Advance your specialist and practical knowledge
In the spring and summer terms, you will choose between undertaking two types of projects, in order to develop specialist skills and subject knowledge to benefit your future career. You can either pursue an Applied Project together with an additional elective, or a traditional Research Project.
Undertaking this research focused project will enable you to:
- Develop a deeper understanding of an aspect of financial markets, industry or the economy
- Develop technical expertise in areas such as financial analysis, mathematical modelling, information technology, forecasting or computing
- Achieve a better understanding and performance in the process of research, such as familiarity with sources and use of data, ability to evaluate and synthesise existing literature and presentation of findings accurately, clearly, concisely
This is an essential part of the educational process and something that is exclusively yours. Academic staff will help, facilitate and, finally, judge your efforts, but you are ultimately responsible for the work and for what you get out of the process.
Applied Project
Most students choose to undertake an Applied Project because it has a practical focus and is designed for those who are interested in a career in a financial institution. If you choose this option, you will also complete an additional elective. The report, of 3,000 words, is due for submission in August.
Previous report topics include:
- Analyst’s report on a given industry combined with a selection of individual company valuations
- Modelling project: a comprehensive implementation of a financial model, complete with dedicated user interface, user’s manual and developer’s manual
- Quantitative design: a quantitative analysis of a realistic financial engineering problem
Work Placement
If you have secured a work placement, you will be able to link your project to the area of finance of the employer organisation. The Programme Director is required to approve the work placement in advance.
Research Project
Advised by a faculty supervisor, you’ll identify a topic or issue of interest and then analyse it statistically or numerically. The Research Project is ideal if you wish to follow an academic career and apply to a PhD programme. Your project report, of up to 10,000 words, is due for submission by mid-August.
Previous project topics include:
- Estimation of copulas from bond default data
- Dynamic asset allocation of an FX portfolio
- The impact of accelerated amortization on ABS pricing: an implementation of the Li model
- Economic capital modelling of operation risk
Imperial College Business School reserves the right to alter modules whenever they need to be amended or improved. Faculty may also change as and when required.
"What I really enjoy is the amount of knowledge gained both academically through the material covered and personally by interacting with like-minded students. I am confident that I have developed sufficient knowledge to understand and thrive in the finance industry and most importantly, realise the direction I want to follow in my finance career."
