Finance

Overview

Finance is a stimulating and challenging discipline that offers a wide range of exciting and dynamic careers across the financial industry. The finance sector has grown in terms of complexity as it meets the needs of increasingly international, technologically complex and data-driven markets. By studying finance, you will acquire a wide range of skills that can be applied to problems faced by agents ranging from entrepreneurs who need to fund their ideas to investors seeking the best opportunities to grow their wealth; from private investment banks who engineer innovative financial products to regulators tasked with protecting the industry; and from individuals searching for a mortgage to multinational firms seeking to finance their operations. The study of finance opens the door to a myriad of diverse career opportunities.



This is a one-year full-time programme. If you have the desire and ambition to forge a successful career in the world of Finance, then this is the perfect programme for you. The course provides an accelerated route to the equivalent of an honours degree in finance. Students will cover the basic concepts, empirical methods and applications in investment, derivatives, international finance, and econometrics as well as choosing field courses of interest from a range of optional modules such as corporate finance, fixed income markets and financial accounting.

The course consists of two semesters of taught modules over the nine months of the academic year. A comprehensive range of modules in finance, including corporate finance, fixed income markets, derivatives, financial modelling, and a broad range of optional modules. Students take three compulsory modules and nine optional modules during the academic year which will be centrally timetabled by the Timetabling Office. To assimilate students from diverse academic backgrounds, the Programme Director will advise each student on which optional modules to choose to provide them with a solid foundation in Finance.

An honours primary degree in any discipline. Students without any knowledge of economics or finance are strongly advised to have a good background in statistics and quantitative methods and to be prepared to undertake substantial independent study to equip themselves with the expected level of economics and finance. Well-motivated, quantitatively able honours graduates of any discipline are welcome to apply. Applicants must have a recognised primary degree which is considered equivalent to Irish university primary degree level, a primary degree in any other discipline and have at least 5 years' relevant work experience. In exceptional cases, consideration will be given to candidates who do not hold a primary degree, but who do have at least 10 years' relevant work experience, at least three of which are in a management position. These applicants are managed through the Maynooth University Procedure for Non-Standard Entrants and Recognition of Prior Experiential Learning.



Minimum English language requirements:

Applicants for whom English is not their first language are required to demonstrate their proficiency in English in order to benefit fully from their course of study. For information about English language tests accepted and required scores, please see here. The requirements specified are applicable for both EU and International applicants..



Maynooth University's TOEFL code is 8850

Applications are open for the 2025/6 academic year. Visit our online application portal to start your application.

We are here to support you throughout the admissions process.



For queries on your postgraduate course options please contact pgstudies@mu.ie

For queries or support on your application process please contact pgadmissions@mu.ie



If you are an international (Non-EU) applicant please contact internationaladmissions@mu.ie

1 year Full-time.

In general, there are two levels of fees payable. EU students from EU countries including Ireland pay a subsidised level of fees for both taught courses and research programmes. Tuition fees for students from outside the EU are not subsidised and are thus somewhat higher than for EU students.

Course Commences: September.

Career Options

After this 1-year intensive programme, graduates will be well-equipped with the skills to begin a career in the financial sector. This is a high-growth, constantly evolving sector with diverse career opportunities at home and abroad.



Graduates who wish to continue their studies may pursue one of our MSc programmes subject to meeting the entry requirements.



Graduates of this programme are currently enjoying successful careers in investment and retail banking, portfolio fund management, professional accountancy, corporate recovery, regulatory agencies, NGOs, government service, stockbroking, and bond trading in the private sector. Others have taken up research positions at the Central Bank of Ireland, some continue to PhD programmes to pursue an academic career. The diverse careers of our graduates reflect the adaptability and flexibility of our graduates.