Finance MSc

The Finance MSc is a top-ranked finance master's course, ranked 8th in the UK and placed in the top 50 worldwide in the Financial Times Masters in Finance (MiF) 2025 Rankings. This course provides a solid grounding in finance and investment, offering extensive training in relevant tools and techniques and how to apply them practically in the global finance workplace.

Overview

• Start date: 28 September 2026, 25 January 2027
• Duration: 1 year
• Delivery: Taught modules 60%, Individual Project 40%
• Qualification: MSc
• Study type: Full-time
• Campus: Cranfield campus

Who is it for?

• Graduates with a desire to develop their knowledge and skills in finance and investment before seeking their first professional role.
• Professionals with work experience in finance or investment who are seeking to take their career to the next level.
• Individuals who want to be taught by faculty who have experience of business and industry and can bring their knowledge to the programme.

Rankings

This course is recognised in International Business Rankings, consistently ranking top 12 in the UK across them all. These include:

• 11th in the UK and 70th in the world: QS World University Rankings: Masters in Finance Ranking 2026
• 8th in the UK, top 50 in the world and 5th in the UK for International Mobility: Financial Times Masters in Finance (MiF) 2025 Rankings

Class Profile 2024/25

• Gender: Male 53% - Female 47%
• Age range: 20 - 46 years
• Average age: 25
• Number of nationalities: 12
• Nationality: UK 3% - International 97%
• Total number of students: 34
• Average class size: 24

Why this course?

• The course is distinctive in covering the principles, tools, and techniques of both finance and investment, as well as how to apply them in real work situations.
• You will gain an in-depth understanding of finance and investment, economics, international financial markets, and ethics, statistical analysis, financial modelling, and investment and portfolio management.
• You will apply financial and investment management theories, tools, and techniques in a variety of contexts, including case studies, trading simulations, and the individual project.
• Modules focus on real-world challenges and include a combination of case studies, participative exercises, interactive lectures, and group projects.

Course Details

The course comprises ten core modules and two elective modules, enabling you to tailor the programme of study to suit your personal career plan.

Core Modules

1. Corporate Financial Management: Develops a critical understanding of key financial decisions in corporate settings.
2. Financial Data Analytics: Provides the relevant mathematical and statistical training necessary to conduct appropriate empirical studies and apply theoretical financial models in practice.
3. Accounting and Finance: Introduces traditional and contemporary accounting approaches that increase the visibility of financial information and support management decision-making.
4. Responsible Banking: Equips you with the skills, techniques, and knowledge to assess the role of banking in the wider economy and develop knowledge and skills of pricing financial products and services.
5. Economics of Markets, Competition, and Strategy: Introduces the concepts and techniques of microeconomics and macroeconomics in a way that provides a core foundation for later applied financial analysis.
6. Valuation and Financial Modelling: Develops an understanding of techniques of valuation of firms and the different securities issued by firms, vital for managers and financial analysts.
7. Research Methods for Business Impact: Provides an understanding of what is required to undertake successful academic studies and conduct research in business contexts.
8. Investment and Portfolio Management: Develops an understanding of portfolio construction, portfolio management, and portfolio evaluation, focusing on imparting knowledge of the investment process, portfolio theory, efficient market hypotheses, asset pricing models, analysis, and management of common stock portfolios.
9. Derivatives and Financial Risk Management: Examines the pricing and usage of derivative securities in financial markets, covering conceptual and analytical aspects as well as practical applications.
10. Financial Markets, Regulation, and Ethics: Provides an overview of international financial markets, major financial institution participants, and product types, highlighting the role of regulation and ethics in financial markets.

Elective Modules

• Private Equity: Covers the nature and rationale for private equity investing, the spectrum of private equity activities, and the potential conflicts among stakeholders.
• Mergers, Acquisitions, and Restructuring: Focuses on transactions significantly affecting a corporation's assets, liabilities, and/or equity claims, stressing the economic motives for undertaking them.
• Fixed Interest Securities and Credit Risk Modelling: Provides a solid grounding in the mechanics of fixed income markets and introduces bond portfolio management techniques.
• International Finance: Develops a solid understanding of foreign exchange and interest rate risks that multinational corporations encounter.
• International Public Finance and Taxation: Trains you in both theory and applications in the field of public finance and taxation.
• Digital Banking, FinTech, and Artificial Intelligence: Enables you to critically evaluate the rapidly changing field of digital technology, including artificial intelligence, as it applies to banking and financial services.
• Investing for Environmental and Social Impact: Focuses on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria in financial decisions, providing insight into how impact investors seek to generate environmental and social impacts in addition to financial returns.

Teaching Team

The programme is taught by faculty experts who have extensive industry experience and regularly work with major global financial services organisations, multinationals, and government agencies around the world.

Accreditation

The course content covers much of the syllabus of the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) qualification, giving you the opportunity to work towards an additional professional qualification while studying with us through the CFA Institute University Affiliation Program.

Your Career

The Careers and Employability Service offers a comprehensive service to help you develop a set of career management skills that will remain with you throughout your career. Cranfield graduates are highly valued in the job market and aim for careers in investment banking, financial services, or the financial function of a diverse range of global corporations.

FAQs

• Will I get a professional certificate alongside my Finance MSc degree?: Yes, the course content covers much of the syllabus of the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) qualification.
• Who is the Finance MSc degree aimed at?: Students with good numerate skills, young students seeking to develop their understanding of finance, students seeking to work in finance-related services, and professionals with work experience in finance or investment.
• What are the aims of the course?: To prepare students for a career in financial services and the investment industry, to provide students with a high level of financial skills, and to give students a rounded view of business and understanding of the investment sector.

How is the course taught?

The aim is to provide a varied, stimulating, and experiential learning environment. All taught modules consist of formal lectures, in-class discussions, group, and self-study. Group project work, reflective practice, and class exercises are used to develop problem-solving skills.

Entry Requirements

• A UK lower second-class undergraduate degree with honours, as a minimum, or equivalent international qualification.
• Ideally, applicants will have studied mathematics, statistics, engineering, or economics subjects.
• English language proficiency: IELTS Academic, TOEFL iBT, Cambridge Assessment English, Duolingo English Test, Kaplan Test of English, LanguageCert Academic, Pearson PTE Academic, or Skills for English.

Fees and Funding

• Home: £15,500 (MSc Full-time), with a deposit of £1,000.
• Overseas: £29,650 (MSc Full-time), with a deposit of £3,000.
• Funding opportunities include Merit Scholarships, International Scholarships, Prodigy Finance Student Loans, and the Cranfield University GREAT Scholarship.

---

Overview:

Cranfield University is a postgraduate-focused institution specializing in science, technology, engineering, and management. It is renowned for its strong industry links and practical approach to education.

---

Services Offered:

Cranfield University offers a wide range of services to students, including:

Careers and Employability Service:

Provides guidance and support for career planning and job searching.

IT Services:

Offers access to computer labs, software, and technical support.

Libraries:

Provides access to extensive collections of books, journals, and online resources.

---

Student Life and Campus Experience:

---

Key Reasons to Study There:

Strong Industry Links:

Cranfield University has close relationships with numerous organizations, providing students with opportunities for internships, placements, and networking.

Practical Approach to Education:

The university emphasizes hands-on learning and real-world applications, preparing students for successful careers.

World-Class Facilities:

Cranfield boasts state-of-the-art facilities, including laboratories, workshops, and research centers.

---

Academic Programs:

Cranfield University offers a variety of postgraduate programs, including:

Taught Degrees:

MSc programs in various fields, such as aerospace, energy, and management.

Research Degrees:

PhD and MPhil programs for students seeking to conduct advanced research.

Apprenticeships:

Level 7 apprenticeships for professionals seeking to enhance their skills and knowledge.

Professional Development:

Short courses and executive development programs for individuals and organizations.

---

Other:

• Cranfield University has two campuses: Cranfield Campus and Cranfield University at Shrivenham.
• The university is committed to sustainability and has a strong track record in environmental research.
• Cranfield University is ranked highly in various international rankings, including those for sustainability and engineering.