MSc in Money, Banking and Central Banking
Entry requirements: First or second class honours degree Full or Part-time: Full-time, Part-time
School: School of Humanities and Social Science
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Course overview
The MSc programme in Money, Banking and Central Banking is designed to offer specialised teaching in banking and financial markets which is particularly relevant given all the changes introduced during the last global financial crisis, as well as the changes made by major central banks in the running of their monetary policies since then.
Monetary analysis has been mainly disregarded in the years running up to The Global Financial Crisis and this contributed to high rates of growth of money which ultimately led to unsustainable economic growth and financial instability. Unlike any other degree in the UK ours emphasises the importance of high quality monetary and banking analysis so we can assess those policies compatible with stable economic growth and financial stability over the long term. Expert knowledge of monetary economics and monetary policy, risk management and financial institutions is going to be of crucial important to understand the world after the recent crisis.
The degree will provide the latest research methods and tools to teach students to think analytically and critically, and apply their knowledge to practical problems faced by investment banks and central banks and other financial institutions.
Who is the programme suitable for?
This degree aims to produce graduates with this specialised knowledge and the skills required for a career in central banking and finance (in particular in investment banking), as well as monetary analysis suitable to pursue a career in consultancy businesses, research departments and specialised media. We welcome both recent graduates and those already in employment in these areas who wish to further their careers.
Structure
The bulk of the programme will consist of several modules providing the theoretical and analytical tools for the students to understand central bank operations and policies, as well as banking business, so they can identify how money is created in modern economies and analyse how changes in the amount of money affect overall prices as well as the running of the economy along the cycle. Students will also learn the statistical techniques and use specialised software to gather and analyse macroeconomic and financial data. At the end of the programme students will submit a master’s dissertation.
We offer two entry points, in September and January. We also offer a part-time programme for those professionals already working and looking forward to furthering their education and careers in money and banking.
Professional accreditation in risk management
Students will be offered the option to take an examination and get the Professional Risk Managers’ International Association (PRMIA) accreditation in financial risk management. In particular the students will be able to get the Associate Professional Risk Manager Certificate (Associate PRM Certificate), which is a PRMIA programme offered online for staff entering the risk management industry.
The programme covers fundamental concepts of the risk management profession and has become a well-known benchmark in this market both in the UK and in the rest of the world. The materials for preparing for the exams are fully available on the PRMIA’s website and include scheduled readings and webinars series. In addition, the teaching staff of our master’s programme will offer extra academic support to the students willing to take the exam.
The Institute of International Monetary Research
The Institute of International Monetary Research (IIMR) is an educational charity set up in 2014 in the aftermath of the Great Financial Crisis of 2007 – 2009. Its mission is to demonstrate and bring to public attention the strong relationship between the quantity of money on the one hand, and the levels of national income and expenditure on the other.
The Institute is heavily involved in the teaching of the degree and offers its facilities to the students to engage in a professional environment focused on the analysis and insight into trends in money and banking, and their impact on the world’s leading economies. Our students will benefit from the research seminars organised in Buckingham as well as the IIMR annual monetary conference in London where students will learn from top UK and overseas academics, regulators and practitioners in monetary economics.
Further information on the IIMR can be found at www.mv-pt.org
Full details in the Curriculum Handbook
Find out more
If you would like to find out more about the course and / or discuss your eligibility, please complete the short form below and we’ll contact you as soon as we can:
Entry Requirements
Entry requirements
The minimum entry level required for this course is as follows:
- a first or second-class honours degree from a recognised university
- a recognised professional qualification with relevant work experience
Mature students
Age is no barrier to learning and we welcome all applications from suitably qualified students.
International students
We are happy to consider all international applications and if you are an international student, you may find it useful to visit our international pages for details of entry requirements from your home country.
The University is a UKVI Tier 4 Sponsor.
English levels
If English is not your first language, please check our postgraduate English language requirements. If your English levels don’t meet our minimum requirements, you may be interested in applying for our Pre-sessional English Language Foundation Programmes.
Selection process
Wherever possible, you will be invited to the University to meet the Admissions Tutor for an informal interview and to have a tour of our campus. If you are an international applicant, it may not be possible for you to visit in person, so if the Admissions Tutor has any queries about your application you may be conducted by skype, email or phone.
Initial enquiries and face-to-face appointments are also welcomed by the Directors of the degree, Dr Juan Castaneda juan.castaneda@buckingham.ac.uk and Dr Ali Kabiri ali.kabiri@buckingham.ac.uk.
The Admissions Team for Business Humanities would be happy to answer any questions you may have:
Terms and conditions for prospective students
When you are offered a place at the University you will be notified of the terms and conditions between the University and students on our courses of study. When you accept an offer of a place on the course at the University a legal contract is formed between you and the University on the basis of the terms and conditions outlined in your offer letter. Your offer letter and the terms and conditions contain important information which you should read carefully before accepting any offer. Read the admissions terms and conditions > >
TopTeaching & Assessment
Quality teaching
We offer high quality, traditional Oxbridge-style teaching, which leads to our degrees being recognised around the world. The standards of degrees and awards are safeguarded by distinguished external examiners – senior academic staff from other universities in the UK – who approve and moderate assessed work.
The University of Buckingham is proud to offer students small tutorial groups where the students have the opportunity to engage with their professors and lecturers every week and discuss and further their understanding of the topics covered in the weekly lectures. As published by the Complete University Guide in 2017, the University of Buckingham is at the top of the universities in the country regarding the staff to student ratio. We have 1 member of staff for every 9.6 students. This ratio ensures that a high and continuous level of support is maintained, from an academic to a pastoral point of view and allows a degree of interaction between staff and students rarely found in other universities.
High calibre staff
Most of our academic staff teach for three terms out of four, with the remaining term used for research. Because of this, we have no difficulty in attracting high calibre, highly respected lecturers, many of whom also have a background in business or industry and can offer networking opportunities for students.
Chairman of the Institute of International Monetary Research
Senior Lecturer in Economics; Programme Director, MSc in Money, Banking and Central Banking
Teaching methods
Teaching is carried out through a combination of lectures supported by seminars and tutorials. A key feature of the Buckingham teaching method is the use of small tutorial groups which provide the most effective means of ensuring that the students benefit from the academic expertise at their disposal. It is also the philosophy of Buckingham’s faculty to be available to students outside the scheduled tutorial times and to encourage good working relationships between staff and students.
This teaching style has resulted in the University of Buckingham being on top of a ranking of amongst 127 universities on student satisfaction with courses (The Complete University Guide 2017), as well as awarded by The Times and The Sunday Times University of the Year for Teaching Quality in 2016. Buckingham has also been top or near top of the National Student Survey in student satisfaction since 2006.
Our master’s students will benefit from this small tutorial group teaching style, where their professors and lecturers will be also those who will be conducting the tutorial groups on a weekly basis, which will increase the contact hours with them and their overall understanding of the subjects.
Assessment methods
The assessment of individual modules within each course varies according to the subject. Assessment is usually by examination, assessed coursework, or a combination of the two. Please check module information for more details.
Preparation for work
All our degree courses combine academic challenge with the transferable skills that will stand you in good stead for future employment.
This degree is aimed at offering practical skills for our graduates to be able to work in a wide variety of companies within the banking and consultancy industry, both in the UK and overseas. Small tutorial groups will be run weekly to teach students the databases and the specialised software used at industry level, as well as to simulate real life scenarios where students will make policy decisions as if they were the central banker in the country. With these exercises they will be able to acknowledge the challenges faced by policy makers on a daily basis and the intended (and unintended) effects of policy decisions over the medium and long term.
The students will also be offered the possibility to visit relevant institutions either in the UK or overseas where monetary policy is made (central banks) or the relevant parliaments where central bankers answer to select committees.
See the Humanities Curriculum Handbook for further course details.
TopAfter Your Degree
Graduate employment
Our graduates have gone on to further study at most of the world’s leading universities, including Harvard, London (UCL and LSE and Imperial College), Oxford and Cambridge and secured jobs in senior positions around the world. Students will be able to benefit from career opportunities in various financial institutions, consultancy businesses and research institutes, including the Institute of International Monetary Research that will be offering several internships to our graduates.
Fees & Scholarships
Discounts
Students who graduate from the University and plan to continue their studies with a postgraduate degree at Buckingham can benefit from a very generous automatic discount on their fees:
- 33%, those with a first class honours degree from Buckingham
- 25%, those with a Second Class Honours, Upper Division (2:1) degree from Buckingham
Postgraduate loan scheme
A new system of postgraduate loans for Masters degrees in the UK was introduced in August 2016 with support from the UK Government. The loan will provide up to £10,609 for taught and research Masters courses in all subject areas. The loans can be used for tuition fees, living expenses or both. Find out more >>
Scholarship opportunities: Santander Universities
Scholarships, travel bursaries and internships are among the benefits that the University of Buckingham students and staff receive as part of a partnership agreement with Santander Universities.
- Santander Mobility Awards: available by application for use towards travel expenses.
The agreement focuses on international exchange, entrepreneurial activities and international travel grants for students and researchers to go to universities in any of the 20 countries where Santander has higher education partners.
You may also find it useful to visit our External Funding page.
Fees may increase annually in line with inflation. For details, please see our Fees and Finance page.
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Accommodation
On-campus accommodation
We guarantee on-campus accommodation to all new students for their first four terms of study, as long as it is booked and paid for in good time, so you’re assured of a safe and secure home from home when you arrive at the University. Most new students choose this option.
Living on campus enables you to become involved in University activities, make friends, and integrate with the University community. For some of you this will be your first time in the UK; for others it will be the first time living away from home – and independence brings its challenges as well as its excitements. Whatever your circumstances, we know how important it is for you to feel comfortable in your accommodation.
What’s included?
All our study bedrooms are fully furnished, centrally heated, and connected to the internet. With few exceptions they have a wash basin and small refrigerator. We have a large number of ensuite rooms, and are upgrading more rooms each year. There are shared kitchens for when you wish to cook for yourself.
Find out more
If you’d like to find out more, visit our Accommodation pages or get in touch with our Accommodation Team.
We recommend that all prospective students visit our campus if they are able to, and campus tours include a typical student room. Arrange a tour via your Admissions Officer.
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