MSc Finance (one year) | Qatar Finance and Business Academy

MSc Finance

If you’re interested in a career in finance then this course will equip you with the analytical and managerial skills to succeed within the sector, after any undergraduate degree with a quantitative element.

We have developed this programme in response to modern needs in the financial sector and we have designed it to offer time flexibility to workers in this sector who will study in the evening and for one full year only.

The course is regularly refreshed to keep pace with advances in the financial sector, and is benchmarked against the syllabus of the CFA Institute. Current study themes include financial econometrics and forecasting, investment and risk management, sustainable strategic decision making, corporate financial management and international financial markets.

Facilities include a trading suite equipped with Bloomberg Terminals, which are used by financial traders and investment banks globally. The suite provides you with access to the live financial and economic data, portfolio construction and optimisation tools, information and analytics to support your studies. The facility is also equipped with state-or-art econometric packages such E-views 10.0 which is used on Financial Econometrics and Forecasting module to estimate and interpret various econometric models for the purpose of designing trading strategies.

You will also undertake a number of professional development modules to give you a competitive advantage in the jobs market, in terms of self-development and leadership.

MODULES

REF	COURSE NAME	COURSE DETAILS	CREDITS
AF7004	FINANCIAL ECONOMETRICS AND FORECASTING I	This module will provide you the knowledge and skills of empirical finance that are important in the field of banking, finance and investment. The module will deliver you the knowledge of econometrics that is required to understand and analyse the real world financial data. You will learn about classical econometric models such as linear regression involving Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) method, time series regressions, hypothesis testing. Furthermore, you will be introduced to forecasting methods and their applications. You will also learn panel data analysis.	CORE, 20 Credits
MN0490	SUSTAINABLE STRATEGIC DECISIONS	The module aims to provide you with the knowledge and skills pertinent to responsible financial decision making practices. In doing so, this module will equip you with both theoretical and practical knowledge regarding corporate governance, social responsibility and sustainable strategic decision making in finance. Within the module, you will cover the following five main topics: The role of finance, operations and marketing functions in strategic decision making Financial evaluation of sustainable investment projects Corporate governance, accountability and disclosure Socially responsible investment Corporate social and environmental reporting	CORE, 20 Credits
MN0491	CORPORATE FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT	The module introduces you to core concepts regarding the objective of finance, how capital is first raised and then deployed into wealth creating operations and then how wealth is then returned to the providers of capital in an optimal way. At the end of the module you should be able to demonstrate in-depth knowledge of the fundamentals of corporate finance and develop the skills and ability to analyse corporate finance decisions in both quantitative and qualitative terms. You will also undertake an individual research project looking into capital market efficiency.	CORE, 20 Credits
MN0492	INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL MARKETS AND INSTITUTIONS	In this module you will gain a fundamental understanding of the concepts and theories operating within international financial markets, the financial institutions/participants that comprise the market and its regulation. Your learning will begin a the macro level, examining the financial system as a whole, the different institutions that comprise it, their roles within it and how they are regulated (with specific reference to banking). You will learn about market dynamics – what drives markets and finally what drives the markets for specific instruments, namely money market instruments, equities and fixed income. To apply the knowledge acquired in this module, you will be using financial information and data. You will also use basic financial arithmetic and statistics through Microsoft Excel.	CORE, 20 Credits
MN0493	INVESTMENTS AND RISK MANAGEMENT	In the module, you will learn the knowledge and skills that are important to understand and analyse the performance of portfolio composed of stocks and fixed-income securities. Additionally, you will develop a critical understanding of derivative instruments (options, forward and futures) and about market risk measurement technique (VaR). The module thus provides detail theoretical background where you will also learn the application side of investments in financial assets and portfolio management.	CORE, 20 Credits
NX0422	DISSERTATION PREPARATION AND RESEARCH METHODS	In this module you will learn about a variety of different research methods. This will equip you with the knowledge and practical skills necessary for you to conduct research at Masters’ level and prepare you to complete a Master’s dissertation or consultancy project. By the end of the module you will know how to apply both quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis techniques. In quantitative techniques you will learn about sampling, questionnaire design, statistical inference, and hypothesis testing while qualitative techniques covered will include methods such as interviewing and focus groups. Analysis methods such as content analysis and thematic analysis will also be covered. In addition, you will gain some understanding of research philosophy (positivism and interpretivism) and research ethics and you will be able to write a research proposal to bring these ideas together.	CORE, 0 Credits
NX0472	DEVELOPING GLOBAL MANAGEMENT COMPETENCIES I	This module is the first of two that prepares you to be highly employable by developing key hard and soft skills which have been identified by current research as those necessary for postgraduate students seeking work. The development of the module has been underpinned by Bird and Osland’s (2003) Global Competency Framework and will provide you with two discrete skills sets - emotional and cultural intelligence (soft skills) and business intelligence (hard skills).	CORE, 20 Credits
NX0480	THE NEWCASTLE BUSINESS SCHOOL MASTERS DISSERTATION	In this module you will gain an understanding of the academic skills that are required to produce a Masters Dissertation. By the end of the module you will have written a 3000 word dissertation proposal and a 15000 word Masters dissertation. The areas included are: Justification for the choice of topic Appropriate understanding, awareness and critical analysis of existing and up to date literature evidenced by a comprehensive and well-referenced literature review with an extensive reference list Selection, justification and application of an appropriately rigorous methodology - including limitations of the approach selected Clear statement of the findings of the research Critical analysis of the findings Explicit links between the analysis and the conclusions supported by critical argument Evidence of original work or thought for example in the form or context of the data collected, analytical process or application of findings	CORE, 60 Credits

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

A Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field of study with a minimum 2:2 classification (2.75/4.0 GPA).

If applicant is a graduate from a non-English speaking institution, English proficiency test is required. International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Score: a minimum overall IELTS score of 6.5 with 5.5 in each component. NOTE: IELTS scores must be less than 2 years old at the time of application.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Application Form - Online
ID / Passport
Passport Sized Photo
Bachelor’s degree transcript (in similar field)
IELTS (if applicable)
Application Fee: QR 300

APPLICATION TIMELINE

Application opens January 1

Application deadline: Initial closing date for applications is 1st August. Applications received after this date will be considered, on a first-come-first served basis, until the Programme is full.

Academic year starts in September

FEE SCHEDULE

Tuition fee: QR 75,000

Application fee: QR 300

MODULES

REF

AF7004

COURSE NAME

FINANCIAL ECONOMETRICS AND FORECASTING I

COURSE DETAILS

This module will provide you the knowledge and skills of empirical finance that are important in the field of banking, finance and investment. The module will deliver you the knowledge of econometrics that is required to understand and analyse the real world financial data. You will learn about classical econometric models such as linear regression involving Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) method, time series regressions, hypothesis testing. Furthermore, you will be introduced to forecasting methods and their applications. You will also learn panel data analysis.

CREDITS

CORE,20 Credits

REF

MN0490

COURSE NAME

SUSTAINABLE STRATEGIC DECISIONS

COURSE DETAILS

The module aims to provide you with the knowledge and skills pertinent to responsible financial decision making practices. In doing so, this module will equip you with both theoretical and practical knowledge regarding corporate governance, social responsibility and sustainable strategic decision making in finance. Within the module, you will cover the following five main topics:

The role of finance, operations and marketing functions in strategic decision making
Financial evaluation of sustainable investment projects
Corporate governance, accountability and disclosure
Socially responsible investment
Corporate social and environmental reporting

CREDITS

CORE, 20 Credits

REF

MN0491

COURSE NAME

CORPORATE FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

COURSE DETAILS

The module introduces you to core concepts regarding the objective of finance, how capital is first raised and then deployed into wealth creating operations and then how wealth is then returned to the providers of capital in an optimal way. At the end of the module you should be able to demonstrate in-depth knowledge of the fundamentals of corporate finance and develop the skills and ability to analyse corporate finance decisions in both quantitative and qualitative terms. You will also undertake an individual research project looking into capital market efficiency.

CREDITS

CORE, 20 Credits

REF

MN0492

COURSE NAME

INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL MARKETS AND INSTITUTIONS

COURSE DETAILS

In this module you will gain a fundamental understanding of the concepts and theories operating within international financial markets, the financial institutions/participants that comprise the market and its regulation. Your learning will begin a the macro level, examining the financial system as a whole, the different institutions that comprise it, their roles within it and how they are regulated (with specific reference to banking). You will learn about market dynamics – what drives markets and finally what drives the markets for specific instruments, namely money market instruments, equities and fixed income. To apply the knowledge acquired in this module, you will be using financial information and data. You will also use basic financial arithmetic and statistics through Microsoft Excel.

CREDITS

CORE, 20 Credits

REF

MN0493

COURSE NAME

INVESTMENTS AND RISK MANAGEMENT

COURSE DETAILS

In the module, you will learn the knowledge and skills that are important to understand and analyse the performance of portfolio composed of stocks and fixed-income securities. Additionally, you will develop a critical understanding of derivative instruments (options, forward and futures) and about market risk measurement technique (VaR). The module thus provides detail theoretical background where you will also learn the application side of investments in financial assets and portfolio management.

CREDITS

CORE, 20 Credits

REF

NX0422

COURSE NAME

DISSERTATION PREPARATION AND RESEARCH METHODS

COURSE DETAILS

In this module you will learn about a variety of different research methods. This will equip you with the knowledge and practical skills necessary for you to conduct research at Masters’ level and prepare you to complete a Master’s dissertation or consultancy project. By the end of the module you will know how to apply both quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis techniques. In quantitative techniques you will learn about sampling, questionnaire design, statistical inference, and hypothesis testing while qualitative techniques covered will include methods such as interviewing and focus groups. Analysis methods such as content analysis and thematic analysis will also be covered. In addition, you will gain some understanding of research philosophy (positivism and interpretivism) and research ethics and you will be able to write a research proposal to bring these ideas together.

CREDITS

CORE, 0 Credits

REF

NX0472

COURSE NAME

DEVELOPING GLOBAL MANAGEMENT COMPETENCIES I

COURSE DETAILS

This module is the first of two that prepares you to be highly employable by developing key hard and soft skills which have been identified by current research as those necessary for postgraduate students seeking work. The development of the module has been underpinned by Bird and Osland’s (2003) Global Competency Framework and will provide you with two discrete skills sets - emotional and cultural intelligence (soft skills) and business intelligence (hard skills).

CREDITS

CORE, 20 Credits

REF

NX0480

COURSE NAME

THE NEWCASTLE BUSINESS SCHOOL MASTERS DISSERTATION

COURSE DETAILS

In this module you will gain an understanding of the academic skills that are required to produce a Masters Dissertation. By the end of the module you will have written a 3000 word dissertation proposal and a 15000 word Masters dissertation. The areas included are:

Justification for the choice of topic
Appropriate understanding, awareness and critical analysis of existing and up to date literature evidenced by a comprehensive and well-referenced literature review with an extensive reference list
Selection, justification and application of an appropriately rigorous methodology - including limitations of the approach selected
Clear statement of the findings of the research
Critical analysis of the findings
Explicit links between the analysis and the conclusions supported by critical argument
Evidence of original work or thought for example in the form or context of the data collected, analytical process or application of findings

CREDITS

CORE, 60 Credits

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Application Form - Online
ID / Passport
Passport Sized Photo
Bachelor’s degree transcript (in similar field)
IELTS (if applicable)
Application Fee: QR 300

APPLICATION TIMELINE

Application opens January 1

Application deadline : Initial closing date for applications is 1st August. Applications received after this date will be considered, on a first-come-first served basis, until the Programme is full.

Academic year starts in September

FEE SCHEDULE

Tuition fee: QR 75,000

Application fee: QR 300

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