In the fast-paced and ever-changing economic climate, businesses are striving for ways to improve, develop and grow. To achieve this, businesses are creating finance and investment management jobs for professionals who can understand market trends, analyse data, and make strategic decisions.
In this blog post, we are going to take a closer look at what a career in finance and investment involves, the skills required to work in this area and how studying a 100% online and part-time Finance and Investment Management MSc at the University of Liverpool could help advance your career path or update your current skills.
What is finance and investment management?
Finance and investment management is about understanding, organising, and overseeing financial assets and other investments. Financial and investment services can encompass a range of tasks such as sales and trading, budgeting and savings, personal, retail, and corporate banking, wealth management, retirement pension planning, tax services and insurance.
As a finance and investment professional, you may be required to monitor business trends, analyse revenue and expenditure, assess, and quantify risk, implement innovative reforms, and boost expansion through undertaking new ventures.
In the private sector, roles in finance and investment may involve helping companies increase their profitability or seek out new investment opportunities, on the other hand, in the public sector, it could relate to appropriately allocating public funds and ensuring projects are delivered within budget.
What career opportunities are in Finance and Investment Management?
With a master’s degree in Finance and Investment Management, you could secure job roles such as:
- Financial Analyst
- Risk Manager
- Investment Manager
- Wealth Manager
- Financial Advisor
- Investment Specialist
- Asset Manager
- Portfolio Manager
- Business Analyst
Whether you are working independently or for an organisation, when working in this sector, the overall aim is to use your specialist knowledge to explore ways to maximise your client or employer’s economic stability, growth, and development through the appropriate management of finances and investments.
What skills are required for finance and investment management?
Working in financial and investment management requires skills that are often transferable from various other professions, which means if you are currently not working in a related field, you may still have some of the crucial skills needed to work in the finance and investment sector.
Understanding and analysing numbers and applying your findings are skills often used in a range of roles, such as data analysis, IT, and research positions. Knowing how to present your findings and communicate your suggestions requires excellent communication and interpersonal skills to help motivate and inspire your team. For those already working in managerial or project management positions, you will have the decision-making, problem-solving and time management skills that are vital to finance and investment positions such as portfolio management, financial planning, and wealth management jobs.
If you are already working in professions such as mathematics, engineering, physics, project management, information technology, and account management, you are likely to have many of the day-to-day skills required for a job and a successful career in the finance and investment sector.
On a personal level, individuals will need to show a continued desire to learn, improve and progress, along with a strong commitment to adhere to the ethical standards and business regulations set out in the finance sector. Individuals should be able to express their ability to work on their initiative and as part of a team and will need to show fundamental qualities of resilience, critical thinking, flexibility, and negotiation.
Working in this sector will also require specialist knowledge of core financial principles, such as corporate finance, financial regulations and ethics, equity and income, and economics in financial markets. This expert knowledge can be achieved through further education, such as a master’s degree in Finance and Investment Management.
How to get an MSc in Finance & Investment Management?
To study for an MSc in Finance and Investment at the University of Liverpool, you would typically require a minimum of a 2:1 class degree in any subject (relevant to a UK Bachelor’s degree) or have professional work experience or prior qualifications in a related field.
The course content has been created by leading academics from the University of Liverpool’s AACSB, AMBA and EQUIS-accredited Management School. As a student, you will learn the core principles of finance and investment management, including corporate finance, equity and fixed income, portfolio management, financial reporting, industry analytics, economics in financial markets and fundamental research methods and will be competent to apply these principles to inform your practice in your current and future roles.
The course combines individual study, collaborative work, and virtual classroom discussions with fellow students worldwide to enable individuals to learn from others’ experiences at an international level. At the end of the course, students will complete a research-led dissertation on a related topic of their choice to evidence their understanding and application of all they have learned during the course.
The University of Liverpool is an Affiliated University of the CFA Institute and the skills and competencies you will acquire from the programme will enable you to individually undertake the formal CFA© Level 1 examination to show prospective employers you have the academic prestige and practical skills needed to excel in any future role.
Studying for an MSc in Finance and Investment Management will equip you with the essential skills you need to be employed in related roles, giving you the edge regarding recruitment and career flexibility.
If you are interested in learning more about studying an MSc in Finance and Investment at the University of Liverpool, look at our programme page for more information on fees, course structure and entry requirements.
