MSc Finance and Investment
| UCAS code | 1234 |
|---|---|
| Duration | 9 months full time 12 months full time |
| Entry year | 2027 |
| Campus | Streatham Campus |
| Typical offer | A 2:2 degree with honours in Accounting, Finance, Investment, Economics, Maths, Business or related discipline from a recognised university. |
|---|---|
Why study MSc Finance and Investment at Exeter?
- Our MSc in Finance and Investment is for students interested in a career in investment analysis or portfolio management.
- Established in 1973, this was the very first Masters degree in finance in the UK and has gained an international reputation for providing excellent training and rigorous academic knowledge in finance and investment, and strong network in the finance industry globally.
- Undertake a non-assessed financial database training course delivered by the data specialists from Bloomberg, Thomson Reuters, Bureau Van Dijk, the Standard, and Poor’s Global Market Intelligence.
- You’ll have the opportunity to work towards a qualification from the CISI in addition to your MSc to increase your employability, and the opportunity to gain a QTEM certificate.
- Take advantage of our Double Degree options, where you can spend your first year at Exeter and a second year at another world class international institution, resulting in two Masters degrees.
Joint 3rd for Accounting and Finance graduate prospects
Triple accredited Business School
AMBA, AACSB, EQUIS
Accredited by the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment
Opportunity to apply to the prestigious QTEM programme or gain two degrees by joining our Double Degree programme
Accreditations
The sustainable finance pathway on this degree recognizes essential topics from the Certificate in ESG Investing from CFA Institute. This professional certificate offers both practical application and technical knowledge in the field of ESG investing.
Entry requirements for 2027 entry
A 2:2 degree with honours in Accounting, Finance, Investment, Economics, Maths, Business or related discipline. Evidence of mathematical/quantitative* ability is essential. We do consider all applications where there is evidence of exceptional performance in modules relevant to the programme of study, significant relevant work experience or professional qualifications such as CFA, ACCA, ICAEW, ICAS and CIMA.
*Mathematics modules may include, for example, Algebra, Calculus, Econometrics, Statistics, Probability or Optimisation.
Pre-Masters programme for international students
The Exeter International Pre-Master's run by our International Study Centre is a pre-Masters programme designed to enhance your subject knowledge, study skills and English ability. Successful completion of the course (subject to achieving the specific grades of entry) gives students from overseas the skills needed for acceptance onto this Masters programme.
Please also see our guidance on essential documentation required for an initial decision on taught programme applications.
Entry requirements for international students
Please visit our entry requirements section for equivalencies from your country and further information on English language requirements.
Please also see our guidance on essential documentation required for an initial decision on taught programme applications.
Entry requirements for international students
English language requirements
International students need to show they have the required level of English language to study this course.
The required IELTS test scores for this course fall under Profile B1.
Please visit our English language requirements page to view the required test scores and equivalencies from your country.
Course content and modules
The programme offers two pathways: 9-month and 12-month. The difference between the 9-month and 12 month courses is that the 12-month course includes a dissertation. Students on the 9 month course take additional taught modules to make up these learning credits. Both programmes have exactly the same entry requirements and result in exactly the same award.
Module information for this programme can be viewed on StudyGuide.
Fees
UK fees per year:
£19,900 full-time
International fees per year:
£32,600 full-time
Scholarships
The University of Exeter offers a wide range of scholarships to support your education, with £8 million available for international students applying to study with us in the 2027/28 academic year, including our prestigious Exeter Excellence Scholarships. We also provide awards for sport, music and other achievements, as well as regional and partner scholarships with organisations such as Chevening, the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission and the British Council. For more information on scholarships and other financial support, please visit our scholarships and bursaries page.
University of Exeter Alumni Scholarship
We are pleased to offer the University of Exeter Alumni Scholarship, a scholarship for University of Exeter alumni beginning a standalone postgraduate programme in 2027/28 with us a scholarship worth 20% of the cost of your first year tuition fees.
Terms and conditions, including deadlines, apply.
Teaching and research
Our postgraduate taught programmes utilise a range of teaching methods including lectures, seminars, tutorials, and practical case study workshops.
Lectures
The aim of lectures is to give you information on ideas that are central to the module and to help you in developing your understanding of complex ideas. Many of the teaching materials for lectures are made available to you electronically to accompany the notes you take during the lecture. Lectures are given by a range of staff members, including leading professors, who integrate their latest research findings into the teaching that you receive. Guest lecturers, including senior experts from industry, also contribute to some modules.
Seminars and tutorials
Seminars and tutorials involve an in-depth exploration of the issues covered in lectures as well as giving you the opportunity to discuss various concepts and theories and receive feedback on your written assignments.
Practical case study classes and workshops
Practical case study computer-based classes are an integral part of the programme built within many modules, where students are able to apply specialist knowledge and quantitative analytical skills to solve complex financial problems under the guidance from our industry-leading faculty.
Training workshops
You’ll attend an intensive financial database and technology training workshop covering most widely used databases such as Bloomberg, S&P capital IQ, Refinitiv Eikon, WRDS, with application in STATA, R, Matlab or Phyton
We also run a company analysis workshop run by an industry practitioner to help develop practical investment understanding, augment presentation skills and provide an insight into current real-world information
Research-led teaching
Our research is rated as world-leading or internationally excellent in the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021.
We are a research intensive faculty and cover a wide range of themes which inform our teaching. Our research is driven by the understanding that accounting and finance continues to play a fundamental role in organisations and society. As a result, many of our inspiring academics are regularly invited to advise policy-makers at institutions including H.M Revenue and Customs, International Accounting Standards Board, Financial Reporting Council, the Pensions Regulator, and the Bank of England.
Taught by leading experts
You will be taught by internationally respected academics who are at the forefront of their research. We draw upon disciplines across the social sciences and give emphasis to the dynamic nature of enterprise, global connectivity and the management and leadership of the global challenges that lie ahead.
Our interdisciplinary research addresses a wide range of challenging research questions, including areas of environmental, social and governance aspects of accounting and finance.
Conduct your own research
During the 12 month programme, you will be able to undertake an impactful research project as your dissertation under the supervision of our world-leading academics.
The Business School is home to the following research centres
- Centre for Innovation in Business Education
- Centre for Responsible Innovation (CRI)
- Centre for Simulation, Analytics and Modelling (CSAM)
- Exeter Centre for Leadership (ExCL)
- Exeter Centre for Social Networks (ECSN)
- Exeter Sustainable Finance Centre (ESF)
- Initiative in the Digital Economy at Exeter (INDEX)
- Land, Environment, Economics and Policy Institute (LEEP)
- Research Methods Centre
- Tax Administration Research Centre (TARC)
- The Exeter Centre for Circular Economy (ECCE)
The University of Exeter presents an outstanding environment for academic excellence. I’ve had the opportunity to interact with lecturers who are experts in their respective fields and who prove their worth by the quality of their delivery.
Adedeji
MSc Finance and Investment
Careers
Preparing you for success
This Masters degree is designed to prepare you for a successful career, wherever in the world you plan to work. We’ll prepare you for your career by teaching you advanced communication and technical skills, team-working and independent research, project-management and the very latest specialist knowledge.
Develop employer-valued skills
Our MSc in Finance & Investment will enable you to develop the professional and financial skills and subject expertise that makes you a valuable asset from day one of your career.
Career paths
Graduates can look forward to working in a diverse range of roles, two of the most popular being:
- Investment Analyst (market research, analysis of funds, trends for strategic planning)
- Investment/Portfolio Manager (dealing with client’s portfolio & completing transactions)
Choose modules to suit your future career
By carefully selecting the research topic for your dissertation and your optional modules such as corporate finance, corporate governance, derivatives, international financial management, mergers or financial economics, you can start to develop a specialisation to enhance your employability.
Developing applied quantitative analytical skills through using Bloomberg, S&P capital IQ, WRDS Datastream and other financial databases and software systems as part of your modules, you will also have the latest technical know-how to kick-start your career.
Potential employers
- Investment management companies where analysts provide information to in-house fund managers
- Stockbrokers and investment banks, where the analysts' research assists clients of their company, usually fund managers but sometimes also company executives and directors
- Wealth management divisions of investment banks
- Institutional investors, such as large charities, pension funds and life assurance companies
- Hedge funds
- Government or public organisations
- SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises)
Graduate training routes
Multi-nationals such as Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Barclays, HSBC, Vanguard Asset Management, Credit Suisse, Citibank, Amundi and Deutsche Bank have graduate training routes in many countries in which they are based. Country-specific banks like China Construction Bank and Bank of China (Hong Kong) and smaller organisations across the world also offer graduate training routes and employment opportunities with specific recruitment cycles appropriate to their local employment market.
Previous graduates from this programme have secured roles as financial analysts with a range of organisations including Coutts (UK), KPMG (Vietnam), HSBC (Vietnam), J.P. Morgan First Capital, Ernst & Young (India), Bank of China and Ford Motor Company.
Further information can be found at:
- eFinancialCareers
- Prospects.ac.uk - Types of jobs: Accountancy, banking and finance
- TARGETjobs - Finance graduate careers advice
Developing your skills and career prospects
The University of Exeter Business School provides a range of support to help you develop skills attractive to employers. Visit our Business School careers service web page for more information.
Enhance your degree with Study Abroad opportunities
QTEM Programme*
After your first year of studies at Exeter, you can progress onto the QTEM Programme. QTEM aims to prepare students with excellent quantitative and analytical skills to support their future careers as decision makers leading the global business environment.
If you are accepted onto the QTEM Programme, you will spend an additional semester studying at one of the prestigious academic partners. This will be followed by a quantitatively focussed internship and participation in the QTEM Data Challenge which includes online data science and leadership courses as well real data analysis.
Students will be selected and nominated to QTEM by the University of Exeter Business School following a competitive internal application process. Places are limited so we recommend you register your interest before applying for your Masters.
*Open to high achieving students enrolled in the following University of Exeter Business School programmes: MSc Finance, MSc Finance and Investment, MSc Economics, MSc Business Analytics and MSc Marketing and Business Analytics.
For more information on QTEM and Double Degrees and other postgraduate study abroad opportunities, visit the Business School’s Study Abroad webpages.