Course summary

Overview The MSc Finance and Management programme at Heriot-Watt University gives you the opportunity to develop specialist expertise across the discipline to enable you to proceed to professional and managerial careers in finance and business, both in the private and public sectors. The programme has been developed in response to industry demands, making you highly sought-after upon graduation, and giving you access to employment and further education and research opportunities. Your knowledge and skills will enable you to combine expertise in financial management with the ability to implement effective business management strategies across organisations of any size. During the master’s programme, you’ll develop a systematic understanding and knowledge in finance, business and management and gain a critical awareness of current issues within the academic discipline and professional practice. You’ll learn to understand and evaluate a comprehensive range of research techniques used in the area of finance, business and management and how these are put into practice, in order to create and interpret knowledge. Throughout the programme, you’ll develop critical thinking and analyses, as you evaluate relevant academic research, professional research and pronouncements and financial and business media articles. You’ll learn from a bespoke range of courses which will equip you with highly employable expertise across crucial areas of financial management and business management. You’ll have the opportunity to choose two optional courses to customise your learning and develop your specific finance and management subject interest. Your finance and management dissertation will allow you to build upon your subject interest, by carrying out an original research project at the forefront of knowledge. The programme is designed to provide the knowledge base and the analytical and research skills necessary for doctoral study or employment in a range of roles, including financial analyst, investment banker, financial consultant and corporate finance specialist in highly lucrative areas such as asset management, corporate finance and banking. You’ll develop key transferable skills, including teamwork, communication, organisational and presentation skills to prepare you for lifelong learning and personal development in the financial services sector. Group work and tutorial discussions will provide you insight into the working practices and perspectives of different cultures, and prepare you for a global career, working with colleagues from all over the world. Your learning environment The MSc Finance and Management programme is taught through a combination of lectures, tutorials and group work allowing you to get to know and build relationships with your peers, the teaching staff and academics. You will be assessed by coursework, exams, and your dissertation, and will receive support and feedback throughout the programme. During your studies, you’ll benefit from and have access to our state-of-the-art facilities, including our professional-standard Bloomberg Trading Room with 12 Bloomberg Terminals to enhance your employability with data skills. These Terminals are equipped with industry-standard software that provides live financial data and trading tools to the world’s leading banks and corporations. Customise your learning You’ll learn from the core six courses on the syllabus, with the choice of two optional courses to focus on the area of finance and management that interests you the most. This gives you the opportunity to customise your degree to match your specific interests or career pathway by selecting a specialist course option. Accreditation Heriot-Watt University is accredited as a Bloomberg Experiential Learning Partner, recognising us as a leader in experiential learning in the area of finance.