International Finance MSc



Our course has been developed for those without a background in finance industry who wish to pursue a career in the sector

Overview

Designed for students from a wide variety of non-financial disciplines and employment backgrounds, this course combines mathematical and communication skills to offer you a rounded approach to the world of international finance.

MSc International Finance will enhance your employability and open the doors to a global career. You'll be eligible for graduate level positions in areas such as banking, insurance and finance.

Typical entry points to this course are in January and September. Please enquire for more information.

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Mode of Study:

Full-time

Duration:

1 years

Start date:

SepJan

Course details

Whether you are looking for a role in the provision and management of financial services or planning to undertake research in the area, this course will equip you with the appropriate theoretical and practical learning.

As well as communication and presentation skills, vital in this complex industry, you’ll gain knowledge of accounting practices, statistics, financial management, banking and insurance, plus a thorough overview of the international financial environment.

You’ll graduate with the technical and informational analysis skills you need to create a rewarding career in the industry and the means to apply your knowledge of research methods.

How will my degree reflect sustainability and sustainable development?

The Principles of Responsible Management Education (PRME) – established under the UN Global Compact – places a clear onus on Higher Education to ‘transform management education and develop the responsible decision-makers of tomorrow to advance sustainable development’. The Business School is a PRME signatory, and we seek to influence professional practice and policy nationally and internationally, helping to drive key societal, economic and environmental impacts.

Our mission is ‘to empower communities to apply business knowledge for positive societal impact’ and we work constantly to embed practical actions into our curriculum, to promote sustainability and relate these to the key ideas of sustainability, as reflected in the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). Our undergraduate and postgraduate programmes now reflect one or more of the SDG, and our research is targeted to solve real world problems, mapped against the criteria used in the Times Higher Education’s Impact Ranking. 

The most recent annual league table for Sustainability - compiled by People & Planet, the UK’s largest student campaigning network - again places Edinburgh Napier in a top 3 position among Scotland’s 19 universities. This reflects their assessment of our performance across a range of environmental and ethical considerations, which include carbon reduction and management, and education.

What is distinct about equality, diversity and inclusion?

Edinburgh Napier University is enriched by the diversity of perspectives, cultures and backgrounds brought by all within our global community. We are committed to a positive environment where diversity and inclusiveness is celebrated and everyone is treated fairly regardless of sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, disability, age, ethnic origin, religion or belief, marital or civil partnership status or whether pregnant or on maternity leave. We commit ourselves to providing a learning, working and social environment that is free from discrimination, prejudice, intimidation, stigmatisation and all forms of harassment and bullying.

The Business School's vision: 'To be the Business School for empowerment, enterprise and employability for all'.

Our mission statement: 'Empowering our communities to apply business knowledge for positive societal impact'.

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    How you’ll be taught

     This is a full-time course and you will learn by a variety of teaching methods including lectures, tutorials and independent study.
    This is a full-time course and is split up into three trimesters. You can choose to start in either January or September.

    Duration:

    September starts: 12 months;
    January starts: 16 months with a three-month break over the summer (after the first taught trimester).

Modules

Modules that you will study* as part of this course

Behavioural Finance: Psychology and Financial Decisions ( FIN11135 )

This module is a combination of material from the field of psychology and the application to financial markets. The aim is to be aware of these unconscious biases to debias. We cover the prospect theory according to which we disproportionately hate losing more than winning. Framing is another example according to which the framing of a question influences our decisions. Based on psychology, the module explains several patterns in financial markets such as the home bias, disposition effect, momentum effect, equity premium puzzle, and financial bubbles. This module explores to the extent of which financial managers take advantage of investor irrationality and whether sentiment and overconfidence influence investor and managerial decisions.

Further information

Contemporary Issues in Banking and Financial Technology ( FIN11131 )

The module will examine the changes in the financial technology ecosystem. In particular, discussions will be centred on:Principles of Financial IntermediationRole of Central Banks (Payments and payments regulation, Prudential Regulation and Implications of capital requirements)Building blocks of Fintech (Blockchain, Big data, Asset Aggregation)Banking (Generally, Open Banking)Capital & Money Markets (Market Making & Information Clearing, Instruments)Insurance Markets (Insuretech)Risk Management, Legal & Regulatory issuesPayments System (Existing infrastructure, Developments, National FX, SEPA, International Trade finance, Cryptocurrencies)New Ecosystems (Disintermediation, Death of the Branch?, Tencent, Alipay & implications)Future prospects of FinTech

Further information

Dissertation ( TBS11130 )

Research methodologies, critically reviewing literature, research design and ethics, data collection methods (qualitative, quantitative and mixed), analysis methods, research writing and dissemination. Individual research, production of a dissertation, reflection on work undertaken.

Further information

Financial Management ( ACC11118 )

The financial environment, types of debt and equity instruments and their features, measurements of the cost of capital including WACC, capital structure theories and practices, investment appraisal techniques including NPV and IRR, appraising investment under conditions of risk and uncertainty including M&A projects; working capital management and short term financing decisions, risk management policies involving operating and financial risk

Further information

Global Finance ( FIN11108 )

The module will examine the structure and functions of the international monetary and financial system. It will analyse the development and the implications of the global financial marketplace. It will examine the functions, products, participants, operational arrangements of, and the linkages between, the money markets – short-term interest rate products, the foreign exchange market, the government and corporate bond markets, the equity capital markets and the international derivatives markets.

Further information

Investment, Corporate Finance and Portfolios ( ACC11113 )

Review of risk and return fundamentals and portfolio theory
Valuation models equity and bonds
Computation of efficient portfolios and the efficient frontier
Evaluating investments, investment strategies and models
Earnings quality issues and financial ratio analysis, Common stock financing, Debt Financing
Alternative investments
Measures of investor risk aversion, and the concept of utility
Portfolio management strategies
Internationally diversified portfolios
Derivatives
Behavioural finance issues - aspects of investor psychology and behaviour

Further information

Mergers and Acquisitions ( FIN11136 )

This module critically reviews the extensive field of mergers and acquisitions. An interesting empirical finding is that mergers damage on average the wealth of the bidding firms shareholders. In this module, we explore potential reasoning behind this result and further our understanding of determinants of merger success. This module includes topics such as empirical methodologies used in the merger literature, valuation of target firms, method of payment, bid strategies and tactics, available defences for target firms, and organisation of the post-merger firm.

Further information

Research Methods ( SOE11131 )

Research methodologies, critically reviewing literature, research design and ethics, data collection methods (qualitative, quantitative and mixed), analysis methods, research writing and dissemination.

Further information

Statistics, Probability and Risk ( FIN11101 )

Nature of economic and financial dataGraphical and numerical summaries of dataDiscrete probability distributionsContinuous probability distributions with applications to stock prices and returnsBayesian probability and behavioural financeSampling distributions and statistical inferenceRegression analysis using various models with applications to CAPMForecasting with time seriesUse of software packages for statistical analysisReport writing

Further information

* These are indicative only and reflect the course structure in the current academic year. Some changes may occur between now and the time that you study.

Disclaimer

Study modules mentioned above are indicative only. Some changes may occur between now and the time that you study.

Full information is available in our disclaimer.

Entry requirements

What are the entry requirements for International Finance?

The entry requirement for this course is a Bachelor (Honours) Degree at a 2:2 or above. Please note this is a conversion programme.

We may also consider lesser qualifications if you have sufficient professional work experience within the industry.

Can I get admission into International Finance based on my working experience in this sector?

This course has academic entry requirements which are assessed alongside relevant work experience. Full details of any relevant work experience, including references should be submitted with your application and may be considered for entry where the minimum academic entry requirements are below those required.

Usually, unrelated work experience is not considered sufficient for entry without meeting the minimum academic entry requirements. Please contact us with your specific circumstances by submitting an enquiry form above and we will be happy to discuss your options.

Can I make an appointment with an advisor to discuss further about the admission process?

If you want to get more information on the admission process, please get in touch with the postgraduate admissions team by submitting an enquiry form above.

If your first language isn't English, you'll normally need to undertake an approved English language test and our minimum English language requirements will apply.

This may not apply if you have completed all your school qualifications in English, or your undergraduate degree was taught and examined in English (within two years of starting your postgraduate course). Check our country pages to find out if this applies to you.

We welcome applications from students studying a wide range of international qualifications.
Entry requirements by country

Please note that international students are unable to enrol onto the following courses:
  • BM Midwifery/MM Midwifery
  • All Graduate Apprenticeship courses.

See who can apply for more information on Graduate Apprenticeship courses.

We’re committed to admitting students who have the potential to succeed and benefit from our programmes of study. 

Our admissions policies will help you understand our admissions procedures, and how we use the information you provide us in your application to inform the decisions we make.

Undergraduate admissions policies
Postgraduate admissions policies

Fees & funding

The course fees you'll pay and the funding available to you will depend on a number of factors including your nationality, location, personal circumstances and the course you are studying. We also have a number of bursaries and scholarships available to our students.

Tuition fees
Students from 2023/24 2024/25
Scotland, England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Republic of Ireland £8,300 £8,715
Overseas and EU £17,090 £18,800
Please note tuition fees are subject to an annual review and may increase from one year to the next. For more information on this and other Tuition Fee matters please see Frequently Asked Questions about Fees Click this link for Information of Bursaries and Scholarships
The University offers a 20% discount on Postgraduate Taught Masters programmes to its alumni. The discount applies to all full-time, part-time and online programmes. The discount can only be applied to year one of a full-time Postgraduate degree, any additional years are exempt from the discount. For part time Postgraduate degrees the discount will apply to years one, two and three only and any additional years will be exempt from the discount.
Please note that the tuition fees liable to be paid by EU nationals commencing their studies from 1 August 2021 will be the Overseas fee rate. The University offers a range of attractive Tuition Fee bursaries to students resident in specific countries. More information on these can be found here.


Please note:

The discount for Edinburgh Napier alumni can only be applied to year one of a full-time Postgraduate degree, any additional years are exempt from the discount.

For part time Postgraduate degrees the discount will apply to years one, two and three only and any additional years will be exempt from the discount.

Please read our full T&C here

Careers

What can you do with a degree in International Finance?

By studying International Finance at Edinburgh Napier University, you will be equipped with specialised skills tailored for roles in global finance, offering opportunities across various sectors and positions. This degree will give you skills in financial analysis, risk management, international economics, and cross-cultural communication, which are valuable in various sectors where global financial expertise are required. We have a dedicated careers support team who provide 1-2-1 support and advice, group workshops, employer events on campus and networking opportunities throughout the year to help you with your career prospects.

Alternatively, you will be eligible to apply for progression to doctoral-level study in Accounting, Corporate Governance, Financial Management or enter professional accountancy training. This degree will provide a strong foundation for your career and attract individuals with high financial acumen, analytical skills, attention to detail, business understanding, and problem-solving.

What does an International Banking Manager do?

Many MSc Internal Finance graduates work in a variety of financial firms such as banks, insurance companies and financial service companies. Remember, an MSc in International Finance equips you with strong analytical, quantitative, and problem-solving skills, making you versatile and adaptable in various financial roles. Career growth often depends on professional certifications, experience, and continuous learning within the field.

This degree will enhance your employability and open the doors to a global career. You’ll be eligible for graduate level positions in areas such as:

  • Banking
  • Insurance
  • Finance

These positions require a blend of financial acumen, analytical skills, an understanding of global markets, and sometimes proficiency in multiple languages. Networking, obtaining relevant certifications (such as CFA), gaining practical experience through internships, and staying updated with global financial trends are crucial for success in these careers.

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