Overview
MSc in Banking Practice and Management and Chartered Fellowship (CFifs)
- 1 year full-time
- Next intake September 2012
The ifs School of Finance full-time MSc in Banking Practice and Management and Chartered Fellowship (CFifs) is aimed at future senior managers in the financial services industry.
The ifs School of Finance has been educating financial services professionals for over 130 years. Founded in 1879 as the Institute of Bankers, we have an unrivalled reputation within the banking sector and ifs alumni can be found in senior positions right across the international financial services arena. The MSc in Banking Practice and Management and Chartered Fellowship (CFifs) programme builds on our long-standing reputation and well-established industry links and benefits from being based in London, one of the world’s most important financial centres.
| “We aim to put professionalism and employability skills at the heart of our programmes by bridging the academic and vocational divide. Our professional higher education programmes fully reflect our links with the financial services industry to give students not only the strongest possible start in their careers but also tangible professional development and career progression.” Martin Day, Vice Principal, ifs School of Finance |
View the full-time programme prospectus for more information, including the course structure, campus location and accommodation options.
Chartered Fellowship
Your professional and personal development does not stop once you have finished your studies. In today’s competitive and ever-changing financial services environment, it is vital to be able to demonstrate that your technical, professional and academic understanding is up to date at all times.
In recognition of this, the ifs School of Finance awards a number of Chartered designations to alumni members who maintain their knowledge and skills post-qualification through a programme of high-quality structured Continuing Professional Development (CPD).
Chartered Fellowship (CFifs) represents the pinnacle of academic and professional achievement in the field of financial services. Holders of the ifs MSc in Banking Practice and Management are eligible to apply for Chartered Fellowship of the ifs upon demonstration of three years relevant professional experience in financial services. Once awarded, you will be entitled to use the designation CFifs, a recognised mark of senior status within the banking industry. Direct entry to the Chartered Fellowship is only available to those individuals who have successfully completed a Masters qualification with the ifs.
Learning & Teaching
The MSc in Banking Practice and Management and Chartered Fellowship (CFifs) is a one-year programme, studied on a full-time basis, starting in September.
The course addresses the topics of most importance in today’s fast-moving banking environment and will support you to develop the necessary broad base of underpinning knowledge in all the areas that are most critical to the successful management of a financial services organisation.
Programme Structure
In Term One, you will begin your studies by building an understanding of the functions of banks and their role in society (Banking Structures and Strategies), as well as considering the economic environment from the perspective of both financial institutions and the businesses they serve (Banking and the Economic Environment). You will develop your research skills (Research Methods) and learn how to analyse and interpret the financial and non-financial information that underpins decision-making about client firms (Financial and Bank Accounting).
Term Two introduces the interrelated and critical areas of Bank Risk Management and Regulation. You will study the key principles of regulation and global frameworks, the forms of risk against which financial institutions must hold capital and the many non-financial risks facing the industry. You will also start to begin to tailor your studies towards your career interests through the selection of two option modules.
These option modules allow you to build specialist knowledge of strategic management concepts such as the marketing options available to the industry (Financial Services Marketing) and the effective management of an organisation’s staff (Strategic HR), as well as to grow your understanding of the products available to banks to support their small and medium-sized clients (Commercial and Business Banking). This year, we are also delighted to introduce a module focusing on Capital Markets and Bank Asset-Liability Management which will develop your knowledge of the corporate and investment banking arena.
| 'It is not often that one is presented with an opportunity to design and build a brand new Masters-level degree from scratch. It is a great pleasure and privilege to work with the ifs on this degree course, which I have no doubt will come to be seen as amongst the leading graduate courses in banking and finance for industry professionals. One of the key strengths of this programme is its emphasis on practical relevance and I am pleased to have been able to assist in developing the Capital Markets and Bank ALM module, the syllabus for which reflects accurately market practice and discipline in today’s banking market.' Professor Moorad Choudhry
Treasurer, Corporate Banking Division
Royal Bank of Scotland |
Finally, in the third term, the Dissertation brings together the knowledge developed throughout the programme and will give you the opportunity to build on a topic of particular interest to you within the financial services sector.
The full-time programme schedule is available here.
Term dates for courses of study beginning in September 2012 are available here.
Level 7 module specifications are available here.
View the MSc in Banking Practice and Management programme specification.
Studying
The full-time MSc in Banking Practice and Management and Chartered Fellowship (CFifs) programme is delivered face-to-face at our London campus. Due to our location in the heart of the financial district, as well as our widespread industry links, we are able to offer our students valuable exposure to a broad range of guest speakers from the banking sector and lectures from senior industry professionals.
Our team of Associate Lecturers also brings practitioner expertise, together with academic experience and research skills across a range of subject disciplines within the financial sector, including financial regulation, financial technology, client relationship management and credit risk management.
| “Having completed a BSc through the ifs in 2009, I was keen to move to the next step and the Masters was absolutely ideal. Having had experience of the support and materials provided for ifs programmes, I had no hesitation in selecting the ifs MSc and have not been disappointed.” David Farley BSc (Hons) AdvDipRFS CAifs
Current MSc Student |
Zarko Hasardzhiev is a current MSc in Banking Practice and Management student. Watch this short video and hear about Zarko’s experience of the programme.
Careers
Employability skills represent a cornerstone of all ifs qualifications. The ifs is focused on producing graduates that have the critical combination of knowledge, practical skills and understanding that can be applied in the professional world. Our programmes cover the essential understanding that students need to prepare for a successful career and, crucially, reflect what employers look for from potential recruits and future leaders.
The MSc in Banking Practice and Management and Chartered Fellowship (CFifs) will help you differentiate yourself from your peers in today’s highly competitive financial services arena. Banks increasingly expect their employees and, more specifically, senior managers to have the requisite skills to operate to the highest professional standards and this programme will provide you with an in-depth understanding of the issues facing both the financial sector itself and the worldwide economy.
The ifs School of Finance has an active alumni network of over 100,000 industry professionals with whom you can engage through our various events and professional networking groups. We are strongly supported by the financial services industry, in particular the major financial institutions which employ large numbers of ifs students and alumni.
ifs alumni can be found working for leading organisations in financial services and related sectors across the UK and internationally, including:
- Barclays
- BNP Paribas
- Citigroup
- Deutsche Bank
- Ernst and Young
- HSBC
- Lloyds Banking Group
- National Australia Group
- Prudential
- RBS Group
- Santander
- UBS
Entry criteria
The entry requirements for the MSc in Banking Practice and Management are as follows:
If you hold the ifs School of Finance Associateship (or ACIB) / BSc, or a comparably challenging relevant undergraduate qualification, you are encouraged to apply even if you do not meet this criterion.
We would also consider candidates with extensive relevant financial sector experience.
In some cases, applicants may be interviewed and/or asked to submit a piece of written work, in addition to their application, in order to assess their suitability for the programme.
If you are unsure whether you qualify for entry to the programme, please contact the Admissions, Academic Management and Student Services Office on +44 (0)1227 829499 or email enquiries@ifslearning.ac.uk.
Fees
September 2012 Entry Fees
Full-time MSc in Banking Practice and Management and Chartered Fellowship (CFifs)
All prices in GBP.
- UK / EU
£10,500 -
International
£13,700
Entry Scholarships
Three entry scholarships are available each year covering one third of the MSc in Banking Practice and Management programme fee.
One scholarship has been reserved exclusively for ifs alumni.
To be eligible to apply, you must meet the minimum entry criteria and be able to confirm that you are solely self-funded.
Deposit Requirements and Payment Information
International applicants receiving an offer of admission, either conditional or unconditional, will be asked to pay a deposit of £7,000 of the total programme fee within 14 days of the date of the offer in order to secure their place on the programme. If the deposit (cleared funds) has not been received by the deadline, the offer will be automatically withdrawn without further notice.
Further information for international applicants can be found here.
Apply
We are now accepting applications for entry in September 2012.
Before you apply
Before you apply, you should make sure that you meet the programme entry requirements. If you are unsure whether you qualify for entry and wish to discuss your qualifications or experience with us, please contact the Admissions, Academic Management and Student Services Office on +44 (0)1227 829499 or email enquiries@ifslearning.ac.uk.
How to apply
All applications must be made online via UKPASS.
You will initially be asked to register as a new user with UKPASS and will be provided with a user name and password, enabling you to track your application through its various stages.
What you need to apply
- You will need to upload certified copies of your qualification certificates and academic transcripts as part of your application. (Please note that you are not required to include these for any qualifications awarded by or in partnership with the ifs School of Finance.)
- If English is not your first language, you must also include the appropriate evidence that you meet the programme entry criteria.
- You will be asked to write a personal statement. This is a very important part of the application and is your opportunity to tell us what you hope to gain from the programme and how you hope to contribute to the learning group. Please ensure that you include all the information which you feel is relevant to assess your suitability for the programme.
- You are also responsible for providing two references in support of your application. Your referees must have knowledge of your ability to undertake the proposed course of study. If you are currently in employment, one reference must be supplied by your employer.
- Your application should also be accompanied by proof of identity eg a copy of your passport or photo card driving licence.
Kindly note that we will not assess incomplete applications.
When to apply
There are a limited number of places available on this programme and, therefore, we would recommend that you submit your application as early as possible.
All applications must be received as follows:
Deadline for international applications - Monday 25 June 2012
Deadline for UK/EU applications - Monday 30 July 2012
We regret that we shall be unable to consider any applications received after the above dates.
Interview
In some cases, applicants are invited to an interview to assess their suitability for the programme. Interviews are not usually expected to last more than 45 minutes and will either be held at our London City Campus (8th Floor, Peninsular House, 36 Monument Street, London EC3R 8LJ) or by telephone, depending on your location and availability.
If you are an International student, please visit our International page for more details on how to apply.
Contact us
For any students considering whether to study the MSc in Banking Practice and Management and Chartered Fellowship (CFifs), we can arrange visits to our London campus or informal one-to-one sessions (either face-to-face or by telephone) with the Postgraduate Programme Manager.
If you live outside of the UK and are interested in applying for the MSc in Banking Practice and Management and Chartered Fellowship (CFifs) programme, please go to our international section for more information.
If you have any questions regarding the programme or for any further information, please contact the Admissions, Academic Management and Student Services Office:
Email: enquiries@ifslearning.ac.uk
Telephone: +44 (0)1227 829499