Current MSc Students

EC5399 Dissertation in Applied Quantitative Finance

Module outline in the handbook: handbook (PDF)

Module info on MMS

This module is designed to develop students' independent research, writing and presentation skills and to enable them to apply financial, economic, mathematical and/or statistical/econometric analysis to a selected topic in Quantitative Finance. The dissertation must be on a topic in Quantitative Finance and a preliminary outline of it should have been approved within the first two weeks of Martinmas semester by the Director of Teaching and by the proposed dissertation supervisor. The maximum number of words allowed is 20,000 but students will be advised to cover the topic in around 15,000. Dissertations have to be written individually.

EC5501 Thinking Strategically

Module outline in the handbook: handbook (PDF)

Module info on MMS

Taught by: Gavin Reid (PMT)

This module develops the analytical underpinning of strategic thinking, illustrated in the context of economics, politics, business and everyday life. Key topics include: game trees, dominance, iterative dominance, backward induction, Nash equilibrium, strategy and voting, auctions, bargaining. The treatment will be supported by examples.

EC5502 The International Economy

Module outline in the handbook: handbook (PDF)

Module info on MMS

Taught by: Gonzalo Forgues-Puccio (PMT)

This module is an issues-based vehicle for developing analytical skills, as well as a familiarity with central issues of the international economy and their wider ramifications. Topics covered are: the global economy and the basis of trade; international organisations and agreements; international money; developing economies; foreign direct investment and multi-national enterprises.

EC5503 Models and Methods in International Strategy & Economics

Module outline in the handbook: handbook (PDF)

Module info on MMS

Taught by: Laurence Lasselle (PMT)

This module is skills-based. It uses Microsoft Excel to develop skills in decision modeling. It deals with optimisation and covers topics such as linear programming, network flow models, portfolio choice problems and forecasting.

EC5504 Growth & Economic Development

Module outline in the handbook: handbook (PDF)

Module info on MMS

Taught by: Geetha Selvaretnam (PMT)

This module explores the theory of economic development, including dependency theory, immiserising growth and Prebisch. Problems of export instability, trade liberalisation, the debt crisis, sovereign default, the new international order. The role of theory and institutions in the context of industry and agriculture. The relationship between poverty, income inequality, and economic development.

EC5505 Global & Local Issues of the Environment

Module outline in the handbook: handbook (PDF)

Module info on MMS

Taught by: David Ulph (PMT)

The aim of this module is to introduce basic ideas and methods of environmental economics and policy without assuming an economics background. The geological background and current state of global warming is related to international efforts to control the problem, and efforts by energy lobbies to evade controls and influence public opinion. A variety of topical issues that relate economic, environmental and public policy considerations will be discussed including international trade, tropical deforestation, transport, sustainability, the relationship between economic (material) growth, the environment and human happiness and welfare. Specific problems of developing countries and their relations to the developed world will be studied.

EC5506 Entrepreneurship & Small Business Planning

Module outline in the handbook: handbook (PDF)

Module info on MMS

Taught by: Gavin Reid (PMT)

This module involves the analysis of entrepreneurial activity, including performance risk and uncertainty bearing, co-ordination, arbitraging and innovating, covering both national and international dimensions. The elements of small business planning and strategy, including their applications in global markets, covering approaches of Porter and Minzberg. Small business, including its trans-national form.

EC5507 European Economic Integration

Module outline in the handbook: handbook (PDF)

Module info on MMS

Taught by: Andrew Hughes-Hallett (PMT)

The purpose of this module is to examine a number of issues relevant to European economic integration, and to expose students to the techniques and arguments developed in connection with these issues. We will make use of both macroeconomic and microeconomic theory to look at the rationale behind a number of EU policies. Where appropriate, we will also use theory and present empirical evidence in order to evaluate the effectiveness of these policies. Topics covered will include customs union theory, the economic consequences of factor mobility, EU competition policy and the economics of EMU.

EC5509 The New Institutional Economics

Module outline in the handbook: handbook (PDF)

Module info on MMS

Taught by: Jim Y. Jin (PMT)

This module introduces students to the field of institutional economics through a modern approach based on the study and application of models of political economy. It aims to present students with a general overview of institutional economics, through the use of models of political resource allocation in economic policymaking. The module will cover first the main ideas in voting theory, partisan models of electoral competition, citizen candidate models and models with agenda setting and legislative bargaining. Furthermore, it will discuss how political institutions, at the national and sub-national level, shape economic policy. Finally, it will explore the link between politics and growth and issues related to fairness, redistribution and social mobility.

EC5518 The Economics of Negotiations

Module outline in the handbook: handbook (PDF)

Module info on MMS

This module aims to study situations where two or more parties must negotiate in order to reach a mutually beneficial agreement. It aims to study some of the main factors that determine whether or not parties will strike an agreement, and if so, the nature of that agreement. The role played by factors such as the parties' outside options, their preferences and information on such negotiations will be explored. Understanding and insights will be developed in the context of various analytical models, including bargaining models of union wage formation and bargaining models of the family.

EC5599 International Strategy & Economics Dissertation

Module outline in the handbook: handbook (PDF)

Module info on MMS

A dissertation in the form of a substantial extended theoretical/analytical/empirical essay/project on a topic relevant and appropriate to the MSc. A selection of potential topics will be identified by members of staff and it is expected that most students will choose one of these. Limited supervision is available, notably to agree topics and outlines and to check progress, but students are expected to work largely on their own initiative.

EC5601 Investment Analysis

Module outline in the handbook: handbook (PDF)

Module info on MMS

Taught by: Gary Shea (PMT), Leonidas Barbopoulos

This module introduces the basic concepts of investment value analysis. The ultimate aim is to provide the student with a standard approach to define, measure and predict value of investments in a world of uncertainty. The standard notion of risk versus return is defined and analytical economic models of how risks and returns are determined and traded in financial markets are applied to solve any investment analysis problem. The usual valuation problems covered in this module involve corporate investments, a wide array of corporate liabilities such as shares and bonds and associated financial contracts such as options.

EC5602 Financial Modelling

Module outline in the handbook: handbook (PDF)

Module info on MMS

Taught by: Seong-Hoon Kim (PMT)

This module introduces the student to the basic concepts of financial modelling on computers using spreadsheets. The aim is to have the student understand some standard spreadsheet programming techniques that are used repeatedly in a wide range of financial modelling problems. The student should learn how to obtain and create financial data for use in a spreadsheet and then to analyse that data via simple mathematical manipulation and statistical analysis. It is important to understand the process by which large models are conceived and then implemented in a spreadsheet model. It is equally important to understand how analysis is effectively reported in a spreadsheet.

EC5603 Financial Markets & Institutions

Module outline in the handbook: handbook (PDF)

Module info on MMS

Taught by: Peter Macmillan (PMT)

This module will consist of lectures covering institutional material on financial markets and institutions in the UK and elsewhere, together with seminars at which students will make presentations on a range of the key issues currently under discussion in the financial sector.

EC5604 Corporate Finance

Module outline in the handbook: handbook (PDF)

Module info on MMS

Taught by: Gary Shea (PMT), Gonzalo Forgues-Puccio

In this module we investigate the problem of how a collection of corporate liabilities are affected in value by corporate actions. Possible actions include corporate investment decisions, decisions regarding the firm?s financial structure, changes in management rules and compensation and changes in the scope, specialisation and legal environment of the corporation?s business. As in the prerequisite module, EC5601, we emphasise standard methods for solving problems under economic uncertainty. At the end of this module the student will have a good working knowledge of institutions and the theory and valuation methods used worldwide in major corporations and financial institutions.

EC5605 Monetary Policy

Module outline in the handbook: handbook (PDF)

Module info on MMS

Taught by: Kaushik Mitra (PMT)

This module will cover key issues in monetary policy. Topics include: the case for price stability; time inconsistency and policy, the trade-off between inflation bias and output stabilisation; inflation targeting and other monetary frameworks, and the conduct of monetary policy in leading developed and developing countries.

EC5606 Corporate Governance & Risk

Module outline in the handbook: handbook (PDF)

Module info on MMS

Taught by: Gavin Reid (PMT)

Three key components: (1) corporate governance; (2) risk management; and (3) financial management. Detailed content may vary year by year, but typically would include: (1) mergers, takeovers, corporate control, governance, financial architecture, risk capital; (2) risk in corporate and international settings; (3) financial planning, methods of lending and borrowing.

EC5608 Financial Intermediation

Module outline in the handbook: handbook (PDF)

Module info on MMS

Taught by: Alex Trew (PMT)

This module will cover the main theoretical issues involved in financial intermediation, from the existence of banks through credit rationing and optimal contracts to bank runs, central banks and regulation. The module will concentrate on analytical models, but there will be some reference to current issues in existing financial systems.

EC5609 Financial Econometrics

Module outline in the handbook: handbook (PDF)

Module info on MMS

Taught by: Leonidas Barbopoulos (PMT)

This module will introduce the students to the theory and practice of financial econometrics. The module will begin by introducing students to the classical linear regression model and a number of issues regarding its application to real world data. The module will then develop a number of time-series techniques that can be applied to the study of financial economics. Topics covered include: the linear univariate stochastic model, multivariate models, unit root processes and co-integration. By the end of the module students should be able to undertake empirical analysis using financial data.

EC5610 Mergers & Acquisitions

Module outline in the handbook: handbook (PDF)

Module info on MMS

Taught by: Leonidas Barbopoulos (PMT)

This module aims to introduce to students the key issues on mergers and acquisitions (M & A) literature. They will develop their ability critically to understand issues such as (a) regulatory and strategic considerations, takeover tactics, and takeover defences, (b) target firm valuation, (c) M & A activity (d) empirical tests of both the short- and the long-run performance, (e) cross-border acquisitions and their main differences with domestic ones and (f) different game theoretical approaches on M & A.

EC5699 Finance Dissertation

Module outline in the handbook: handbook (PDF)

Module info on MMS

A dissertation in the form of a substantial extended theoretical/analytical/empirical essay/project on a topic relevant and appropriate to the M.Sc.. A selection of potential topics will be identified by members of staff and it is expected that most students will choose one of these. Limited supervision is available, notably to agree topics and outlines and to check progress, but students are expected to work largely on their own initiative.

EC5701 Neoclassical Finance

Module outline in the handbook: handbook (PDF)

Module info on MMS

Taught by: Gary Shea (PMT), Leonidas Barbopoulos

The module provides a practical review of the economic foundations of Finance. It will include the Arbitrage Pricing Theory (APT), the theory of Portfolio Diversification, the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM), and the Efficient Markets Hypothesis. The module will also cover many practical issues such as: the evaluation of long and short-term financial tools; and risk management instruments, including derivatives and hedging.

EC5702 Optimisation in Finance

Module outline in the handbook: handbook (PDF)

Module info on MMS

Taught by: Vladislav Damjanovic (PMT)

The module provides students with methods for solving optimisation problems in financial economics. Starting from static constrained optimisation problems, which can be encountered in one period financial market models, such as the one underlying the CAPM model, the module builds up to the development of the Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman theory, which is used to solve optimal asset allocation problems in continuous time market models, based on the Ito-calculus.

EC5703 Financial Times Series Econometrics

Module outline in the handbook: handbook (PDF)

Module info on MMS

Taught by: Rod McCrorie (PMT)

This module is designed to equip students with a thorough understanding of both the theory and practice of time series econometic techniques as applied to financial economics. The module starts with reviewing relevant concepts in mathematical statistic and then covers topics drawn from: autocorrelation, stationary (univariate) linear time series techniques such as ARMA models and the Box-Jenkins approach; non-linear univariate time series models of volatility such as ARCH, ARCH-M and GARCH processes; unit root processes; unit root processes; vector autoregression (VAR) techniques; cointegration techniques including the Engle-Granger and Johansen methodologies; non-linear techniques such as threshold autoregression and regime switching.

EC5704 Computations in Finance

Module outline in the handbook: handbook (PDF)

Module info on MMS

Many problems in finance cannot be solved directly, in the sense of obtaining a closed form solution. Instead they have to be solved by the use of numerical algorithms implemented on a computer. This module covers such techniques, including: Monte Carlo simulation methods for pricing financial derivatives; finite difference methods to solve partial differential equations such as the Black-Scholes equation; effective methods to compute hedging strategies; and methods for the calibration of financial market models. The implementation of these methods on the computer using the MATLAB software package is a crucial component of the module.

EC5705 Options & Derivatives

Module outline in the handbook: handbook (PDF)

Module info on MMS

This module will cover the properties, pricing, and hedging of futures/forwards, options, swaps and other derivatives traded on financial markets, together with the workings of derivatives markets. The module mainly focuses on the Black-Scholes theory of option pricing as the underpinning of analytical and numerical methods for pricing options and derivatives; and also includes the discussion of more advanced topics, such as stochastic volatility, volatility based products and interest rate theory. While the use of a certain level of mathematical reasoning is unavoidable in derivatives pricing, care will be taken to emphasise intuition.

EC5721 Microstructure of Financial Markets

Module outline in the handbook: handbook (PDF)

Module info on MMS

This module is concerned with the study of the processes and outcomes of exchanging assets under explicit trading rules. The general focus is on the information implicit in market data, and on the learning process that translates this information into market prices. Using a broad framework of markets, models, liquidity and performance, it treats the following topics: security trading and market makers, inventory based model of trades, quote and order driven markets; sequential trade; information and the price process; noisy rational expectations models; liquidity trading; bid-ask spread; spread decomposition; market stability, transparency, and liquidity; relationships between markets; speculative trade; insider trading; operation of international stock exchanges; trading mechanisms; trading costs; market bubbles and herding behaviour.

EC5722 Risk Management

Module outline in the handbook: handbook (PDF)

Module info on MMS

Taught by: Jim Y. Jin (PMT)

This module provides the student with an introduction to classical techniques in risk and insurance. The implementation of sound quantitative risk models to assess and insure against risk is a vital concern for all financial institutions. The module provides a comprehensive treatment of the theoretical concepts and modeling techniques of quantitative risk management, and provides students with practical tools to solve real world problems. Specific topics covered include: portfolio management, real options, operational risk, credit risk and pension fund modeling.

EC5799 Dissertation in Analytical Finance

Module outline in the handbook: handbook (PDF)

Module info on MMS

A dissertation in the form of a substantial extended theoretical/analytical/empirical essay/project on a topic relevant and appropriate to the M.Sc.. A selection of potential topics will be identified by members of staff and it is expected that most students will choose one of these. Limited supervision is available, notably to agree topics and outlines and to check progress, but students are expected to work largely on their own initiative.

EC5801 Money & Banking

Module outline in the handbook: handbook (PDF)

Module info on MMS

Taught by: Alex Trew (PMT)

This module provides an introduction to the economics of money, banking and financial markets. It aims to present students with a general overview of key monetary and financial market phenomena, the basic workings of financial and money markets and the tools and conduct of monetary policy. The module covers topics such as how financial markets work, and the impact of financial markets on the domestic and international economic system. In addition, the module focuses on: the role of money in the economy; different monetary policy tools; and the conduct and transmission mechanisms of monetary policy.

EC5802 Commercial Banking

Module outline in the handbook: handbook (PDF)

Module info on MMS

Taught by: Geetha Selvaretnam (PMT)

This module provides a theoretical and practical grounding at the Masters level in commercial banking. It will include liquidity management vs. profit making, credit screening, securitisation, inter-bank linkages and causes of, and prevention of, banking crises. The module will also cover banking issues in a few selected countries, for example China, Pakistan, Latin America and East Asia.

EC5803 Central Banking

Module outline in the handbook: handbook (PDF)

Module info on MMS

The module will provide a grounding in the theory and practice of central banking, concentrating on microeconomics (e.g. the functioning of individual financial markets), rather than macroeceonomics (e.g. the conduct of monetary policy). It will develop a rationale for the existence of central banks and for their role in regulating and supervising private banking systems. The module will also consider practical issues such as the optimal composition of committees (e.g. the MPC) that form to set interest rates. This positive analysis will be complemented by looking at the institutional features of central banking in an international sense.

EC5899 Dissertation in Money, Banking & Finance

Module outline in the handbook: handbook (PDF)

Module info on MMS

A dissertation in the form of a substantial extended theoretical/analytical/empirical essay/project on a topic relevant and appropriate to the M.Sc. A selection of potential topics will be identified by members of staff and it is expected that most students will choose one of these. Limited supervision is available, notably to agree topics and outlines and to check progress, but students are expected to work largely on their own initiative.

EC5901 International Finance

Module outline in the handbook: handbook (PDF)

Module info on MMS

Taught by: Gonzalo Forgues-Puccio (PMT)

The module will cover key issues in international finance. Topics will include analyzing models of exchange rate determination, both nominal and real; and analysis of the determinants of international capital flows. The module will introduce a range of analytical models, together with a range of empirical and policy-oriented material.

EC5997 Dissertation in International Finance

Module outline in the handbook: handbook (PDF)

Module info on MMS

A dissertation in the form of a substantial extended theoretical/analytical/empirical essay/project on a topic relevant and appropriate to the M.Sc. A selection of potential topics will be identified by members of staff and it is expected that most students will choose one of these. Limited supervision is available, notably to agree topics and outlines and to check progress, but students are expected to work largely on their own initiative.