Course overview

This course is aimed at graduates who are looking to pursue careers in investment analysis, stock broking, securities trading, fund management, banking and investment banking in financial institutions in London and overseas. The course is also suitable for students who are aiming for careers in corporate financial management in large non-financial companies. The curriculum covers the three key areas of corporate finance - financial markets and institutions, investments, and corporate finance.

A centre of excellence for finance teaching

The University of Portsmouth is recognised as a centre of excellence for finance teaching by the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment (CISI). You will be able to enrol as a student member of the CISI, allowing you access to a range of professional networking and career development opportunities. On graduating you will be eligible for associate membership of the CISI.

Bloomberg Suite

You will be able to access the same data, analytics and software used by city traders via one of the terminals located in our Bloomberg Suite. Bloomberg terminals, used by financial professionals daily to make fast-paced investment, trading and financial decisions will allow you to monitor and analyse real-time financial market data movements and trade virtually.

This system, created by the Mayor of New York Mike Bloomberg, is used by over a quarter of million finance professionals globally. Our investment in this resource provides you with an essential business research tool and real-life financial experience, helping you  to enhance your employability skills so that you can hit the ground running once you join the workforce.

Find out more

For further information, please contact our Admissions Team (details above). We also hold regular postgraduate and part-time open evenings at which you can see our facilities, enjoy a guest lecture and meet the academics and current students over drinks and canapés. Applicants will be interested to know that each year Portsmouth Business School offers a number of scholarships for self-funding students.

Course content

You will study the following four units:

• Financial Analysis and Modelling will enable you to gain a critical awareness of the financial environment from both an accounting and finance perspective. You will learn to understand, analyse and interpret company reports, examine the role of the regulatory framework for corporate reporting and the stock market and explore the pricing of securities. In addition the key areas of decision and risk analysis are covered , alongside the process of decision making, key statistical concepts, and selecting and using appropriate analytical software tools as aids to decision making.
• Investment and Portfolio Management reviews key theoretical issues such as expected return, volatility, the efficient frontier, the random walk hypotheses, the efficient market hypothesis, capital assets pricing models, arbitrage pricing theory and multi-factor risk models. From this core understanding of modern portfolio theory, the unit will move on to look at the psychological, institutional and agency theory factors that impact upon financial markets. Key empirical research on the explanatory and predictive power of models will be considered in the context of implementing investment strategies; this will be assisted by guided critical analysis of research and analysis of live data.
• Financial Derivatives and Asset Pricing starts by reviewing the basic facts and terminology about options and develops some ideas in time series (in non-mathematical terms). It will then go on to develop the main option pricing models and you will learn how to apply these models in the option pricing theory quantitative methods workshops. In addition you will develop your knowledge of the theory and application of key financial derivatives products with the emphasis on futures, forwards, and interest rate swaps. The main focus of this unit is the application of these products to hedging strategies in investment management and corporate finance.
• Corporate Finance and Valuation will consider the primary financial decisions of the firm focussing on advanced capital budgeting techniques and the strategic analysis of capital investment decisions; capital structure theories and financing policy; and dividend policy. Theories will be appraised in the context of empirical research to facilitate critical understanding of the issues. Advanced study in business valuation will provide a practical understanding and further enable the application of key professional techniques which is particularly relevant for mergers and acquisitions, initial public offerings and private equity transactions.

Teaching and assessment

Teaching methods for both finance degrees include lectures, seminars, computer-based workshops and case studies. Student participation is encouraged and classes are challenging, but informal and friendly, promoting discussion and debate. The course tutors are available to support your studies and you will also have a personal tutor to provide help and guidance for any problems that you might have. Assessment on most units is through a mix of coursework and examination.

You will also be required to prepare a 15,000-word research dissertation on a subject of your own choice. A supervisor will be appointed to support your study.

Career prospects

Past students have gained employment in a wide range of roles and industrial sectors. These include accountancy and general management as well as investment analysis, banking and investment banking in financial institutions. Both courses are also suitable for students who are aiming for careers in corporate financial management in large non-financial companies.

Facilities and features

You will attend lectures in the purpose-built Richmond Building, where the Business School is located. It offers a computer drop-in and resource centre containing a wireless network access area, as well as printing and photocopying facilities.

The University Library is at the centre of academic life and is only a short walk away. Open from 8am until midnight every day during term-time, it provides a variety of information to help with study and research. It has also invested heavily in the purchase of electronic resources.

There are thousands of electronic journals and ebooks, which can be accessed across campus, from home or wherever there is an internet connection.

For international students we have a dedicated team of advisors to support you as you settle into life in Portsmouth and at the University. One of the team almost certainly has direct experience of your culture and may even speak your language.

Entry requirements

The entry requirements for MSc Finance are shown above, for more detailed information please contact:

Department: Portsmouth Business School
Tel: +44 (0)23 9284 8200
Email: pbs.postgradadmissions@port.ac.uk