for academic, sporting and musical achievement.
Supporting your success
Kent ranked top 50 in The Complete University Guide 2024.
Fees and funding
Kent has risen 11 places in THE’s REF 2021 ranking, confirming us as a leading research university.
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