Business and Finance (MSc) (2023 Entry)
Explore our Business and Finance taught Master's degree.
The industry-focused Business and Finance MSc is ideal for graduates with a financial background. Study at the internationally-renowned Warwick Business School and develop your management and advanced financial skills.
Course overview
Our MSc has been designed as an industry-focused postgraduate course for graduates with a strong quants and/ or finance background in their undergraduate degree.
The course will help you to develop both management skills and advanced financial skills, leading to financial management roles for organisations outside of the finance industry. There is a choice of Dissertation or Business in Practice route.
If you are considering further academic study (PhD) and you would like the opportunity to research a topic relating to business and finance, the dissertation enables you to test and apply the techniques and theories you have gained.
If you would like to develop further applied skills and specialist knowledge to suit your career aspirations, you can complete your studies with one additional elective module and our applied Business in Practice module.
Skills from this degree
- Discover the business and finance expertise needed to move into financial management roles
- Put your learnings into practice with the applied Business in Practice module
- Develop your industry acumen by accessing our CareersPlus service with specialist careers coaches
- Showcase your learnings in practice with the applied Business in Practice module
General entry requirements
Minimum requirements
First Class Honours degree or a high 2:i undergraduate degree (or equivalent), which will have included some study of Finance.
English language requirements
You can find out more about our English language requirementsLink opens in a new window. This course requires the following:
- Band B
- IELTS overall score of 7.0, minimum component scores of two at 6.0/6.5 and the rest at 7.0 or above.
We accept a range of language tests. Please refer to our website for more details.
International qualifications
We welcome applications from students with other internationally recognised qualifications.
For more information, please visit the international entry requirements pageLink opens in a new window.
Additional requirements
There are no additional entry requirements for this course.
Core modules
- Financial Reporting and Statement Analysis
- Quantitative Methods for Financial Management
- Corporate Finance
- Analysis of Economic Behaviour
- Financial Management
- Strategic Management Accounting
- Financial Markets and Instruments
- Strategy Analysis and Practice
- Research Methodology and Dissertation or Business in Practice
Optional modules
Optional modules can vary from year to year. Example optional modules may include:
- Ethical Leadership
- International Business
- Derivatives and Corporate Risk Management
- Leading for Innovation
- Judgement and Decision Making
- Project Management
Teaching
The MSc Business and Finance course consists of eight compulsory modules, which you will study across three terms. The compulsory modules provide key management and business expertise, all designed to contribute to a career in business and finance.
Class sizes
The class size for this course is around 150 students.
Typical contact hours
Students on this MSc will typically receive between 27 and 30 contact hours per module.
Assessment
Assessment is a mix of exams, project and group work, and tests. Your 6,000 word dissertation or Business in Practice module brings all your learning together. To complete your degree, you will have the option to choose between the Dissertation or Business in Practice route:
Dissertation route
If you would prefer to take a more traditional postgraduate route and wish to specialise in a Finance related research topic for your future career (either in industry or for further academic study), the 6,000 word dissertation will enable you to test and apply the techniques and theories you have gained. You will be supervised and supported throughout and will usually submit your dissertation in early September.
In total you will study eight compulsory modules and one optional module, and complete a dissertation and a Research Methodology module.
Business in Practice route
If you would like to develop further applied skills and specialist knowledge to suit your career aspirations, you can complete your studies with two additional optional modules and our applied Business in Practice module. You will develop deep functional and industry expertise with practical insights from our faculty and our CareersPlus and Corporate Relations team.
In total, you will study eight compulsory modules, two optional modules and also complete the compulsory Business in Practice capstone module.
Reading lists
Most departments have reading lists available through Warwick Library. If you would like to view reading lists for the current cohort of students you can visit our Warwick Library web page.
Your timetable
Your personalised timetable will be complete when you are registered for all modules, compulsory and optional, and you have been allocated to your lectures, seminars and other small group classes. Your compulsory modules will be registered for you and you will be able to choose your optional modules when you join us.
There may be events taking place in the evenings. Classes may run up to 7pm and other events, such as careers presentations may take place later or on weekends. Occasionally, classes and exams may be held on weekends. We will notify you in advance if this is the case.
This is a full-time course, so there are no holidays as such. However, the two weeks covering Christmas and New Year are guaranteed to be free from lectures. There may also be weeks free over the Easter period (check with your programme team). Resit exams may take place outside of standard teaching periods.
Your career
Graduates from these courses have gone on to work for employers including:
- Accenture
- Amazon
- Arup
- BAE Systems
- BNP Paribas
- CitiBank
- Deloitte
- Delphi
- European Central Bank
- GlaxoSmithKline
- IBM
- Morgan Stanley
- Nielsen
- Rolls-Royce
- Shell
- UBS
- Unilever
They have pursued roles such as:
- Management Consultants
- Actuaries
- Business and financial project management professionals
- Chief executives and senior officials
- Economists, estimators, valuers and assessors
- Finance and investment analysts and advisers
- Investment/merchant bankers
- Taxation experts
Helping you find the right career
We have our own dedicated careers team at Warwick Business School called WBS CareersPlus. You will have access to one-to-one career guidance appointments, CV checks and tailored mock interviews.
Personalised support
The WBS CareersPlus team will support you and help you to understand yourself and your strengths. They can help you to identify possible career paths, and to set and achieve your career ambitions. This helps to boost your employability and helps you prepare for your career.
You can take advantage of personalised careers coaching and advice. Our one to one careers appointments can help you if you have a question about writing applications, wish to explore your career options, or need to prepare for interviews and assessment centres.
Warwick Business School
If you’re interested in the bigger picture, comfortable challenging assumptions and want a degree that will open doors, then WBS is the place for you. We will give you the foundation for change and prepare you for your future career. Are you ready to make your mark in the world of business?
Find out more about us on our website.Link opens in a new window
The vision of WBS is to be Europe’s leading University-based Business School, developing transformational ideas and people that shape how we do business. We recognise that rankings are one way to profile our progress towards fulfilling this vision, and are proud to participate in the major global business education rankings.
QS Business Master's Rankings 2022
- Master's in Business Analytics – 12th in the world, 3rd in the UK
- Master's in Marketing – 7th in the world, 2nd in the UK
- Master's in Management – 19th in the world, 4th in the UK
- Master's in Finance – 20th in the world, 6th in the UK
Financial Times Master's in Management Ranking 2021
- 15th in the world, 3rd in the UK
Financial Times Master's in Finance Ranking 2022
- 12th in the world, 3rd in the UK
Financial Times’ Online MBA ranking 2022
- 1st in the world for our Distance Learning MBA
Economist/Which? MBA 2022
- 1st in the UK for our Full-time MBA
Our Postgraduate Taught courses
MSc courses
- Accounting and Finance (MSc)
- Business Analytics (MSc)
- Business and Finance (MSc)
- Business with Marketing (MSc)
- Business with Operations Management (MSc)
- Finance (MSc)
- Finance and Economics (MSc)
- Global Central Banking and Financial Regulation (MSc)
- International Business (MSc)
- Management (MSc)
- Management of Information Systems and Digital Innovation (MSc)
- Marketing and Strategy (MSc)
- Mathematical Finance (MSc)
MBA
- Business Administration (Global Online) (MBA)
- Business Administration (Executive) (MBA)
- Business Administration (Full-time) (MBA)
Executive Diplomas
- Behavioural Science (PGDip)
- Digital Leadership (PGDip)
- Marketing Leadership (PGDip)
- Organisational Change (PGDip)
- Strategic Leadership (PGDip)
- Strategy and Innovation (PGDip)
Our Postgraduate Research courses
Tuition fees
Tuition fees are payable for each year of your course at the start of the academic year, or at the start of your course, if later. Academic fees cover the cost of tuition, examinations and registration and some student amenities.
Taught course fees Research course fees
Fee Status Guidance
We carry out an initial fee status assessment based on the information you provide in your application. Students will be classified as Home or Overseas fee status. Your fee status determines tuition fees, and what financial support and scholarships may be available. If you receive an offer, your fee status will be clearly stated alongside the tuition fee information.
Do you need your fee classification to be reviewed?
If you believe that your fee status has been classified incorrectly, you can complete a fee status assessment questionnaire. Please follow the instructions in your offer information and provide the documents needed to reassess your status.
Find out more about how universities assess fee status
Additional course costs
As well as tuition fees and living expenses, some courses may require you to cover the cost of field trips or costs associated with travel abroad.
For departmental specific costs, please see the Modules tab on the course web page for the list of core and optional core modules with hyperlinks to our Module Catalogue (please visit the Department’s website if the Module Catalogue hyperlinks are not provided).
Associated costs can be found on the Study tab for each module listed in the Module Catalogue (please note most of the module content applies to 2022/23 year of study). Information about module department specific costs should be considered in conjunction with the more general costs below:
- Core text books
- Printer credits
- Dissertation binding
- Robe hire for your degree ceremony
Scholarships and bursaries
Scholarships and financial support
Find out about the different funding routes available, including; postgraduate loans, scholarships, fee awards and academic department bursaries.
Living costs
Find out more about the cost of living as a postgraduate student at the University of Warwick.
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Here is our checklist on how to apply for taught postgraduate courses at Warwick.
Research course applications
Here is our checklist on how to apply for research postgraduate degrees at the University of Warwick.
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