Choice between EDHEC MSc Finance / Henley MSc International Securities, Investment and Banking

[Market-Pro]

Hi fellow forum members,

Out of the offers I hold for 2014 entry, below are the respectable ones.

· MSc International Securities, Investment and Banking (10 months – Full Time)
ICMA Centre - Henley Business School, University of Reading, UK

· MSc Finance (1 Year – Full Time)
EDHEC Business School, Nice, France

I have 3.5 years of experience in the international financial markets. I have been a part of the Treasury Middle Office, Product Control & Valuation Control departments of global financial services organisations (MNC banks & Hedge Funds). Although my experience, so far, was based out of india. I did have a decent international exposure by means of everyday interaction with traders and other verticals of financial markets. I led a team of 5 to 7 valuation analyst in my last professional role.

I do not possess an academic background in finance and my UG grades aren't strong as well (I am an engineer), hence I wish to pursue a master degree in finance, such as above one's and then go for programs like...

1. MIT - Masters in Finance
2. London Business School - Masters in Finance or some of the top US MBA's may be......

I have a score of 700+ in GMAT and impressive professional references (from the Global Head and Department Heads of Financial Market teams)

so, as of now...I wish to know, how the experts in this forum look at the above courses. Please share your feedback on the possibility of any possible IB job prospects (not FO jobs) in UK (London) or France, after graduating from above courses.

I have been a silent watcher of all the forums of this wonderful community, for past few years, and this is my first post and a humble request to the experts (like Andy, BBW.....) of this forum.

Thanks & Regards

 

[Irving Lo]

If attend Reading, choose its Financial Engineering program. (assume you can transfer)

If you just want to study general Finance, EDHEC might be better.

 

[Market-Pro]

Hi Irving,

Thanks for your reply. I suppose, change of course is not possible at Reading.

EDHEC, finance looks better, however any entry level financial market roles at France seem to require high fluency in local language. Anyway thanks !!!

I request further views please !!!

 

[Irving Lo]

As for ICMA, the departure of Professor Carol Alexander from ICMA to Sussex (her undergrad alma mater) is a great loss to ICMA's faculty depth and research presence. Not only her research have been cited by nearly all famous academia gurus involve in risk management and volatility research but many practioners such as my colleagues and friends in trading desks and fund managment industry have been followed and tried to emulate her spread trading research mentioned on her papers.

She's now directing the finance program in Sussex and hired some of her former ICMA PhD students who worked at the London City's trading desk to Sussex finance faculty.