MSc Finance (part-time)

About the MSc programme

The MSc Finance (Part-time) is LSE's most established part-time evening programme, designed specifically to meet the needs of professionals working in or around London who are thinking about moving into or acquiring further in depth expertise in the area of finance. The programme's balance in emphasis on both theory as well as case study based teaching enables students to draw upon the expertise of the Department's internationally renowned academics who are leaders in their fields, thus providing both a professionally driven and academically rigorous programme.

The foundation of the programme is built in the first year with the study of two core courses - Asset Markets and Corporate Finance. Asset Markets takes the student from fundamental concepts to up to date applications in fixed-income, equity, and derivatives markets. Corporate Finance begins with the firm's investment decision and the cost of capital. This in turn is linked to the firm's financial structure and market environment where the firm operates. It studies in detail major financial decisions including dividend choice, going public, mergers and acquisitions, and restructuring in financial distress. In the second year, students deepen their knowledge by taking four optional half unit courses, on topics such as financial systems, risk management, portfolio management methods, advanced derivatives and structured financial products, fixed income, advanced corporate finance, and applied financial valuation. Students will also be required to write an extended essay in the place of an exam in one of the four optional courses.

The programme is aimed at people with good undergraduate degrees and good quantitative skills. Submission of GRE or GMAT test results is an advantage but not a requirement. The mathematics used in the programme includes basic calculus and statistics. Some knowledge of economics is required, but this could have been acquired professionally. A good mastery of English is required as demonstrated by a TOEFL score of at least 107 or an IELTS score of at least 7.0. Two to five years of relevant work experience will be considered an advantage.

Year one: Compulsory courses

• Corporate Finance
• Asset Markets

Year two: Options

(* half unit)

Choose four half unit options from the following list of courses, three of which must be from the list of dedicated evening-taught courses (†):

• Applied Financial Valuation*†
• Financial Engineering*†
• Fixed Income Securities and Credit Markets*† 
• Risk Management and Financial Institutions*†
• Topics in Portfolio Management*†
• Cases in Corporate Finance*†

Day-time courses:

• Corporate Finance Theory*
• International Finance* 
• Global Financial System*

You will be required to write a 6,000 word dissertation (replacing the exam) in one of your half unit courses.

In exceptional cases it may be possible to take an unlisted optional course with the approval of the programme director. 

† Exclusive to MSc Finance students