Course information

Course highlights

• The course provides an in-depth study of the theory and practice of modern banking and finance.
• The Centre for Responsible Banking and Finance (RBF) exposes students to the research and work of eminent academics and business executives.  
• This programme opens a wide range of new and exciting career opportunities as many financial firms and government agencies require an in-depth knowledge of the functioning of financial markets and institutions.

Teaching format

The Masters in Banking and Finance is a one-year taught programme run by the School of Management. The taught elements of the programme are delivered through a mixture of core and optional modules, using a range of delivery methods including lectures, small group tutorials, workshops and seminars. The average lecture size is 30 students, but in some cases there will be seminars of 15 to 18 students or larger lectures with up to 100 students, which would normally be augmented by small group tutorials.

Assessment comprises a combination of coursework and examinations. From June to August, students undertake a research project culminating in a written dissertation of 15,000 words. You will attend a weekly series of lectures and workshops focusing on research methods and other topics to help prepare you for the dissertation. 

Further particulars regarding curriculum development.

Modules

The modules in this programme have varying methods of delivery and assessment. Typically, each module consists of three to five contact hours per week including lectures, seminars and tutorials. Assessment is either entirely by coursework or through a combination of coursework (50%) and a two-hour end-of-semester examination (50%).

For more details of each module, including weekly contact hours, teaching methods and assessment, please see the latest module catalogue which is for the 2015-2016 academic year; some elements may be subject to change for 2016 entry.

Compulsory modules

• Banking and Finance: provides students with an in-depth knowledge and a rigorous background in the mainstream areas of modern banking and finance.
• Research Methods in Finance (Econometrics 1): provides students with an understanding of issues involved in the design of research projects within a finance and management discipline.
• Research Methods in Banking and Finance (Econometrics 2): further develops econometrical skills of students to implement statistical analysis in the area of banking and finance.
• Advanced Corporate Finance: equips students with the capability to manage complex strategic and financial related situations.

Optional modules

Students choose two optional modules, taking one in each semester.

• Responsible Investment: provides students with an in-depth knowledge of responsible investment, which integrates environmental, social and governance issues into investment-decision making.
• Financial Systems: outlines the fundamentals of financial systems, focusing on the influence of technology and innovation along with the challenges that these pose to regulators.
• International Financial Management: studies in the international monetary frameworks and the conduct of monetary policies in major developed economies.
• Risk Management: provides an introduction to managing the exposure to risk and how to apply relevant theories to realistic financial decision problems.
• Alternative Investment: provides students with an overview on investment opportunities alternative to the main equity and bond markets.

Optional modules are subject to change each year, and attendance may be limited (see the University’s position on curriculum development).

If you would like to know more about the content of your modules for this programme, you can view the module guides for the current year of study.

Dissertation

Students attend lectures throughout Semesters 1 and 2 to prepare them for conducting the research portion of the dissertation. The dissertation is normally on a specific area of Banking and Finance, however at the School of Management you will have the freedom to develop a topic of your own, which is of interest to you and will contribute towards career development or further study goals.

You will be assigned a supervisor based on your research proposal submitted in the second semester. Students will then research and write a 15,000-word dissertation over the summer to be submitted on a date specified in August. 

If students choose not to complete the dissertation requirement for their Masters degree (MSc), there are exit awards available that allow suitably qualified candidates to receive a Postgraduate Diploma. By choosing an exit award, you will finish your degree at the end of the second semester of study and receive a PGDip instead of a MSc.

The School of Management

The School of Management organises activities and builds relationships around the concept of responsible enterprise.

Responsible enterprise informs teaching and research about:

• managing within organisations
• the impact of human enterprise on the environment
• the interaction between forms of investment and social and organisational impact
• the need to foster creativity and development.

Accountability, governance, sustainability and ethics are key to the understanding of and engagement with a wide variety of organisations – private, public and social.

The School of Management has won major grants to undertake research and develop research centres. The research findings are reported in top international journals, which means the School is influential in shaping policy and practice.

The School’s world-class research makes a significant contribution to teaching at St Andrews.  School staff work as a supportive community to ensure that students think and engage critically with subject matter, both practical and theoretical, developing their abilities and their skills in analysis, synthesis, evaluation and application.

Careers

Alumni from the Banking and Finance programme and more generally from other Masters programmes in the School of Management have secured employment in the fields of general management, marketing and brand management, accountancy, investment analysis, fund administration and other aspects of the financial services industry.

Graduates from the Masters in Banking and Finance have taken up roles in a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sector including:

• Deloitte and Touche
• Deutsche Bank
• IBM
• HSBC
• Nomura Bank
• Blackrock Global Investment Management
• Procter and Gamble
• Royal Bank of Scotland
• Credit Suisse Group.

Masters Extra (MX)

The Masters Extra (MX) programme is designed specifically for taught masters students in the School of Management and focusses on careers and personal/professional development. This series of talks, workshops, networking opportunities and activities includes guest lectures from leading academics and experienced managers. Participants earn a Certificate in Career Development through regular attendance.

Events

The School of Management hosts events and guest lectures beginning in Orientation Week and throughout the year, providing students and staff with opportunities to socialise, and to engage with visiting scholars, professionals and practitioners.

The Management Society, a student-led organisation, hosts a broad range of activities, both subject related and social. The University also has a number of other student societies relating to the management discipline.

Admission to the University of St Andrews is governed by our Admissions policy.

Curriculum development

As a research intensive institution, the University ensures that its teaching references the research interests of its staff, which may change from time to time. As a result, programmes are regularly reviewed with the aim of enhancing students' learning experience. Our approach to course revision is described online. (PDF, 72 KB).

Tuition fees

The University will clarify compulsory fees and charges it requires any student to pay at the time of offer. The offer will also clarify conditions for any variation of fees. The University’s approach to fee setting is described online. (PDF, 84 KB).