England.  Change location

MSc in Finance - Learning Outcomes

Educational aims

The scope of the knowledge, skills and applications covered in this MSc aims to provide you with a masters-level educational experience in the specialist area of finance.

The key objectives of the qualification are to enable you to:

  • develop an up-to-date perspective on both theory and practice in national and international contexts
  • strengthen your ability to keep pace with future developments in financial management, including  knowledge of financial markets, players, and instruments
  • learn and apply the tools used for financial analysis and decision-making in corporations, financial institutions and other organisations
  • develop appropriate information search, retrieval, and analytical skills in a digital environment
  • critically evaluate the rigour and validity of published research and assess its relevance to new scenarios
  • demonstrate the ability to apply appropriate research techniques to form  your own views on the theory and its application in practice.

Learning outcomes

The qualification provides opportunities for you to develop and demonstrate knowledge and understanding, qualities, skills and other attributes in the following areas:

Knowledge and understanding

On completion of this degree, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

  • the scope of financial knowledge and its application within a wide range of national and multinational organisations
  • the fundamentals of financial analysis and corporate finance theory
  • the implications of corporate governance, agency theory and the related role of stakeholders.
  • the concept of business ethics and why ethics matter
  • the core features and instruments of Islamic finance
  • the organisational performance in terms of return on investment, investment risk and capital structure management
  • the links between corporate finance theories underpinning the cost of capital, dividend policy, and efficient markets
  • quantitative finance and its practical applications to project appraisal, company valuation,  risk management, history of investment, and investment management
  • the various financial risks faced by corporations and financial institutions and ways to manage those risks
  • the trends in finance theory and its practical applications.

Cognitive skills

On completion of this degree, you will be able to:

  • critically assess alternative methods for valuing companies, prepare and evaluate financial projections of investment projects, and carry out sensitivity analysis
  • calculate the cost of capital using different methods, evaluate capital structures that may be adopted  by companies, and assess the implications of these structures for the cost of capital and overall valuation
  • construct a portfolio of assets comprising financial securities and manage portfolio risk
  • value various types of derivative securities,  use financial risk management techniques, and hedge risks
  • select, access, and evaluate relevant published research and information across a range of areas related  to finance theory and its application accessed digitally through the OU library and other web-based resources
  • conduct  supervised research in finance,  drawing on  published empirical finance studies  and  completing a dissertation.

Practical and/or professional skills

On completion of this degree you will be able to:

  • demonstrate a sound understanding of financial theory and its application in strategic decision-making
  • appreciate the governance and ethical issues encountered in the finance profession
  • identify the financial data and present the same in an analytical manner, prepare financial appraisal of projects, and provide commentary and advise on the mergers and acquisitions (M&As) valuation
  • devise risk management strategies
  • manage time effectively, plan a research project
  • develop as an independent and reflective learner
  • use Excel to solve problems related to investing and financial analysis,  conduct data visualisation, perform statistical tests, and carry out basic regression analysis
  • practise conducting data visualisation, statistical tests, and regression analysis in R
  • communicate effectively using a range of media for both academic and professional audiences.

Key skills

On completion of this degree, you will be able to:

  •  perform financial calculations for use in corporate finance decisions (for example, investment analysis), including the use of computer spreadsheets, and risk and return calculations for individual securities and portfolios of securities
  • analyse and interpret financial statements and carry out  company valuations
  • carry out a review of finance literature, identify key themes, and apply research skills in a selected area of finance
  • use information technology effectively with others and in accessing and managing information, in accordance with the requirements of the OU’s Digital and Information Literacy Framework.

Teaching, learning and assessment methods

The qualification offers an integrated learning experience using a wide range of teaching and learning resources and assessment approaches.

This will include study materials supplied by the OU, online tuition provided by a dedicated subject specialist tutor, activities including practical exercises, literature review, critiquing and collaborating with other students and, finally, assignments and end-of-module assessments.

The study materials will include a comprehensive range of specially-written module materials, case studies, original texts, video, audio and interactive software. You will have access to relevant financial databases, such as Refinitiv Eikon, and statistical software such as R.

The tutor is your first point of contact throughout your studies. They will answer questions about materials, mark assignments, and run online tutorials. You will be part of an online tutor group, with whom you will undertake learning activities and explore topics as you study them.

You will be expected to engage in a range of activities, including reading texts, solving numerical problems and scenarios, researching and using relevant literature on contemporary issues in finance, and applying theories to practical situations. Cognitive and practical skills are developed through a range of activities within the modules, including prompted and guided search and retrieval of information, literature, and databases.

The materials and the tutor support will help you develop your skills in managing workloads. You will spend a large percentage of time working under your own direction and initiative. Throughout the MSc, your progress and learning are assessed through tutor-marked assignments and examinations. The assignments and examinations will demonstrate your understanding of principles, relevant theories, and their application to problem-solving . In addition, these will demonstrate your ability to critically read and comment on academic literature in related areas. They will also require evidence of practical and professional skills as well as demonstrated knowledge and understanding.

The final dissertation module will be an independent piece of academic or applied research that provides you with the opportunity to learn and demonstrate research skills while developing a deeper understanding of one or more aspects of the qualification's curriculum.

« Back to MSc in Finance description