Master of Science in Software Engineering

at Heriot-Watt University - Edinburgh Campus United Kingdom

Our MSc in Economics, Banking and Finance will give you the chance to develop specialist expertise across three inter-connected and highly influential subject areas. The degree is informed by recent developments in Heriot-Watt’s sector leading research in Economics and Finance.

Heriot-Watt University is ranked as the number 1 university in Scotland, and top 10 in the UK, for studying both Economics and Finance in the Guardian University League Tables 2018.

As Heriot-Watt University is situated on the edge of Edinburgh, we have excellent links to the financial sector of Scotland’s capital city, the UK’s second biggest financial and economics hub. We also have close ties to the London Stock Exchange and Bloomberg which provide excellent industry-focused learning opportunities.

This masters degree in Economics, Banking and Finance is designed to give you practical, specialist knowledge whilst fine-tuning your professional skills, your research skills and your advanced communication skills. During this course, you will lead on an independent research project of your own and gain insight into the world of international finance.

The MSc in Economics, Banking and Finance is structured to give you access to a range of professions and managerial careers. These include roles in banks, businesses, non-government organisations and government institutions.

Economics is the study of how individuals, firms and governments make choices, and how these choices determine the way in which resources are distributed across society. It helps us understand and improve decision-making for ourselves, organisations and societies, and it throws light on issues as diverse as the environment, unemployment, inflation, poverty, globalisation and trade.

This degree will give you the skills to investigate, analyse and answer such questions. Your learning will be underpinned by the knowledge of highly respected economists who design and teach our courses with a global outlook and real-world focus, stemming directly from their research into global economic issues.

This fascinating undergraduate degree begins at an introductory level so you do not need to have previous knowledge of economics in order to study the programme.

Robotic and autonomous systems are now used in areas such as autonomous vehicle guidance, healthcare, remote surgery, industrial manufacturing and domestic assistance. This multi-disciplined robotics degree brings together electronics, computer software, and mechanics. In the first three years, you’ll be given a background in all three disciplines, along with the opportunity to build integrated systems. In the final two years, you can either continue with a broad-based curriculum, or specialise in particular aspects of contemporary robotics.

The MEng Robotics degree shares a common first three years with the BEng and includes a six-month industry placement, during years 4 and 5. Advanced courses can also be chosen from the three departments: Electronic Engineering, Computer Science, and Mechanical Engineering.

Our teaching philosophy:
The philosophy behind all of our programmes is 'learning by doing'. Our programmes are designed to be practical and allow students to develop skills beyond traditional academic content.

Students work on both individual and group projects from the third year onwards, providing them with valuable hands-on experience. The projects challenge you to solve a 'real life' problem – such as the project in which our students helped design an electronic egg to monitor penguin incubation.

If you want to start your career with a year's work experience in hand, then you should consider this course. It combines the rigorous studies of the BSc (Hons) Computer Science with a year of work placement in level 4. Good performance means 12 months experience of working in an organisation in the computing sector. The Diploma in Industrial Training is gained through successful completion of the work placement. The work placement helps you to develop specific work-related skills, giving you the opportunity to apply and build upon the theory you’ve learned. This course aims to give a well-integrated balance of theoretical underpinnings and practical experience, strongly informed by the research expertise of our academic staff.

MSc Finance and Management at Heriot-Watt University gives you the platform to develop highly employable, specialist expertise across the modern practices of financial management and business management.

This highly respected masters degree programme has been developed in response to industry demands for dynamic graduates who can combine expertise in financial management with the ability to implement effective business management strategies across organisations of any size.

Taught with a genuine industry focus by professionals and leading researchers from the fields of financial management and business management, this programme will open up many new career opportunities.

Whether you come from a relevant honours degree or an industry position in finance or business this programme will meet your ambition and equip you with a wealth of globally attractive and highly employable qualities.

This programme will improve your confidence, communication, creativity and fine-tune your team work and organisational skills. Group work and classroom discussion will give you insights into the working practices and perspectives of many different cultures and prepare you for a global career where you will work with colleagues from all over the world.

MSc Finance and Management includes a bespoke range of courses which will equip you with highly employable expertise across crucial areas of financial management and business management, specifically:

• Project management
• Financial research
• Financial analysis
• Portfolio management
• Corporate governance
• Corporate market analysis
• Business strategy

Gaining up-to-date expertise across these areas will put you in the position to succeed in roles such as financial analyst, investment banker, financial consultant and corporate finance specialist in highly lucrative areas such as asset management, corporate finance and banking.

The blend of skills and qualities developed through MSc Finance and Management can also be applied to managerial positions in small businesses where proper control of corporate finances is essential or to larger businesses and public sector organisations where financial management can play a critical role in defining organisational success.

The Masters in Business Psychology at Heriot-Watt University is the most established MSc of its kind in Europe, enjoying a well-earned reputation for producing graduates who can improve the performance and behaviour of individuals and teams.

Business psychology is a discipline often referred to as occupational psychology and organisational psychology.

The MSc Business Psychology will give you an in-depth understanding of the psychological mechanisms that drive positive behaviours and performances in the workplace.

Whether you're coming from an industry position or directly from an undergraduate degree, this long-established programme of study will equip you with an effective blend of knowledge drawn from the specialist fields of psychology, management and leadership.

The content on this one-year masters degree programme has been tailored to meet the needs of those working towards a number of job roles, such as business psychology practitioner, human resources manager, organisational development manager, coaching consultant, management consultant or leadership consultant.

You will develop commercial awareness and an understanding of global organisations which will allow you to recognise the impact of the economy, politics, globalisation and the changing labour market on the psychology of a workplace and performance of individuals and teams.

Key skills for improving performance:

• During the MSc Business Psychology you will explore different aspects of the psychological mechanisms behind workplace behaviour and gain the managerial skills that will allow you to enhance and improve performance of teams and individuals. You will build expertise in:
• Coaching
• Leadership
• Diversity
• Employment legislation
• Organisational change
• Organisational culture
• Marketing and consumer behaviour.

You will study the areas of psychology that directly apply to business settings, and explore some of the key psychological research methods that can be practised in the workplace.

By viewing the workplace through a psychological perspective, and by developing your analytical, critical thinking, and reflection skills, you will learn to recognise and improve seemingly intangible aspects of the workplace which, when appropriately managed, can directly improve business performance in terms of:

• Job satisfaction
• Wellbeing
• Leadership
• Organisational commitment
• Organisational culture
• Performance and productivity.

Specifically-designed group tasks and presentations will allow you to develop your interpersonal and communication skills, giving you the platform to implement your expertise and directly improve the performance of diverse groups of individuals and teams at any level within an organisation. 

Throughout this programme you will learn from a unique blend of research-led academic teaching and industry-focused practical exercises. For example, on the Psychology of Coaching course you will develop knowledge in the theoretical frameworks of this area of psychology whilst gaining practical insights into the tools and techniques of lecturers who are experienced coaching practitioners and consultants.

Heriot-Watt University ranked first in the UK for Physics in the National Student Survey 2020 (Overall Student Satisfaction). BSc Physics is accredited by the Institute of Physics and aims to bring this fascinating subject to life.

This physics degree covers subjects including dynamics, electromagnetism, photonics and optics and astrophysics. These areas lead onto the quantum world of subatomic particles, the fascinating nature of light and the challenging but wonderful fields of quantum physics and relativity. Mathematics and practical work play an important part throughout the course, and specialist courses provided a background in physical maths and lab skills for physics applications. In later years, the course offers more specialist topics, including laser physics, solid state physics, optoelectronic devices, nuclear physics and biophysics.

In Year 4, individual research projects in world leading research groups allow you to develop skills in advanced experimental design, modelling and computation. Throughout, the programme will also help with your practical abilities, initiative and teamwork. The Physics degree provides broad and comprehensive training in all aspects of physics and modern science, and is well suited to both non-academic careers and careers in research.

Ranked 2nd in Scotland and 10th in the UK for Town and Country Planning and Landscape in The Times / The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2021.

Our MSc Spatial Planning and Real Estate Development course provides the foundation, knowledge and skills needed to work as a development surveyor or planner. On completion, graduates will be able to work either in the public or private sectors, advising on the complexities of property development to occupiers, investors, developers and planning authorities.

The course is designed to build understanding of the complex interactions and uncertainties of the development process. It provides students with the essential knowledge components of economics, valuation, planning, law, and regeneration and sustainability principles. It also develops an appreciation of the skills and tasks inherent in development projects, including community participation, satisfying the statutory planning considerations, undertaking the necessary financial appraisals, and achieving funding to make it happen.

Edinburgh is a major centre for investment management with a long and proud history. The MSc in Investment Management provides key investment knowledge with a specific industry focus. A unique feature of the programme is the Current Topics in Investment Management course, where senior investment practitioners give weekly guest lectures, providing insight into the investment industry and allowing students to gain a real-life perspective on the knowledge and theories they are studying.

Discussion of academic theories and their limitations is combined with an emphasis on practical application. Staff teaching on the programme are at the forefront of research and practice in finance and investment management and most are also members of the Centre for Finance & Investment (CFI) which brings Heriot-Watt academics with an interest in finance and investment together with senior practitioners from the local financial community.

Bloomberg Trading Room:

• Heriot-Watt University opened its very own Bloomberg Trading Room in September 2018. Equipped with 12 state-of-the-art Bloomberg Terminals, this world-class facility provides opportunity to learn real-world financial skills. You will be able to gain a Bloomberg Certificate to show that you can use the industry-standard software which provides live financial data and trading tools to the world's leading banks and organisations.

Accreditation:

• We have links with several professional bodies, in particular the Chartered Financial Analyst Society of the UK, the Actuarial Profession and the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment.

Edinburgh is the UK’s second biggest financial centre outside of London, and Heriot-Watt University enjoys a well-established reputation in the world of accountancy and financial services. As a reflection of this reputation, we were ranked as the second best university in Scotland for undergraduate accounting and finance degrees in the Guardian University League Tables 2019.

MA (Hons) Accountancy and Finance at the Edinburgh Business School is designed and taught by practising professionals and respected academics. It offers you the chance to develop the skills and knowledge needed for a successful career in accountancy and financial services.

The industry focus of this degree, and its breadth of accreditations, make it possible for you to gain the maximum number of exemptions from professional accountancy exams, offering the strongest possible foundation from which to launch your career.

You can enhance your employability in the area of finance through use of our state-of-the-art Bloomberg Trading Room. This professional-standard facility provides access to live financial data from global markets and organisations. Integrating use of Bloomberg Terminals into our teaching develops professionally relevant skills in data analysis, financial reporting, financial risk management and financial modelling.

The majority of our MA (Hons) Accountancy and Finance graduates go on to become chartered accountants in either professional practice, industry, or the public sector, but many go on to successful careers in banking and finance. A survey by Unistats 2019 found that 91% of recent graduates were in work or further study six months after graduating.