University of Aberdeen

University of Aberdeen

Master of Arts in Financial Economics

The Master of Arts in Financial Economics in Economics is offered by University of Aberdeen.

Program Length: 4 YEARS.

Master of Arts in Financial Economics offered by the University of Aberdeen

Financial Economics is designed to provide students with an extensive knowledge and understanding of the world of economics and finance. The programme explores core theories in economics and how to apply them to finance and exposes students to advanced quantitative techniques used in industry.


The first two years of the MA in Financial Economics are the same as those of the joint degree. Differentiation occurs in years 3 and 4. Our MA in Financial economics offers focused and specialised training that often cannot be achieved in the joint degree. In particular the programme prescription has been designed in such a way that the positive benefits that economics courses have on finance courses (and vice versa) are maximised. Students will be able to study degree-specific courses, such as the Dissertation in Financial Economics.

Many of the courses can only be taken by a student on the single honours programme and not on the joint degree, offering a level of differentiation.

There will be an opportunity to specialise in the fourth year of study by choosing suggested pathways, which will include “Behavioural and Experimental Finance”, “Financial Investment” and “Macroeconomics, Policy and Finance”.

This behavioural route, in particular, provides expertise in an area that has increasingly gained prominence in terms of both academic importance (the 2017 Nobel-Prize in Economics was awarded to Prof Richard Thaler – a father of modern Behavioural Economics and Finance) and has repercussions to everyday-life decisions (e.g. the Behavioural Insight Team provides policy advice to the UK government by applying behavioural sciences. Students will benefit from having both close links to employers and exposure to professional training facilities, such as our trading floor, which is used by major financial services companies across the world.

This degree prepares students with the knowledge and skills required for a career in finance and graduates would expect to find employment in all sectors of the financial services industry, both in the UK and overseas, including financial institutions such as banks, insurance companies, pension funds, investment and unit trusts and in roles, such as a financial analyst, portfolio manager or risk management consultant.

What you'll study

Year 1
Academic Writing for Business

Professional Skills Part 1
Finance, Risk and Investment
Accounting and Entrepreneurship
The Economics of Business and Society
The Global Economy

Compulsory Courses
Academic Writing for Business (AW1003)
Getting Started at the University of Aberdeen (PD1002)
Finance 1: Finance, Risk and Investment (FI1004)
The Economics of Business and Society (EC1006)
Accounting and Entrepreneurship (AC1515)
The Global Economy (EC1506)

Optional Courses
Plus 60 credit points from courses of choice.

Year 2
Intermediate Microeconomics
Intermediate Macroeconomics
Business Finance
Financial Markets and Regulations

Compulsory Courses
Intermediate Microeconomics (EC2003)
Finance 2: Business Finance (FI2004)
Intermediate Macroeconomics (EC2503)
Financial Markets and Regulation (FI2501)

Optional Courses
Plus 30 credit points from courses of choice.

Year 3
Mathematical and Statistical Methods in Economics
Econometrics
Finance 3: Corporate Finance
Asset Pricing

Compulsory Courses
Mathematical and Statistical Methods in Economics (EC3023)
Finance 3: Corporate Finance (FI3004)
Econometrics (EC3529)

Year 4
Dissertation in Financial Economics

Suggested Pathways

Behavioural and Experimental Finance.
A whole new sub-discipline is arising in behavioural finance, and experiments provide key empirical guideposts for developments in this areas. Highly research-related pathway with policy-relevant applications to financial markets. Ideal choice for a career in financial institutions. Also suitable for preparing for an MSc.

Financial Investment
This pathway provides solid foundations for those interested in learning how to manage an investment portfolio. Perfect choice for a career as investor, broker, financial analyst.

Policy, Macroeconomics, and Finance
A theoretical, an empirical, and an applied perspective for a comprehensive view on key aspects of macroeconomics and finance. Suitable for students interested in a career as professional economists/policy advisers. Also perfect choice for those interested in continuing to an MSc.

Optional Courses
Plus 90 credit points from available EC, FI and PO coded courses at level 4.



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