Banking and financial services represents a highly competitive and rapidly changing sector in every modern economy; changes in customer requirements, technology, competitive conditions and regulation create the need for managers, traders and analysts to make rapid and often far-reaching decisions about their short term operations and long term strategies; the MSc and MA in banking and finance degree courses at Bangor offer students a unique opportunity to study advanced theory and practice relating to financial services, and to develop an appreciation of the causes and significance of current developments in this vitally important and dynamic sector of the economy.