Subject overview

Programme outline

This degree is for you if you wish to enter a profession in financial markets but have not yet decided whether to specialise in risk or investment analysis. Employment in both these sectors is buoyant. This MSc at Sussex is the only specialist degree in the UK that qualifies students in both financial risk and investment analysis. 

The course has a unique focus on financial markets and is taught by academic faculty who are globally renowned for their teaching excellence and extensive industry experience. At Sussex, you will enjoy a close academic (as well as physical) proximity to the activities of the City of London, the European centre for employment in financial markets. 

On this accelerated learning course all taught-module assessment takes place during the autumn and spring terms. Two projects are assessed during the first half of the summer term, after which you may be tutored for the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Level 1 qualification. You can register for the CFA exam 12 months after commencing the MSc and take the CFA exam four months later. 

Assessment

All autumn and spring term modules are assessed by a combination of a mid-term test or coursework (which typically counts for 20 to 30 per cent of the final grade) and a formal examination, taking place after teaching has finished. The two summer-term projects are assessed by a combination of presentations and written reports. 

Course structure

We continue to develop and update our modules for 2014 entry to ensure you have the best student experience.

Autumn term: you take Equity Investments and Foreign Exchange • Essential Quantitative Finance • Institutions in the Global Financial Market • Interest-Rate Sensitive Instruments. 

Spring term: you take Commodities and Alternative Investments • Market and Credit Risk Analysis • Portfolio Management • Swaps, Futures and Options. You also choose one from Corporate Governance and Social Responsibility • Corporate Governance • International Corporate Reporting. 

Summer term (first half): you work on Risk Management Project • Portfolio Management Project. 

Entry requirements

UK entrance requirements

A first- or upper second-class undergraduate honours degree or equivalent in a quantitative degree subject such as mathematics, physics or engineering. Applicants with finance- or economics-related degrees will also be considered, provided the degree contains several modules with a high quantitative modelling content (such as mathematics for economics/ finance, applied statistics or econometrics) which have been passed with high marks. Applicants should also have a basic level of competence using Excel.

Overseas entrance requirements

Overseas qualifications

If your country is not listed below, please contact the University at E pg.enquiries@sussex.ac.uk

Country	Overseas qualification
Australia	Bachelor (Honours) degree with second-class upper division
Brazil	Bacharel, Licenciado or professional title with a final mark of at least 8
Canada	Bachelor degree with CGPA 3.3/4.0 (grade B+)
China	Bachelor degree from a leading university with overall mark of 75%-85% depending on your university
Cyprus	Bachelor degree or Ptychion with a final mark of at least 7.5
France	Licence with mention bien or Maîtrise with final mark of at least 13
Germany	Bachelor degree or Magister Artium with a final mark of 2.4 or better
Ghana	Bachelor degree from a public university with second-class upper division
Greece	Ptychion from an AEI with a final mark of at least 7.5
Hong Kong	Bachelor (Honours) degree with second-class upper division
India	Bachelor degree from a leading institution with overall mark of at least 60% or equivalent
Iran	Bachelor degree (Licence or Karshenasi) with a final mark of at least 15
Italy	Diploma di Laurea with an overall mark of at least 105
Japan	Bachelor degree from a leading university with a minumum average of B+ or equivalent
Malaysia	Bachelor degree with class 2 division 1
Mexico	Licenciado with a final mark of at least 8
Nigeria	Bachelor degree with second-class upper division or CGPA of at least 3.0/4.0
Pakistan	Four-year bachelor degree, normally with a GPA of at least 3.3
Russia	Magistr or Specialist Diploma with a minimum average mark of at least 4
South Africa	Bachelor (Honours) degree or Bachelor degree in Technology with an overall mark of at least 70%
Saudi Arabia	Bachelor degree with an overall mark of at least 70% or CGPA 3.5/5.0 or equivalent
South Korea	Bachelor degree from a leading university with CGPA of at least 3.5/4.0 or equivalent
Spain	Licenciado with a final mark of at least 2/4
Taiwan	Bachelor degree with overall mark of 70%-85% depending on your university
Thailand	Bachelor degree with CGPA of at least 3.0/4.0 or equivalent
Turkey	Lisans Diplomasi with CGPA of at least 3.0/4.0 depending on your university
United Arab Emirates	Bachelor degree with CGPA of at least 3.5/4.0 or equivalent
USA	Bachelor degree with CGPA 3.3-3.5/4.0 depending on your university
Vietnam	Masters degree with CGPA 3.5/4.0 or equivalent

If you have any questions about your qualifications after consulting our overseas qualifications, contact the University at E pg.enquiries@sussex.ac.uk

Additional admissions information

In the induction week students will be asked to take tests for competency in both Mathematics (to GMAT level) and Excel, and students who do not pass these tests will be advised to switch to an alternative, less quantitative finance degree.

You are strongly advised to submit your application by 31 March.

Related programmes

• Advanced Computer Science MSc
• Advanced Mechanical Engineering MSc
• Automotive Engineering MSc
• Computational Mathematics MSc
• Computing with Digital Media MSc
• Corruption and Governance MA
• Development Economics MSc
• Economics Dip (Grad)
• Economics MSc
• Embedded Digital Systems MSc
• Evolutionary and Adaptive Systems MSc
• Human-Computer Interaction MSc
• Information Technology with Business and Management MSc
• Innovation and Sustainability for International Development MSc
• Intelligent Systems MSc
• International Economics MSc
• Science and Technology Policy MSc
• Sustainable Energy Technology MSc

Fees and funding

Fees

Home UK/EU students: £7,500¹
Overseas students: £16,000²

¹ The fee shown is for the academic year 2013.
² The fee shown is for the academic year 2013.

Funding

The funding sources listed below are for the subject area you are viewing and may not apply to all degrees listed within it. Please check the description of the individual funding source to make sure it is relevant to your chosen degree.

Faculty interests

The research interests of selected faculty are briefly described below. For more details, visit the Department of Business and Management, Department of Economics, Department of Mathematics, and SPRU - Science and Technology Policy Research.

Mike Barrow Public-sector economics, local government, efficiency and value for money. 

Dr Odul Bozkurt International human resource management. 

Dr Ioanna Chini Social study of ICT, ICT policy. 

Professor Ian Davidson Financial markets and instruments, application of quantum mechanics. 

Dr Bertram Düring Applied and financial mathematics. 

Rob Eastwood Demographic change and economic development. 

Dr Sonja Fagernas Development economics. 

Professor John Forker Financial accounting and reporting, earnings quality, equity pricing. 

Dr Bruce Hearn Emerging financial markets of Asia and Africa. 

Dr Surendranath Jory Mergers and acquisitions. 

Dr Norifumi Kawai Internationalisation of Asian firms, strategic human resource management. 

Dr Marv Khammash Marketing and consumer research. 

Dr Andreas Kornelakis Globalisation and models of capitalism, outsourcing, training policies. 

Dr Omar Lakkis Numerical analysis and scientific computing. 

Dr Rebecca Liu New product development. 

Professor Robert Livingston Intergroup relations, managing cultural and ethnic diversity, conflict resolution. 

Dr Anotida Madzvamuse Bio-membranes. 

Professor Emmanuel Mamatzakis Banking and finance, forecasting, public finance. 

Dr Monica Masucci Strategy and entrepreneurship. 

Professor Roman Matousek Bank efficiency, microeconomics of banking, monetary policy. 

Dr Piera Morlacchi Entrepreneurship, organisation studies, technology. 

Dr Mike Osborne Applications in economic theory. 

Dr Dimitra Petrakaki Implications of technology in organisational change. 

Dr Matias Ramirez Relationship between labour mobility, knowledge flows. 

Professor Barry Reilly Applied econometrics. 

Dr Josh Siepel Development of the venture capital sectors in the US and the UK. 

Dr Malcolm Stewart Global marketing, digital marketing, advertising and branding strategy. 

Professor David Storey OBE The economic environment in which small firms operate. 

Professor Roger Strange Corporate governance and FDI decisions. 

Richard Sykes Working for a range of clients in the public and private sectors. 

Dr Qi Tang Mathematical and statistical modelling of financial, corporate and technological risks. 

Dr Shqiponja Telhaj Economics of education. 

Professor Joe Tidd Innovation strategy. 

Dr Joana Vassilopolou Organisational behaviour, employment studies. 

Dr Jie Wen Banking and finance. 

Dr Mirela Xheneti Entrepreneurship in post-communist countries. 

Careers and profiles

The trend for increased employment in risk management is set to continue as recent changes in banking regulations put increased focus on improving risk management standards. And there will always be a demand for investment analysis – not only from pension funds and large corporations – as private equity continues to grow in the current global economic environment. 

On completion of this MSc you will be qualified to apply for graduate training positions as a quantitative risk analyst, a quantitative investment analyst or asset manager in a bank, corporation, hedge fund or insurance company. 

School and contacts