The Finance (full-time) programme from London School of Economics and Political Science is one of the world’s leading generalist finance master’s degrees, ideal for those whose career objectives lie broadly within the financial services sector.
MSc Finance
The MSc Finance (full-time) programme is one of the world’s leading generalist finance master’s degrees, ideal for those whose career objectives lie broadly within the financial services sector.
The programme offers high level graduates, whose backgrounds may not necessarily be in finance, a unique opportunity to gain a comprehensive foundation and subsequent depth in the field. One of the most sought after degrees at LSE, the programme attracts some of the very best students from leading institutions around the world.
You will gain an in-depth grounding with core courses in corporate finance and financial markets, before tailoring the degree to your goals with a range of optional courses, including a number of specifically designed applied courses. You will have the opportunity to gain deeper practical insight and links to the City, and will benefit from close interaction with LSE’s Financial Markets Group and the Systemic Risk Centre, which attract leading finance researchers from across the world to their numerous research seminars and conferences. You will also have the opportunity to meet and network with the MSc Finance (part-time) students throughout the year.
The programme enjoys an excellent reputation amongst employers, with alumni working in a range of organisations including leading investment banks, financial institutions, consultancies and boutique firms.
Teaching and learning in 2021
LSE is committed to offering you the best possible teaching and learning experience within the constraints of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Our expectation for the 2021-22 academic year is that all LSE students will be in London and studying on campus, where we will provide flexible teaching and learning which blends both in-person and online elements. This flexible approach has been informed by our student and academic community and builds upon the innovations and improvements we have put in place over the past year. If, due to events outside of our reasonable control, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, we have to make any changes to the delivery of the programme in the 2021/22 academic year, we will provide as much notice as is reasonably practicable by updating this page and sending an email to all offer holders/students.
Programme details
| Start date | Pre-sessional course begins September 2021 |
| Application deadline | None – rolling admissions. However please note the funding deadlines |
| Duration | 10 months full-time only, including pre-sessional (see Bologna process) |
| Applications 2019 | 1,527 |
| Intake 2019 | 93 |
| Tuition fee | £38,448 |
| Deposit | To secure a place on the programme offer holders will be required to pay a deposit of £3,500 within four weeks of receiving their offer |
| Minimum entry requirement | 2:1 degree or equivalent in any discipline and good quantitative skills, at least to A level Mathematics (or the equivalent) |
| GRE/GMAT requirement | GMAT or GRE is required for all applicants without a UK undergraduate degree (GMAT strongly preferred). GMAT is recommended for applicants with UK undergraduate degrees, especially those whose quantitative skills are not demonstrated by their undergraduate studies, or those who did not achieve or are not expected to achieve a first class degree |
| English language requirements | Standard (see ‘Entry Requirements’) |
| Financial Support | Graduate support scheme (deadline 29 April 2021). |
| Location | Houghton Street, London WC2A 2AE |
| About this course | |
|---|---|
| Duration | 10 Months |
| Level | Masters Program |
Course Description
• One of the most sought after degrees at LSE, the program attracts some of the very best students from leading institutions from around the world
• Offers a unique opportunity to gain a comprehensive foundation and subsequent depth in the field
• Students attend a three week pre-sessional course, comprising essential material, a range of career skills, and practitioner and alumni events
• Gain an in-depth grounding with core courses in corporate finance and financial markets, before tailoring the degree to your goals with a range of elective modules
• Excellent job prospects and opportunities as it has a very high employment rate
• Benefit from close interaction with LSE’s Financial Markets Group, which attracts leading international finance researchers to present at its many academic research seminars and practitioner conferences
Ranking
University Rankings
#151-200 Universities Rankings- ARWU (Shanghai Ranking) 2020
#49 World University Ranking- QS 2021
#27 University Ranking- THE (Times Higher Education) 2021
#4 University Ranking (UK)- The Complete University Guide 2021
#5 University Rankings- The Guardian 2021
#244 Global Universities- US News & World Report 2021
Course Rankings
Business Courses
#4 Accounting & Finance- QS 2020
Fees & Expenses
| Fees components | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | INR 37,40,932 |
Other expenses in 1st year
| Fees components | Amount |
|---|---|
| Hostel & Meals | INR 5,55,920 |
| Application Fees | INR 7,586 |
| Total | INR 5,63,506 |
Calculated at the exchange rate of 1 Pound = INR 101.15|
Entry Requirements
| Entry requirements for this course | |
|---|---|
| Class 12th | No specific cutoff mentioned |
| Bachelors | 60.0%Applicants must have an upper second class honours (2:1) degree or equivalent in any discipline and good quantitative skillsApplicants are also required to have studied a minimum of A level Mathematics (or its equivalent). |
| Exams | IELTS : 7With 6.5 in Reading and Listening and 6.0 in Speaking and WritingGMAT : AcceptedStrongly preferredGRE : AcceptedPTE : 65With 58 in Reading and Listening and 51 in Speaking and Writing |
| Additional info | Submit two academic references (from tutors who have taught students at university)Upload a scanned transcript for each qualification. (The transcript or mark sheet must include a list of subjects studied and the grades obtained to date)Upload a statement of academic purpose:The statement should be typed and no longer than two sides of A4 paperThere is no fixed word limit, but expected this to be no longer than 1,000 – 1,500 wordsUpload a CV/resume, including the employment history or other professional experience, including internshipsGMAT is recommended for applicants with UK undergraduate degrees, especially those whose quantitative skills are not demonstrated by their undergraduate studies, or those who did not achieve or are not expected to achieve a first-class degreeWork experience (either through internships or full employment) is not a pre-requisite; however, applicants who have some professional experience should include this in their application, as it may strengthen their application.ELP should be waived off if the applicants have a degree taught in English |
Information for international students
LSE is an international community, with over 140 nationalities represented amongst its student body. We celebrate this diversity through everything we do.
If you are applying to LSE from outside of the UK then take a look at our Information for International students.
1) Take a note of the UK qualifications we require for your programme of interest (found in the ‘Entry requirements’ section of this page.
2) Go to the International Students section of our website.
3) Select your country.
4) Select ‘Graduate entry requirements’ and scroll until you arrive at the information about your local/national qualification. Compare the stated UK entry requirements listed on this page with the local/national entry requirement listed on your country specific page Fees and funding
Tuition fees 2021/22 for MSc Finance and Economics
Home students: £30,360
Overseas students: £30,960
Every graduate student is charged a fee for their programme. The fee covers registration and examination fees payable to the School, lectures, classes and individual supervision, lectures given at other colleges under intercollegiate arrangements and, under current arrangements, membership of the Students’ Union. It does not cover living costs or travel or fieldwork.
Fee status
The amount of tuition fees you will need to pay, and any financial support you are eligible for, will depend on whether you are classified as a home or overseas student, otherwise known as your fee status. LSE assesses your fee status based on guidelines provided by the Department of Education.
Further information about fee status classification.
Fee reduction
Students who completed undergraduate study at LSE and are beginning taught graduate study at the School are eligible for a fee reduction of around 10 per cent of the fee.
Scholarships and other funding
The School recognises that the cost of living in London may be higher than in your home town or country, and we provide generous scholarships each year to graduate students from the UK, EU and overseas.
This programme is eligible for needs-based awards from LSE, including the Graduate Support Scheme, Master’s Awards, and Anniversary Scholarships.
Students on this programme are also eligible for the Sudipto Bhattacharya Scholarships.
Selection for any funding opportunity is based on receipt of an offer for a place and submitting a Graduate Financial Support application, before the funding deadline.
Funding deadline for needs-based awards from LSE: 29 April 2021.
In addition to our needs-based awards, LSE also makes available scholarships for students from specific regions of the world and awards for students studying specific subject areas.
Government tuition fee loans and external funding
A postgraduate loan is available from the UK government for eligible students studying for a first master’s programme, to help with fees and living costs. Some other governments and organisations also offer tuition fee loan schemes.
Find out more about tuition fee loans
Further information
Fees and funding opportunitiesProgramme structure and courses
Programme overview
The Department of Finance enjoys a pre-eminent reputation for the excellence of its teaching and research. Our diverse faculty and student body come from across the globe, providing a rich environment in which to research and study finance, ensuring that we continue to rank alongside the most highly-rated Departments in the world.
Students on the MSc Finance and Economics programme are required to complete courses to the total value of four full units, comprising three full-unit core courses and two half-unit optional courses.
Pre-sessional programme
All registered students will participate in a compulsory pre-sessional programme in August 2021. This combines academic preparation with professional development workshops and events.
Academic trainingStudents will take part in the EC400 Introductory Course in Mathematics and Statistics (before the main term-time teaching programme starts). The course includes treatment of dynamic programming, continuous time dynamic optimisation, quadratic forms, Kuhn-Tucker theorem, joint and conditional probability distributions, Gauss-Markov assumptions and maximum likelihood estimation, amongst other topics.
Professional developmentStudents will participate in careers skills development sessions delivered by in-house and external professionals. The programme also includes networking and social events with alumni, a City Speaker Series of interactive talks from leading finance professionals and preparation for technical finance interviews. The programme is designed to enable students to be ready for the competitive financial services sector job market.
Courses
You will take the following three units’ worth of compulsory courses and will choose electives to the value of one unit from a range of courses within the Department, allowing you to tailor the programme to your interests. You will also write a 6000 word dissertation in place of an exam in one of your optional courses. You will also undertake a mandatory preparatory course in probability and stochastic calculus to complement the material taught in Financial Economics.
Financial Economics (taught entirely in first term)
Examines investors’ behaviour, market equilibrium and asset pricing.
Financial Econometrics (taught over two terms)
Looks at the techniques of empirical investigation in economics and finance.
Either Microeconomics (taught over two terms)
Develops the basic tools for analysing problems of resource allocation used by economists.
Or
Microeconomics for MSc F&E*
Develops the basic tools for analysing problems of resource allocation used by economists working in research, government and business
And
Macroeconomics for MSc F&E*
Focuses on the main characteristics of business cycle fluctuations with a special emphasis on what happened during the financial crisis and different macroeconomic models to study business cycles.
*You may apply to replace the full unit of Microeconomics with a half-unit of Microeconomics and a half-unit of Macroeconomics
Courses to the value of one unit from a range of options
Elective courses
Dedicated courses (Finance students only)
Fixed Income Securities and Credit Markets
Topics in Portfolio Management
Financial Engineering
Risk Management in Financial Markets
International Finance for MSc Finance and Economics, MSc Finance and MSc Finance & Private Equity
Non-dedicated courses (open to non-Finance students)
Quantitative Security Analysis
Applied Corporate Finance
Sustainable Finance and Impact Investing
Entrepreneurial Finance
Please note that, while care has been taken to ensure that this information is up to date and correct, a change of circumstances since publication may cause the School to change, suspend or withdraw a course or programme of study, or change the fees that apply to it. The School will always notify the affected parties as early as practicably possible and propose any viable and relevant alternative options. Note that that the School will neither be liable for information that after publication becomes inaccurate or irrelevant, nor for changing, suspending or withdrawing a course or programme of study due to events outside of its control, which includes but is not limited to a lack of demand for a course or programme of study, industrial action, fire, flood or other environmental or physical damage to premises.
You must also note that places are limited on some courses and/or subject to specific entry requirements. The School cannot therefore guarantee you a place. Please note that changes to programmes and courses can sometimes occur after you have accepted your offer of a place. These changes are normally made in light of developments in the discipline or path-breaking research, or on the basis of student feedback. Changes can take the form of altered course content, teaching formats or assessment modes. Any such changes are intended to enhance the student learning experience. You should visit the School’s Calendar, or contact the relevant academic department, for information on the availability and/or content of courses and programmes of study. Certain substantive changes will be listed on the updated graduate course and programme information page.Teaching and assessment
Teaching
The format of teaching for MSc Finance and Economics courses varies. Some courses may have two-hour lectures followed by a separate supporting session, others may have three-hour interactive sessions. Teaching sessions can vary in size depending upon the course. Some classes may be taught by Graduate Teaching Assistants. Students on the MSc Finance and Economics programme have on average 11 hours of contact time per week during the teaching terms.
Assessment methods
Examinations: MSc Finance and Economics students have two exams in Week 0 of Lent Term. The Summer Exam Period takes place from late April until early June. The exam timetable changes each year and is published by the school at least six weeks before the start of the exam period.
Summative work: Some Finance courses contain a coursework element which contributes to the final course grade. At LSE this type of coursework is called ‘summative assessment’. Different courses set different types of summative work. Some courses require weekly submission of problem sets which all make up a small percentage of the final grade.
Formative work:At LSE, any work which is set but does not contribute towards the final course mark is known as formative work. The purpose of formative work is to inform students of their progress on the course and whether they are understanding the concepts taught in lectures. Some formative work is informal, via the setting of problems sets that the teacher will work through with the class, however most courses will also ask for a piece of work to be submitted and then graded.
Academic support
All academic faculty schedule weekly office hours in which any student may visit them to discuss academic issues. In some cases students may be able to arrange a time to meet with a member of faculty outside their office hours.
The MSc Finance & Economics Associate Programme Director will also be your Academic Mentor. Her role is to keep an overview of your academic progress and overall wellbeing during your time at the School. In addition, she has extensive experience of the financial services sector, enabling her to provide a high level of careers support.
There are many opportunities to extend your learning outside the classroom and complement your academic studies at LSE. LSE LIFE is the School’s centre for academic, personal and professional development. Some of the services on offer include: guidance and hands-on practice of the key skills you will need to do well at LSE: effective reading, academic writing and critical thinking; workshops related to how to adapt to new or difficult situations, including development of skills for leadership, study/work/life balance and preparing for the world of work; and advice and practice on working in study groups and on cross-cultural communication and teamwork.
LSE is committed to enabling all students to achieve their full potential and the School’s Disability and Wellbeing Service provides a free, confidential service to all LSE students and is a first point of contact for all disabled students.Professional Development Programme
Overview
The Department of Finance runs an extensive Professional Development Programme alongside the Academic programme in order to support and prepare students to enter the job market. Starting in the pre-sessional course in August, students are given a wide range of careers support, from CV workshops and application advice to sector overviews and opportunities to meet and network with recent alumni who are working in London.
We run a number of events to best prepare students for the competitive financial services sector job market:
| Introduction to careers in Finance | City Speaker Series |
| CV and cover letter workshops | Consulting case study course |
| 1-to-1 CV checking | Networking skills session |
| Job application form skills session | Presentation skills workshop |
| Preparation for finance technical interviews | Alumni panel and networking reception |
Technical Interview Prep Workshop
This workshop is designed to introduce students to the corporate valuation methodologies that are most often presented to them during finance interviews. Using an intensive exercise-based approach, the workshop covers finance concepts, reinforces them through problems, and then integrates them into interview question drills.
All students are given access to crash courses in accounting and excel, which is particularly helpful for students who have not had internship experience. The course also provides a useful grounding for the “Theories of Corporate Finance” part of the FM436 Financial Economics course.
Presentation Skills Workshop
Delivered by a professional corporate coach who is also a comedian, this interactive workshop gives students the tools to communicate with impact, influence and confidence.
Graduate destinations
Graduates of the Department have excellent career prospects. Our MSc programmes prepare students for a range of careers in the financial services sector, as can be seen in the Department of Finance Employment Report.
Graduates of the MSc Finance and Economics programme go on to work in challenging jobs in a variety of organisations around the world. Examples of the types of organisations include investment banks, central banks, economic and strategy consulting firms, professional services firms and financial boutiques.
In addition to the internationally recognised research environment and academic rigour of its teaching programmes, a great advantage of studying at LSE is the reputation it holds amongst employers for producing high level graduates.
Selected employers over the past three years
| The Brattle Group | Bank of America Merrill Lynch | Nera | Oxera |
| McKinsey & Company | European Central Bank | Bank of China | |
| Bank of England | China Asset Management Company | Barclays | Nomura |
Selected employment locations
| London | Shanghai |
| Istanbul | Sao Paolo |
| Paris | Beijing |
PhD study
Each year a number of graduates are accepted into top PhD programmes in the UK, US and Europe. Some students choose to take a pre-doctoral research position after graduation and commence a PhD later. Students considering the PhD route will be able to discuss this with the Associate Programme Director and faculty members.
Selected institutions for PhD study (last 3 years)
| LSE | Columbia | Harvard | Chicago Booth |
| Wharton | Oxford | Stanford | Rochester |
| KelloggNorthwestern | ImperialCollege | ESSEC | McGill |
Departmental Careers Support
The Department of Finance offers an in-depth Professional Development Programme for our students to help develop your skills and assist you in your job search. See the Professional Development Programme section on this page.
LSE Careers
LSE Careers has a worldwide reputation. It offers a wide range of resources and events to registered students and alumni. These include:
| Recruitment fairs | Company presentations |
| Interview and application skills sessions | Tailored careers advice |
| CV checking | Mock interviews |
LSE Careers attracts top recruiters in many sectors, who actively target our students. It provides an LSE-exclusive vacancy board full of graduate positions, jobs for experience hires, internships, voluntary and part-time work.
During the Michaelmas Term, there may be a careers presentation or event that you wish to attend every day of the week.
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