Finance
Become a leader in the financial sector.
A highly relevant programme that reflects Imperial’s connections with leading companies in the city of London and beyond
CFA affiliation – the most highly recognised investment credential in the world – boost your CV
90% of our class of 2022 were employed within three months of graduating
Course key facts
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Qualification
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MSc
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Duration
1 year
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Start date
August 2025
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Study mode
Full-time
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Fees
£47,500
Extended placement: £49,000 Home£47,500
Extended placement: £49,000 Overseas
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Delivered by
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Location
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South Kensington
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Minimum entry standard
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First or 2:1 in a highly quantitative subject, such as Mathematics, Engineering, Economics, Finance or Science.
Course overview
MSc Finance is a one-year, full-time postgraduate programme that has a proven track record in securing students the best jobs in the finance industry for the last 25 years, in sectors such as investment banking, asset management and consultancy.
Our wide range of electives is continually updated to enable you to tailor your learning and match your career aspirations.
A combination of the latest research, practical application and a broad range of topics, makes the MSc Finance a unique and challenging experience. This programme is highly relevant, reflecting the strong corporate connections we have established with leading companies in the city of London and beyond, providing practical opportunities to build your skills and confidence.
Our London location and ongoing relationships with major employers in the finance sector provides the opportunity to meet and network with leading global organisations and will help present yourself with confidence to the world's top companies.
You also have the option to complete a four-six month work placement (internship) as part of your programme, extending the programme to 16 months and graduating with 120 ECTS. Please note that additional tuition fees apply.
Structure
This page is updated regularly to reflect the latest version of the curriculum. However, this information is subject to change.
Find out more about potential course changes.
Please note: it may not always be possible to take specific combinations of modules due to timetabling conflicts. For confirmation, please check with the relevant department.
Before the programme begins you will complete pre-study modules delivered through The Hub, Imperial College Business School’s online learning environment.
These modules will be available to students who have accepted an offer of admission from July onwards, and are designed to give you a basic knowledge of areas which will be covered by the programme throughout the academic year.
You will study one foundation module made up of four components in September that introduces the tools of modern finance and enhances your career development skills.
- Foundations in Finance: Application of R for Finance
- Foundations in Finance: Business Valuation
- Foundations in Finance: Financial Modeling
- Foundations in Finance: Markets and Securities
Core modules build rapidly on previous experience while introducing new and challenging disciplines.
- Corporate Finance
- Derivatives
- Ethics & Professional Standards in Finance (online module)
- Financial Econometrics
- Investments and Portfolio Management
- Macro Finance
- Mathematics for Finance
Tailor your learning to meet your career ambitions and match your interests through a choice of electives. You will take four electives (if you undertake the Applied Project), or three electives (if you undertake the Research Project), from the following elective modules. All students are required to take at least one key elective.
- Advanced Corporate Finance
- Advanced Options Theory
- Applied Trading Strategies
- Asset Allocation and Investment Strategies
- Banks, Regulation and Monetary Policy
- Fixed Income Securities
- Quantitative Equity Investing (international elective)
- Advanced Financial Statistics
- Big Data in Finance I
- Blockchain and Applications
- Climate Finance
- Corporate Dealmaking
- Corporate Finance for Practitioners (international elective)
- Entrepreneurial Finance and Venture Capital
- Innovation and Strategy in FinTech
- International Finance
- Mergers and Acquisitions
- Machine Learning and Finance
- Market Microstructure: Trading and Liquidity
- Private Equity and Venture Capital
- Real Estate Investment, Finance and Private Equity
- Shareholder Activism and Corporate Responsibility
- Structured Credit and Equity Products
- Systematic Trading Strategies with Machine Learning Algorithms
- Text Mining for Economics and Finance
In the spring and summer terms, you will choose between undertaking two types of projects, in order to develop specialist skills and subject knowledge to benefit your future career.
You can either pursue an Applied Project together with an additional elective, or a traditional Research Project. If you have secured a work placement, with approval you will be able to link your project to the area of finance of the employer organisation.
- Applied Project
- Work Placement
- Research Project
- Extended work placement
If you wish to take a longer (four-six month) internship as part of your programme, you can take an extended work placement with the approval of the Academic Director. This is particularly relevant for (but not exclusive to) internships in France, Germany, and other European countries that require students to have student status for the duration of their internships. Please note that additional tuition fees apply.
Professional accreditation
We are among a handful of business schools worldwide to achieve triple accreditation:
- Association of MBAs (AMBA)
- Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
- European Quality Improvement System (EQUIS)
We have also been recognised for our work in tackling gender inequality in higher education with a Bronze Athena SWAN award.
This course also holds accreditation from the CFA Institute.
Teaching and assessment
Teaching and learning methods
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Case studies
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Equipment/technique demonstrations
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Presentations and seminars
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Group work
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Lectures
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Virtual learning environment
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Lecture recordings
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Practical classes
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Work placement opportunity
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Workshops
Assessment methods
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Case studies
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Continuous assessments
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Essays
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Formal presentations
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Multiple choice tests
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Reports
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Participation
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Written exams
Entry requirements
We consider all applicants on an individual basis, welcoming students from all over the world.
How to apply
Apply online
If you are applying to the Business School, you may be considered for one course per admissions cycle. If you are applying for a Finance Master's, we will take your areas of interest and eligibility into account when considering you for alternative programmes.
Application deadlines – Round 2 closes on Thursday 9 January 2025
We operate a staged admissions process with several deadlines throughout the year. This programme is highly competitive, so early application is advised.
Apply by 23.59 (UK time) on the closing date of an application round, to ensure you receive a response on your application by the relevant decision date.
Round 1
- Closing date: 26 September 2024
- Decision by: 28 November 2024
Round 2
- Closing date: 9 January 2025
- Decision by: 6 March 2025
Round 3
- Closing date: 13 March 2025
- Decision by: 8 May 2025
Round 4
- Closing date: 1 May 2025
- Decision by: 19 June 2025
Scholarship deadlines
- Round 1: 26 September 2024
- Round 2: 9 January 2025
References
If you have submitted your application to meet an application round, it is not necessary for us to receive your references by the closing date, although we would expect to receive them shortly afterwards. Please note that the selection committee reserves the right to assess your application on the basis of the documents that have been received at the time of the assessment.
Visit our Admissions website for details on the application process.
If you are applying for a taught Master’s course, you will need to pay an application fee before submitting your application.
The fee applies per application and not per course:
- £100 for all MSc applications to Imperial College Business School
- £150 for MBA applications to Imperial College Business School
There is no application fee for MRes courses, Postgraduate Certificates, Postgraduate Diplomas or research courses, such as PhDs and EngDs.
If you are facing financial hardship and are unable to pay the application fee, we encourage you to apply for our application fee waiver.
An ATAS certificate is not required for students applying for this course.
Tuition fees
Tuition fee
2025 entry
£47,500 12 months
Extended work placement option
2025 entry
£49,000 16 months
If you're a UK national, or EU national with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you may be able to apply for a Postgraduate Master’s Loan from the UK government, if you meet certain criteria.
For courses starting on or after 1 August 2024, the maximum amount is £12,471. The loan is not means-tested and you can choose whether to put it towards your tuition fees or living costs.
The loan is not means-tested and you can choose whether to put it towards your tuition fees or living costs.
Students taking the optional extended work placement must pay a fee of £1500, in addition to the standard course fees.
How will studying at Imperial help my career?
Discover solutions to real-world business challenges with guidance from industry experts.
With the endorsement of the Chartered Financial Affiliation, the global standard among top-tier finance firms, this program can be trusted.
Our expert Career Consultants will help you develop your CV by offering tailored advice on job applications and career paths that are ideal for you.
With specialised knowledge, you'll be highly sought after in a range of sectors.
Investment banking, asset and investment management, and sales and trading are just some of your options.
Other potential career paths include corporate or retail banking, hedge funds, M&A, finance, accounting services, research, and private wealth management.
Further links
Contact the department
- Telephone: +44 (0)20 7589 5111
- Email: business.school@imperial.ac.uk
Visit the Imperial College Business School website
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Events, tasters and talks
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Terms and conditions
There are some important pieces of information you should be aware of when applying to Imperial. These include key information about your tuition fees, funding, visas, accommodation and more.
You can find further information about your course, including degree classifications, regulations, progression and awards in the programme specification for your course.
Programme specifications