Finance
    Go to Lancaster University

    Finance

    Lancaster University
    Lancaster University
    United Kingdom
    United Kingdom, Lancaster
    University Rank:#157
    Go to Official Website
    Duration1 year(s)
    Tuition Fee
    GBP 40,344 / Year
    Next IntakeOctober 1, 2026
    Finance

    About

    Ranked among the world’s top master’s programmes in finance, our MSc Finance offers a comprehensive curriculum preparing you for high-value careers in highly sought-after sectors such as investment banking, asset management and corporate finance. The programme provides a solid foundation in essential financial principles while allowing you to tailor your studies through a wide selection of optional modules.

    You will build expertise in core areas such as financial data analytics, corporate finance, investment analysis and financial markets, while gaining advanced insights into specialised areas such as AI and machine learning, FinTech, and sustainable finance.

    You will also benefit from dedicated CFA training, personalised career coaching, and hands-on experience with industry-standard platforms such as Bloomberg, LSEG Workspace and Datastream, along with programming tools like Python and R. This unique combination of core knowledge and customisable learning ensures that you graduate with both breadth and depth, making you highly adaptable and competitive in the global financial job market.

    Industry-led learning

    Our programme is guided by industry and research trends and delivered by a team of world-class academics. You will benefit from unparalleled networking opportunities with industry experts and access to real-world case studies, ensuring you graduate as a well-rounded professional ready to tackle global challenges. You will also have access to our sector-leading finance career coaching team, which will help you become more competitive in the job market and develop the soft skills needed to excel in any career path. Also, the programme includes optional dedicated training for the CFA Level I exam, which is delivered in the summer.

    Tailor your learning with optional modules

    You can choose from a diverse selection of optional modules that align with your individual interests and career aspirations. Whether you are interested in derivatives modelling, risk management, sustainable finance and ESG investing, or AI and machine learning applications in finance, our programme allows you to specialise in the areas that matter most to you.

    Enhance your professional toolkit

    The core module ‘Career Accelerator: Technical Toolkit and Professional Development’ will help you develop soft skills (such as communication), database management skills (such as SQL, Bloomberg, LSEG Workspace and Datastream), coding skills (such as VBA, Stata, Python and R) and practical skills in using industry-standard accounting software (such as Xero).

    Over the summer, you will apply your acquired knowledge to an individual, research-driven dissertation project. This project will provide hands-on experience with real-world quantitative research while developing your research planning, time management, and written communication skills.

    As a BSc Marketing and Design student, you will be equipped with a strong foundation in the principles and practices of both marketing and design. Throughout the course, you will gain a deep understanding of the complementary and contrasting theoretical frameworks of marketing and design while developing essential design research skills and sharpening your critical thinking. You will learn how to respond to design briefs with creative experimentation and compelling visualisations. You will be able to commission design projects and effectively manage marketing strategies across diverse areas, from packaging to online advertising.

    Requirements

    Entry Requirements

    Entry requirements

    Academic requirements

    2:2 Hons degree (UK or equivalent) in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or another business-related subject.

    We assess applicants based on their overall academic performance and typically expect strong results in finance and quantitative modules (e.g., mathematics, statistics). Relevant work experience and/or significant programming skills are also viewed favourably.

    Graduates from non-business disciplines with a strong quantitative focus (Mathematics, Engineering, Physics, Computer and Data Science, and related disciplines) are encouraged to apply.

    English language requirements

    We require an IELTS (Academic) Test with an overall score of at least 6.5, and a minimum of 6.0 in each element of the test.

    We also consider other English language qualifications and if your score is below our requirements, you may be eligible for one of our pre-sessional English language programmes.

    Help from our Admissions team

    If you are thinking of applying to Lancaster and you would like to ask us a question, complete our enquiry form and one of the team will get back to you.

    We also have more details on our website about:

    Pre-master's programmes

    Delivered in partnership with INTO Lancaster University, our one-year tailored pre-master's pathways are designed to improve your subject knowledge and English language skills to the level required by a range of Lancaster University master's degrees. Visit INTO Lancaster University for more details and a list of eligible degrees you can progress onto.

    Career

    Careers

    The broad nature of the core and optional modules of this programme allows you to pivot in several different ways. You could choose well-known sectors such as investment banking and asset management, or explore less well-known sectors such as financial consultancy, investment consultancy, wealth management, financial planning, interdealer brokers, insurance, and vendors. The nature of the programme also means you could take either an analysis role or a more client-facing function and everything in between.

    Companies that have recruited our graduates in recent years include:

    • Bangkok Bank
    • Bank of China
    • BNP Paribas
    • Citi
    • Deloitte
    • Deutsche Bank
    • EY
    • Grant Thornton
    • HSBC
    • JPMorgan Chase
    • KPMG
    • PwC
    • Standard Chartered
    • UBS

    To give you additional industry-specific job-hunting skills, we have partnered with a financial markets specialist who has worked at several leading investment banks and financial technology firms. As a financial careers coach, his role is to help you explore opportunities within the sector, providing a clear understanding of the skills required and, crucially, an insider’s perspective on what employers are looking for. To help you stand out in a highly competitive market, he offers guidance on writing CVs and cover letters tailored to the financial industry, developing effective interview techniques, and performing well at assessment centres.

    Also, Lancaster University Management School’s Careers team puts on over 100 careers events each year for you to network with top graduate employers in the UK and overseas.

    Fee Information

    Additional fees and funding information accordion

    There may be extra costs related to your course for items such as books, stationery, printing, photocopying, binding and general subsistence on trips and visits. Following graduation, you may need to pay a subscription to a professional body for some chosen careers.

    Specific additional costs for studying at Lancaster are listed below.

    College fees

    Lancaster is proud to be one of only a handful of UK universities to have a collegiate system. Every student belongs to a college, and all students pay a small College Membership Fee which supports the running of college events and activities. Students on some distance-learning courses are not liable to pay a college fee.

    For students starting in 2025, the fee is £40 for undergraduates and research students and £15 for students on one-year courses.

    Computer equipment and internet access

    To support your studies, you will also require access to a computer, along with reliable internet access. You will be able to access a range of software and services from a Windows, Mac, Chromebook or Linux device. For certain degree programmes, you may need a specific device, or we may provide you with a laptop and appropriate software - details of which will be available on relevant programme pages. A dedicated IT support helpdesk is available in the event of any problems.

    The University provides limited financial support to assist students who do not have the required IT equipment or broadband support in place.

    Application fees for 2025

    For most taught postgraduate programmes starting in 2025 you must pay a non-refundable application fee of £40. We cannot consider applications until this fee has been paid, as advised on our online secure payment system. There is no application fee for postgraduate research applications.

    Application fees for 2026

    There is no application fee if you are applying for postgraduate study starting in 2026.

    Paying a deposit

    For some of our courses you will need to pay a deposit to accept your offer and secure your place. We will let you know in your offer letter if a deposit is required and you will be given a deadline date when this is due to be paid.

    The fee that you pay will depend on whether you are considered to be a home or international student. Read more about how we assign your fee status.

    If you are studying on a programme of more than one year’s duration, tuition fees are reviewed annually and are not fixed for the duration of your studies. Read more about fees in subsequent years.

    Find all fees and funding information for students at Lancaster University.

    Tuition Fee
    40,344 / year
    Finance
    Lancaster University
    Lancaster University
    United Kingdom

    United Kingdom, Lancaster

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