MSc Development Finance

Course director: Dr C S Srinivasan

The MSc in Development Finance is a one year, full-time Masters degree course which surveys the main issues associated with the finance of the public and private sectors in developing and transitional economies. For Home and EU students, it is also available on a part-time basis over two years.

Aims and objectives

The course aims to develop the participants understanding of the key issues of development finance and microenterprise finance and

• Develop an understanding of the theoretical frameworks for the analysis of financial markets in developing, transitional and market economies;
• Strengthen professional competence in the design, implementation and critical evaluation of financial service provision reform courses.

Transferable skills

The course requires a substantial amount of independent reading, research and study and students are expected to take personal responsibility and show initiative in developing their knowledge and understanding of the field of study. In following this course students will also have the opportunity to enhance and develop their skills relating to communication (both oral and written), presentations, information handling, problem solving, teamwork, and the use of information technology. Students will learn to work independently, under time pressures, and will learn to set priorities and manage their time in order to meet strict deadlines. Career planning, via choice of modules, will be an integral part of the course.

Course structure

The course starts at the beginning of the Autumn Term and is fully taught for two ten-week terms. The remainder of the course, from June until September, is devoted to preparation of a 12–15,000 word dissertation, for submission in early September.

Entry requirements

Entrants to this course are normally required to have obtained an honours degree or its equivalent in a relevant subject which includes a significant element of economics but applicants with other qualifications as may be approved by the Senate, and who have at least 2 years' professional experience in a relevant field of development work are also eligible to apply for admission to this course. References are also taken into account.

Subject streams

Students follow compulsory modules (60 credits) and select a further 60 credits from an extensive list of optional modules.

Compulsory modules:

• Perspectives on Development
• Research and Study Skills for Independent Learning
• Development Finance
• Microfinance

And students select one of the following modules:

• Macroeconomics for Developing Countries
• Financial Development in Emerging Economies

Optional modules include:

• Macroeconomics for Developing Countries
• Financial Development in Emerging Economies
• Economic Foundations of Corporate Finance
• Financial Markets and Corporate Governance
• The Economics of Financial Markets
• The Economics of Financial Regulation
• Trade Policies for Developing Countries
• Banking in Emerging Economies
• The WTO and the Developing Countries
• Poverty, Inequality and Livelihoods
• Research Methods for Development and Communication
• Extractive Industries, the Environment and Developing Societies 

See the full list of the modules offered to GIIDAE students.

Further details of each of the above modules can be found on the main University module description pages www.reading.ac.uk/modules.

(Please note that the programme may be subject to change from the list above)

Career prospects

The MSc in Development Finance provides a training which equips graduates of the course for successful careers in public finance, bank and non-bank financial organisations, international finance institutions, including aid agencies, NGOs and research organisations.