Quantitative Finance and Risk Management MSc

Overview

Our Quantitative Finance and Risk Management MSc will develop your understanding of generalist finance issues. You'll also develop specialist practical skills in quantitative methodology and risk management.

Develop your career in financial services, or as a quantitative analyst in investment banking and risk management fields.

There has been worldwide growth in the financial services sector. This has fuelled the demand for suitably qualified graduates. We ensure you'll graduate ready to meet this demand. You'll develop a sound understanding of generalist finance issues, and gain specialist skills in quantitative methodology and risk management.

You'll be able to develop a career in the financial services sector. The course is also suitable for future quantitative analysts in economics and finance.

Important information

We've highlighted important information about your course. Please take note of any deadlines.

Your course and study experience - disclaimers and terms and conditions

Please rest assured we make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the programmes, services and facilities described. However, it may be necessary to make changes due to significant disruption, for example in response to Covid-19.

View our Academic experience page, which gives information about your Newcastle University study experience for the academic year 2024-25.

See our terms and conditions and student complaints information, which gives details of circumstances that may lead to changes to programmes, modules or University services.

 

What you'll learn

This course will provide the opportunity for you to develop relevant skills and a practical understanding of:

• the operation and behaviour of international financial markets
• the ability to analyse the strategies of financial market investors
• the role of finance in a modern economy

Of particular note is the practical module on MATLAB. This provides you with a detailed understanding of how this programming tool can be used for effective empirical modelling.

Advanced statistical software

Where possible you'll have access to advanced statistical software including:

• Eviews
• SPSS
• Stata
• MATLAB
• SAS
• Maple
• Minitab
• R/R Studio
• Python

Databases

You'll also have access to a number of financial databases including:

• Bloomberg - access to trading terminals is available on-campus only
• LSEG Workspace (Eikon, DataStream)
• WRDS (Compustat, CRSP, CSMAR, I/B/E/S, TRACE, OptionMetrics)
• Fame
• Orbis Europe (formerly Amadeus)
• Orbis Asia Pacific (formerly Oriana)
• Orbis Crossborder Investment

Modules

You will study modules on this course. A module is a unit of a course with its own approved aims and outcomes and assessment methods.

Course content changes

Module information is intended to provide an example of what you will study.

Our teaching is informed by research. Course content changes periodically to reflect developments in the discipline, the requirements of external bodies and partners, and student feedback.

Full details of the modules on offer will be published through the Programme Regulations and Specifications ahead of each academic year. This usually happens in May.

To find out more please see our terms and conditions.

Optional modules availability

Some courses have optional modules. Student demand for optional modules may affect availability.

 

Quantitative Finance and Risk Management MSc modules

Compulsory Modules	Credits
Dissertation	60
MATLAB for Finance	10
Risk Modelling	10
Applied Econometrics	10
Research Methods in Economics and Finance	10
Introductory Econometrics	10
Financial Theory	20
Financial Derivatives	20
Critical Skills for Finance	0

Optional Modules	Credits
International Money and Banking	10
Behavioural Finance	10
Retail and Investment Banking	10
International Finance	10
Corporate Finance	10
Portfolio Management	10
Numerical Methods and Scientific Programming	20
Applied Data Science	20
Financial Technology	10
Green Finance and Sustainability	10

How you'll learn

Delivery and teaching methods

The course is modular.

 

Assessment methods

Depending on your modules, you'll be assessed through a combination of:

• Dissertation
• Essay
• PC examination
• Portfolio
• Problem-solving exercises
• Report
• Written examination
• Written exercise

Student support

Your teaching and learning is also supported by Canvas. Canvas is a Virtual Learning Environment. You'll use Canvas to submit your assignments and access your:

• module handbooks
• course materials
• groups
• course announcements and notifications
• written feedback

Throughout your studies, you’ll have access to support from:

• peers
• academics
• personal tutors
• our University Student Services Team
• student representatives

You'll also be assigned an academic member of staff. They will be your personal tutor throughout your time with us. They can help with academic and personal issues.

Our staff

View profiles of the module leaders for this course:

• Dr Andrei Stancu (Degree Programme Director)
• Dr Jose Liu
• Dr Minh Nguyen
• Dr Bahadir Dursun
• Dr Xueqi Dong
• Professor Robert Sollis
  
• Dr Xiaojing Song
• Dr Ian Corrick

Your development

Professional development

You'll benefit from our status as a Bloomberg Experiential Learning Partner. Through self-study, you'll complete the Bloomberg Market Concepts certificate.

This gives you an interactive introduction to the financial markets. You can take part in a live financial trading simulation delivered by a leading global provider of finance simulations. You will get the chance to:

• showcase your skills on the trading floor
• gain insights into different roles in the financial industry
• boost your employability

If you’re interested in being a quantitative analyst, you can complete a practical module on MATLAB to help you gain employment. Newcastle University Business School is also an academic partner of the CQF Institute (the awarding body for the Certificate in Quantitative Finance). This offers you access to member-only benefits from the CQF Institute, including:

• online technical talks and conferences
• networking opportunities
• career advice
• thought leadership
• finance-focused introductory workshops

You can take part in a live financial trading simulation. This is jointly delivered with the CFA annual global investment challenge. This is to gain insights into different roles in the financial industry and boost your employability.

You'll achieve the associated or full member status of the Chartered Banker Institute with our Chartered Banker pathway. This is part of our commitment to you as a Chartered Banker Institute Centre of Excellence.

Guest lectures

You can also attend guest lectures which complement the study of theoretical frameworks. These lectures analyse the most recent trends in financial markets and banking industries.

Study abroad

Experience another culture, improve your language skills and enhance your global graduate outcomes. This course enables you to take a non-credit bearing exchange opportunity at an international partner university. This can last for up to five months and takes place at the end of your course.

Your future

Graduate destinations

Graduates from this course have undertaken various roles, including:

• financial trader
• financial analyst
• risk analyst
• engineer on economic modelling
• investor relations adviser
• economist
• auditor

Careers

This course prepares you for a wide range of careers with employers, such as:

• HSBC Bank
• Industrial and Commercial Bank of China
• Normura
• Tiburon Partners LLP
• PwC
• KPMG
• State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic

Our Careers Service

Our award-winning Careers Service is one of the largest and best in the country, and we have strong links with employers. We provide an extensive range of opportunities to all students through our ncl+ initiative.

Visit our Careers Service website

Quality and ranking

All professional accreditations are reviewed regularly by their professional body

Recognition of professional qualifications outside of the UK

From 1 January 2021 there is an update to the way professional qualifications are recognised by countries outside of the UK

Check the government’s website for more information.

Facilities

Newcastle University Business School is one of the largest Schools in the University. We have over 3,500 students representing over 80 nationalities. This valuable network extends beyond our current students to include:

• regional, national and international leaders
• over 34,000 alumni in our network, spanning over 150 countries
• leading professionals and practitioners from industry

The Business School is the gateway to Newcastle Helix - an innovation hub and community that brings together industry leaders, businesses and top researchers.

Our facilities include:

• flexible conference room with panoramic views across the city
• Wi-Fi enabled connectivity throughout the building, including three computer clusters housing over 120 PCs
• four large lecture theatres and over 25 seminar and teaching spaces, providing comfortable teaching and group study space
• dedicated Student Hub and Quiet Space, providing a balanced mix of study space for group work or quiet, individual study
• contemporary café
• employability hub to support your career aspirations
• Bloomberg Room to give you a real feel for the trading room floor
• Experimental and Behavioural Economics Lab, a state-of-the-art research facility for conducting studies in experimental economics and economic psychology

The Frederick Douglass Centre at Newcastle Helix also offers further study and learning spaces. This includes a 750 seat auditorium – the largest in the University.

Find out more about Newcastle University Business School

Fees and funding

Tuition fees for 2025 entry (per year)

Tuition fee increases

As a general principle, you should expect the tuition fee to increase in each subsequent academic year of your course, subject to government regulations on fee increases and in line with inflation.

EU, other EEA and Swiss nationals - tuition fee status

Depending on your residency history, if you’re a student from the EU, other EEA or a Swiss national, with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you’ll normally pay the ‘Home’ tuition fee rate and may be eligible for Student Finance England support.

EU students without settled or pre-settled status will normally be charged fees at the ‘International’ rate and will not be eligible for Student Finance England support. You will be eligible for a scholarship worth 15% off the international fee. 

If you are unsure of your fee status, check out the latest guidance here.

Scholarships

We support our EU and international students by providing a generous range of Vice-Chancellor's automatic and merit-based scholarships. See our searchable postgraduate funding page for more information. 

What you're paying for

Tuition fees include the costs of:

• matriculation
• registration
• tuition (or supervision)
• library access
• examination
• re-examination
• graduation

Find out more about:

• living costs
• tuition fees

Deposit

If you are an international student or a student from the EU, EEA or Switzerland and you need a visa to study in the UK, you may have to pay a deposit.

You can check this in the How to apply section.

Funding deadlines

If you're applying for funding, always check the funding application deadline. This deadline may be earlier than the application deadline for your course.

For some funding schemes, you need to have received an offer of a place on a course before you can apply for the funding.

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INTO International Pre-Master's - Pathway course

Our Business and Humanities Pre-Master's will prepare you for Master's study at Newcastle. If you're successful then you're guaranteed a place on this Master's course.

• Business and Humanities Pre-Master's

How to apply

Using the application portal

The application portal has instructions to guide you through your application. It will tell you what documents you need and how to upload them.

You can choose to start your application, save your details and come back to complete it later.

 

If you’re ready, you can select Apply Online and you’ll be taken directly to the application portal.

Alternatively you can find out more about applying on our applications and offers pages.

Apply Online  

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