Program Overview

MSc Economics, Banking and Finance

The MSc Economics, Banking and Finance program offers students the opportunity to develop specialist expertise across three inter-connected and highly influential subject areas. This industry-relevant program is informed by recent developments in Heriot-Watt's sector-leading research in Economics and Finance.

Key Information

• Level: Postgraduate Taught
• Delivery type: Full Time, Part Time
• Degree qualification: MSc
• Mode of delivery: On-Campus
• Duration: 1 year
• Location: Edinburgh
• Start date: September, January
• Next intake: January 2026

Course Content

The program provides a highly relevant and current curriculum, giving students access to a wide range of professional and managerial careers within businesses, banks, financial sector firms, non-government organisations, and government institutions. Students will gain practical specialist knowledge and fine-tune their professional, research, and advanced communication skills. They will also have the opportunity to choose from optional courses to customise their learning and gain additional expertise in applied economics and finance.

Mandatory Courses

• International Banking and Money Markets (September intake)
• Emerging Financial Markets (January intake)
• International Banking Institutions and Regulatory Frameworks (January intake)
• Economics Dissertation (Mandatory for both intakes)

Optional Courses

• International Finance
• Advanced Economic Policy 1
• Economics
• Principles of Environmental and Energy Economics
• Making Economic Policy
• Corporate Finance
• Corporate Governance and Sustainability
• Capital Markets
• Financial Analysis
• Development Economics
• Econometric Methods for Economic Research
• Derivatives
• Empirical Financial Modelling

Fees and Funding

• January 2026 intake tuition fees:
  • UK: ｣10,528 (Full Time), ｣5,264 (Part Time)
  • International: ｣21,192 (Full Time), ｣10,596 (Part Time)
• September 2026/January 2027 intake tuition fees:
  • UK: ｣10,864 (Full Time), ｣5,432 (Part Time)
  • International: ｣21,872 (Full Time), ｣10,936 (Part Time)

Scholarships and Bursaries

The university offers a wide variety of scholarships and bursaries to encourage well-qualified, ambitious students to study with them. Over ｣6 million worth of opportunities are available in fee and stipend scholarships, and more than 400 students benefit from this support.

Entry Requirements

• A minimum of honours degree at 2:2 or non-UK equivalent in a relevant subject such as Economics, Accountancy, Finance, Business Management, or an unrelated degree that demonstrates numerical ability.
• English language requirements: IELTS 6.0 (or equivalent) with no score lower than 5.5 except for writing which must be at 6.0 minimum.

Research Areas

The program is informed by the expertise of research-active academics whose work covers four key areas:

• Employment, Work and the Professions
• Logistics and Sustainability
• Networks and Enterprise Excellence
• Social and Economic Data Analysis

Career Opportunities

The career-focused master's program will develop students' professional skills and advanced communication skills, making them highly employable both on a national and international scale upon graduation. Graduates will have access to a wide range of professional and managerial careers within businesses, banks, financial sector firms, non-government organisations, and government institutions.