Our MSc International Finance and Investment programme will provide you with skills and expertise to appraise issues facing financial market participants and to improve the practice of investment and risk management in a sustainable and ethical manner. It focuses on trading portfolio management and corporate finance following latest developments in the finance field by offering Financial Technology (FinTech) as a core module. You will be taught by research active academics who are able to bring fresh insights into their teaching. Research strengths include Corporate Finance, Financial Economics, International Finance, Project Finance, Accounting, Financial Markets and Corporate Governance. Teaching is academically rigorous and strong emphasis is placed on practical relevance.

This course is ideal for students who wish to pursue careers in investment banking trading, asset management, portfolio investment, hedge funds, corporate finance management and financial analysis or to pursue further studies in finance.

Key features

• • Intensive use of the Trading Room via your core modules in Applied Trading and Portfolio Management
  • Mentoring and one-to-one academic support from leading academics at the forefront of their fields
  • Emphasis on the development of business-relevant cultural awareness, including optional language study
  • Course accredited by the Chartered Institute of Securities and Investment (CISI), enabling you to gain a CISI professional qualification while studying for your MSc
  • Opportunity to pursue an Executive Company Project, or traditional dissertation during the summer
  • A contemporary choice of optional modules including: Behavioural Finance, Sustainable Banking, and Finance and Development
  • Teaching from academics with experience across many segments of the finance industry
  • There are also opportunities to get involved with a DMU Global international experience programme such as a visit to New York City’s financial district
  • This programme qualifies successful students for the CIMA Masters Gateway accelerated entry route

Structure and assessment

Course core modules

• Research Methods
  The module provides you with a broad understanding of business and academic research methods. It is designed to help students prepare for a Dissertation  or Executive Company Project. You will be guided on the selection and planning of a suitable research project. The module will review research design, paradigms and ethics, including the broader ethical impact of research. Through undertaking this module, you will cover a wide range of quantitative and qualitative methods for data collection and analysis. You will also be guided as to how to use financial datasets (Bloomberg and Reuters) available in DMU.
• International Financial Markets and Institutions
  This module guides you through the role and function of the domestic and global financial system, non-deposit financial institutions and financial markets. This will cover interest rates, debt securities, equity markets and the foreign exchange market, as well as crises and regulation in financial sectors.
• Applied Corporate Finance
  This module introduces key skills required for work in corporate finance. This module covers sources of funds for companies, investment needs, project appraisal and management of portfolios, risk measurement, relevance of capital structure and methods of company valuation.

• Financial Econometrics
  This module introduces the theory and practice of financial econometric modelling techniques including the generalised method of moments (GMM), error correction models, ARCH-GARCH and time-series forecasting.
• Financial Technology
  The module provides students with the ability to propose and evaluate financial innovations. Students are taught theories of innovation, relevant technologies, and the impact of changes to the regulatory context. The module includes a series of Case Studies to illustrate incremental and disruptive innovation. These Case Studies include alternative lending (such as crowdfunding and peer-to-peer); bond and equity market innovations (such as exchange-traded funds and collateralised debt obligations); derivatives innovation (such as credit default swaps); alternative assets; electronic trading strategies (such as algorithmic and high frequency) and alternative payment systems (such as blockchain and cryptocurrency).
• Applied Trading
  This module provides a broad understanding of the skills needed to turn clients’ investment objectives into trading strategies. It is designed to prepare participants for roles in investment firms, regulators, and clients. Guidance on the links between finance theory and trading will be part of your programme of study. You will manage a simulated sub-portfolio on behalf of a virtual client. During the module, you will report to, and make trading recommendations on behalf of, this client. Your advice will be in response to real-time daily news, and changes in your client’s investment objectives. This module offers a unique chance for you to apply your knowledge of finance theory, and portfolio management to a changing situation. You will become familiar with many aspects of the trading floor and you will learn how to analyse the impact of trading strategies on risk, return, and transaction costs. You will also gain an understanding of hedging, and how to manage client cash flows.
  
• Portfolio Management
  This module taught from the portfolio manager’s perspective, issues in price formation for all the major asset classes will be explored. Markets will be investigated with particular attention to the fundamental and non-fundamental components of securities pricing. To this end you will examine the standard valuation methods in addition to concepts arising from the behavioural finance literature. Optimal portfolio allocation will also feature. The overriding objective of the module is to provide a framework for well-placed investment decisions and to become familiar with the various investment strategies, providing a knowledge base for those wishing to pursue professional qualifications in this field.

Plus choose one of the following:

• Behavioural Finance
  This module offers alternative explanations about why prices deviate from their fundamental values and why certain anomalies still persist in the marketplace. Psychological theories will be introduced to enhance your finance knowledge and develop models to improve predictability of stock prices.
• Financial Derivatives
  This module gives a foundation on the nature and use of these complex financial instruments at an advanced level. You will learn about the derivative markets, the options market and the commodity, interest rate, currency and index futures. This module also covers using options on stock indexes, foreign currencies, equity securities and the swap market.
• Sustainable Banking, Finance, and Development
  This module explores the role and linkage of banking and finance in economic development, and consider both the sustainability of banking and the requirements for banking and finance to further sustainable economic development.

Plus either:

• Dissertation
  This involves research informed by a critical discussion, relevant issues and evidence. You will evaluate research methods available, identify and critically review literature, analyse information and draw conclusions relevant to a critical area of investment and finance.

Or

• Executive Company Project
  This offers an opportunity to complete a practical management project in the workplace, so you can link theory to practice and develop practical skills for leadership. You will research a management issue provided by a sponsoring organisation, supported by both academic and work-based supervisors, while engaging with the business world.

De Montfort University reserves the right to revise, review or withdraw any of the content at any time without prior notice, including (but not limited to) courses, fees, funding and events.

Facilities and features