Financial Economics

The Oxford MSc Financial Economics (MFE) is a full-time nine-month programme that will provide you with outstanding training in the tools of financial economics sought by many financial institutions, companies, and public organisations. It combines a rigorous academic core with tailored practical applications, designed in consultation with leading financial recruiters. The programme is for individuals who are interested in careers in investment banking, asset management, private equity, and management consultancy. 

The programme is run jointly by Saïd Business School’s finance faculty and the University’s Department of Economics. The finance faculty at Saïd Business School is one of the fastest growing and most prestigious in Europe and they work closely alongside the most diverse and well-known groups of economists in the world.

This unique programme is delivered through Oxford Saïd which means that, unlike other graduate courses, it features interactive classes, use of case studies, practitioner teaching, and proactive careers support. The programme is currently ranked eleventh in the world and first in the UK by the FT ranking for Masters in Finance 2016.

The Oxford MSc Financial Economics programme combines:

• Pre-course training to become familiar with key concepts and techniques
• Three days of training in 'financial markets and institutions' which takes place in a key international financial centre such as Oxford/London, New York, or Hong Kong
• Four core courses in asset pricing, economics, corporate finance and financial econometrics
• Five electives from a wide range of modules that develop individual skills and specialisations.
• The opportunity to apply to take part in the Oxford Saïd Finance Lab, a series of practical workshops on financial modelling and real-world case studies

Core modules

• Asset pricing
• Corporate finance
• Financial econometrics
• Economics

Electives

• Capital raising and finance
• Cases in finance and investments
• Corporate valuation
• Entrepreneurial finance
• Fixed income and derivatives
• Mergers, acquisitions and restructuring
• Private equity

MFE international module

The MFE programme begins with three days of training in 'financial markets and institutions' which takes place in a major financial centre; in past years, students have visited London, New York, Shanghai and Hong Kong.

An undergraduate degree, equivalent to:

• 1st or 2.1 
• or GPA of 3.5+ (USA) 

As evidence, we ask applicants to upload their University degree academic transcripts/mark-sheets to the online application form. These must outline the subjects studied or grades obtained from each academic year.

GMAT score or GRE score

We recommend that the quantitative scores are in the 90th percentile, the verbal scores are in the 80th percentile and the analytical writing score is at least 5.

A. Please contact GMAC/GRE directly to arrange to take the test.

B. All sections of the GMAT/GRE must be taken in order to be considered valid

C. Official online scores must be accessible by our admissions department for your application to be considered complete. For GMAC to release your official scores to the Saïd Business School, please give your test centre the following code: Q0G-4B-54. For your official GRE scores to be released, please give your test taking centre the following code: 0807   

D. GMAT/GRE scores are not valid if they are older than five years on the application deadline date. 

Work experience

It is not mandatory to have any full-time work experience prior to applying to the programme.  However if you have any relevant experience, either full-time or via an internship, this will be considered as part of your application for the programme. All candidates are required to upload a one-page (single side) CV as part of their application.

References

Two academic or professional references submitted via the online application form. If you are in the process of completing a degree programme, one reference should be from your current institution. Once referee details are input onto the application form an email is generated and emailed to the referee, with details for completing the online reference. Please note we require your references to come from a valid institutional or professional email address. We will not accept a reference from a gmail/hotmail (or similar) address. If your proposed referee does not have a work email address please contact admissions for further advice.

Written work

How do you hope to see your career developing over the next five years? How will the MSc in Financial Economics assist you in the development of these ambitions? Maximum of 500 words

English language test

A test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Test Scheme (IELTS) must be taken, and all minimum scores met (unless eligible for a waiver) if either: 

a. Your first language is not English OR

b. You are not from a majority English speaking country, as defined by the UK Visas and Immigration office, below.*

*List of majority English speaking countries as defined by the UK Visas and Immigration office

Australia, New Zealand, USA, Canada, UK, Ireland, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Belize, Guyana

Process:

1. Candidates must apply online. The application fee is £100 and this should be paid via our online store as part of your application - please ensure you pay the application fee for the MFE.
2. Selected applicants will then be invited to interview. Not all successful applicants to the programme will have an interview. In each stage the Admissions Committee will review all complete applications received by the deadline. Candidates will be advised on the interview decision deadline whether they are being invited for interview, if they are receiving a direct offer, or that their application has been unsuccessful. In-person interviews are only conducted in Oxford. If necessary, we can conduct Skype interviews although our strong preference is for face-to-face interviews.
3. Candidates who participate in an interview will be notified of their result on the final decision deadline date of the stage they have applied under.

• Global Education
• Hill Foundation Scholarships
• A number of Research Council awards are available each year from the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), and Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC).