The MSc (Financial Economics) may be taken full-time over one year (12 months) or part-time over 2 years (24 months) from the date of first registration for the programme.

Applicants must have:

• a 2H1 degree or equivalent in a business subject
  or
• a 2H1 degree or equivalent in a cognate discipline with a quantitative element such as mathematics, statistics, engineering or equivalent.

Consideration may be given to applicants who do not meet the above criteria but who have sufficient relevant professional experience, subject to approval by the School of Business.

The programme is taken in two parts as set out below. Part 1 consists of a combination of examinations and coursework in a set of specified taught modules to the value of 60 credits. Part 2 consists of a dissertation (max. 8,000 words) to the value of 30 credits.

Full-time

Students take 90 credits as follows:

Part 1
EC6001 Macroeconomics for Financial Markets (5 credits)
EC6002 Financial Institutions and Money Markets (5 credits)
EC6003 International Finance (5 credits)
EC6006 Treasury Risk Management (5 credits)
EC6009 Research Methods (5 credits)
EC6045 Asset Pricing (5 credits)
EC6046 Fund Management and Evaluation (5 credits)
EC6047 Fixed Income Securities (5 credits)
EC6048 Securities Valuation and Selection (5 credits)
EC6062 Applied Econometrics (5 credits)
EC6063 Applied Time Series Analysis (5 credits)
plus either
EC6004 Regulation and Compliance in Capital Markets (5 credits)
or
EC6005 Derivatives Securities (5 credits)

Module Semester Information may be found here. Module Descriptions may be found here.

Part 2
EC6010 Dissertation in Financial Economics (30 credits)
Students must present the dissertation by the third Friday in September of the academic year, following completion of Part 1.

Module Semester Information may be found here. Module Descriptions may be found here.
Part-time
The MSc Financial Economics programme may be taken part-time over two years as follows:

Year 1 - Part 1:
EC6001 (5 credits); EC6002 (5 credits); EC6003 (5 credits); EC6047 (5 credits); EC6048 (5 credits); and either EC6004 (5 credits) or EC6005 (5 credits).

Year 2 - Part 1:
EC6006 (5 credits); EC6009 (5 credits); EC6045 (5 credits); EC6046 (5 credits); EC6062 (5 credits) and EC6063 (5 credits).

Year 2 - Part 2:
EC6010 Dissertation in Financial Economics (30 credits)

Exit award: Postgraduate Diploma in Financial Economics (NFQ Level 9, Major Award)
A Postgraduate Diploma in Financial Economics may be awarded to a candidate who achieves the pass standard in Part 1 but does not wish to proceed to Part 2 or does not achieve the pass standard in Part 2.

Examinations
Full details and regulations governing Examinations for each programme will be contained in the Marks and Standards 2016 Book and for each module in the Book of Modules 2015/2016.

See also General Regulations for the Degree of Master.

Programme Learning Outcomes for MSc (Financial Economics) (NFQ Level 9, Major Award)
On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to:

• Analyse and discuss the inter-relationships between the macroeconomy and various financial markets such as equity, bond, currency and money markets;
• Explain the workings of financial market products and instruments;
• Structure and evaluate investment portfolios;
• Identify and quantify risk in its various forms;
• Explain the role of regulation in financial markets;
• Structure risk management strategies;
• Apply empirical statistical methods to theoretical frameworks with financial data;
• Carry out independent research and analysis and interpret and communicate findings.

Programme Learning Outcomes for Postgraduate Diploma in Financial Economics (NFQ Level 9, Major Award)
On successful completion of this programme students should be able to:

• Analyse and discuss the inter-relationships between the macroeconomy and various financial markets such as equity, bond, currency and money markets;
• Explain the workings of financial market products and instruments;
• Structure and evaluate investment portfolios;
• Identify and quantify risk in its various forms;
• Explain the role of regulation in financial markets;
• Structure risk management strategies;
• Apply empirical statistical methods to theoretical frameworks with financial data.