Before joining the MSc Finance programme at the University of Manchester, I had worked as a mortgage lock desk analyst in the United States. It was a role that gave me practical exposure to interest rates, mortgage-backed securities, loan pricing and risk management. However, I felt like I needed to understand the financial principles behind the decisions I was making at work and develop a broader view of financial markets. This eventually led me to pursue the MSc Finance programme at Alliance Manchester Business School.

One thing I wish I had known before starting is how quickly the year passes. A one-year master’s degree is very intensive. Once your first semester kicks off, lectures, assignments and career preparation begin to overlap. For the MSc Finance programme, it helps to arrive with a basic understanding of accounting, statistics and Excel, but you do not need to know everything in advance. What matters more is being prepared to ask questions, use the academic/career support available at AMBS and study consistently from the beginning. I would also recommend incoming students to think about their careers early, even if you are not yet certain which area of finance you aim to break into.

The combination of financial theory and practical application is what I valued the most in this programme. The course has strengthened my understanding of areas including corporate finance, portfolio investments, financial markets and quantitative analysis. Moreover, it has taught me how to connect concepts rather than treating each subject separately. Most importantly, I got to apply the technical knowledge I obtained through lectures into group assignments that required using Bloomberg, Stata, and MATLAB. Market movements can affect asset values, financing costs, investor behaviour and risk simultaneously, and this programme has helped me analyse these relationships more systematically and practically.

The practical opportunities alongside the academic programme have been particularly valuable. By participating in AmplifyME’s trading bootcamp, I was able to apply what I had learned in fast-moving market situations. The live simulations required me to interpret new information, make decisions under time pressure and manage risk carefully. I ranked first in the Investment Bank – Sales and Trading Simulation and was selected as an AmplifyME High Potential Candidate. This valuable experience increased my confidence and taught me the importance of staying composed and disciplined when market conditions change.

My dissertation has been another important part of my development. I am examining how macro-financial conditions experienced earlier in life may be associated with household investment decisions in Great Britain.  Researching data from the Office for National Statistics Wealth and Assets Survey and applying them into my thesis has allowed me to develop my empirical research and data-analysis skills while exploring a question that connects financial markets with individual behaviour. The process has taught me how much care is required to move from an interesting idea to a defensible piece of evidence.

This programme has also helped me clarify my career plans. My areas of interest have gradually moved from broad banking to real-estate investment and asset management. I am particularly interested in how financial analysis can support investment decisions that generate returns while also creating assets with lasting value for their users and surrounding communities. The analytical foundation developed during the MSc Finance programme has helped me understand how valuation, financing, market conditions and risk come together in these decisions.

My main advice for incoming students is for you to take advantage of the whole experience rather than viewing the degree only as a collection of modules. Speak to classmates from different backgrounds, participate in practical activities and begin exploring career options early by participating in employers’ events hosted by the university. You may start the programme with one career plan and finish with another, and that is not necessarily a problem. For me, MSc Finance has not simply added technical knowledge. It has helped me connect my previous experience with a clearer understanding of where I want to go next.

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