This Masters programme offers training in the key areas of financial analysis, forecasting and financial investment.

• The programme will provide you with an understanding of the underlying forces driving the financial markets and the relevant analytical tools; management of portfolios so as to optimise clients’ objectives; and forecasting of the future behaviour of stocks, interest rates and exchange rates.
• You will be encouraged to attend our annual series of practitioners’ talks and annual Economics seminar series.
• The programme is offered by the Centre for Economic & Financial Studies which covers research and postgraduate teaching in economics and finance. 
• Economics in the Business School at Glasgow is ranked in the top 10% worldwide in the fields of central banking, economics of strategic management, European economics, efficiency and productivity, international finance, international trade, macroeconomics, monetary economics, open macroeconomics, public economics, and transition economics; we are ranked in the top 25% of institutions worldwide in economics research.

Programme overview

• MSc: 12 months full-time

Teaching is based on formal lectures which also allow opportunities for class discussion. More technical subjects are supported by weekly or fortnightly small tutorials, which provide opportunities for you to engage with some issues or questions in a group format. Some courses also involve lab sessions with students using specialised software, for instance in the study of econometrics.

You will take five compulsory courses and two optional courses. MSc candidates also produce a dissertation in an approved related area.

Compulsory courses

• Basic econometrics
• Financial markets, securities and derivatives 
• Modelling and forecasting financial markets 
• Portfolio analysis and investment (co-requisite course for Advanced portfolio analysis)
• Research methods and dissertation training.

Optional courses

• Advanced portfolio analysis
• Applied computational finance
• Corporate finance and investment (subject to course approval)
• Economic fundamentals and financial markets 
• Financial derivatives 
• International finance and money 
• International financial accounting for multinational companies
• Mathematical finance (co-requisite course for Financial derivatives).

Career prospects

We expect graduates to find employment in financial institutions (including banks, investment banks and asset management firms); governmental bodies involved in financial decision-making; organisations such as the International Monetary Fund and World Bank; other organisations working in the area of financial transactions and provision of finance; and the academic sector.

Applicants should have at least a 2:1 Honours degree or non-UK equivalent. Normally this should be a degree in economics or finance or a joint degree containing a significant amount of economics or finance (at least four credit-bearing courses in economics and/or finance).

English language

If your first language is not English, the University sets a minimum English Language proficiency level. See English Language Requirements.

The online application is the quickest and easiest way of applying to the University of Glasgow. The system allows you to fill out the standard application form online and submit this to the University immediately. You can also attach supporting documents including references, certificates and a transcript of previous studies. You will find instructions throughout the online form to help you complete your application. You may save and return to your application as many times as you wish before submitting it.

See: How to apply for a taught degree