Finance and Economics

Entry requirements

A minimum of a second class honours degree or equivalent. Applicants without these formal qualifications but with significant appropriate/relevant work/life experience are encouraged to apply.

If you don’t currently meet the academic requirements for this course, INTO University of Stirling offers a variety of preparation programmes that can earn you the qualifications and skills you need for direct entry.

Explore INTO Stirling programmes to see the pathway and pre-masters routes available for this course and others at the University of Stirling.

Months of entry

September

Course content

This Finance and Economics Masters equips you with the practical skills you need to address the complex issues faced by businesses, governments and financial institutions.

As you study, you’ll use evidence and real-world applications to challenge economic theories and models. This approach is combined with finance theory and practice to gain a deep understanding of, and the capacity to analyse, financial markets, investment potentials and risks.

Combining practical economics with finance prepares students for professional roles in:

• The finance and banking sector
• Central banks
• Treasury offices
• Different offices at national, supranational and local government level around the world

Financial economists use tools and concepts to address complex problems, such as financial instability and climate change, and offer potential practical, innovative solutions, such as central bank equity purchases to combat recessions and carbon markets to reduce CO2 emissions. Economics courses often leave these practical problems aside, while focussing on teaching mathematical models that may feel too abstract. At Stirling, we adopt the CORE online platform, which uses an innovative way of teaching economics. Real-world issues are introduced in the classroom and contemporary economics models and data are then used to address them – providing you with ideal preparation for your future career.

Amplify Trading Boot Camp

The course also includes our week-long Amplify Trading Boot Camp. This won the CFA Institute Innovative Delivery of Education (IDEA) global award and gives you the chance to participate in highly realistic computer-based simulations that replicate the experience of trading in financial markets. By letting you trade in a simulated environment with virtual money, the boot camp bridges the gap between an academic understanding of financial markets and how they function in practice.

Student Managed Investment Fund

Our students have established a Student Managed Investment Fund (SMIF), with support of our academics within the Accounting and Finance Division. The SMIF allows you to gain practical experience of managing investments. A student-led project, it will help you to enhance your employability before you graduate – giving you exceptional practical understanding of theoretical aspects of investment valuation. Particular emphasis is placed on the principles of responsible investment, including the use of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) criteria when selecting stocks. Find out more about the Student Managed Investment Fund, the regular guest speakers and how you can get involved at the SMIF website.

We're ranked 2nd in Scotland and Top 5 in the UK by the Guardian University Guide 2022 for Economics, while Accounting and Finance is in the Top 20 in the UK in the Complete University Guide 2021.

Information for international students

If English is not your first language you must have one of the following qualifications as evidence of your English language skills:

• IELTS Indicator 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in each sub-skill
• Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE) 169 overall with a minimum of 162 in each sub-skill
• Cambridge C2 Proficiency (CPE) 180 overall with a minimum of 162 in each sub-skill
• Pearson Test of English (Academic) 60 overall with a minimum of 59 in each sub-skill
• IBT TOEFL 78 overall with a minimum of 17 in listening, 18 in reading, 20 in speaking and 17 in writing
• IBT TOEFL Special Home Edition Test 78 overall with a minimum of 17 in listening, 18 in reading, 20 in speaking and 17 in writing
• Trinity ISE II Pass overall with a Pass in each sub-skill, ISE III Pass overall and in all sub-skills, ISE IV Pass overall and in all sub-skills
• Aptis (4 skills) CEFR B2 overall and B2 in all sub-skills
• Duolingo 95 overall with a minimum of 90 in all sub-skills
• LanguageCert International ESOL B2 Communicator - Pass with minimum 33 in each sub-skill

If you are from India, Bangladesh, Ghana or Nigeria please also check your country/region specific page for any additional, or changes to, English language requirements.

For more information on ways that you can meet our English language requirements, including options to waive the requirement, please read our information on English language requirements.