Finance MSc by distance learning

1 year, full-time

Transform your career in finance with the University of Leicester's MSc in Finance (with Accredited Prior Learning).  If you are looking to expand your expertise in finance and quantitative financial analysis skills, our course will equip you with the skills you need without having to take a break from your career.

Finance MSc by distance learning, 1 year, full-time

Transform your career in finance with the University of Leicester's MSc in Finance (with Accredited Prior Learning).  If you are looking to expand your expertise in finance and quantitative financial analysis skills, our course will equip you with the skills you need without having to take a break from your career.

Course information

Taught by School of Business

Course description

Course description

Our MSc Finance (with Accredited Prior Learning) distance learning course is designed to build on your existing postgraduate qualifications giving you a strong foundation in finance, and equipping you with advanced knowledge and analytical skills to excel in the dynamic and rapidly evolving finance sector.

As organisations worldwide face increasingly complex financial decisions and shifting market conditions, the demand for professionals with deep financial expertise and strategic insight continues to grow. Our course covers critical areas of finance, including corporate policy and advanced research techniques, bridging the gap between theory and practice with a focus on tackling real-world financial challenges.

You’ll gain a detailed understanding of how financial strategies shape organisational success, ensuring you can make informed decisions that drive growth. In addition, you’ll develop rigorous analytical skills, enabling you to address pressing financial issues through independent research.

Your dissertation will allow you to apply your learning to a substantial empirical project. This provides an opportunity to explore a topic of personal or professional interest in depth, showcasing your expertise and critical thinking.

In addition, you have the choice of your completing the MSc Finance (with Accredited Prior Learning) in one or one and a half years.  In the standard one and a half year model you will study all of the modules sequentially before moving onto your dissertation.  In our accelerated one-year model you will study modules one and two simultaneously before going on to study your dissertation.

Studying this course at Leicester will mean you can make a meaningful impact in the finance industry and gain a competitive career advantage. It is more than a study of finance—it is a pathway to mastering the art and science of financial decision-making in today’s complex economic environment.


Entry requirements

Entry requirements

Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL)

You may be eligible if you have:

  • 60 Postgraduate Level 7 credits or a Postgraduate Certificate from a recognised high education institution (HEI) in one of the following subject areas:
    • Finance
    • Accounting and Finance
    • Economics/Business Economics
    • Banking and Finance
    • Investment and Financial Risk Management
    • Actuarial Science
    • Business Studies with Finance
    • Financial Mathematics
    • Management with Finance
    • International Business with Finance
    • Mathematics or Statistics (with finance modules)
    • Engineering or Physics (with strong finance or economics electives)

Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL)

You may also qualify with:

  • A Bachelor's degree or equivalent
  • Plus at least three years of professional experience in a finance-related role
  • Your experience must align with the learning outcomes of the module Principles and Practice of Applied Finance and be equivalent to 60 postgraduate credits.
  • Example of relevant professional backgrounds include roles in:
    • Financial analysis
    • Investment management
    • Banking
    • Risk management
    • Actuarial services
    • Finance-focused consulting

English Language Requirements

IELTS 6.5 or equivalent. If your first language is not English, you may need to provide evidence of your English language ability. If you do not yet meet our requirements, our English Language Teaching Unit (ELTU) offers a range of courses to help you to improve your English to the necessary standard.

International Qualifications

Find your country in this list to check equivalent qualifications, scholarships and additional requirements.

Countries list

Fees and funding

Fees and funding

UK Students

Starting in October 2025 or April 2026

  • MSc: £5,500

Find out more about scholarships and funding.

Did you know you can apply for a Government Postgraduate Loan? Find out if you’re eligible.

International Students

Starting in October 2025 or April 2026

  • MSc: £5,500 

Find out more about scholarships and funding.

Careers and employability

Careers and employability

This course is designed to enhance your employability and open doors to a wide range of career opportunities in the finance sector. By combining advanced academic knowledge with practical, real-world applications, the course equips you with the skills and expertise highly sought after by employers in roles such as financial analysts, corporate finance specialists, investment managers, and risk consultants.

By combining a rigorous academic foundation with practical, career-focused opportunities, the MSc Finance (APL) positions you to achieve your professional goals and thrive in competitive global markets.

Key elements of the programme are specifically tailored to support career development:

Designated Online Career Seminar Sessions

The course includes dedicated online career seminars featuring guest speakers who are experts from the finance industry. These sessions provide you with valuable insights into the current job market, industry trends, and career paths, helping you to build a network of professional contacts while learning directly from successful finance professionals.

Dissertation as a Career Bridge

The dissertation allows you to specialise in an area of personal or professional interest, enabling you to develop expertise in a specific field of finance. This is an excellent opportunity to demonstrate advanced skills to potential employers or prepare for further academic pursuits, such as a PhD.

Networking Opportunities

Students benefit from access to industry experts through seminars and guest lectures, as well as participation in the Leicester Masterclass. These sessions connect students with experienced professionals, providing valuable insights and opportunities for mentorship and collaboration.

Our Careers and Employability Service is here to support you, with advice on interviews, CVs, work experience, volunteering and more. From Freshers’ Week to Graduation and beyond, they are here to help you reach your professional goals.

Course structure

Modules

Modules

This course will accredit 60 credits of prior learning, and we will provide 60 credits of taught modules and your dissertation.

  • Corporate Financial Strategy
  • Research Methods
  • Dissertation

Modules shown represent choices available to current students. The range of modules available and the content of any individual module may change in future years.

Why Leicester?

On this course you will have opportunities to engage with external speakers through expert seminars, gaining insight into the unique experiences of the speakers and how research has shaped, and continues to shape, real-world finance

We have over 30 years’ experience of offering high quality flexible, distance learning courses. Our courses have been specifically designed to be studied at a distance, giving you the flexibility to study from any location within a structured and supportive framework.

Teaching and learning

Teaching

This course gives you the flexibility to fit your studies around your professional and personal commitments, while ensuring that you meet the learning and progression requirements.

As a distance learning student you will receive support throughout the course from module tutors and personal tutors to enable you to make the most of your studies.

You will use online study materials available electronically via Blackboard, our virtual learning environment.  This will give you online access to materials to support each module.  You will also have live seminars which are undertaken in small groups and scheduled so they are convenient for different time zones.

You will be invited to attend our Leicester Masterclass held on campus at the University.  This week-long programme of lectures, activities and workshops take place every August and is open to students on any School of Business distance learning course at any point in their studies.

Assessment

You will be assessed during each module by a variety of course work assignments.  Your final piece of work, the dissertation will be 10,000 words.

Key dates

Start date: 6 October 2025
Application deadline for October 2025 start: 15 September 2025

Start date: 13 April 2026
Application deadline for April 2026 start: 23 March 2026

Apply now

Course Qualification Duration Start Dates Availability
Course Finance Qualification MSc Duration 12 months, by distance learning (full-time) Start Dates October each year Availability

This course is being advertised subject to approval.

Course Finance Qualification MSc Duration 18 months, by distance learning (part-time) Start Dates October each year Availability

This course is being advertised subject to approval.

smiling student sitting in a computer room

I really enjoyed the variety of modules taught on my course and the statistical software packages – they complemented the theoretical learning and gave a practical perspective.

Mahmoud, MSc Financial Economics

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