The MPhil in Finance is a nine-month masters degree, ideal for those intending to continue to a PhD. While not designed as a vocational programme, it also provides a strong academic background for a career in finance.
Now in its 33rd year, it’s the oldest masters degree in finance available at the University of Cambridge. You’ll get the chance to study with three world-class faculties at a university which has produced more Nobel Prize winners than anywhere else.
The programme is taught by staff from:
- Cambridge Judge Business School, one of the top business schools in Europe
- The Faculty of Economics, the cradle of modern economics
- The Faculty of Mathematics, whose ancestry goes back to Isaac Newton
Applications closed
Applications for entry in 2023/24 have now closed.
Applications for entry in October 2024 will open in September 2023.
Fees & scholarships
Visit the Postgraduate Admissions website to learn about course costs, your fee status and more.
There are a range of scholarships available to MPhil students at Cambridge Judge Business School.
Who is the programme for?
This pre-experience course is designed for those with no more than one year of work experience after their first degree.
Finance professionals with at least two years’ experience might be interested in our post-experience Master of Finance degree.
For those continuing to the PhD, admissions are handled during your MPhil year. This is subject to your performance on the programme and the availability of a suitable supervisor.
Curriculum
The MPhil in Finance is an intensive nine-month programme combining advanced study and research for those with less than one year of work experience.
The MPhil in Finance programme consists of:
- six core courses
- three electives
Depending on your course choices, you will share some of your classes with other students on the MPhil in Economics, the Master of Finance, the MPhil in Statistical Science, or Part III of the Maths Tripos.
The online pre-course in mathematical and statistical methods takes place in September before the academic year begins in October. The pre-course is mandatory; those who do not take it will not be admitted to the MPhil in Finance programme. The details about the pre-course will be confirmed in your offer letter.
Assessment
Assessment is by written examination, project, or coursework, depending upon the nature of the particular course. Each course carries the same weighting towards the final mark.
Dissertation option
It may be possible for students to offer a dissertation in place of three taught elective modules. This is subject to the approval of the Programme Director and the Head of the Finance subject group, and the availability of a supervisor. Students interested in continuing to the School’s PhD programme (either at the end of the MPhil or after a gap year) are strongly encouraged to take taught modules only, and may only take the dissertation option if they have had sufficient prior research training.
