MSc Finance and Economics

The MSc Finance and Economics draws on the School's strengths in economics, finance and econometrics. It's aimed at students who are interested in gaining a deep understanding of the theory and practice of financial markets.

This interdisciplinary degree, taught jointly by the Department of Finance and the Department of Economics, offers exceptional graduates from quantitative disciplines the opportunity to study in two of the most highly rated departments in their subject areas in the world.

As we teach you not only how to apply and use various well-known models, but also to understand the fundamental concepts on which they're based, you'll learn how to alter, test and adapt these models in new market environments. In learning what makes the models tick, you'll develop an awareness of the assumptions on which they rely, and - increasingly important in today’s markets - of situations in which these assumptions can break down.

As well as developing your understanding of financial economics, financial econometrics, microeconomics and macroeconomics to a high level, you'll have the opportunity to investigate two further specialist aspects of finance in elective courses.

The rigour of the Finance and Economics programme is recognised across the world. As the most academically oriented of our programmes, it provides an excellent grounding for students who are interested in progressing to a PhD in finance or in economics.

Successful applicants come from a variety of quantitative backgrounds including economics, mathematics, engineering, statistics, finance and others. To apply, you should have strong credentials in mathematics and a fascination for finance.

GMAT or GRE is required for all applicants without a full three-year UK undergraduate degree. A GRE or GMAT is recommended for applicants with UK undergraduate degrees who did not achieve or are not expected to achieve a first-class degree. Test scores must show a strong performance in the quantitative segment.

More about GRE/GMAT

You take three units’ worth of compulsory core courses and choose two half-unit elective courses from a range offered within the Department of Finance, enabling you to tailor the programme to your interests.

You'll complete a 6000-word structured project in place of an exam in one of your elective courses.

MSc comparison: an overview of all the master’s programmes

The Department of Finance is one of the largest and most highly respected finance groups in the UK and Europe.

With a longstanding reputation for excellence in both teaching and research, we offer various undergraduate, postgraduate and executive programmes.

Our research and teaching span the full range of financial sub-fields, including:

• corporate finance
• asset pricing theory
• risk management
• empirical analysis of capital markets
• behavioural finance
• portfolio analysis
• derivatives pricing
• microstructure
• financial econometrics.

We're also closely associated with two leading research groups at LSE – the Financial Markets Group and Systemic Risk Centre, which host seminars, conferences and public lectures by renowned academics and practitioners.

Our research is regularly published in leading academic journals globally. Faculty members work closely with national and international institutions, such as the Bank of England and the World Bank, informing policy at the highest levels.

The department was ranked the top place to study finance in the Good University Guide 2024.

Learn more about our programmes and research.

Department of Finance

We welcome applications from all suitably qualified prospective students. At LSE, we want to recruit students with the best academic merit, potential and motivation, irrespective of background.

We carefully consider each application and take into account all the information included on your application form, including your:

• academic achievement
• academic statement of purpose
• two academic references
• CV
• additional test scores.

See further information on supporting documents

Contact us

If you have any questions about the academic programme or admissions process please contact the Department of Finance Admissions team at finance.admissionsenquiries@lse.ac.uk.

Applications for this programme are considered on a rolling basis. This means that applications will close once the programme is full.

There is no fixed deadline. However, if you’d like to be considered for any funding opportunities, you must submit your application (and all supporting documents) by the funding deadline. See the fees and funding section below for more details.

For this programme, all students pay the same tuition fees, regardless of their fee status.

For this programme, all students pay the same tuition fees, regardless of their fee status.

Examinations: MSc Finance and Economics students have two exams in the January exam period. There will also be exams in Spring Term. The Spring exam period takes place from late April until early June. The exam timetable changes each year and is published by the school at least six weeks before the start of the exam period.

Summative work: Some Finance courses contain a coursework element which contributes to the final course grade. At LSE this type of coursework is called "summative assessment". Different courses set different types of summative work. Some courses require weekly submission of problem sets which all make up a small percentage of the final grade. Spring Exams in some elective courses are replaced by In-Class Assessments, which can take place from the end of Winter Term.

Formative work: At LSE, any work which is set but does not contribute towards the final course mark is known as formative work. The purpose of formative work is to inform you of your progress on the course and whether you're understanding the concepts taught in lectures. Some formative work is informal, via the setting of problems sets that the teacher will work through with the class, however most courses will also ask for a piece of work to be submitted and then graded.

Graduates of the MSc Finance and Economics programme go on to work in challenging jobs in a variety of organisations around the world. Examples of the types of organisations include investment banks, central banks, economic and strategy consulting firms, professional services firms and financial boutiques.

In addition to the internationally recognised research environment and academic rigour of its teaching programmes, a great advantage of studying at LSE is the reputation it holds amongst employers for producing high level graduates.

Selected employers over the past three years:

• Jane Street
• Maven
• Wells Fargo
• Morgan Stanley
• J P Morgan
• Bain Capital
• Bank of America
• European Central Bank
• Bank of England
• China Development Bank
• McKinsey & Company
• BCG
• Merrill Lynch
• Oxera
• Oxford Economics
• Oliver Wyman
• CICC
• CITIC
• Nomura.

Selected employment locations:

• London
• Frankfurt
• Shanghai
• Beijing.