MSc Financial Prognostic Informatics

Informatics Research Centre

University of Reading

OVERVIEW
MSc Financial Prognostic Informatics is a specialist course within the MSc Applied Informatics. It provides the knowledge and forensic skills needed to identify financial discrepancies, fraud risks, money laundering, and potentially fraudulent activities, and provides education on preventative financial monitoring practices. Fraud is a significant and growing risk, which affects the profitability and threatens the reputation of companies around the world. The rate of fraudulent transactions in the financial services industry is increasing at an alarming rate. Financial malpractice and recklessness are dynamic; new patterns and opportunities emerge continually. A major challenge faced by both financial institutions and other enterprises is how to enable rapid identification of unusual, suspicious and high-risk activities. This course will prepare you for careers in areas such as international banking and international business. The course is suitable for people who have a first degree in finance, economics or mathematics.

STRUCTURE
This course is delivered in a flexible and modular framework. There are two exit points: a Postgraduate Certificate (PGC) and an MSc degree.

A student is required to complete 7 taught modules, including common and specialist modules, followed by a dissertation project. A taught module is delivered in a block of 5 working days. The dissertation is normally relevant to a practical problem and the student is encouraged to conduct applied research relevant to practical problems in industry.

CAREERS
Graduates from this course will be able to work in financial and banking sectors and academia. Potential job areas include: Quantitative analyst • Financial forensic analyst • Information specialist/advisor • Information resource manager/consultant • Project manager • Knowledge management specialist • Software engineer • Systems analyst/developer • Leading to a PhD study

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Applicants are expected to hold a good honours degree in a related science field, or in a social science with basic IT knowledge and skills. Relevant industry experience is also acceptable, subject to the University of Reading’s APEL rules. For more information on these please see: www.reading.ac.uk/Handbooks/Teaching_and_Learning/apel.htm
Applicants whose first language is not English are expected to have obtained IELTS 6.5 or TOEFL 570. We provide a free pre-sessional English course for those who have achieved IELTS 5.5 with excellent academic results.

COMPULSORY MODULES
• Applied informatics
• Research methods
• Dissertation

SPECIALIST MODULES
• Business intelligence and data mining
• Financial statistical modelling
• Computational tools for fifinancial prognosis

COMMON OPTIONAL MODULES
• Corporate fifiance
• International money and fifinance
• IT project management
• Business communications and negotiations
• Social and legal issues in computers and communication
• Dependable information systems
• Enterprise resource planning systems