Postgraduate MSc
Finance, Investment and Risk (Dual Award)
Are you looking to kickstart a lucrative financial career and learn about the finance industry from a two-country perspective?
Are you looking to kickstart a lucrative financial career and learn about the finance industry from a two-country perspective?
Finance managers invest, manage or protect a business’s money. Employers are increasingly selective in their search for those with rich cognitive skills to get the job done.
This dual award course gives students the opportunity to attain not one but two Master’s degrees and travel as they do so – studying one with Kent Business School and the other in the financial hub of Hong Kong at the Hong Kong Baptist University.
During your study at Kent Business School, you build expertise in theory surrounding risk and crisis management, investments and portfolio management and detailed learning of things such as derivatives and fixed income markets.
By using our dedicated Finance simulator space – the Bloomberg Lab – you have access to real and live data to engage with and apply your newfound knowledge to.
Further details in relation to the second Master's award – MSc Mathematical Finance, can be found on Hong Kong Baptist University website.
A good honours degree (minimum 2:2) from the UK or an equivalent internationally recognised qualification in a finance, accounting, economics, business, mathematics or engineering related discipline.
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. Most programmes will require you to study a combination of compulsory and optional modules. You may also have the option to take modules from other programmes so that you may customise your programme and explore other subject areas that interest you.
In Stage 1 you will take all seven compulsory modules and choose one of the available optional modules to give your course a specific focus based on your ambitions and goals. This makes up your autumn and spring term, at Kent, with your summer term in Stage 2 at Hong Kong Baptist University.
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.
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.
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.
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.
What is investment management? You'll understand the wide range of issues relating to the theory and application of investment management, including debt securities and bond investment strategies, Equity analysis, equity valuation methods, equity portfolio management and hedge funds. You’ll have a systematic knowledge, understanding and critical awareness of the theory of debt securities, bond investment strategies, equity analysis, macroeconomic and industry analysis, equity analysis methods, equity portfolio management, hedge funds and performance management.
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.
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.
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.
You'll spend your summer term in Stage 2 at Hong Kong Baptist University where you will take all 5 compulsory modules. You can find out more information about this stage of your Master's on the Hong Kong Baptist University website.
Topics from conditional expectations, Markov china, Markov processes, Brownian motion, and martingales, and their applications to stochastic calculus.
Global derivative markets have exhibited spectacular growth in terms of volume of trading and use by both financial and non-financial institutions. Some of the world's large institutions-Orange County, Baring, Metallgesellschaft, Negara, AIG, and Lehman Brothers have lost billions of dollars in the financial markets. Whilst national and international authorities have agonised over the regulation of derivative markets, it generated tremendous interest on the nature, operation, working mechanism and true significance of derivative products and markets in the financial system and the economy.
The module focuses on the principle and characteristics of the main derivative markets, products and instruments, such as Futures, Forward, Options, Swaps, Credit Default Products and Structured Products. It examines the role, significance and working mechanism of various derivatives products, their valuation method and the models underpinning the pricing and hedging of derivative instruments. The module will draw from the rapidly expanding body of academic and professional literature relating to derivatives and their applications in Financial Markets.
Basic numerical methods, (floating-point arithmetic, numerical linear algebra, solutions of non-linear equations, interpolation, curve fitting, splines, differentiation, integration, Monte-Carlo methods, ordinary differential equations) numerical solutions of PDEs (finite-difference methods for parabolic PDEs, stability, convergence, applications to Black-Scholes equations, free boundary problems, applications to pricing American options) and probabilistic methods (random variables, generation, Monte-Carlo simulation, binomial tree models, stochastic differential equations).
Covers various kinds of time series models, including ARIMA, GARCH, unit roots and co-integration, and vector autoregressive models. Students will gain hands-on experience with all models learned in this course.
Topics from replication of trading strategies, arbitrage, completeness, martingale representation theorem, fundamental theorem of finance, stochastic differential equations, and Black-Scholes formula of option pricing.
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:
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. You could 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.
Please contact Hong Kong Baptist University regarding the tuition fee payable for this dual award. The tuition fee will be payable to Hong Kong Baptist University and can be found here.
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.
Next steps
Learn more about the application process or begin your application by clicking on a link below.
You will be able to choose your preferred year of entry once you have started your application. You can also save and return to your application at any time.
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.
Accommodation
