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World credit crunch makes a Masters in Finance more relevant than ever
The specialized nature of finance programs often dictates that graduates of Masters degrees obtain similarly highly specialized positions. Oxford University�s Masters in Financial Economics was designed to provide training in the tools of financial economics required by financial institutions, companies and public organizations. The program, taught jointly by Oxford Sa�d Business School�s Department of Economics, combines a rigorous academic approach to financial economics with a distinct practical application, designed in consultation with key financial recruiters. Martin L�hrmann, a German alumnus of the Oxford program, is working at Goldman Sachs in London: �I am currently working at the Equity/Hybrid Derivatives Structuring desk. The Masters in Financial Economics was helpful in two ways. First, it provided me with a thorough understanding of all different aspects of finance. In addition to that it helped me get a deeper insight into the area I am most interested in. I am directly applying ideas that I developed during my thesis and in the electives in practice.�
Alumni from the Oxford program serve as a good illustration as to the range of careers available for those graduating with a Masters in Finance or related academic area. In 2007, the majority of graduates were offered jobs in investment banking, corporate finance and mergers and acquisitions (22% of job offers), investment management (29%) and sales, trading and research (19%) being the leading areas. The rewards for such graduates are high: salaries related to all finance sector areas were competitive, the average salary from the Masters in Financial Economics reported was just under $90,000 a year, analyst salaries in the region of $80,000, and associate entry salaries in the region of $110,000.
Attention is firmly on the state of the world�s economy and our national financial institutions so there has never been a more opportune time to focus on developing a graduate career in finance. With degrees catering for almost every area of interest and the prospects of excellent career advancement after graduation, a Masters of Finance is something you could invest in now - and reap the rewards later.
