Centre for Financial and Management Studies

Programme description

This programme will provide you with skills and knowledge in the field of public finance. It ranges across all applications, whether in budgeting, revenue policy, financial reporting and audit, compliance or where financial matters take a central position in policy, such as in public-private partnerships or fiscal decentralisation.

If you have any further questions about the overall programme content and its suitability for you, please email dladmissions@soas.ac.uk.

Modules and programme structure

You will study six modules: three core modules and three elective modules selected from the lists below.

If you wish to complete the Dissertation you must study Research Methods.

Core modules

• Macroeconomic Policy and Financial MarketsM425
• Financial ReportingM492
• Public Financial Management: Planning and PerformanceM401
• Public Financial Management: RevenueM405

Elective modules

• Decentralisation and Local GovernanceM404
• DissertationM454
• Privatisation and Public Private PartnershipsM411
• Project, Programme and Policy EvaluationM479
• Project AppraisalM475
• Public Financial Management: Audit and ComplianceM472
• Public Policy and Management: Development AssistanceM460
• Research MethodsM453
• Bank Regulation and Resolution of Banking CrisesM456
• Regulation of International Capital MarketsM443
• The IMF and Economic PolicyM413

Career opportunities

This degree is suitable for people working in central Finance Ministries, or in financial management roles in line Ministries, sub-national governments or financial scrutiny functions in Parliaments or Supreme Audit Institutions. It will also be valuable for people working in consultancy and advisory functions, and in international financial institutions.

For more information on career prospects for graduates, please visit our Careers page.

Study schedule

This programme takes a minimum of two years to complete. Each module lasts 10 weeks. You are registered for a maximum of five years.

Study calendar 2022/23

Entry requirements

Education and experience

You should have a recognised UK Bachelor's degree, or international equivalent, in a social science discipline. Qualifications in other subjects will be assessed on their merits. Your application may be considered if you have previous education and experience, equivalent to a degree-level qualification, which includes suitable preliminary training.

Language requirements

All international applicants must be able to show that their English is of a high enough standard to successfully engage with and complete their course at SOAS. If you have not yet taken an English language test, you can still apply for your degree, but we will include evidence of language requirements as part of your offer conditions. You can demonstrate English language ability in several ways.

More information on the English requirements can be found here

What next?

To make an application, or to find out more about fees and our admissions procedure, please visit the Apply section of this website.