Finance Master of Research - MRes

Finance refers to a wide range of topics within a vast research field which covers themes including: econometrics, portfolio analysis and hedging financial risk. You will explore qualitative and quantitative methods of research specifically designed to reflect the field of banking and finance.

MRes Finance is designed for those wishing to follow a career in research and/or academia, there is a strong research focus in this degree, although there are some taught elements which will support your knowledge of the research field. An MRes is the ideal first step if you hope to progress to doctoral studies, such as a PhD.

You deepen your thinking about finance and develop a broader understanding of the changing roles and perception of finance within an ever-changing social context.

You will learn to use our Bloomberg Financial Markets Lab, which gives you access to the data and analytical tools found in financial institutions across the City of London and throughout the world. This will allow you to develop the skills needed in industry.

MRes Finance explores research and financial theory issues, such as:


- research skills, including both quantitative and qualitative approaches


- theoretical stances underpinning different approaches to research


- how to design a research proposal, including construction of research questions and/or hypotheses


- launching and managing a research project, including data collection, analysis and interpretation


- financial modelling


- finance research techniques using Matlab


We equip you with the skills and knowledge to appreciate the depth and breadth of management and organisational theories and techniques and apply these within a social science context. You benefit from cutting edge research conducted by our Finance Group who specialise in the areas of banking, behavioural and corporate finance, and financial econometrics.

This course is taught at Essex Business School. By embedding the latest academic and industry thinking into our teaching, you experience an education that’s at the forefront of the issues impacting today’s financial sector.