Program Overview

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Finance refers to a wide range of topics within a vast research field which covers themes including: econometrics, portfolio analysis and hedging financial risk. You will explore qualitative and quantitative methods of research specifically designed to reflect the field of banking and finance. MRes Finance is designed for those wishing to follow a career in research and/or academia, there is a strong research focus in this degree, although there are some taught elements which will support your knowledge of the research field. An MRes is the ideal first step if you hope to progress to doctoral studies, such as a PhD. You deepen your thinking about finance and develop a broader understanding of the changing roles and perception of finance within an ever-changing social context. You will learn to use our Bloomberg Financial Markets Lab , which gives you access to the data and analytical tools found in financial institutions across the City of London and throughout the world. This will allow you to develop the skills needed in industry. MRes Finance explores research and financial theory issues, such as:

• research skills, including both quantitative and qualitative approaches
• theoretical stances underpinning different approaches to research
• how to design a research proposal, including construction of research questions and/or hypotheses
• launching and managing a research project, including data collection, analysis and interpretation
• financial modelling
• finance research techniques using Matlab

We equip you with the skills and knowledge to appreciate the depth and breadth of management and organisational theories and techniques and apply these within a social science context. You benefit from cutting edge research conducted by our Finance Group who specialise in the areas of banking, behavioural and corporate finance, and financial econometrics. This course is taught at Essex Business School . By embedding the latest academic and industry thinking into our teaching, you experience an education that’s at the forefront of the issues impacting today’s financial sector. Discover our trading floor: Why we're great.

• This MRes is the ideal first step if you hope to progress to a PhD.
• Join both thriving research centres that support the world-leading finance research conducted at Essex Business School.
• Our Financial Market Labs give you access to market-leading Bloomberg business data where you will be able to test your financial models against real-time business data.

Our expert staff

Finance research at Essex Business School is world-leading in a number of areas, including:

• banking
• corporate finance
• behavioural finance
• financial econometrics
• forecasting
• commodities markets

Our expert finance researchers work alongside the financial industry, regulators and policy-makers both in the UK (for example at the Royal Bank of Scotland and the Bank of England) and internationally (such as the European Central Bank, the Federal Reserve and the Bank for International Settlements). This ensures their research is having a genuine impact on people’s everyday lives. You’ll be taught by this team of experts, including Professor Simon Price . Simon is Professor of Finance at Essex Business School and has held a number of roles in universities and influential financial organisations, most recently at the Bank of England. He conducts world-class research on forecasting but has also published extensively on aggregate and firm level investment behaviour, price setting, and predictability of asset returns. Most of his work has had a focus on policy. Professor Price is also Associate Postgraduate Director for the finance group and is excellently placed to support you if you are wishing to explore PhD study following completion of your MRes. All our finance researchers are members of the Essex Finance Centre (EFiC) , our research centre that promotes internationally renowned, high-quality academic research in areas such as asset pricing, banking, behavioural finance and financial modelling. Finance academics are also members of the Essex Centre for Macro and Financial Econometrics , our interdisciplinary research centre established in partnership with the world-class Economics Department at Essex. The Centre aims to conduct and publish world-leading research in macro and financial econometrics. The Centres run regular seminars that are open to all postgraduate students and which offer an opportunity for you to hear the very latest research and developments in the finance sector.

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Specialist facilities

MRes Finance is based at our Colchester Campus . You’ll be studying at Essex Business School , home to the first zero carbon business school in the UK – demonstrating our sustainable approach to business first-hand. Set around a lush winter garden, with shared spaces to encourage collaborative working, you’ll find a wealth of inspiring teaching and study zones:

• a virtual trading floor with Bloomberg Financial Market Labs, where you’ll gain hands-on experience and learn how to model financial data in a practical setting
• learn in modern lecture theatres with ‘listen again’ recording to aid your study
• dynamic blended learning provision for uninterrupted study and engaging online lectures with virtual guest speakers
• utilise study booths in our winter garden and versatile break out areas for group working throughout the building
• study skills support provided by the Essex Business School Learning Team
• networking opportunities with visiting businesses and careers events
• Bonds café and adjacent foyer to enjoy on-site fresh food and drink

You'll also benefit from fantastic University facilities located close by, including our state-of-the-art Silberrad Student Centre, complete with an open-access 24-hour Learning Hub and a cutting-edge media centre. You benefit from access to a wide range of specialised banking and finance databases, textbooks and e-books and can book appointments with our subject librarian. Essex Business School students also have access to quantitative analysis software, such as MatLab, Stata and Eviews which can be accessed remotely and from all university computer labs. Our building is located on the Knowledge Gateway , home to some of the region’s most exciting enterprises in the science, technology and creative sectors. The Knowledge Gateway provides potential networking and career opportunities for students directly on campus.

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Your future

Essex Business School is helping to create the business leaders of the future; those who are creative, innovative and ethically aware. 89% of our postgraduate graduates are in employment or further study (Graduate Outcomes 2023). Many of our graduates enjoy careers in financial analysis, management, public administration and accountancy at some of the world’s most well-known organisations and exciting SMEs, including:

• KPMG Group
• Groupon, a global e-commerce marketplace
• Right Freight Pvt Ltc, an Independent freight forwarder
• Copal Partners, a financial consultation agency
• Capital Markets Intelligence, a financial publisher
• Credit Data Research, a business funder
Our Student Support team work closely with the University’s Employability and Careers service to help you with careers information and advice and CV support. They will help you find work experience, internships, placements and voluntary opportunities and provide access to employer talks on campus. We also work closely with the Essex Startups team to support our budding entrepreneurs get their business ideas off the ground.