Program Overview

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Traders operate in global markets that are still feeling the after-effects of the 2008 financial meltdown and are now attempting to navigate the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. With an increased focus on risk management and compliance, global traders need to be agile, analytic and adaptive in order to succeed. There is no doubt that successful traders earn the highest wages in the already well-salaried financial sector, so traders need to be ruthless in order to prove their worth to their bank, hedge-fund or utilities employer. A detailed knowledge of global markets, an ability to negotiate risk and an eye for trade are essential skills and talents for a trader. MSc Finance and Global Trading aims to develop future traders and prepare you for a successful career in the financial services sector. This specialist course will equip you with the skills to take on a trading floor by exposing you to financial modelling, risk management systems and big data analytics. You will be able to put your skills into practice by simulating what you learn in the classroom on our virtual trading floor, which feeds industry standard Bloomberg financial data, allowing you to execute commands to develop your understanding of financial trades before you start to build your own trading portfolio. You will master areas such as:

• trading strategies
• portfolio management
• trader analytics
• empirical methods in finance
• fixed income portfolio management and financial derivatives

MSc Finance and Global Trading is taught at Essex Business School . Our students and staff join us from all over the world and our teaching is grounded in contemporary issues and professional practice, supported by industry-standard facilities . Discover our trading floor: Why we're great.

• Our Bloomberg Terminals offer direct use of Bloomberg data, information and analytics.
• Put your skills into practice by simulating what you learn in the classroom on our virtual trading floor.
• This specialist course will equip you with the skills you need to take on a trading floor.

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 Neil Kellard . Neil’s internationally acclaimed study of commodity markets has changed the way banks, governments and international and third sector organisations plan for future economic growth, directly impacting millions of people’s lives around the world. His extensive research shows that in the medium-term there can be large swings in commodity prices but in the long-term prices fall or remain unchanged, relative to manufactured goods. This makes diversifying exports, to include manufactured goods and services as well as commodities, crucial for the prosperity of a country and the health and wellbeing of its people. 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

MSc Finance and Global Trading 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. 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:

• Groupon, a global e-commerce marketplace
• KPMG Group, a multinational professional services network
• 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.