Course Structure
The MSc degrees are modular. Students are required to complete eight taught modules over two semesters, each semester lasting for fifteen weeks. The Autumn semester commences in September and ends in January, the Spring semester starts in February and ends in June. In each semester students are required to take four modules. A number of modules have some or all of their formal assessment in the final three weeks of the semester whilst others have some or all of their assessment within the taught part (first twelve weeks of the semester). In addition, students are required to complete a dissertation during a ten-week period following the second semester from July to September.
Assessment
The award of an MSc degree requires a student to accumulate a minimum of 180 credits, of which 120 credits can be earned from taught courses and 60 credits from a dissertation. All taught modules have a credit rating of 15, which is awarded when the student gains a pass for that module.
Assessment of most modules is by a combination of coursework and formal examination. The coursework element is module specific and may consist of projects, essays, data collection and interpretation and/or other exercises. Candidates must pass the taught stage in order to proceed to the dissertation.
Dissertation
On successful completion of the taught part of the Masters Degree Programme, each candidate is required to produce a dissertation no longer than 10,000 words. The dissertation presents the findings of a piece of research on an approved topic of the student´s choice related to the course and selected in consultation with academics. Normally this involves the equivalent of at least ten week´ full-time study. A pass mark must be achieved at the dissertation stage for the award of an MSc.
- ‘Seasonality in Common Stock Returns: Evidence in China’s Stock Markets’.
- ‘The Internationalization of Chinese Enterprises: An Event Study Analysis of Haier and Lenovo's Recent Developments’.
- ‘Volatility in Indian Stock Market – 2006’.
- ‘Earnings , Education and Hiring Practices – An Econometric Analysis of UK Data’.
Examples of recently completed Masters Dissertations include:
- ‘The monetary policy transmissions mechanism through the UK housing market using the SVAR approach’
- ‘The relationship between gross saving, gross private saving, gross government saving and economic growth in the United States’
- ‘Has microfinance related to the economic movement of the developing countries – analysis of Bangladesh and Bolvia?’
- ‘A cointegration analysis of exchange rates and oil prices: the case of China.’
- ‘Determinants of Foreign Direct Investment in Nigeria’
- ‘Determinants of investment cash flow sensitivity for UK manufacturing firms from 2000 to 2008.’
Candidates may be awarded a Postgraduate Diploma for successful completion of the taught modules and are not required to produce a dissertation. A candidate who fails to complete a satisfactory dissertation may also be awarded a Postgraduate Diploma.
The dissertation is supervised through a series of research seminars and workshops. During the second semester, students are supported in developing a suitable and detailed proposal for their dissertation. The dissertation tests the student´s ability to apply the skills developed in the taught part of the programme to put together an original and academically critical and robust piece of research.
Part-time Students
Students who wish to take an MSc programme on a part-time basis may spread the taught part of the course over two years, taking two modules in each semester.