Master of Science Economics and Finance

There is a growing need world over to have professionals with the ability to empirically test and adapt economic and finance models to new market environments. Market environments are changing rapidly and are demanding specific skills and thus the need to train professionals that understand financial economics and modelling skills to model and forecast financial and economic data. This programme will successfully prepare students for a wide range of high-level and global careers to suite and meet the current market demand with potential employers such as investment and commercial banks, economic and financial asset management companies, consulting firms, and policy-oriented organizations.

The MSc Economics and Finance degree programme is designed to meet the growing demand for researchers in financial economics from all fields of specialization. It is intended for university graduates with qualifications in economics and/or finance related fields who wish to specialise in financial economics.

AIM

The aim of the programme is to prepare students from quantitative disciplines with the opportunity to develop their understanding of financial economics, financial econometrics, microeconomics and macroeconomics. It will further use the principle of evidence based learning to expose students to corporate and international finance, and portfolio and risk management. This will allow them to examine financial markets through in-depth analysis based on financial and economic theory and statistical methods.

OBJECTIVES

By the end of the programme, students should be able to:

• evaluate the scope of financial markets in Zambia, the region and globally;

• evaluate, analyse and forecast macroeconomic policies in Zambia and internationally;

• demonstrate the critical abilities of understanding the data types, how to transform data, and methodological tools for data analysis; and

• collect and analyse financial and economic data to help in solving challenges related to investment, banking and government policy framework.

TARGET GROUP

The MSc Economics and Finance degree programme is designed to meet the growing demand for practitioners and researchers in financial economics. It is intended for university graduates with qualifications in economics and/or finance related fields who have studied macroeconomics, microeconomics and econometrics at intermediate level.

ADMISSION CRITERIA

To qualify for admission to the MSc Economics and Finance degree programme an applicant must have any of the following qualifications:

• a degree in economics, finance, accounting, and pension and insurance from a recognised institution, provided that the candidate has studied macroeconomics, microeconomics and econometrics at intermediate level as part of the degree or any other recognised qualification; or

• any relevant degree from a recognised institution, provided that the candidate has studied macroeconomics, microeconomics and econometrics at intermediate level as part of the degree or any other recognised qualification.

EXEMPTIONS

There shall be no exemptions from any course, regardless of a candidate’s qualifications.

DURATION OF STUDY

The programme of study for the award of the MSc Economics and Finance qualification shall be completed in a period of not less than 18 months and not more than three academic years.

For the purpose of computing the maximum period of study where a person undertakes the study for the MSc Economics and Finance qualification, partly as a part-time/evening/distance education and partly as a full-time student, three (3) courses successfully completed by the student shall count as one academic semester (one half year).