MSc Economics and Finance

Year 1

(Award available for year: Master of Science)

Learning outcomes

On completion of the programme students should have shown evidence of being able to:

- demonstrate in-depth, extended or specialist knowledge of techniques relevant to the discipline or an advanced understanding of concepts, information and techniques informed by knowledge at the forefront of the discipline, according to their choice of modules;
- exhibit competence in the exercise of advanced generic and subject-specific intellectual abilities;
- demonstrate an advanced understanding of techniques applicable to their own research or advanced scholarship;
- take a proactive and self-reflective role in working and to develop professional relationships;
- proactively to formulate ideas and hypotheses and to evaluate these; and
- evaluate critically current issues and research in the discipline.

And also demonstrate::
- in depth understanding of modern economic and financial analysis, through advanced study of core economic and finance theory;
- a knowledge of specialist finance and financial-economic topics to a degree not obtainable in a general economics programme;
- the ability to evaluate, through knowledge and use, econometric and quantitative financial methods and apply them in the correct context;
- mastery of a range of software applications and statistical and econometric techniques and, through technical training in their use, the ability to apply these;
- the ability to plan, initiate, carry out and report an extended piece of research on a suitable economics or finance topic, drawing together the knowledge and skills gained in the taught elements of the programme in the compulsory dissertation.

Transferable (key) skills

Postgraduate Diploma & Postgraduate Certificate students will have had the opportunity to acquire the following abilities as defined in the modules specified for the programme:

- the skills necessary to undertake a higher research degree and/or for employment in a higher capacity in industry or area of professional practice;
- a capacity to evaluate their own achievement and that of others;
- self direction and effective decision making in complex and unpredictable situations;
- a capacity for independent learning and the ability to work in a way which ensures continuing professional development; and
- the ability to critically engage in the development of professional/disciplinary boundaries and norms.

Assessment

Achievement for the Postgraduate Diploma and Postgraduate Certificate will be assessed by a variety of methods in accordance with the learning outcomes of the programme and will involve the achievement of the students in:

- demonstrating the ability to apply breadth and/or depth of knowledge to a complex specialist area;
- drawing on a range of perspectives on an area of study;
- evaluating received opinion; and
- making sound judgements whilst understanding the limitations on judgements made in the absence of complete data.