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Finance- The need for postgraduates is growing
As financial markets tighten, more and more students with postgraduate finance qualifications are needed. JAMES DONALD opens the door to Cass, one of the UK’s leading business schools.
As worldwide financial markets tighten, the need for postgraduates in finance grows. “Graduates with an MSc in Finance are able to demonstrate to potential employers their focus and dedication to a career in this field, something which can put them one step ahead of other candidates with only a Bachelors degree,” says Daniel Lay of the Cass Business School Careers Service. “In addition, students with a Masters degree tend to progress on their career path quicker than those without as they are able to hit the ground running when they begin their first job.”
Competitive candidates
An MSC in finance will also give graduates an edge when competing for future jobs says Daniel. “As the financial services sector becomes more competitive in Europe, particularly, students realise that an MSc in Finance will help to make them a more competitive candidate. Also, with emerging economies, there is a great demand for skilled professionals with an understanding of international financial markets. Many students from these countries take advantage of the year of highly international study that an MSc in Finance such as is taught at Cass can give them.”
Jag Sharma did an MSc in Management from Cass. “You get experience in so many different areas of business that you really feel prepared for a number of things. You also gain so much more than the text book knowledge, like team working, working with different personalities and cultures, and how to debate and negotiate and how to present effectively. I really feel that when I start my new job I’ll have a great head start and lots of confidence.”
Part of City University in London, Cass is a leading business school and the largest provider in Europe of specialist Masters courses geared towards the financial services industry, with more than 20 programmes ranging from Actuarial Science to shipping. It was formerly known as City University Business School but changed its name in 2002 following a substantial donation from the Sir John Cass Foundation, a leading educational charity.
A postgraduate qualification in finance helps to arm graduates with the skills to tackle their future career, says Daniel. “An MSc advances the students overall skill-set and allows them to put in to practice what they have learnt from the course very early on. A Finance MSc arms graduates with practical skills and knowledge – something that is not as well defined at undergraduate level.” Daniel says that all of Cass’s Masters programs are kept regularly updated in order to meet the changing needs of employers. “Innovations to programs to reflect developments in the financial services industry are regularly made. In 2007 and 2008, for example, we launched a new elective in Islamic Finance recognising the burgeoning career opportunities for graduates with an understanding of this sector.”
Developing focus
He says that employers are looking for graduates with a general understanding of finance and also the confidence and ability to interact with clients. “The Cass MSc in Finance is also quite broad in that it allows graduates to develop a focus of finance within a multitude of sectors. There is also a flexibility associated with this course which makes graduates suitable for a wide variety of roles.”
"Employers are looking for graduates with a general understanding of finance and also the confidence and ability to interact with clients."
Graduates from Cass move in a diverse range of financial sector careers: investment banking, securities sales and trading, foreign exchange, hedge funds, private banking, credit products, financial and credit risk management and consultancy.
David Khau did an MSC in International Accounting and Finance in 2005 and now works for Pricewaterhouse Coopers in Luxembourg. “The program I studied at Cass helped me to achieve my career objectives because I learnt to adapt myself to different situations quickly, and in my field it is important as you are moving from one client to another every two to three weeks. In addition, my Cass Masters degree helped me to sharpen my critical and problem solving skills which are essential within the environment I am working in.”
