International Financial Analysis aims to develop your awareness and understanding of international finance and financial analysis, preparing you for some of the most competitive financial analysis and investment positions in the global marketplace.

Why this programme?

  • This programme is part of the CFA Institute University Affiliation Program. It has been acknowledged for incorporating at least 70 percent of the CFA Program Candidate Body of Knowledge (CBOK). The knowledge acquired on the programme should position you well to obtain the Chartered Financial Analyst® designation, which has become the most respected and recognised investment credential in the world.
  • The curriculum is industry driven aiming to solidify and expand your knowledge of financial markets and a range of financial products traded therein. It will equip you with analytical tools used in financial analysis so you will be proficient at analysing and interpreting financial information in order to make optimal decisions.
  • You will have an opportunity to apply for one of the five CFA scholarships each year- you can take the CFA exam either during the academic year or after you graduate.
  • The Adam Smith Business School has a wide range of statistical packages and financial data sources and engines including Bloomberg terminals, WRDS: Compustat, CRSP, Thomson Reuters Insider Data, Datastream and Thomson ONE & Deals.
  • Take advantage of our individualised skills development programme, which will ensure you balance academic theory with crucial employability skills to help you maximise your potential and achieve your career goals.

Programme structure

You will take five core courses and one optional course, and complete a substantial independent piece of work, normally in the form of a dissertation.

Core courses

  • Corporate finance and investment
  • Financial analysis and equity valuation
  • Financial econometrics
  • Financial reporting and interpretation
  • International capital markets

Optional courses

  • Data science and machine learning in finance
  • Financial management in banking
  • Financial risk management
  • International financial management
  • Risk management and derivative securities

Programme alteration or discontinuation

The University of Glasgow endeavours to run all programmes as advertised. In exceptional circumstances, however, the University may withdraw or alter a programme. For more information, please see: Student contract.

Career prospects

Graduates have gone on to be senior investment managers, business analysts, and budgeting and reporting HR managers. Employers include Volkswagen Finance, Standard Chartered Bank, Deloitte and Johnson & Johnson. We have a dedicated careers and employability team who provide 1-2-1 support and advice, group workshops, employer events on campus and networking opportunities throughout the year to help you with your career prospects.

Fees & Funding

Tuition fees for 2023-24:

MSc

  • Uk - Full-time fee: £13,650
  • International EU - Full-time fee: £29,370

Entry requirements

2.1 Honours degree or non-UK equivalent in any subject, with at least one course in introductory finance or economics, and introductory accounting and school level mathematics, or at least one course in university level mathematics.

Only applications that meet or exceed our stated entry requirements will go forward for consideration. Any application that does not will be automatically rejected. Applicants will be made offers based on their relative performance compared to other applicants, taking into account both current GPA, or degree classification, and the relevance of an applicant’s academic background.

Please note, applications that meet our minimum entry requirements may still be rejected, based on its score in comparison to other applications received during the same round. Please review our stated entry requirements to ensure you meet or exceed them before submitting your application.

International students with academic qualifications below those required should contact our partner institution, Glasgow International College, who offer a range of pre-Masters courses.