Studying masters in Banking. Worth it?

ViolaLass

myright wrote: »

thanks for the great advice there^^

so judging by your experience in doing the above courses would you say, there's tons of learning to do?

I really wanted to start the Masters course at the very latest in Janurary. Do you think it's possible to gain the necessary mathematical skills from now until then? If not, it probs be best I forget the whole idea.

I really don't understand where you got the idea that a Masters in finance would be so easy. Yes, you'll need to get yourself to a higher level for it (which you would have known if you had looked at the entry requirements) and no, you probably can't do this in six months!

It's a bit like me deciding I'll play in the Ashes this winter. Oddly enough there's more to it than that!

Hominu

myright wrote: »

I really wanted to start the Masters course at the very latest in Janurary. Do you think it's possible to gain the necessary mathematical skills from now until then?

Do you have a degree in mathematics? If not, do you think you can obtain a degree in mathematics in 4 months?

John1993_2

myright wrote: »

can you give me more insight to the 'vocational route?'

It depends on you doing your research first into what job you want. Do you want to be a manager in investment banking, private banking, corporate banking, retail banking, or what, exactly? Do you want to run a branch, a trading desk, prime brokerage, retail sales, corporate lending?..

Finance is a huge, huge business. You need to work out where you want to go. The route comes next.

Voyager2002

John1993 wrote: »

I still do that. There are thousands of highly qualified applicants for our jobs, and it's not possible to interview them all, so one of the things that I sift on is attention to detail.

Another is quality of institution. I feel a bit bad for the excellent candidate who chose for unusual reasons to attend Hull, but, again, it's not best use of resources to see the people from there, in general.

Bizarre... Hull is an excellent university, with a number of world-class departments. There are good reasons for short-listing on the basis of the quality of the university attended, but at least use accurate information on the universities in question.

John1993_2

Voyager2002 wrote: »

Bizarre... Hull is an excellent university, with a number of world-class departments. There are good reasons for short-listing on the basis of the quality of the university attended, but at least use accurate information on the universities in question.

As I pointed out up above, it's not even in the top 50 in the UK, let alone one of the top in the world.

I think that it's your information that's inaccurate, but if you've got something that suggests, say, that it's in the world's top 50, then post it up, and I'll alter my filtering.

Maybe you just have a lower level that counts as "excellent" than I do, but it's genuinely not sensible to decide to give a space to someone from Hull ahead of a top candidate from Stanford, Tokyo, Oxford, Harvard, or the like. Do you honestly believe it ranks up there with them?

Edited to add, the first source I found puts it outside the top 300

http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/world-university-rankings/2011-12/world-ranking/institution/university-of-hull

And edited again today, I'm not saying it's a bad university, but it's not among our best nowadays.

myright

Well if you guys read the first page of the thread. I originally was asking about a banking masters, but most of us agree that is a rubish degree. Some members suggested Finance instead. Before this it didnt even cross my mind, I never thought it's be easy.

As to where do I want to be? well I am still very unsure. You all have seen my qualifications/ credentials. Basically this is a last minute decision I made. As I have been made redudant in one of my jobs. So I have got my second job hours increased which is working as a cashier in a bank. I work 3 days a week. Which leaves me 4 days and 3 evenings per week to focus on studying.
So a masters was just an idea and I have been studying Cemap on the side.
I just want some opinions on what I can do? and what doors will it open for me? or atleast tell me what would you do in mmy position? Dont worry about my commitment, cus i have a 1000% enthusiasam and determination to get it done.

DunPin

myright wrote: »

I just want some opinions on what I can do? and what doors will it open for me? or atleast tell me what would you do in mmy position? Dont worry about my commitment, cus i have a 1000% enthusiasam and determination to get it done.

I've read the thread and I still haven't been able to ascertain whether or not you want to be in retail or investment banking, it's clear you want to be in banking but as to which sector, I cannot tell.

In your shoes, I'd take a Masters in Accounting and Financial Management or Corporate Finance (actually it is something I intend to do soon, at Stockholm School of Economics or St. Gallen) and then apply for graduate programs in accountancy/investment banking and hope for the best :A

myright

thanks for that, but I am getting the impression that a finance related degree would be beyond my skill set as it will incorporate mathematics of a high level. I'm confused dot com lol

ViolaLass

Three minutes of googling brings up that the seven universities I looked at want you to have at least a 2:1 in a relevant degree to do a Masters in Accounting. You scraped a 2:2.

In your shoes, I would start by contacting universities and asking them whether there would be any point you applying for the courses you're interested in. If they say no, they would be able to advise you on what you need to do to put yourself in a better position.

In your first post, you said that you wanted to get into 'the line of management'. I don't see that you would need a masters for this anyway. I think you need to do some research (real research, not asking others on the internet to do it for you) and think properly about what you want to do and what you are in a position to aim for right now. Talk to people at work, talk to university admissions. The information is all there.

DunPin

myright wrote: »

thanks for that, but I am getting the impression that a finance related degree would be beyond my skill set as it will incorporate mathematics of a high level. I'm confused dot com lol

I have a feeling it is, I've just looked at Cambridge's Masters of Finance and you need two to three years of professional work experience in a financial environment (preferably Front Office), 2:1 degree and an AS in Maths (or equivalent).

I also went over the EU/EEA universities that I'm applying to and they too would be out of reach based on the 2:2, it's more a case of working your way up through the ranks rather than getting a masters I'm afraid.