Course overview

Trading is at the core of global financial markets, encompassing arbitrage and market-making by individual traders and proprietary trading by financial institutions.

An understanding of global economic fundamentals, market behaviour analysis, technical indicators, algorithmic trading and quantitative portfolio management is essential to be a successful trader.

• Explore the main theories of economics and finance and work with economic and financial data to examine how different activities and external events affect the world
• Leverage our simulated trading floor to explore global financial market behaviour, and gain practical exposure and hands-on experience in trading
• This course has been developed in close collaboration with city financial traders and practitioners in this field
• Our 18-month MSc Global Financial Trading with Extended Professional Practice is aimed at individuals who are looking to attain a deeper understanding of business in a very practical way2.

What you'll study

This course aims to offer hands-on experience in the art of trading. This practical dimension is underpinned by the course’s focus on global financial markets, the principles of equity trading and evaluation, bond trading and financial derivatives, stock markets in emerging economies, and proprietary trading. This course can be carried out over one academic year (full-time), or over two academic years (part-time).

Your main study themes are:

• Change
  The recent financial crisis has led to fundamental economic, social, technological and geo-political changes, and the emergence of new and different realities in the markets. To respond effectively, traders, managers and leaders must develop very different patterns of thinking and behaviour.
• Decision support
  Successful trading depends on making the right decisions at the right time – which depends, in turn, on being able to access and analyse the right information.
• Managing risk
  To achieve rewards, you must identify, assess, model and mitigate risk, and you must also master the various tools, including technology, to enable this.
• Ethics
  The recent financial crisis has also led to greater ethical scrutiny of trading to avoid a repeat of the morally dubious/illegal conduct which came to light; for example, trading sub-prime mortgages bundled into securities; trading financial instruments too complex to understand; and banks rigging interest rates in their favour.

Facilities

Our MSc Global Financial Trading students have access to a wide range of facilities4 to help them become proficient with some of the leading technology in the financial industry, and prepare for the world of work.

Careers and opportunities

On successful completion of this course, you will be able to:

• Demonstrate the ability, knowledge, and skills to be a competent trader, analyst, risk manager, banking professional, financial engineer, and effective leader of international organisations
• Understand the core business, financial disciplines, and methods of working in the financial sector, and be able to apply these in practical contexts
• Enhance your analysis, strategic approaches, and communication skills to meet analytical and leadership challenges
• Appraise the current and future environments, and develop a competitive, strategic response
• Define, investigate, analyse, evaluate, and respond to tactical and strategic issues of financial services organisations
• Adopt an analytical and creative approach to problem-solving through independent judgment and critical self-awareness, working as individuals or as part of a team
• Communicate ideas clearly, demonstrating a capacity for logical and coherent thinking
• Manage your own learning and self-development and use a range of personal skills and competencies that will enable you to operate effectively in your industry.

Typical career routes for graduates from this course could include (but are not limited to): algorithmic trading, investment, and credit analysts; risk management; portfolio managers; financial analysts; corporate financiers; asset management; trading and brokerage; working for international financial and government institutions and academia, including further PhD study.