It’s not easy to make a decision about what to study when selecting a Master’s programme. Which subject are you most interested in? What career path do you want to take? What kind of an impact do you want to make on society? Many students at Imperial set their sights on a career in finance, with a desire to secure a top position at a leading financial organisation.
Finance is traditionally seen a ‘male dominated’ industry, and as a result some women may have reservations about working in finance. However, this shouldn’t be the case as steps are being made to make the industry inclusive for all, and it begins at institutes like Imperial.
We offer five Finance Master’s programmes at Imperial from the broader to more specialised topics like fintech and risk management:
On our Finance Masters’ and at the Business School, we aim for diversity in all our programmes, not just in terms of gender but in terms of nationality and academic backgrounds. A diverse classroom creates a safe learning environment where all can feel encouraged to speak up, challenge and engage in interesting conversation with their peers.
To help towards closing the gender gap in business, Imperial offers a 'Women in Finance' scholarship of £20,000 to those demonstrating academic excellence and leadership potential. In addition to the financial reward, recipients gain access to networking events and can share their outstanding achievement with recruiters when applying for jobs.
Building your network while at business school is one of the best ways to get ahead in the industry. A wide network gives you a pool of like-minded professionals to take advice from, hear about job opportunities and learn more about the industry you're about to step in to.
At Imperial, you can develop connections at the School from the moment you accept your offer. The Women in Business Club and Finance Club offer excellent opportunities to connect with peers from all our programmes and attend insightful events hosted by inspiring leaders.
Expert career advice is also available from our outstanding Careers team. They provide support throughout your time at Imperial which includes, one-to-one consultations, CV and cover letter workshops and mock interviews, to ensure that you are prepared from the moment you start applying for your first graduate job.
But your network doesn't just stop at those working alongside you. By tapping into the Imperial alumni network, you will be exposed to accomplished business leaders from around the world, who are happy to share their experience and open doors that lead to career opportunities.
There’s no one-size-fits-all in finance, so at Imperial, we offer a broad range of Finance Master’s’ that allow you to tailor your expertise in a specific area. Our programmes teach you how to practically apply the theory you learn in class to real life business scenarios. Preparing you for your first graduate job, and beyond.
We are proud to see the women on our Finance programmes committed to developing their knowledge in the industry and go on to exciting careers where they can have a real impact on the future of finance. These are the women who are defying stereotypes, breaking the ceiling and helping change the industry.
Meet some of the outstanding women from our Finance Master’s programmes
Alison Zambrano, MSc Finance 2020-21
Nationality: British/Ecuadorian
Future role: Project Management Internship, Amazon
Redefining how women are seen in the finance industry
"I was fortunate enough and honoured to receive the Woman in Finance scholarship. Receiving recognition for the efforts that I had put into my undergraduate studies definitely gave me a confidence boost. I have always been passionate about changing the way women are seen in the finance industry and this scholarship proved to me that the Business School aims to achieve this also. I also attended a panel event for Women and Leadership, where I was able to encourage and help many prospective students to reach out to me."
Annika Klesen, MSc Finance & Accounting 2019-20
Nationality: German
Current role: Investment Banking Off-Cycle Analyst, Morgan Stanley
Gaining access to industry experts
"Imperial College Business School has many high-profile guest speakers visiting. No matter which module, the lectures have always included several guest speakers to give a real-world view of a topic. For example, the Private Equity and Venture Capital module had weekly guest speakers who not only talked about their industry and job but also showed us different job opportunities. All guest speakers took their time to answer our questions and it was a good opportunity to broaden your professional network early on in your career."
Lakshmi Venkatesh, MSc Financial Technology 2020-21
Nationality: Indian
Future role: Consultant, KMPG
Learning from women in the faculty
"Professor Lara Cathcart (who is also the Academic Director of MSc Financial Technology) is definitely my favourite professor, I am very glad that she taught us one of the core modules, Markets and Securities. Her patience, teaching methods, in-depth knowledge, as well as attention to detail is exemplary. She makes four-hour long lectures extremely interesting and will make sure you are kept engaged throughout. I love the way she uses the technology on Zoom for concept checks in a timely manner and explains the concepts step-by-step – without which I would’ve definitely struggled through my core modules."
Hannah Slagsvold, MSc Investment & Wealth Management 2019-20
Nationality: Norwegian
Current role: Fixed Income Analyst, Morgan Stanley
Expanding my knowledge of finance
"The most rewarding part of the programme is that I feel like I have got an extensive insight into the pricing and behaviour of various financial instruments. This, in turn, has given me a much broader understanding of the continuous movements of capital markets including FX, Fixed Income, Derivatives and Equities."
Pattie Zhang, MSc Risk Management & Financial Engineering 2020-21
Nationality: Chinese
Future role: Asset Management Summer Analyst, UBS
Joining the Imperial Women’s Network
"I have joined the Imperial Women’s Network, where I have learned a lot from female alumni both in career and in life. A continuously enhanced cognition for women’s leadership has become a driver for me to work harder and diversify my experience. I appreciate the friendly environment where we encourage and inspire each other.
Imperial College Business School is an institution making things happen – trust yourself that nothing is impossible. No matter what your backgrounds or career goals are, you can always find opportunities to progress and achieve what you want. Therefore, during your application, make sure you put effort into researching connections between the programme and yourself and highlight your enthusiasm and strength. If you are fortunate enough to be admitted to the programme, keep pursuing your dreams, play hard and work harder."
