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Overview

The details

Course: Financial Engineering and Risk Management

Start date: October 2021

Study mode: Full-time

Duration: 1 year

Location: Colchester Campus

Based in: Essex Business School

Is it possible to prevent another financial crisis? The global finance sector requires financial engineers and risk managers to work alongside its traders in order to develop robust security measures to maximise financial stability.

The after-effects of the 2008 financial meltdown are still being felt across the globe. MSc Financial Engineering and Risk Management aims to develop finance sector workers who are able to evaluate risk, act rationally and understand the economic impact of their actions in order to find solutions. While the trader is trying to make money, the risk manager is trying not to lose it and the financial engineer is building the tools to reduce associated risks.

If you feel comfortable in pressurised environments and can rise to the challenge of making ethical and robust financial decisions, this could be the finance specialism for you.

MSc Financial Engineering and Risk Management will enable you to follow advanced, contemporary study in financial engineering and risk management and develop a deeper understanding of the risks within modern financial securities. You will also become skilled in the design of powerful management systems to measure risk. Upon graduation, you should possess the skills and knowledge for a successful career in commercial, investment and central banks, hedge funds, regulatory authorities and rating agencies.

You will master areas including:

asset pricing
derivative securities
financial modelling
mathematical research techniques using Matlab
machine learning
automation

MSc Financial Engineering and Risk Management is taught at Essex Business School, at our Colchester Campus. Our students and staff join us from all over the world and our teaching is grounded in contemporary issues and professional practice, supported by industry-standard facilities, such as our Bloomberg virtual trading floor.

Essex Business School offers a limited number of scholarships for the CFA level one exam to exceptional Masters students.

Why we're great.

We work with City traders to present you with real-life risk situations in order for you to hone your skills and put your theories into practice
We are one of the largest and most respected finance departments in the UK
Benefit from round the clock access to our Bloomberg Financial Data Trading Floor and use XTrader and Matlab software to help you test your risk management theories

THE Awards 2018 - Winner University of the Year

Our expert staff

By joining MSc Financial Engineering and Risk Management you join one of the UK’s largest finance groups, with a team of experts in an enormous range of specialisms. You will be exposed to disciplines including: data analytics, global trading, risk management, investment banking, financial management, and more. Even if these are not part of your core programme, you will benefit from the diversity of interests which reflect the breadth of contemporary banking and finance issues facing organisations today.

Our lecturers have presented their work at the likes of the Bank of England, the European Central Bank and the Federal Reserve and are recognised for being at the forefront of research in:

business ethics and corporate social responsibility
financial data analytics
corporate social responsibility
organisation studies
leadership and strategy
finance and banking
risk management
international management

Not only are you taught by experts with both academic and industry experience, input from City-based industry leaders gives this course a thorough grounding in contemporary financial practice. Our school is also home to Essex Finance Centre .

Specialist facilities

Our Colchester home is an example of our dedication to sustainable and ethical business practices. Its design is both environmentally friendly and architecturally stunning, with a winter garden and sun terrace contributing to the building’s own micro-climate and providing a tranquil environment for group working and socialising. Our Bonds café is located on site, making a great space for reviewing course notes before lectures.

Our virtual trading floor, complete with Bloomberg Financial Market Labs, enables you to practise dealing stocks and securities using industry-standard equipment. You can also benefit from our study skills workshops, designed to help you excel in your academic work.

Our building is also located on the University’s Knowledge Gateway, providing potential opportunities to network with inspiring SMEs who locate their businesses on our Colchester Campus.

Your future

Essex Business School is helping to create the business leaders of the future, those who are creative, innovative and ethically aware. 93% of our Essex Business School students are in employment or further study (Graduate Outcomes 2020).

Many of our graduates enjoy careers in financial analysis, management, public administration and accountancy at some of the world’s most well-known organisations and exciting SMEs, including:

Groupon
KPMG Group
Right Freight Pvt Ltc
Copal Partners
Capital Markets Intelligence, a financial publisher
Credit Data Research, a business funder

Many now also run their own growing businesses, including international business incubator 0100Ventures and entrepreneurship website SlovakSTARTUP.

MSc Financial Engineering and Risk Management students can also take advantage of the services offered by the Student Development Team, including: careers advice; work experience; internships; placements; and voluntary opportunities.

It is hard to say which is the most useful module for my current work. Having a practical knowledge of the mechanics of the financial sector has proven to be very useful, so, on one hand, I would say Empirical Methods in Finance followed by the similar but more detailed Financial Modelling.

On the other hand, to understand the rationale behind the decisions that the company takes, to have a critical point of view of portfolio decisions and the comments regarding quantitative analysis, I would say that Risk Management together with Derivatives Securities gave me tools without which it would have been difficult to understand the meaning of the business choices of the company.

Lastly, having the chance to obtain the Bloomberg Market Concept certificate has proved to be highly useful since we use the Bloomberg terminal at the office.

My current experience of working for a hedge fund company has served to help make my ambitions clearer. I like my work and I like the hedge fund sector. In the future, I see myself doing a job which will be more related to the market analysis side. A job that also allows me to fully put into practice the knowledge and skills I gained during my Masters.

I can honestly state that my MSc in Financial Engineering and Risk Management at the University of Essex gave me all the knowledge and tools I needed, and that I still need to face the quite complex word of the hedge funds.

Ludovico Luce, MSc Financial Engineering and Risk Management, 2019

Entry requirements

UK entry requirements

A 2:2 degree, or international equivalent, in a numerate discipline such as: Economics, Finance, Mathematics, Statistics, Science or Engineering.

Your Degree should contain at least one module relating to Economics or Finance for example: Mathematics (calculus), quantitative finance/methods or Econometrics (probability, statistics). With a score of 50% in this module.

International & EU entry requirements

We accept a wide range of qualifications from applicants studying in the EU and other countries. Get in touch with any questions you may have about the qualifications we accept. Remember to tell us about the qualifications you have already completed or are currently taking.

Sorry, the entry requirements for the country that you have selected are not available here. Please select your country page where you'll find this information.

English language requirements

If English is not your first language, we require IELTS 6.5 overall with a minimum component score of 5.5

Additional Notes

The University uses academic selection criteria to determine an applicant’s ability to successfully complete a course at the University of Essex. Where appropriate, we may ask for specific information relating to previous modules studied or work experience.

Structure

Example structure

Most of our courses combine compulsory and optional modules, giving you freedom to pursue your own interests. All of the modules listed below provide an example of what is on offer from the current academic year. Our Programme Specification provides further details of the course structure for the current academic year.

Our research-led teaching is continually evolving to address the latest challenges and breakthroughs in the field, therefore to ensure your course is as relevant and up-to-date as possible your core module structure may be subject to change.

The example structure below is representative of this course if taken full-time. If you choose to study part-time, the modules will be split across 2 years.

Teaching and learning disclaimer

Following the impact of the pandemic, we made changes to our teaching and assessment to ensure our current students could continue with their studies uninterrupted and safely. These changes included courses being taught through blended delivery, normally including some face-to-face teaching, online provision, or a combination of both across the year.

The teaching and assessment methods listed show what is currently planned for 2021 entry; changes may be necessary if, by the beginning of this course, we need to adapt the way we’re delivering them due to the external environment, and to allow you to continue to receive the best education possible safely and seamlessly.

See full list of modules

MSc Finance and Investment: Dissertation

Your dissertation is the culmination of your Masters programme, where you apply the knowledge gained on your course to produce a 10,000 word independent piece of work. You generate an original idea, analyse literature and current knowledge and produce a coherent argument that shows your ability to relate theory to practice. Your dissertation will help you develop vital skills for the workplace, as well as the ability to analyse real problems through an academic lens. You're assigned a supervisor for the duration of your project.

View MSc Finance and Investment: Dissertation on our Module Directory

Finance Research Techniques Using Matlab

This module introduces Matlab, software commonly used in financial organisations and academia to model portfolio construction and solve banking and finance challenges. You learn how to use Matlab programming language to solve financial problems. These may include finding optimal portfolio weights, calculating and simulating derivative prices and implied volatilities, and estimating and simulating GARCH models, amongst others.

View Finance Research Techniques Using Matlab on our Module Directory

Research Methods in Finance: Empirical Methods in Finance

This module equips you with the econometric tools and necessary experience to conduct empirical research in finance. You review statistical and basic econometric models and learn to apply econometric techniques in finance by considering topics such as (G)ARCH models, unit roots and cointegration.

View Research Methods in Finance: Empirical Methods in Finance on our Module Directory

Postgraduate Mathematics Preparation

This module covers topics in mathematics that are required in Masters-level finance courses at the University of Essex. You focus on the basics of linear algebra, differential calculus including optimisation and dynamics.

View Postgraduate Mathematics Preparation on our Module Directory

Risk Management

The recent financial crisis and credit crunch have demonstrated that risk management was too narrowly defined. In this course you examine the Value at Risk (VAR) measure of financial risk developed in the 1990s, before discussing the new post-crisis Regulatory environment.

View Risk Management on our Module Directory

Financial Modelling

Consider the use of modern econometric techniques in the analysis of financial time series. You cover multivariate models for stationary and non-stationary processes, such as Vector Autoregressive models, consider appropriate models for volatility, and study Markov processes and simulation methods used for financial modelling.

View Financial Modelling on our Module Directory

Asset Pricing

Gain a formal introduction to asset pricing theories and empirical findings. You review the fundamental theories of the expected utility, asset pricing kernels, and risk-neutral valuation, covering the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM), and linear factor models arising from the Arbitrage Pricing Theory (APT). You also discuss empirical asset pricing studies.

View Asset Pricing on our Module Directory

Derivative Securities

Master the pricing of financial derivatives and their use for hedging financial risks. You study the basics of futures and options, analyse the Black-Scholes and binomial option pricing models, and consider various numerical techniques for pricing financial derivatives. Futures and options are then utilised in the context of hedging financial risks, and you are introduced to the concept of volatility trading and the treatment of volatility as an asset class.

View Derivative Securities on our Module Directory

Trading Global Financial Markets (optional)

Gain theoretical knowledge and a practical understanding of financial markets, trading strategies, risk and money management and trader analytics at the highest level. You study a mix of classroom-based instruction, case studies and practical trading exercises where you trade on real-time simulated global markets through the use of industry-strength proprietary trading software in the trading lab.

View Trading Global Financial Markets (optional) on our Module Directory

Issues in Financial Reporting (optional)

Demonstrate a critical understanding of major current issues in financial accounting and reporting. You develop an awareness of financial reporting theory, the problematic nature of accounting measurements and disclosures, corporate disclosure regulation, the implications of market efficiency for financial reporting, and the potential role of accounting information in social reporting and collective bargaining.

View Issues in Financial Reporting (optional) on our Module Directory

Management Accounting (optional)

Management accounting provides information required for decision-making, planning and control and cost management. You examine a range of contemporary issues in management accounting such as activity-based costing, strategic management accounting and other management accounting issues. You also evaluate contemporary approaches of management control theories to understand the current practices of management accounting locally and globally.

View Management Accounting (optional) on our Module Directory

International Management Accounting (optional)

Analyse the changing practices and theorization of management accounting and control in emerging and less-developed countries in the context of environmental change, institutional and socio-economic factors. You examine traditional management control systems in the context of different cultural, political, and socio-economic contexts.

View International Management Accounting (optional) on our Module Directory

International Financial Reporting (optional)

Develop a critical understanding of current issues in international financial reporting. You analyse the development of national accounting systems, the role of the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) and its impact on financial reporting internationally, and the particular financial reporting needs of developing countries.

View International Financial Reporting (optional) on our Module Directory

Cases in Corporate Governance (optional)

This module gives you a critical understanding of current issues in corporate governance theory, regulation and practice at both national and international levels. You undertake a critical review of agency, stakeholder and other corporate governance related theories and explore the codes and regulations governing corporate and board behaviour. Examples include the UK’s Combined Code, Operating and Financial Review and the US Sarbanes-Oxley Act. You examine real-world case studies and develop a deeper understanding of the meaning of ‘good’ governance.

View Cases in Corporate Governance (optional) on our Module Directory

Corporate Reporting and Analysis (optional)

This module introduces you to financial reporting, governance, regulation, and analysis of financial statements. You also gain an understanding of the role of published financial statements in aiding users in their decision-making.

View Corporate Reporting and Analysis (optional) on our Module Directory

Portfolio Management (optional)

Understand the process of portfolio management. You cover the main concepts such as efficient diversification, managing risk exposures, and the valuation of financial assets that are at the core of managing investment portfolios, and pay special attention to the practicalities of the implementation of these concepts.

View Portfolio Management (optional) on our Module Directory

Behavioural Finance (optional)

Behavioural finance rejects crucial tenets of mainstream finance such as the Efficient Market Hypothesis (EMH) on the basis that agents are less than fully rational, and that arbitrage fails to eliminate mispricing. Instead it identifies market anomalies or regularities such as holiday effects that are at odds with the EMH. You learn to use ideas from cognitive psychology, such as overconfidence, and aspects of imperfect arbitrage to explain these.

View Behavioural Finance (optional) on our Module Directory

Fixed Income Securities (optional)

Discover the concepts and tools that are useful to asset managers who want to use fixed income securities for investing, market-making or speculating. You first study fixed income markets and instruments, before going on to explore basic concepts of bond portfolio management and investigating the quantitative tools used to value bonds and manage bonds' portfolios.

View Fixed Income Securities (optional) on our Module Directory

Data Analytics in Finance (optional)

Big data - where datasets are so large they cannot be processed using traditional techniques – is useful to financial organisations. This module explores how to analyse big data and covers areas such as predictive analytics, risk modelling and corporate finance. You also learn about the application of data analytics in high frequency finance, fraud and personal finance.

View Data Analytics in Finance (optional) on our Module Directory

Managing Across Cultures (optional)

Managers increasingly find themselves working across borders calling for a thorough understanding of issues that relate to cross cultural management. In this course you enhance your understanding of the way in which globalisation and international business activities affect management and management practices across cultures.

View Managing Across Cultures (optional) on our Module Directory

Corporate Finance (optional)

This module offers you a standard introduction of the field of corporate finance at postgraduate level. You consider the classical areas of Modigliani-Miller irrelevance, Taxes and capital structure, Trade-off theory and Pecking order theory of capital structure, before exploring the more modern areas, which are essentially based on contract theory.

View Corporate Finance (optional) on our Module Directory

Strategic Brand Marketing (optional)

Strategic brand communication considers all the means by which brand meaning is created and circulated - not only through channels such as promotion and distribution, but also how for example employees are utilised for the purpose of communicating a consistent brand message. You analyse the underlying ideas that inform how brand messages are constructed, and how for example stereotypes or normative ideas of gender are reproduced in those messages.

View Strategic Brand Marketing (optional) on our Module Directory

Perspectives on Marketing (optional)

Explore the foundational principles of marketing as an academic subject and practice, by considering marketing from different perspectives including consumer behaviour, the marketing mix perspective, services marketing, retail and place marketing, marketing communications, ethical marketing, and global marketing.

View Perspectives on Marketing (optional) on our Module Directory

Modern Banking (optional)

Explore the basics of the structure and environment of banking, and selected aspects of the applied economics of the modern banking firm. You study structure-conduct-performance, competition, bank efficiency, regulation, international banking and bank failures and crises.

View Modern Banking (optional) on our Module Directory

Bank Strategy and Risk (optional)

Analyse the key strategic developments in banking and the main aspects of risk management in modern banks. You are introduced to the concept of shareholder value in banking, the main banking strategies to create shareholder value, the key risks in banking, and the most important tools required to manage bank risks.

View Bank Strategy and Risk (optional) on our Module Directory

Industry Expert Lectures in Finance (optional)

Taught exclusively by leading industry experts, this module offers you a unique opportunity to appreciate the latest developments and issues faced by leading practitioners in the areas of quantitative finance and risk management.

View Industry Expert Lectures in Finance (optional) on our Module Directory

People and Organisations (optional)

This module covers many of the key human aspects of management that are, so often, taken for granted. It provides you with an understanding of core issues that shape the management of organisational performance. We invite you to analyse workforce issues that will shape your own management practice.

View People and Organisations (optional) on our Module Directory

Research Evaluation (optional)

Explore a range of theoretical, philosophical and methodological approaches to the conduct of doctoral research with a focus on the literature phase of a research project. You scrutinise the process of writing an academic literature review, develop a literature-based research plan for your dissertation, integrating subject-specific learning with insights on research methodology and epistemology.

View Research Evaluation (optional) on our Module Directory

Research Methods in Accounting (optional)

This module equips you with a critical understanding of research methods and methodologies in the field of accounting. You develop the skills needed to explore issues in accounting and identify, choose and implement research designs and strategies.

View Research Methods in Accounting (optional) on our Module Directory

Teaching

Tailor the content of your course to more closely fit your interests and aspirations
Courses focus on practical applications and links with industry
We run an open seminar series

Assessment

Regular assessment is by coursework, presentations, case studies, group work, tests and examinations

Dissertation

You submit a 10,000 word dissertation

Fees and funding

Home/UK fee

£12,410

International fee

£19,380

EU students commencing their course in the 2021-22 academic year will be liable for the International fee.

Fees will increase for each academic year of study.

What's next

We hold Open Days for all our applicants throughout the year. Our Colchester Campus events are a great way to find out more about studying at Essex, and give you the chance to:

tour our campus and accommodation
find out answers to your questions about our courses, student finance, graduate employability, student support and more
meet our students and staff

If the dates of our organised events aren’t suitable for you, feel free to get in touch by emailing tours@essex.ac.uk and we’ll arrange an individual campus tour for you.

You can apply for this postgraduate course online. Before you apply, please check our information about necessary documents that we’ll ask you to provide as part of your application.

We aim to respond to applications within two weeks. If we are able to offer you a place, you will be contacted via email.

For information on our deadline to apply for this course, please see our ‘how to apply’ information.

Home to 15,000 students from more than 130 countries, our Colchester Campus is the largest of our three sites, making us one of the most internationally diverse campuses on the planet - we like to think of ourselves as the world in one place.

The Campus is set within 200 acres of beautiful parkland, located two miles from the historic town centre of Colchester – England's oldest recorded town. Our Colchester Campus is also easily reached from London and Stansted Airport in under one hour.

How to get to Colchester Campus

Find out more

If you live too far away to come to Essex (or have a busy lifestyle), no problem. Our 360 degree virtual tour allows you to explore the Colchester Campus from the comfort of your home. Check out our accommodation options, facilities and social spaces.

Our staff travel the world to speak to people about the courses on offer at Essex. Take a look at our list of exhibition dates to see if we’ll be near you in the future.

At Essex we pride ourselves on being a welcoming and inclusive student community. We offer a wide range of support to individuals and groups of student members who may have specific requirements, interests or responsibilities.

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