Why this programme

 This programme will develop both theory and lecture-based teaching and its practical application in
computer labs will allow you to develop real-life skills, such as managing a portfolio according to a
customer's requirements.
 You will have the opportunity to attend guest lectures with business leaders and opinion formers, such as
the Vice President and the former Management Editor of the Economist.
 The Adam Smith Business School celebrates the legacy of Adam Smith by developing enlightened,
enterprising and engaged graduates and internationally-recognised research with real social impact.

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

Core courses
 Basic econometrics
 Corporate finance and investment
 Financial markets, securities and derivatives
 Modern theory of banking and finance
 Portfolio analysis and investment.

Sample optional courses

 Advanced portfolio analysis
 Economic fundamentals and financial markets
 Financial derivatives (Mathematical finance is a co-requisite for this course)
 Foreign direct investment and development
 International finance and money
 Investment, finance and asset prices
 Mathematical finance
 Monetary policy and the role of central banks
 The law and economics of sovereign debt regulations.

 Resources and facilities

 The Adam Smith Business School gives students access to a Bloomberg Trading Room. These are
used by asset management companies, investment banks, hedge funds, banks and central banks to
analyse, price and trade, in real time, stocks, bonds, derivatives and almost every type of financial
instrument. You will have the opportunity to apply theory in the same way (using the same tools) as
 traders and risk managers in large financial institutions. In doing so, you will acquire highly
transferable knowledge and enhance your employability.
 Students have access to several computer labs across campus which are installed with the standard
software packages and some with specialist financial and statistical programmes, including Matlab
(useful for manipulating large datasets), EViews and OxMetrics Enterprise.

Students also have access to The Adam Smith Library, a dedicated resource designed for students
studying Social Sciences disciplines. It holds books, periodicals, and a collection of reference works,
including foreign language dictionaries, telephone directories, and a set of bound exam papers for the
last ten years, all of which are located in the reading area.
 Our International Student Learning Officer for the College of Social Sciences runs a series of classes
for international students in Social Sciences on topics such as academic writing and also provides
information for international students online.

 Accreditation
 The Adam Smith Business School is one of an elite group of less than 1% of the world’s business
schools that hold triple accreditation. The School is accredited by AACSB and EQUIS, with the
MBA programme also accredited by AMBA. Triple accreditation is an internationally recognised
benchmark that validates the credibility and performance of the Adam Smith Business School.

 The AACSB Accreditation Process includes rigorous self-evaluation and peer-review

elements. The Adam Smith Business School meets all of AACSB’s Accreditation Standards and was
first awarded the accreditation in 2007.

 EQUIS accreditation is one of the most important benchmarks available to business

schools worldwide. Institutions that are accredited by EQUIS must demonstrate not only excellence in
teaching, the student experience, research and outreach, but also a high degree of internationalisation
and interaction with the corporate world.
Career prospects
As a graduate you will have future career opportunities with various financial institutions including investment
banks, hedge funds, financial consultancies and asset management firms. The programme also provides a
strong foundation for PhD research. Recent graduates of this programme work for organizations such as Zenith
Bank, Tesco and Price Waterhouse Coopers.

Our dedicated College of Social Sciences Employability Officer works with students to enhance their
employability.