MSc Investments

Investment management is in a period of rapid change, driven by shifting investor preferences, margin compression, regulatory developments and advancing technologies. The MSc Investments has been designed to help you lead on and work with those changes as part of a successful career in investments.

The course will give you a strong theoretical grounding that draws inspiration from contemporary research and industry practices from across the globe. You will develop the critical, analytical and technical skills required to work as an investment specialist in global financial markets, along with soft skills such as teamwork, adaptability, leadership, time management, communication, work ethics, and cross-cultural awareness.

• Triple Crown accreditation from AACSB, AMBA and EQUIS
• #4 most targeted university of top UK employers (High Fliers Research 2023)
• CFA Institute Affiliation through the University Recognition Programme

Why study MSc Investments at Birmingham?

• Birmingham is the second-largest city in the UK, and an important business and financial services hub, hosting global firms such as IBM, HSBC, Lloyds, KPMG and PwC.
• You can take part in the award-winning Future Leaders Certificate. This extra-curricular programme helps you prepare for the future by giving you the chance to work on an exciting virtual live project set by a multinational company. The certificate enables you to better understand the impact technology is having on the business world and the implications for your own career.
• Our strong links with the industry mean that rigorous academic study is combined with a real practical focus, leading to excellent job opportunities. For example, the Market Microstructure and Trading Techniques module is partly delivered by a world-leading firm of traders from London. Their innovative approach to capital markets training is now used by many of the world’s largest financial firms to find and develop their next market leaders. We also have a good working relationship with the London Stock Exchange. You will be able to visit the Exchange and attend a training session on how trading takes place on the London Stock Exchange and other equity markets
• This course has been accepted into the CFA Institute University Recognition Programme. This status is granted to institutions whose degree programme incorporates at least 70 per cent of the CFA Programme Candidate Body of Knowledge (CBOK), which provides a solid grounding in the CBOK and prepares you well for CFA exams
• You will be part of a small cohort on this specialist programme, allowing you to develop a closer relationship with experts, staff and fellow students
• You will have the opportunity to focus on real-world investment challenges with an emphasis on ethical and sustainable business practices.

We offer a comprehensive and rigorous education in the theory of investment and finance alongside advanced-level management and business training. Modules focus on specialised areas of investment such as investment banking, fund management, security analysis and valuation, trading techniques, financial modelling, financial risk management and venture financing.

Unless indicated otherwise the modules listed for this programme are for students starting in 2023.

Core modules

You must take the following modules, each worth 20 credits with the exception of your Dissertation, which is worth 60 credits:

• Financial Econometrics
• Financial Statement Analysis and Security Valuation
• Portfolio Theory and Investment Analysis
• Private Equity and Venture Finance
• Risk Management in Financial Markets
• Dissertation

Optional modules

Choose one of the following modules, worth 20 credits each:

• Block Chain Technologies, Financial Applications and Cyber Security
• Market Microstructure and Trading Techniques

Please note: The modules listed here for this programme are regularly reviewed to ensure they are up-to-date and informed by the latest research and teaching methods. On rare occasions, we may need to make unexpected changes to compulsory modules; in this event, we will contact offer holders as soon as possible to inform or consult them as appropriate.

This course has been specially designed for graduates with a bachelor’s degree in a quantitative discipline (such as Engineering, Computer Science, Mathematics, Economics, Finance, Accounting or Science), who want to develop the highly sought-after critical, analytical and technical skills required to manage complex financial assets.

Birmingham is the second-largest city in the UK for finance companies, and our proximity to London, the global financial capital, and ever-growing relationship with key employers in the financial sector will provide you with the opportunity to meet and network with leading global organisations.

Graduates will leave Birmingham perfectly placed to take up key investment roles in a wide range of careers including banks and large corporations, investment institutions, pension funds and charitable organisations as well as roles with wealthy individual clients. We also provide ongoing career support for international students who wish to work in the UK after graduation.

Our students have gone on to work in a wide range of industries, in organisations such as Tradeweb, Deutsche Bank, Müller, Trafalgar Luxury Group, Fisher Investments UK, Santander, Global Reach Group, Colmore, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Mazars, BNY Mellon and a whole host of smaller companies and public sector organisations.

This course is also beneficial to entrepreneurs who want to have a solid knowledge of finance and its applications, and interested students can also progress to further postgraduate research study leading to scholarly careers.

Top jobs in investments include:

• Derivatives Trader
• Fund Analyst
• Finance Analyst
• Audit Associate
• Credit Analyst
• Investments Insights Analyst
• Graduate Project Office Analyst
• Investments Analyst
• Trading Analyst
• Associate Equity Swaps Trader
• Market Research Analyst

We pride ourselves on our graduate's high levels of employability. We will help you to plan, manage and achieve your career goals, giving you a competitive edge when it is time to start job hunting. The University of Birmingham has ranked in the top 5 Universities Targeted by the Largest Number of Top Employers in the UK for the past 5 years, according to the Highfliers.co.uk Graduate Market reports (2017-2022).

Many employers visit the Business School to run seminars for our students. Companies such as IBM, HSBC, and Deloitte are just a few of the organisations that see these sessions as an opportunity to look for suitable candidates for internship programmes and graduate training schemes.