Develop analytical skills relevant to careers related to finance and investments
Year of entry: 2025 (September)
1 year full-time
Department of Economics and Related Studies, Department of Mathematics, School for Business and Society
September 2025 (semester dates)
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Our Finance and Investments (MSc) provides the solid foundations required for building a future in investment and finance.
Our suite of finance Masters programmes are uniquely multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary. They bring together expertise from the School for Business and Society, the Department of Mathematics, and the Department of Economics and Related Studies.
Discover our refocused syllabus introducing contemporary tools, methods and approaches to tackle applied, professional and academic challenges in accounting and finance.
We will encourage you to both question traditional concepts and techniques and adopt an analytical and robust approach to decision-making.
At the University of York we offer a number of different courses as part of our finance suite, including general, focused and specialised programmes. Learn more about our range of finance Masters offered at York.
Taught by leading experts, you'll complete modules to the value of 180 credits. This includes a combination of taught modules - five core and one optional - and an independent research project.
You’ll develop a working knowledge of essential applied fields of finance, including investment banking, investment management and corporate finance. You'll also study advances in financial technology, modern investment management techniques applied by hedge funds, and the use of derivatives for managing portfolio risk.
Your individual research project will allow you to apply what you have learned to real-world investment scenarios, gaining a range of employability and personal transferrable skills for an investments career.
You will also study one option module. Examples may include:
Our modules may change to reflect the latest academic thinking and expertise of our staff, and in line with Department/School academic planning.
You'll complete a piece of independent research of up to 8,000 words, carried out over three months of the summer. It will offer you the chance to examine a topic in depth and to develop your academic research skills.
Every course at York is built on a distinctive set of learning outcomes. These will give you a clear understanding of what you will be able to accomplish at the end of the course and help you explain what you can offer employers. Our academics identify the knowledge, skills, and experiences you'll need upon graduation and then design the course to get you there.
Display a systematic and critical understanding of the behaviour and operations of investment banks, investment management firms and hedge funds, the environments in which they operate, and the role they play in the wider economic system
Critically evaluate the techniques used by investment managers including those working in hedge funds by displaying a systematic understanding of active and passive portfolio management strategies, how portfolio performance can be evaluated, how investment risk can be managed, and the roles that both behavioural finance and financial technology play in the investment management process
Appraise and evaluate the major theories used by investment managers and in the study of corporate finance, be able to describe the assumptions and mathematics methods behind these theories and communicate clearly to academic and managerial audiences the advantages and limitations of applying these theories to specific practical contexts
Solve complex financial investment problems by locating, downloading and cleaning the most appropriate financial and related data, and applying the most relevant statistical and computational techniques to these data to address the problem at hand
Demonstrate a critical awareness of sustainable and ethical factors in portfolio management and describe how ethical and sustainable approaches can be implemented in a way that is consistent with the fiduciary duties of a fund manager
Produce well-reasoned written and oral communications based on analytical reasoning and supported, where necessary, by data-based evidence, and display other personal transferable skills including: the ability to work positively within a group; act inclusively within a diverse academic community; reflect on personal strengths and weaknesses; identify areas for growth in their own knowledge and practice by engaging in continuing professional development
Formulate a financial and/or investments project proposal; identify the relevant academic and practitioner literature that best inform the project; identify and obtain the most appropriate data and methodologies for undertaking the project; independently carry out the project efficiently and to deadline; and effectively communicate results in a way that will persuade both expert and non-expert audiences.
| Study mode | UK (home) | International and EU |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time (1 year) | £16,810 | £33,700 |
Students on a Student Visa are not currently permitted to study part-time at York.
UK (home) or international fees? The level of fee that you will be asked to pay depends on whether you're classed as a UK (home) or international student. Check your fee status.
Find out more information about tuition fees and how to pay them.
Discover your funding options to help with tuition fees and living costs.
We'll confirm more funding opportunities for students joining us in 2025/26 throughout the year.
If you've successfully completed an undergraduate degree at York you could be eligible for a 10% Masters fee discount.
We are pleased to work with Chevening Scholars to offer funding for our Masters programmes. Chevening Scholarships provide one year of fully-funded postgraduate study in the UK for international (including EU) students. The scholarships are open to early and mid-career professionals who have the potential to become future leaders.
You can use our living costs guide to help plan your budget. It covers additional costs that are not included in your tuition fee such as expenses for accommodation and study materials.
You’ll work with world‐leading academics who’ll challenge you to think independently and excel in all that you do. Our approach to teaching will provide you with the knowledge, opportunities, and support you need to grow and succeed in a global workplace.
This Masters combines a variety of different teaching methods, including:
A member of the teaching staff will act as your supervisor throughout the degree, to help guide your studies and monitor progress.
The department also has a vibrant research community. You’ll be able to attend seminars and research workshops in which staff and invited speakers discuss their research.
You'll be based in the School for Business and Society on Campus West.
You'll gain access to our schools' and departments' shared resources and financial databases, including:
Our beautiful green campus offers a student-friendly setting in which to live and study, within easy reach of the action in the city centre. It's easy to get around campus - everything is within walking or pedalling distance, or you can always use the fast and frequent bus service.
Formal types of assessment in this course include:
As you study modules you’ll take part in assessments that do not contribute to your final mark, instead giving useful feedback on your progress and understanding.
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This course will help you acquire or develop the analytical skills in economics and finance you need for a successful career as an investment analyst, financial adviser, project manager or consultant. The MSc is also an ideal basis for progression to a PhD.
You'll develop a range of transferable skills during the course, including:
| Typical offer | |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate degree | 2:2 or equivalent in an undergraduate degree in any subject. We would expect applicants to have experience of one or more modules containing some statistics/maths/economics/finance/physics/engineering content. |
| Other qualifications and experience | If you do not meet our advertised entry requirements, we may consider your application if you have a minimum of three years of relevant senior managerial-level working experience or a relevant professional qualification such as the CFA Level 1 or the ACCA |
| Other international qualifications | Equivalent qualifications from your country |
If English isn't your first language you may need to provide evidence of your English language ability. We accept the following qualifications:
| Minimum requirement | |
|---|---|
| IELTS (Academic and Indicator) | 6.5, minimum 6.0 in each component |
| Cambridge CEFR | B2 First: 176, with 169 in each component |
| Oxford ELLT | 7, minimum of 6 in each component |
| Duolingo | 120, minimum 105 in all other components |
| LanguageCert SELT | B2 with 33/50 in each component |
| LanguageCert Academic | 70 with a minimum of 65 in each component |
| Kaplan Test of English Language | 459-494, with 426-458 in all other components |
| Skills for English | B2: Merit overall, with Pass with Merit in each component |
| PTE Academic | 61, minimum 55 in each component |
| TOEFL | 87, minimum of 21 in each component |
| Trinity ISE III | Merit in all requirements |
For more information see our postgraduate English language requirements.
You may be eligible for one of our pre-sessional English language courses. These courses will provide you with the level of English needed to meet the conditions of your offer.
The length of course you need to take depends on your current English language test scores and how much you need to improve to reach our English language requirements.
After you've accepted your offer to study at York, we'll confirm which pre-sessional course you should apply to via You@York.
Get in touch if you have any questions
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Department of Economics and Related Studies, Department of Mathematics, School for Business and Society
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