International Finance MSc
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Course Summary
Our course offers aspiring and developing managers the opportunity to gain valuable knowledge, skills and understanding of International Finance.
Understanding the principles and practices of financial management enables you to make better quality decisions, enabling potential for improved personal and organisational performance. This course develops an in-depth understanding of the financial tools, techniques and controls available, and the ability to apply this understanding in the workplace. We combine academic study with workplace application, so you will get many opportunities to understand how to manage and make management decisions.
Extensive use of case studies will give you the chance to develop valuable skills and understanding that will provide you with a strategic appreciation of the many facets of financial management. Our tutors encourage discussion in class, so that you can gradually learn to form, express and defend your own opinions.
Guest speakers from industry are also invited into class to share their experience with you, enabling you to appreciate the real-world application of academic theory. In association with the course, there are opportunities for you to apply for an internship.
There is an option to choose a Project/Placement year for this course, at an additional cost.
Optional 2-year master's to suit your needs
Choosing a Professional Placement MSc is a win-win for your career, giving you the chance to get real experience, apply your cutting-edge skills in the workplace and stand out to future employers.
In the first year you will have help from the University to find a placement, whilst developing your expertise. You will then spend your second year out in industry on placement, getting the chance to work with industry professionals and grow your network of industry contacts. Bringing the latest business school insights to industry, you will get to make a difference to the workplace and make lasting links with your employer.
Students need to find and secure their own placement, supported by the University. A preparation module will also help you to get ready for your placement.
What you’llStudy
Our modules focus on various aspects of financial management in an international context. One of the modules is a research project that will enable you to research in depth a practical topic of interest to you. The focus is very much on the practical application of your knowledge and understanding, which should help you to make a significant contribution to a future employer.
If you choose a placement or project year, the Research Dissertation module will be replaced by a placement or project module.
Module content:
Strategic financial accounting:
- Understanding the format of financial reports and financial accounts.
- Analysis of financial reporting.
Strategic management accounting:
- Identify and assess the impact of current developments in management accounting and performance management on measuring, evaluating and improving organisational performance.
- Apply appropriate strategic performance measurement techniques in evaluating and improving organisational performance.
Module aims:
- To enable students to explore and develop an understanding of the theoretical techniques, concepts and methods employed in strategic financial management.
- To develop the ability to apply the theoretical to the practical, through the analysis of data and application of relevant techniques in the context of varied situations.
- To evaluate and develop a critical and reflective awareness of the importance of the application of relevant, available techniques to the enhancement of strategic financial decision making and business performance.
Module content:
The nature of financial risks and the key components of a financial risk management system.
Analysis of corporate governance in relation to risk management and its application.
Analysis and evaluation of key risks related to:
- Enterprise risk,
- Strategic risk,
- Internal controls and
- Cyber risk
- Reputational risk
- Economic and credit risk
- Interest rate and currency risk
Application of specific strategies and tools for assessing, measuring and managing financial risk.
Module aims:
- To enable students to explore and develop an understanding of the theoretical techniques, concepts and methods employed in financial risk management;
- To develop the ability to apply the theoretical to the practical, through the application of relevant techniques in the context of varied situations;
- To evaluate and develop a critical and reflective awareness of the importance of the application of relevant, available techniques to enhance financial risk management and business performance.
Module content:
This module covers the following topics:
- Professional standards of practice
- The development of corporate governance regulation
- The changing nature of regulation
- Agency cost theory
- Challenges in corporate governance
- Corporate governance best practice and recommendations
- Corporate governance in public organisations
Module aims:
To develop students' awareness and understanding of Corporate governance and ethical frameworks in the accounting and investment industry.
Module content:
- Financial data - sources, collection, ethics and sampling techniques
- Descriptive statistics-mean, median, mode, standard deviation, variance, coefficient of variation,
etc. - Inferential statistics-correlations, regression, t-test,
etc. - Time series analysis-auto regression and moving averages (ARIMA models)
- Ms Excel - analysis toolpak and solver
- Use SPSS, Ms Excel and AMOS for data manipulation (for example structural equation modelling)
- Financial Analysis-estimation of beta, event study, testing market efficiency, portfolio optimisation-variance-covariance matrix
Module aims:
This module aims to equip student with the requisite quantitative skills required for the interrogation of data to build a solid foundation for the understanding of finance analytical concepts.
Module content:
- Introduction to Case Study Analysis – mini, macro, and integrated business case study
- A modelled approach to case study analysis for decision making
- The environmental audit and the case study contexts
- Assessing the challenges within the live case study
- Problem Identification & Analysis and Strategic Intent
- Assumption setting and strategic business planning related to case study example
- Objectives, strategies, action plans, by function to time scales
- Application of key quantitative and qualitative techniques
- Monitoring, review & control planning for performance
- How to write a case study report
- Pitfalls of case study analysis
Module aims:
Provide opportunities for students to solve business case studies (including live cases) examples and justify the solutions that have been put forward from an available pool of different solutions and scenarios
Module content:
- Introduction to company start-ups; legal requirements of setting ups
- Strategic planning – mission, vision, and value proposition
- Conducting the market research and gap analysis
- Creativity and innovation
- The business model and evaluation
- Sources of finance, investment appraisal techniques
- Contribution; break even analysis and sales forecasting
- Stakeholder analysis, pitching and business networking
- Sustainability and business ethics
- Structure of a business plan.
Module aims:
To equip students with relevant skills required to identifying clear business opportunities which are justified by market research and financial feasibility to launch a new business start up.
To enhance the student ability to pitch the business idea to potential investors for consideration for direct investment.
To equip the student with relevant skills required to manage a new business efficiently in the context of ethics, sustainability, decarbonisation and the use digitalisation tools.
Module content:
- Developing the research idea (case study, business development proposal and dissertation)
- Theory, literature and hypotheses
- Research ethics in accounting and finance
- Data collection, sources, measurements, cleaning, summary (descriptive statistics)
- Big Data (4Vs - Volume, Velocity, Veracity and Variety)
- Inferential statistics (predictive analytics)
- Quantitative and qualitative research approaches
- Software - Power BI, SPSS, AMOS, Advanced Ms Excel, Stata, NVivo and others
- Specific techniques for case study, business development proposal and dissertation.
Module aims:
The aim of this module is to enable learners to:
- Design and implement an Accounting and Finance research project using methodologies and methods appropriate to research questions and objectives.
- Identify specific research techniques required for case study analysis, business development proposal and dissertations.
- Analyse and report Accounting and Finance research findings meeting academic and practitioner needs.
- Familiarise themselves with the use of contemporary data analysis tools relevant to the field of Accounting and Finance.
Module content:
A programme of individual study and research project in accordance with established research principles involving the completion of the following elements:
- Introduction to Accounting and Finance research
- Critical review of literature for an Accounting and Finance research project
- Evaluation of appropriate data collection methods
- Data analysis techniques for various research strategies
- Resource and risk planning in research
- Undertaking Accounting and Finance research
Module aims:
The aim of this module is to enable learners to:
- Provide students with the skills to develop an existing research proposal into a piece of rigorous Accounting and Finance research with their supervisor (s).
- To provide students with the skills to write up an extended piece of research, demonstrating academic rigour, including consideration of methodological and ethical issues associated with the programme of academic research.
- To enhance students' project planning, presentation, critical reflection and analysis skills.
Module content:
- Corporate Investment decisions and International Finance
- Global Contexts for investment decision making and strategy
- International context of Corporate Finance planning
- Capital structure and corporate value
- Shareholder value - Financial market structures and products
- The relationship between economic events, interest rates and foreign currency
- Workings of the capital and money markets
Each topic area will be considered within an International context.
Module aims:
1. To enable students to explore and develop an understanding of the theoretical techniques, concepts and methods employed in the management of Corporate Finance.
2. To develop the ability to apply theoretical models and techniques to the enhancement of Corporate Finance decision making.
3. To develop a critical reflective awareness of the importance of the application of relevant techniques to the enhancement of Corporate Finance strategy.
Dr Ahmed Kholeif
Programme Leader MSc International Finance
Prof Kelvin Leong
Professor of Financial Technology and Data Analytics, PGR Director
Dr Muhammad Sanusi
Programme Leader for MSc Accounting (ACCA Pathway)
Langton Mburayi
Programme Leader for Business Finance
You will learn by attending regular, scheduled sessions, which could be lectures, project work, presentations, discussions or case studies, as well as one-to-one sessions with your tutors. The course includes six taught modules plus the Management Research Project.
Assessment of your learning could be through written assignments, in-class tests, examinations or presentations, as well as completion of an individual management report.
Entry Requirements
2:2 honours degree
Applicants will normally be expected to hold a degree with a minimum 2:2 honours, or equivalent. Applications are also welcome from those with non-standard entry qualifications. A typical applicant may be a new/recent graduate, who has attained a first degree and wishes to augment that with further study to optimise their career opportunities.
2:2 honours degree
Applicants will normally be expected to hold a degree with a minimum 2:2 honours, or equivalent. Applications are also welcome from those with non-standard entry qualifications. A typical applicant may be a new/recent graduate, who has attained a first degree and wishes to augment that with further study to optimise their career opportunities.
Please note, some programmes have special entry requirements.
English Language Requirements
For more information on our English Language requirements, please visit International Entry Requirements.
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Fees and Funding
£8,505 for the full course (2024/25)
Guides to the fees for students who wish to commence postgraduate courses in the academic year 2024/25 are available to view on our Postgraduate Taught Programmes Fees page.
The professional placement/project year will cost an additional £2,650, due at the start of the second year of the course.
£14,750 for the full course (2024/25)
The tuition fees for international students studying Postgraduate programmes in 2024/25 are £14,750.
The professional placement/project year will cost an additional £2,650 (due at the start of the second year of the course), totaling £17,400 for the full course fee 2024/25.
The University of Chester offers generous international and merit-based scholarships for postgraduate study, providing a significant reduction to the published headline tuition fee. You will automatically be considered for these scholarships when your application is reviewed, and any award given will be stated on your offer letter.
For more information, go to our International Fees, Scholarship and Finance section.
Irish Nationals living in the UK or ROI are treated as Home students for Tuition Fee Purposes.
Your course will involve additional costs not covered by your tuition fees. This may include books, printing, photocopying, educational stationery and related materials, specialist clothing, travel to placements, optional field trips and software. Compulsory field trips are covered by your tuition fees.
If you are living away from home during your time at university, you will need to cover costs such as accommodation, food, travel and bills.
The University of Chester supports fair access for students who may need additional support through a range of bursaries and scholarships.
Full details, as well as terms and conditions for all bursaries and scholarships can be found on the Fees & Finance section of our website.
Your future Career
Job prospect
The MSc in International Finance can open up global career opportunities in areas such as Banking, Manufacturing, Leisure, Local and National Government and the not-for-profit sector.
Careers service
The University has an award-winning Careers and Employability service which provides a variety of employability-enhancing experiences; through the curriculum, through employer contact, tailored group sessions, individual information, advice and guidance.
Careers and Employability aims to deliver a service which is inclusive, impartial, welcoming, informed and tailored to your personal goals and aspirations, to enable you to develop as an individual and contribute to the business and community in which you will live and work.
We are here to help you plan your future, make the most of your time at University and to enhance your employability. We provide access to part-time jobs, extra-curricular employability-enhancing workshops and offer practical one-to-one help with career planning, including help with CVs, applications and mock interviews. We also deliver group sessions on career planning within each course and we have a wide range of extensive information covering graduate jobs .