MSc Public Financial Management (2019 Entry)

Overview:

Our MSc Public Financial Management programme will enable you with the conceptual tools and the practical skills to analyse, understand, and play a role in the management of public financial resources.

The core modules of the programme will equip students with theoretical knowledge about programming, budgeting, collecting revenue and reporting about the financial performance of public sector entities.

Elective modules will provide students the possibility to deepen their understanding of more specific areas such as, for example, development assistance and foreign aid, the role of capital markets and banks, management accounting and project appraisal. Along the way, students will develop capabilities to analyse, critically appraise and communicate which will provide valuable assets for their professional activity and career prospects.

The subject area of public financial management refers to all systems, processes and tools that public authorities employ to manage the financial resources in the public sector. Public financial management has various ramifications - for example, from the collection of revenue to the budgeting of expenditures, and from financial reporting to the auditing and evaluation of public entities and programmes. The prudent, efficient and effective management of public finances is vital for the delivery of public policies and services.

Why study MSc Public Financial Management at SOAS:

• We're ranked 11 in the UK and 2 in London for Business and Management by the 2019 Guardian University league table
• Programmes are delivered by a multicultural and international teaching body, who regularly publish in top international journals
• You will develop an excellent understanding of key issues shaping international business strategy
• We are specialists in the delivery of more that forty African and Asian languages. As the economies of the Global South continue to expand, knowledge of another language and other cultures will be a big asset in the world of commerce and international trade
• You will be joining our thriving community of alumni and academics who have an impact on the world outside of academia
• You will be able to flexibly structure your programme using our optional modules and/or optional modules from other departments, including the opportunity to learn a regional language

This programme has a first-rate graduate employability record. Graduates will have a solid understanding of public financial management that should place them in a good position to pursue a career, or advance their career, in the civil service, local government, NGOs, and super-national organisations.

Overview duration: One calendar year (full-time) Two or Three calendar years (part-time)

• Fees 2019/20 UK/EU fees:

Interested Students.

Structure:

Students must take 180 credits. These are composed of 120 taught credits comprising core and optional modules and a 60 credit dissertation.

The 10,000 word dissertation is worth 33% of your final mark. During term 2 you will submit your dissertation proposal and be allocated an academic supervisor. Over the ensuing months you should meet with your supervisor at least three times before the end of term 3 for guidance. The bulk of your dissertation will be written over the summer to meet the mid-September deadline.

Our mission is to inspire the next generation to develop ideas for a fairer and more sustainable world. We welcome the brightest minds from over 130 different countries, creating a community that is diverse, vibrant and multinational. From day one at our central London campus, our students are encouraged to challenge conventional views and think globally – and that’s one of the reasons why they develop careers that make a real difference. A SOAS student is typically passionate about their subject, opts to learn a second language, loves to learn, to travel, to be surprised; and is interested and engaged with the world around them.