Investment Analysis (Taught)

The UK is one of the world’s largest financial services hub. Outside of London, Scotland is the largest financial services centre in the UK (Source: Scottish Financial News).

Investment analysts provide insight to help manage portfolios and spot opportunities. Our MSc Investment Analysis course will train you to research business, market trends and performance. It is a highly practical course based on Chartered Financial Analyst knowledge of investment practice.

On this Masters course you will:

study the use of qualitative and quantitative techniques to value investments;
develop portfolio management strategies;
understand risk management tools;
assess macroeconomic and financial market trends;
analyse financial data relating to investments;
learn how to produce an equity analysis report;
understand the importance of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) factors;
develop a critical understanding of investment regulation and ethics;
learn how to apply the tools of investment analysis to wealth management .
This is a Masters conversion course designed to help you switch to a new career field or advance your skills in Investment Analysis. We welcome applicants from different educational backgrounds.

The course has a distinctly international focus. This reflects the globalised nature of financial markets and the investment management profession. Students on this course come from a wide variety of backgrounds. This provides a unique opportunity to develop worldwide contacts.

CFA course: work towards Charterholder status
This MSc Investment Analysis course is affiliated with Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA). It will help you progress towards obtaining CFA Charterholder status. We're one of very few affiliated partner institutions in the UK, and one of a select group globally.

Networking and guest lecture series
Guest lectures delivered by speakers from financial institutions, think tanks and professional bodies. Previous speakers include:

Nick Bartlett - Senior Director, Professional Learning, CFA Institute
Paul Hughes - Global Head of Investment Risk, Aberdeen Standard Investments
John Goodwin - Executive Vice-President and CFO, Lego
Colin McLean - CEO of hedge fund SVM Asset Management
Russell Napier - Chairman of eri-c.com
Lorna Blyth - Head of Investment Solutions, Royal London
You can access a network of MSc Investment Analysis alumni who occupy senior positions in the investment profession.

Gain investment experience with trading challenges
Our students have twice won the UK final of the CFA Institute Research Challenge. The Investment Analysis course has had a team reach the UK Final in 10 out of 12 years. No other UK-affiliated partner university has achieved this feat.

The Chicago Mercantile Exchange Group Trading Challenge is available to our students. Participants get hands-on experience and insight into the world of trading. In 2023, University of Stirling students beat 411 teams worldwide to achieve tenth place.

Our award-winning global financial trading AmplifyMe Boot Camp lets you trade in real-time.

Develop practical skills in investment portfolio management through the Student Managed Investment Fund.

We are AACSB accredited
The University of Stirling is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). AACSB International is the world's largest global standard-setting body for business education. Only 6% of the world’s leading business schools achieve this accreditation. This recognises our excellence in business education and societal impact.

Semester 1: Flying start leadership programme; financial reporting; corporate finance; economics for banking and finance; quantitative methods in finance.
Semester 2: financial statement analysis; derivatives; investments and portfolio management; investment regulation and ethics.

Dissertation topics range over all areas of relevance to investment analysis and allow completion of a case study or research topic dissertation.

Professionally accredited courses provide industry-wide recognition of the quality of your qualification.

• CFA Society of the UK