Finance MSc
Study level: Postgraduate
Are you interested in a career in a finance profession? By studying our MSc Finance, you should be able to gain the skills and knowledge needed, with pathways that allow you to focus on a particular area of interest.
Year of entry
Location
Coventry University (Coventry)
Study mode
Full-time
Part-time
Sandwich
Duration
1 year full-time
2 years part-time
Up to 2 years full-time (with professional experience)
Course code
FBLT043
Start date
September 2023
May 2024
Course overview
This is a specialist course that seeks to educate and prepare you for a range of careers within the finance profession. It aims to provide you with specialist financial skills and knowledge – everything from derivatives, portfolio theory and risk management, to financial modelling, governance and ethical finance.
- Three dedicated pathways (Finance, Banking and Investment Management), enable you to tailor the course to an area of specialist interest
- Development of skills and knowledge to suit globally-orientated, enterprising financial working environments
- You will have the option to apply for a ‘professional experience’ opportunity2, designed to further develop your skills and knowledge with the aim of maximising your employability prospects. See modules for more information.

Joint Top Modern University for Career Prospects
Guardian University Guide 2021 and 2022
5 QS Stars for Teaching and Facilities
QS Stars University Ratings
Top 5 UK Student City (Coventry)
QS Best Student Cities Index 2023Why you should study this course
- By studying this course you can expect to develop the skills and knowledge needed, to successfully operate in a financial world of constant transformation and increasing complexity.
- Once you’ve completed semester one, the three dedicated pathways: finance, banking and investment management, represent a chance for you to focus on a particular area of interest.
- Additionally, there will be opportunities for you to practise financial, statistical and econometric analysis, as well as explore how to interpret, evaluate and communicate financial information in real-life business situations.
- This course is accredited1 by the Chartered Management Institute and includes a module that provides you with the opportunity to gain a Level 7 Certificate in Strategic Leadership and Management.
Accreditation and professional recognition
This course is accredited1 and recognised by the following professional bodies:

Chartered Management Institute (CMI)
As part of this course, you will undertake a professional development module which is currently accredited by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) for the 2023-24 intake. Upon successful completion of this module, you will gain the CMI Level 7 Certificate in Strategic Management and Leadership Practice at no additional cost.
Coventry University’s accreditation with CMI is currently ongoing for the relevant modules and is frequently reviewed and monitored by the CMI through their quality systems.

This course is accredited1 by the Chartered Financial Analyst Institute for the 2023/2024 intake. This course is part of the University Affiliation Program of CFA Institute and currently covers at least 70% of the CFA Program Candidate Body of Knowledge (CBOK), offering excellent preparation for an international career in finance, banking, or risk management. This allows students to apply for a CFA Program Student Scholarship and have the opportunity to be awarded a student scholarship including a one-time CFA program enrolment fee and discounted one-time CFA exam registration fee (please note that any scholarship award is subject to a competitive application process and availability). Students will also enjoy free access to CFA learning resources, annual exam review study guide, free access to a full series of Code of Ethics and Standard of Professional Conduct materials and other online presentations. Successful completion of certain modules does not entitle students to sit the professional examinations which are centrally administrated by CFA Institute. Students would need to apply to the professional body for completing the exams outside of the course and additional criteria and fees may apply. Please visit the CFA website for further information.
Memberships
Chartered Financial Analyst Institute
This course is part of the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Institute’s University Affiliation Program for the 2023/24 intake, which recognises that the course curriculum is closely tied to the practice of investment management and is designed to be helpful to students preparing for the CFA Program exams. The University has a number of CFA scholarships to award to qualifying students.
Chartered Insurance Institute (CII)
This course is recognised by the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII); this allows students to apply for 60 credits towards the CII’s Diploma in Financial Planning or Insurance (fees apply), with only another 80 credits required from the CII to gain the diploma.
What you'll study
*Please note that we reserve the right to limit the number of pathways available to each cohort to ensure you receive the best educational experience. Pathways may be closed due to low numbers. In this instance, you will be offered an alternative pathway.
Professional experience option
The professional experience opportunity2 enables you the opportunity to apply for optional professional experience in semester 1, which, upon successfully securing an opportunity, will extend the duration of your master’s to either 16, 20 or 24 months. The professional experience provides an opportunity for you to develop expertise and experience in your chosen field with the aim of enhancing your employability.
Please note that the optional professional experience modules incur an additional tuition fee, for which 1 semester of professional experience is £1,333.33, for 2 semesters of professional experience is £2666.67, and for 3 semesters of professional experience is £4,000.
Professional experience may be subject to additional costs, visa requirements being met and is subject to availability and/or competitive application. Professional experience opportunities are not guaranteed but you will benefit from the support of our Talent Team in trying to find and secure an opportunity. Find out more about the professional experience option.
We regularly review our course content, to make it relevant and current for the benefit of our students. For these reasons, course modules may be updated.
How you'll learn
Teaching methods include:
- Lectures
- Seminars
- Tutorials
- Presentations
- Group projects
- Workshops
This course can be studied on a full-time or part-time basis. Whilst we would like to give you all the information about our part-time offering here, it is tailored for each course each year depending on the number of part-time applicants. Therefore, the part-time teaching arrangements vary. Please request information about studying this course part-time.
Teaching contact hours
The number of contact hours may vary from semester to semester, however, on average, it is likely to be around 13 contact hours per week in the taught semesters. Additionally, you will be expected to undertake around 12 hours of self-directed study, depending on the demands of individual modules.
The contact hours may be made up of a combination of face-to-face teaching, individual and group tutorials, and online classes and tutorials.
As an innovative and enterprising institution, the University may seek to utilise emerging technologies within the student experience. For all courses (whether on-campus, blended, or distance learning), the University may deliver certain contact hours and assessments via online technologies and methods.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are prepared for courses due to start in or after the 2023/2024 academic year to be delivered in a variety of forms. The form of delivery will be determined in accordance with Government and Public Health guidance. Whether on campus or online, our key priority is staff and student safety.
Assessment
This course will be assessed using a variety of methods which could vary depending upon the module. Assessment methods may include:
- Reports
- Tests
- Exams
- Practical coursework
- Presentations as part of individual assignments or group work elements.
The Coventry University Group assessment strategy ensures that our courses are fairly assessed and allows us to monitor student progression towards achieving the intended learning outcomes.
Entry requirements
Typical offer for 2023/24 entry.
Fees and funding
2023/24 tuition fees.
Student | Full-time | Part-time |
---|---|---|
UK, Ireland*, Channel Islands or Isle of Man | £15,400 | £19,400 (with prof. experience) | Request fee information |
EU | £15,400 | £19,400 (with prof. experience) per year with EU support bursary** £20,050 | £24,050 (with prof. experience) per year without EU support bursary** |
Not available |
International | £20,050 | £24,050 (with prof. experience) | Not available |
For advice and guidance on tuition fees3 and student loans visit our Postgraduate Finance page and see the university's Tuition Fee and Refund Terms and Conditions.
We offer a range of International scholarships to students all over the world. For more information, visit our International Scholarships page.
Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching, assessments, facilities and support services. There may be additional costs not covered by this fee such as accommodation and living costs, recommended reading books, stationery, printing and re-assessments should you need them.
The following are additional costs not included in the tuition fees:
- Any optional overseas field trips or visits: £400+ per trip.
- Any costs associated with securing, attending or completing a placement (whether in the UK or abroad).
If you choose to study this course with a professional placement2, you will need to pay a fee of £1,333.33 for 1 semester, £2666.67 for 2 semesters, £4,000 for 3 semesters. This will cover support throughout your time taking the professional placement.
This course may incur additional costs associated with any professional experience2, which could include (but is not limited to) travel, accommodation, activities and visas.
*Irish student fees
The rights of Irish residents to study in the UK are preserved under the Common Travel Area arrangement. If you are an Irish student and meet the residency criteria, you can study in England, pay the same level of tuition fees as English students and utilise the Tuition Fee Loan.
**EU support bursary
Following the UK's exit from the European Union, we are offering financial support to all eligible EU students who wish to study an undergraduate or a postgraduate degree with us full-time. This bursary will be used to offset the cost of your tuition fees to bring them in-line with that of UK students. Students studying a Degree with a Foundation Year with us are not eligible for the bursary.
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How do you know if you need to pay UK or international tuition fees?
We carry out an initial fee status assessment based on the information you provide in your application. Your fee status determines your tuition fees, and what financial support and scholarships may be available to you. The rules about who pays UK (home) or international (overseas) fees for higher education courses in England are set by the government's Department for Education. The regulations identify all the different categories of student who can insist on paying the home rate. The regulations can be difficult to understand, so the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) has provided fee status guidance to help you identify whether you are eligible to pay the home or overseas rate.
If you meet all the criteria required by any one category, including any residence requirements, your institution must charge you the home rate. You only need to find one category that you fit into.
Facilities
We have a range of facilities4 available to support you in putting the theories you are taught, into practice such as:

The Trading Floor
The Trading Floor is an invaluable facility which allows you to get hands-on with industry-standard software. Housing 42 dual-screen Bloomberg terminals, the facility can add a dynamic practical element to your course.

Talent Team
Employability at the forefront of all our accounting and finance courses. You will have access to our dedicated employability service, the Talent Team, from the first day of your course, to graduation and beyond.

sigma Centre
The sigma Centre is housed in our Lanchester Library, and offers maths and statistics support through drop-in sessions and bookable appointments, the ideal place to help you navigate any issues you might have while studying an accounting and finance degree.
Careers and opportunities
Upon successful completion, you will have knowledge of:
- Financial concepts, theories and their application to real-world situations.
- Financing arrangements, strategies and governance structures of business entities.
- Complex operation and function of financial markets in different regulatory settings.
- Contemporary and controversial issues of finance in global financial markets.
Upon successful completion, you will be able to:
- Demonstrate diagnostic and decision-making skills – such as optimising investment strategies for both firms and individuals in dealing with financial management problems.
- Use advanced mathematical and statistical techniques for financial and investment analysis.
- Select, retrieve and analyse relevant data and information from finance-related databases like Datastream and Bloomberg to solve practical problems.
- Design and conduct research in financial management using appropriate methodologies to advance knowledge in these areas.
- Critically evaluate the conceptual and theoretical frameworks of finance and challenge assumptions.
- Exercise judgment in the selection of different methods and approaches to financial management in the corporate environment.
This master’s level course can help lead to careers in financial services, corporate finance, fund management, treasury or banking and insurance sectors, upon successful completion. Equally, the skills developed upon graduating should allow you to pursue a potential future career in the public and/or private sector, in financial management or in management more generally.
Typical roles may include financial planners and controllers, treasurers, stockbrokers, commodities traders, cash and fund managers, insurance adjusters and other positions in banking and finance.
Past graduates have gone on to work for the likes of HSBC, Boeing, and Standard & Poor's.
Coventry University is committed to preparing you for your future career and giving you a competitive edge in the graduate job market. The university's Talent Team provide a wide range of support services to help you plan and prepare for your career.
Where our graduates work
Past graduates have gone on to work in varied roles, such as a Financial Planning Analyst for City Bank Indonesia, Senior Finance Officer for Royal Jordanian Airlines and Financial Administrator for Bank of China.
How to apply
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UK students
To apply to study for a postgraduate course at Coventry University, you can apply online.
For further support or more information about your course get in touch with us today.
Chat with our admissions team
Complete our contact form.
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International students
Full-time international students applying to start in September should apply directly to the university. Read our application pages to find out your next steps to apply.
How to applyFor further support for international applicants applying for postgraduate degree view our International hub.
You can also download our International guide which contains lots of useful information about our courses, accommodation and tips for travel.
Get in touch with us today for further advice and guidance.
Chat with our admissions team.
Complete our contact form.
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Disclaimers
Coventry University together with Coventry University London Campus, CU Coventry, CU London, CU Scarborough and Coventry University Online come together to form part of the Coventry University Group (the “University”) with all degrees awarded by Coventry University.
1Accreditations
The majority of our courses have been formally recognised by professional bodies, which means the courses have been reviewed and tested to ensure they reach a set standard. In some instances, studying on an accredited course can give you additional benefits such as exemptions from professional exams (subject to availability, fees may apply). Accreditations, partnerships, exemptions and memberships shall be renewed in accordance with the relevant bodies’ standard review process and subject to the university maintaining the same high standards of course delivery.
2UK and international opportunities
Please note that we are unable to guarantee any UK or International opportunities (whether required or optional) such as internships, work experience, field trips, conferences, placements or study abroad opportunities and that all such opportunities may be subject to additional costs (which could include, but is not limited to, equipment, materials, bench fees, studio or facilities hire, travel, accommodation and visas), competitive application, availability and/or meeting any applicable travel COVID and visa requirements. To ensure that you fully understand the visa requirements, please contact the International Office.
3Tuition fees
The University will charge the tuition fees that are stated in the above table for the first Academic Year of study. The University will review tuition fees each year. For UK (home) students, if Parliament permit an increase in tuition fees, the University may increase fees for each subsequent year of study in line with any such changes. Note that any increase is expected to be in line with inflation.
For International Students, we may increase fees each year but such increases will be no more than 5% above inflation. If you defer your course start date or have to extend your studies beyond the normal duration of the course (e.g. to repeat a year or resit examinations) the University reserves the right to charge you fees at a higher rate and/or in accordance with any legislative changes during the additional period of study.
4Facilities
Due to COVID-19, some facilities (including some teaching and learning spaces) and some non-academic offerings (particularly in relation to international experiences), may vary from those advertised and may have reduced availability or restrictions on their use.
Student Contract
By accepting your offer of a place and enrolling with us, a Student Contract will be formed between you and the university. A copy of the 2023/24 contract can be found here. The Contract details your rights and the obligations you will be bound by during your time as a student and contains the obligations that the university will owe to you. You should read the Contract before you accept an offer of a place and before you enrol at the university.
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