International Corporate Finance

MSc/PgDip/PgCert

School - Salford Business School

Subject area - Business and Management

Start Dates(s): September; January; March; June; November; July

Duration:

MSc (one year full-time or two years part-time)
PgDip (eight months full-time or two years part-time)
PgCert (four months full-time, one year part-time)

Fees:

UK - £8,500

International - £13,500

View all fees...

In Brief:

Develop your knowledge and skills to manage complex financial situations at a global level
Excellent career potential and the opportunity to take a Business Innovation Project, enhancing your practical skills and experience
Choose to take a one to three-month Assessed Internship with an employer, supported by Salford Business School
Part-time study option
Work/industrial placement opportunity
International students can apply

Course Summary

This course gives you the opportunity to develop a detailed understanding of the practical applications of modern finance theories in the financial world.

You will learn from specialist staff with expertise in accounting, finance, economics and management. On completion of your course you will be able to apply your skills in areas including valuation, investment and financial decision-making, risk management and derivatives, financial instruments and markets, mergers and acquisitions, and corporate restructuring in developed and emerging markets.

You will also be able to make key financial and strategic decisions in the daily operations of any organisation. These qualities are highly prized by international corporations.

Awards and Accreditation

Course Details

The programme is block delivered and there are six entry points per year. Students will take the modules below in a sequence dependent on their start date.

This course has been designed to provide you with the opportunity to develop a detailed understanding of the practical applications of modern finance theories in the financial world. Specifically the course will:

Provide a sophisticated curriculum with a comprehensive treatment of corporate financial strategies and policies.
Equip students with a wide range of corporate finance tools that you can apply to a variety of practical situations, and which will enable them to contribute to the needs of the fast-paced, highly competitive corporate sector and finance industries in the global market.
Develop students’ ability to work on their own and with others in effectively and creatively applying knowledge of theory and practice analysis, planning and management of corporate financial strategies and policies.
Develop students’ financial expertise to the highest level and an effective capability of applying advanced finance theories and techniques to a wide range of corporate financial decision-making.
Produce graduates who will be able to place themselves favourably in either a managerial or consulting role as CFOs, credit and financial analyst, consultants, brokers, portfolio managers and agents in various corporate sectors and financial institutions.

On successful completion of the course students will be able to:

Develop knowledge and critical understanding of essential components of Islamic finance theory and associated current research, and develop the capability of applying both general and Islamic financial concepts and principles to the analysis of corporate circumstances;
Develop the capability of critical evaluation of the impact of market behaviour on bank performance and organisational behaviour with reference to Islamic bank products and services.
Synthesise and critically evaluate recent and current literature on a wide range of MSc Investment and Finance theories and issues in order to develop and apply conceptual frameworks.
Develop and apply a strategy for the collection, analysis, critical evaluation and interpretation of data.
Work with others in making effective strategic and operational decisions related to the management of an enterprise in a globally competitive, diverse and dynamic environment.

Semester 1

International Financial Management

You will examine exchange, inflation, interest rates and other factors which impact on the performance of firms and assess the significance of decision-making in a global context. You will also evaluate the principles and practices that guide the financial management of multinational enterprise. This module also places an emphasis on the differences between multinational and domestic financial management.

Accounting and Finance

You will develop a comprehensive understanding of the principles of financial management within organisations including the interpretation of accounts, corporate governance, investment strategies and issues of risk and return.

Semester 2

Risk, Regulation and Compliance

You will learn how to employ critical thinking and review to domestic and international regulatory frameworks for financial and non-financial companies. You will also develop an understanding of the economics of regulation and the problems of compliance.

Corporate Financial Strategies

You will learn how to evaluate the principle issues facing professionals in modern competitive environments, applying financial theory and techniques to evaluate the link between financial decisions and their impact on a firm’s value. You will also enhance your knowledge and abilities to value financial securities, evaluating, analysing and constructing corporate projects, while proposing solutions for developing and emerging markets.

Semester 3

Business Innovation Project (BIP)

Flexible final study options

Salford Business School has one of the most flexible suites of postgraduate taught programmes in the UK.

For the final third of your studies you can choose from 4 differing pathways, all of which are designed to accommodate your career aspirations and enhance your professional practice:

Dissertation – traditional 3 month research pathway.
Live Project – 3 month group project activity researching a commercial project.
Internship – 3 month opportunity to develop your skills working in partnership with an organisation.
Placement – 6 month paid work experience implementing a commercial project.

Dissertation

This traditional route involves a substantive piece of research, which can examine contemporary or historical challenges in business, economic or management contexts.

The dissertation can be undertaken within a company, a sponsoring organisation, or investigate an area which is of interest to you. Study is undertaken in the UK, or sometimes overseas – some international students may possibly return to their country to work on an industrial research project.

3 month research project culminating in a 12-15,000 word dissertation
Topics can be undertaken in a number of areas:
- personal interest in a topic area which supports your career aspirations.
- an academic’s research area which explores challenging developments in the supervisor’s area of expertise.
- in partnership with a company or sponsoring company.
- an entrepreneurial opportunity, particularly suitable if you wish to research your own business opportunity.

Live Project

This is a group project (teams of 2 to 5 students) examining an organisational problem or opportunity. Students work on sizeable commercial projects, which are broken down by the team. Live projects reflect commercial realities of delivering complex commercial projects through the combined efforts of a committed team.

3 month commercial research project.
Group presentation and executive report, coupled with an individual 8-10,000 word report.

Internship

This involves working on a company project. The majority of internships are voluntary positions, which support work experience with a company in a particular sector. A number of projects exist for suitable students, in many cases students are supported in finding and securing internships with the support of the School’s Employability Hub.

1 to 3 month commercial project, undertaken full or part-time with the host company.
Internships are often voluntary positions providing interesting project experience, some positions are paid – potentially up to 86 UNITE Projects are available in 2013-14.
30-40 minute commercial presentation and 10,000 word professional dissertation.

Placement

Placements are paid positions working on implementing a commercial project. Placements provide valuable experience for student to demonstrate their commercial capabilities. Placements are limited and are competitive.

4 to 6 month work based project undertaken at the organisations premises.
Assessment consist portfolio of work, visitor assessment, presentation and interim report, culminating in a work related dissertation of 10,000 words.
Placements can be undertaken in the UK or overseas.
Students can undertake placements with their sponsor or employing organisation.
For international students placements are 6 months maximum due to visa restrictions.
For home/EU students, placements can possibly be extended to 12 months.
The salary range for placements range from £14,320 to £25,000 pro rata – the average is £19,555 pro rata.

Part-time study

If you are on the part-time course, you will be able to register for individual modules as part of CPD. The following example shows how the course could be taken on a part-time basis over two years:

Year 1 - Semester 1Accounting and Finance

Semester 2
Risk, Regulation and Compliance

Semester 3International Financial Management

Year 2 – Semester 1Corporate Financial Strategies

Semesters 2 and 3
Business Innovation Project

Entry Requirements

Normally a minimum 2:2 honours degree or equivalent or successful completion of the Graduate Certificate International Management.

A wide range of professional qualifications are also accepted either in partial or complete fulfilment of entry requirements.

Where a student has gained a recognised Honours degree but does not meet the normal entry qualification requirement, they may still be considered for entry if they can demonstrate relevant work experience of a minimum two years duration post study and acceptable level of responsibility.

In the case of non-graduates please look at APEL.

Salford Alternative Entry Scheme (SAES)

We welcome applications from students who may not have formal/traditional entry criteria but who have relevant experience or the ability to pursue the course successfully.

The Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) process could help you to make your work and life experience count. The APL process can be used for entry onto courses or to give you exemptions from parts of your course.

Two forms of APL may be used for entry: the Accreditation of Prior Certificated Learning (APCL) or the Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL).

English Language Requirements

Normally IELTS 6.5 with no individual element below 5.5, or equivalent recognised Secure English Language Test, (SELT).

If the English language qualification is slightly below this level candidates may be able to take one of the many English courses available in the University. Please search for English in Course Finder.

Suitable For

This course is ideal for graduates who have studied economics, finance, accounting, business studies, management and any other related disciplines. Suitable work experience will also be considered.

Applicant profile

This course offers excellent scope for aspiring and existing managers who want to improve their career development opportunities and employability.

You will ideally be a graduate with a background in accounting, finance, economics or management who wants to work in either the banking or corporate sector.

If you want to progress into a senior position in the public, private or third sectors this course will offer you the chance to gain skills which are highly sought by employers across a wide variety of organisations.

Fees 2017-18

Type of Study	Fee
Full-time	£8,500
Full-time International	£13,500

Additional costs

You should also consider further costs which may include books, stationery, printing, binding and general subsistence on trips and visits.

Scholarships and Bursaries

We offer awards to help you study through our:

Vice-Chancellor's Excellence Scholarship
University of Salford student loyalty discount
Country bursary scheme for International students only

There are also other sources of funding available to you.

For more information please see our funding section

The Postgraduate Bursaries and Scholarships for 2017-18 entry are currently under review and subject to change. A revised schedule of scholarships and bursaries will be published in Spring 2017.

Teaching

The course is currently delivered in four blocks of three-day intensive study periods, followed by independent study and online support through the University’s virtual learning environment, Blackboard. Each module is taken and assessed over a six week block.

From September 2017, this delivery format will change. Students will continue to study a single module for a 6 week period. Face to face teaching will be delivered on campus for two half days each week. In addition, you will attend the taught element of the Business Innovation Programme each Wednesday afternoon during the 6 week blocks, with independent study completed in your own time through Blackboard. Individual student timetables will be provided during induction week.

Teaching is delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars and tutorials, using a wide range of learning activities.

Assessment

Over the duration of your course a range of assessment techniques will be used. Types of assessment include; essays, assignments, exams, multiple choice tests, online tests, group reports, and portfolio work. The weighting between exams and coursework varies between modules and years, but exams still play a major role.

Postgraduate Staff Profile

Dr. Jia Liu
Reader in Finance

Jia is Reader in Finance at Salford Business School. She is Postgraduate Programme Director of International Finance, Accounting and Economics Academic Unit. She obtained her PhD degree in Economics from the University of Birmingham. Her research interests include financial economics, corporate finance and market-based accounting research. She publishes in business, economics, finance and accounting journals. She is a member of several international academic bodies. She acts as an academic referee for a number of journals and publishers.

Employability

This is an advanced degree in corporate finance and can lead you to a wide range of career opportunities and roles, such as finance director, new business development manager, treasury manager, financial controller, financial planning manager, stock market financial analyst, funds portfolio manager, and global hedge fund manager. It also provides a thorough preparation for academic research in finance and corporate finance.

Recent graduates have joined the international banking and finance industries, corporate sectors and academic communities. This course will provide you with flexible employment opportunities leading to potential roles with a variety of management-level national and international sectors.

Recent Salford Business School graduates have gained employment with leading companies including:

Ernst & Young
Dixons Group plc
British Airways
Cooperative Insurance Services
BMW
American Express
BBC
Citibank
Ladbrokes
Numberica
Office of the Legal Services Ombudsman
KPMG
PricewaterhouseCoopers
Premier Travel Inn
BUPA
Thomson Holidays
BT
DTS Logistics
Greater Manchester Police
The NHS

Alumni Profile

Stephen Gammon

“I really enjoyed my time at Salford on the Corporate Finance degree. I found the course interesting and stimulating and believe it provided excellent preparation for my training as a chartered accountant.

The course blended both the theoretical and practical elements of finance and accounting and enabled me to obtain maximum exemptions from the ICAEW.

The business skills developed as part of the course, such as presentation skills, played a significant part in my successful application for a graduate placement at KPMG. Overall, I would wholeheartedly recommend the course to anyone considering a career in finance and/or accounting.”

Links with Industry

Our course team maintains excellent relations with local, national and international organisations, commentators and employers.

Our teaching is industry-led, inspired by contemporary practice and developed in partnership with business leaders. Our academics are experts in their field and work closely with industry to ensure that our courses reflect the needs of business and provide our students with that extra edge when it comes to securing a job.

Our part-time students are drawn from a wide range of public, private and third sector organisations, allowing you to enjoy highly valuable networking opportunities.

Salford Business School also operates a guest lecture course which allows you the chance to mix with professionals from industry, make connections, set up placements and conduct research.

Further Study

Find out more information about research opportunities here.

Facilities

Salford Business School is located at the heart of the University’s Peel campus in the newly refurbished Lady Hale Building, and the Chapman Building, offering state-of-the-art facilities for the Business School’s student learning community and just minutes from Manchester city centre. Chapman is a stylish modern space with six lecture theatres equipped with the very latest technology and large screen displays, a series of communal learning and breakout spaces, plus a Fairtrade café with panoramic views across the campus.

Lady Hale is the home to all dedicated business school student support including the school office, an employability hub, a base for the Business School society, and several open study spaces.

All University of Salford students also have access to the MediaCityUK campus including its study facilities. MediaCityUK is home to major BBC and ITV departments and over 80 businesses across the creative and digital sectors. It is recognised as one of the most innovative developments in Britain and is a vibrant place in which to live, work, socialise and study.

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