Financial Economics | University of Bedfordshire

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About the course

Finance and economics are key to understanding how businesses operate governments implement policies and countries compete with each other. This course gives you the personal and professional skills you need to be a key player in today’s global knowledge-based economic landscape.

This course provides you with an intimate understanding of the structural issues economies face and the way they are being realised in the modern world through the dominance of financial institutions. You study the related areas of economics financial markets and portfolio management; accounting and finance; and strategic management gaining advanced knowledge of financial organisations and government policies alongside the critical capability to apply theory to complex current issues.

Every taught unit on this course is delivered in a six-week block with six entry points through the year allowing you to start at a time that suits you.

Why choose this course?

Undertake a work placement with the opportunity to work on a live project
Gain access to our Eikon facility an industry-standard platform for investment and trading
Explore your enterprise creativity and independence – the skills required by employers - through your dissertation unit
Benefit from studying with a Business School that has partners across the world enabling you to develop the cross-cultural perspectives essential to organisations operating in global markets

Find out more about financial support available

What will you study?

The Global Economic Context

The central aim of this Unit is to provide you with a clear understanding of the global economic context in which firms operate and make decisions and to analyse the impact of economic policies at the national, European and global level. The effects of those policies will be examined in the context of today’s global economic structure characterized by the dominance of financial institutions.

Financial Markets And Portfolio Management

The main aim of the unit is to address the skills necessary to gain a critical understanding of the international equity, bond, futures and money market facilitating optimal portfolio selection.

The central question that the syllabus is intended to address in this Unit is how Finance Managers access global financial markets in order to select and manage optimal portfolios and the various challenges they face in doing so. In addition, the unit provides you with knowledge of global financial markets, the importance of liquidity, the distinction between exchange versus OTC markets, primary and secondary markets and the role of intermediaries in their various forms.

Accounting And Finance

The main aim of this unit is to enable you to critically evaluate corporate decisions made by management through a thorough understanding and interpretation of financial statements and examination of the concepts of corporate finance and investment appraisal attributable to wealth creation and distribution.

The unit considers the financial information needs of managers in the context of competing stakeholder interests and examines the impact of management decisions on shareholder wealth maximisation.

The central question that the unit intends to address is: How do managers make informed decisions that meet the long-term strategic objectives of an organisation whilst satisfying the short to medium-term needs of all stakeholders?

Strategic Management

This unit covers the field of strategy-making and strategic management. You will consider current issues and challenges facing directors, senior managers and entrepreneurs in guiding the long-term development of organisations. The objectives of organisations and the means of achieving these objectives through the mobilisation and deployment of assets and resources and the integration of the various functions of the organisation will be the focus of the unit.

Performance Achievement Planning

This short course is a professional development course that is designed to support all PG students in the University of Bedfordshire Business School to enhance their employability and develop a professional profile through their journey in the Masters. The specific aims are to:

Enhance students’ professional, personal development and communication skills.
To support students to evidence how their experience at masters level has contributed to the development of their professional profile as required after graduation.
To support students to develop the necessary academic skill required for successful completion of postgraduate research

Business Dissertation

Aims:

To bring theory and practice together to formulate a topic of your interest whether it is a research-oriented topic or a more clinical topic that is relevant to the context of business and conduct research on your choice of topic relevant to your field of study
To stimulate you to reflect on issues critically and to identify aspects that need further research
To provide you with the opportunity to explore a topic and appreciate the importance of literature review in the learning process
To critically evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of other people’s research to formulate your own study
To enhance skills in time-management, research management, project organisation and decision-making
To apply and reflect on the practicalities of research including access to sources and ethical considerations

Relevance

An important aim of a Master’s degree is to master and apply your knowledge and skills independently so that you can successfully carry out research. This dissertation provides you with the opportunity for sustained independent study that builds on your research proposal and represents the culmination of your Master’s level studies.

How will you be assessed?

The assessment strategy for this course is designed in a way that will contribute to student development and will help them achieve their goals and enhance their employability. An essential element of this process is that feedback will be provided in due time so it is integrated in the learning process.

When group work is required the marks given will be individual following the University of Bedfordshire's regulatory scheme. The different kinds of assessment are listed below and in some cases they will be used in combination making sure however that there are no hidden tasks.

In addition to the assessment strategies followed in each Unit student knowledge and skills will be also formatively assessed through problem solving sessions or case study discussions in order to ensure that development of their comprehension of the underlying concepts is appropriate to the level of studies and continuously supports the overall student achievement.

The intensive character of this Course's delivery as it is outlined in its Teaching and Learning philosophy is consistent with the needs of today's world for graduates who accumulate knowledge fast and are able to express the outcome of this process in a way that is meaningful and comprehensive.

After induction a week of intensive direct contact time followed by students own contribution through individual learning will take them to the first assessment point. The process will repeat and at the end of the six-week block the final assessment will be due. This will be a demanding but very rewarding experience.

As mentioned above the course is designed to develop a number of transferable skills which along with the knowledge and understanding of the relevant theories and concepts will provide our graduates with all those abilities required for a successful career.

The different methods used to assess student performance are designed to evaluate the following: Research and literature review skills data handling application numeracy computer literacy ability to contextualize and evaluate presentation skills and professionalism and collaboration. The Course's Assessment Strategy includes:

Written Examination or Class Test: Questions in these exams always promote critical thinking and help gradually develop student ability to apply analyse synthesize and evaluate.
Individual Written Report or Essays: The ability to perform literature informed research to review and evaluate the relevant sources and to use an appropriate methodology in order to analyze and evaluate the relevant concepts is being assessed. At the same time student academic integrity is developed.
Case Study Examination: Students will apply their knowledge in the context of specific cases.
Oral Presentation: A number of transferable skills will be developed
Reflective Report: Own work and that of peers will be evaluated
Dissertation / Professional Placement / Internship / Live Project: Regardless of which masters capstone experience students opt for they will have to produce an individual independent piece of work. They will be asked to identify the research question or problem under investigation review the relevant literature develop a sound methodology in order to explore the problem proceed with the analysis discuss their findings and make recommendations. It is the capstone of this course and builds on the knowledge and skills acquired in all Units. It will be one of the most challenging but yet enjoyable and rewarding experiences they will encounter.

Careers

You will have the skills needed to take up opportunities in banking and finance or the public sector. Career paths include research and analysis; financial risk analysis; and economics and research.

This course is an appropriate foundation for further academic study at either MPhil or PhD level.

Entry Requirements

2.2 honours degree or equivalent in related area

Entry Requirements

2.2 honours degree or equivalent in related area2.2 honours degree or equivalent in related area

Entry Requirements

2.2 honours degree or equivalent in related area2.2 honours degree or equivalent in related area2.2 honours degree or equivalent in related area

Entry Requirements

2.2 honours degree or equivalent in related area2.2 honours degree or equivalent in related area2.2 honours degree or equivalent in related area2.2 honours degree or equivalent in related area

Entry Requirements

2.2 honours degree or equivalent in related area2.2 honours degree or equivalent in related area2.2 honours degree or equivalent in related area2.2 honours degree or equivalent in related area2.2 honours degree or equivalent in related area

Entry Requirements

Fees for this course

UK 2024/25

The full-time standard fee for a taught Master's degree for the Academic Year 2024/25 is £10,000 per year. You can apply for a loan from the Government to help pay for your tuition fees and living costs. Visit www.gov.uk/postgraduate-loan

Alternatively if you have any questions around fees and funding, please email admission@beds.ac.uk