A leading UK business school is offering a masters of finance with added CFA status in global financial hub London.
Lancaster University Management School has partnered with Fitch Learning, an education consultancy, to offer the Chartered Financial Analyst Level II qualification through a new London-based masters degree.Based in the City of London, the MSc in Advanced Financial Analysis prepares financiers to take the second level of the increasingly popular CFA qualifications upon completion of the degree.
The program has been created to meet a growing demand from graduates keen to acquire both a formal business education and the CFA – considered a double threat by many financial services employers.
The one-year course is open to all graduates who have already passed the Level I CFA exam.
With a suite of more advanced modules, it will be ideal for those seeking to advance their careers in areas such as investment valuation and fund management.
The location of the degree places students in the heart of the City – a global financial hub.
“The London base offers us ways to link our students directly to activities going on with the City,” said Grzegorz Pawlina, professor of finance at LUMS, a leading UK business school.
He added that it will enable them to connect with the many Lancaster alumni who are employed in London in major financial institutions.
“It is an excellent way of extending their professional expertise and networks,” he said.
Kate Lander, head of education for EMEA at the CFA Institute, said: “It is great to see students acquiring education in the heart of a leading financial market like London, as well as furthering their knowledge of ethical and professional standards and in-depth valuation tools.”
LUMS already has strong collaborative ties with Fitch Learning, as the firm has been delivering Level I CFA exam preparation as part of the school’s existing masters programs.
Results have been impressive: the pass rate among LUMS masters students for the June 2014 Level I examination was 95%, compared to the global Level I pass rate in December 2014 of 44%.
Rob Thakur, head of professional qualifications at Fitch Learning, said that the CFA program is a “hallmark qualification” for the financial services industry.
The program will enrol its first students in October 2015.
Student Reviews
Lancaster University Management School
An exceptional educational establishment in the North West of England.
This university has been a fantastic life experience as well as a great academic one. I first decided to go to Lancaster University Management School due to its exceptional business education facilities and have not been disappointed. I recommend the university to anybody that wants to put themselves in a strong position for a career upon graduation.
Student Ambassador
Overall, the instruction is decent, however it also depends on your department. The people are friendly, in my opinion. The sporting events are enjoyable, and there is a good sense of community. Although the city is quite remote, it is nonetheless attractive.
Lancaster University honest review
The education system in the university is excellent especially that of the Management School. The campus has great facilities for students to study and live in a relaxed manner. The students can engage in various activities through the socities.
Great opportunities to think beyond
Lancaster University provides a lot of good opportunities to think beyond.There Entrepreneurship in residence program helps students to meet and seek guidance about entrepreneurship and the challenges.Their Work in progress program help to fabricate your startup idea and further to pitch to the potential investors.Apart from that there are lot of programs like Enactus, guest lectures and guidance from seniors to help and shape your career needs.
They provide lot of opportunities to shape up your employability skills.
A top university in the UK for management science!
If you’re interested in management science studies, Lancaster University is one of the top universities in the UK. The faculty is renowned and have a sterling reputation for research in management science. Candidates specifically interested in Forecasting would find the Centre for Marketing Analytics and Forecasting especially relevant to their field. Besides, the ROI is good as the overall cost compared to other universities is less.
Great university for academia – not great for 'entrepreneurs'
Please keep in mind that my review is nuanced by my expectations of an Entrepreneurship degree :) I came to Lancaster University because it was one of the top universities to have a course in Entrepreneurship. After 4 years in this degree, my most valuable experience has been my placement and not the actual course. The course is heavily focused on impractical elements, which is a bit odd for an Entrepreneurship degree. There are some modules that involve hands-on work but the faculty support for such things has not been great. My course also involved a lot of teamwork which has been fantastic and really prepared me when it comes to dealing with the diversity of opinions. In terms of career prospects, the management school does A LOT to host events, workshops and support sessions to help you build up your employability skills. Although, I wish there was more acknowledgement of SMEs/startups as a viable career option. The entrepreneurship team which is meant to support budding businesses is really stepping up their game with tons of guest speakers, workshops and pitching opportunities. The location is a concern if you're not in STEM, Law or Accounting and Finance. Business requires networking with the broader community. However, for Lancaster students, the best bet is a trip down to Manchester or London. On the flip side, living in Lancaster is much cheaper! Overall, if the purpose of your university experience is to receive top academic education and have great facilities at your disposal, Lancaster is a great choice. But if you want to be in business and entrepreneurship, I would look elsewhere.
