Business

Master of Science in Global Banking and Finance

The Master of Science in Global Banking and Finance is a postgraduate programme that prepares professionals for advanced practice in global banking, financial analysis, investment management, and international finance. The programme combines financial theory with practical banking operations, global financial markets, and research application.

Core areas include global banking, financial analysis, investment management, international financial markets, risk management, corporate finance, financial econometrics, banking regulations, research methods, and project. Students engage with both theoretical and practical work through coursework, case studies, and research.

The programme is offered by USIU-Africa as MSc in Global Banking and Finance through the Chandaria School of Business. USIU-Africa is a private university offering the programme over two academic years through on-campus, face-to-face mode with admission on a semester basis.

Students develop expertise in financial analysis, global banking operations, and strategic economic decision-making. The programme is comparable to leading MSc or MBA Banking and Finance courses in Europe or America, opening graduates to global career opportunities.

USIU-Africa charges approximately KES 476,275/year (KES 952,550 total) for Kenyan students, with tuition at KES 20,000 per unit for 45 units. Entry requires a Bachelor's degree with at least Second Class Honours Upper Division or GPA of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale from an accredited institution with a background in a business field or equivalent relevant work experience.

Graduates pursue careers as investment bankers, financial analysts, banking managers, risk managers, portfolio managers, and financial consultants across banks, investment firms, insurance companies, regulatory bodies, multinational corporations, and financial consultancies.

Skills Required

Global Banking Operations and Strategy
Financial Analysis and Modelling
Investment Management and Portfolio Analysis
International Financial Markets
Risk Management in Banking and Finance
Corporate Finance and Valuation
Financial Econometrics and Quantitative Methods
Banking Regulations and Compliance
Research Methods in Finance
Academic Writing and Project Research

Key Subjects

Global Banking Operations and Strategy
Financial Analysis and Modelling
Investment Management and Portfolio Analysis
International Financial Markets
Risk Management in Banking and Finance
Corporate Finance and Valuation
Financial Econometrics and Quantitative Methods
Banking Regulations and Compliance
Research Methods in Finance
Project Research

Certifications

CFA Charter
CIB Banking Certification

Specializations

Global Banking

Focuses on global banking, covering operations, strategy, international, regulation, and managing global banking.

Investment Management

Examines investment management, covering portfolio, securities, valuation, and managing investment management.

Risk Management

Covers risk management, covering assessment, mitigation, derivatives, compliance, and managing financial risk.

Corporate Finance

Focuses on corporate finance, covering valuation, strategy, capital, M&A, and managing corporate finance.

International Finance

Examines international finance, covering markets, exchange, capital, and managing international finance.

Financial Technology

Covers financial technology, covering digital, payments, blockchain, innovation, and managing fintech.

Duration: 2 years
Public, up to: Ksh 256,200
Private, up to: Ksh 476,275
Job market: High

The programme

What you study, how long it takes, and how it is delivered.

Practicalities

Study mode: Full-time
Attachment: 0 months
Average class: 25 students
Award: Masters

What you study

10 subjects

Global Banking Operations and Strategy
Financial Analysis and Modelling
Investment Management and Portfolio Analysis
International Financial Markets
Risk Management in Banking and Finance
Corporate Finance and Valuation
Financial Econometrics and Quantitative Methods
Banking Regulations and Compliance
Research Methods in Finance
Project Research

Modules

12 in the programme

Global Banking Operations and Strategy
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines operations, strategy, international, regulation, cross-border, and managing global banking.
Financial Analysis and Modelling
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers statements, ratios, valuation, modelling, forecasting, and managing financial analysis.
Research Methods in Finance
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers research design, data collection, analysis, finance research methods, and conducting research, preparing students for their project.
Investment Management and Portfolio Analysis
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines portfolio, securities, asset allocation, performance, and managing investment management.
International Financial Markets
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers markets, exchange, capital flows, derivatives, and managing international finance.
Risk Management in Banking and Finance
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines credit, market, operational, derivatives, compliance, and managing financial risk.
Corporate Finance and Valuation
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers valuation, capital structure, M&A, strategy, dividends, and managing corporate finance.
Financial Econometrics and Quantitative Methods
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines modelling, forecasting, statistics, regression, and managing quantitative analysis.
Banking Regulations and Compliance
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers Basel, compliance, AML, governance, crisis, and managing regulatory frameworks.
Central Banking and Monetary Policy
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines central banking, monetary policy, interest rates, inflation, and managing monetary policy.
Financial Technology and Innovation
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers digital, payments, blockchain, innovation, and managing fintech.
Research Project
Year 2Semester 29 creditsCore
Original supervised research project on a global banking and finance topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and finance knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Specialisations

Global Banking
Focuses on global banking, covering operations, strategy, international, regulation, and managing global banking.
Investment Management
Examines investment management, covering portfolio, securities, valuation, and managing investment management.
Risk Management
Covers risk management, covering assessment, mitigation, derivatives, compliance, and managing financial risk.
Corporate Finance
Focuses on corporate finance, covering valuation, strategy, capital, M&A, and managing corporate finance.
International Finance
Examines international finance, covering markets, exchange, capital, and managing international finance.
Financial Technology
Covers financial technology, covering digital, payments, blockchain, innovation, and managing fintech.

A day as a student

A typical day during the MSc in Global Banking and Finance programme combines lectures, case studies, practical workshops, seminars, and independent study. Sessions cover global banking, financial analysis, investment management, international finance, and risk management. Global banking sessions examine operations, strategy, regulation, international, and managing global banking. Financial analysis sessions cover statements, ratios, valuation, modelling, and managing financial analysis. Investment management sessions cover portfolio, securities, asset allocation, and managing investment. International finance sessions cover markets, exchange, capital flows, and managing international finance. Risk management sessions cover credit, market, operational, derivatives, compliance, and managing financial risk. Corporate finance sessions cover valuation, capital structure, M&A, strategy, and managing corporate finance. Financial econometrics sessions cover modelling, forecasting, statistics, and managing quantitative analysis. Banking regulations sessions cover Basel, compliance, AML, and managing regulatory frameworks. Research methods sessions prepare students for their project, covering research design, data collection, and analysis. Case studies provide opportunities for analysing real banking and finance scenarios. Practical workshops provide hands-on experience with financial modelling, valuation, and risk analysis tools. Seminars and discussion groups provide opportunities for debating current issues in global banking and presenting research findings. Guest lectures from experienced bankers, financial analysts, and industry professionals provide practical insights. The programme culminates in a supervised research project on a global banking and finance topic.

The trade offs

In its favour

Programme comparable to leading MSc or MBA Banking and Finance courses in Europe or America, offering global career opportunities.
Offered by USIU-Africa, a prestigious private university with international accreditation and global network.
Graduates are eligible for CFA charter and CIB banking certification, enhancing global career prospects.
Admission on a semester basis provides flexibility for intake timing.

Against it

USIU-Africa charges high fees at approximately KES 476,275/year (KES 952,550 total).
Only one university (USIU-Africa, private) confirmed offering this specific programme, limiting institutional choice.
No public university confirmed offering this specific Global Banking and Finance programme.
Programme requires business background or equivalent relevant work experience, limiting access for non-business graduates.

What it costs

Tuition at both ends of the market, and how to pay for it.

What it costs, and where

Against 331 business courses

Public171k to 256k

171k at Maseno University256k at University of Nairobi

Private238k to 476k

238k at KCA University476k at USIU-Africa

Annual tuition in Kenyan shillings, rounded. The upright tick is the median for this field, so a bar sitting entirely to its right is an expensive programme by the standards of its own subject.

The fine print

USIU ~479K/yr (USIU fee schedule 2025-26). KCA ~241K/yr. Maseno & UoN unverified.

HELB postgraduate loans are available for Kenyan students. USIU-Africa may offer scholarships for eligible students. CFA Institute may offer scholarships for CFA programme candidates. Some banks and financial institutions may sponsor staff for postgraduate study.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
USIU-Africa Scholarship
CFA Scholarship

Scholarships

3 recorded

HELB Postgraduate Loan
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan students pursuing postgraduate studies at recognised universities.
USIU-Africa Scholarship
ScholarshipKsh 300,000Kenyan
USIU-Africa offers scholarships for eligible postgraduate students.
CFA Scholarship
ScholarshipKsh 200,000
CFA Institute offers scholarships for CFA programme candidates.

Getting in

The grades, the alternatives, and who accredits the award.

What you need

KCSE mean grade: N/A (Postgraduate)
Alternative entry: USIU-Africa requires Bachelor's degree with Upper Second or GPA 3.00/4.00 from accredited institution with business background or equivalent relevant work experience, or Lower Second or GPA 2.50/4.00 with additional training and evidence of research capability, or Lower Second with GPA 2.50/4.00 and at least two years of relevant working experience. Contact the university for specific admission requirements.

How you are assessed

3 components

Coursework and Continuous Assessment
Coursework40% of the mark
Continuous assessment through coursework assignments, case study analyses, presentations, class participation, and practical exercises.
Written Examinations
Examination60% of the mark
Written examinations covering global banking, financial analysis, investment management, and risk management.
Research Project
Research100% of the mark
Original supervised research project on a global banking and finance topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and finance knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Accreditation

The programme is accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). USIU-Africa (private) offers MSc in Global Banking and Finance through the Chandaria School of Business. The programme meets CUE standards for postgraduate training in banking and finance. Graduates are eligible for CFA charter and CIB banking certification.

Accredited by

Commission for University Education (CUE)
Academic accreditationRequired
Programme accredited by CUE. USIU-Africa (private) offers MSc in Global Banking and Finance through the Chandaria School of Business. The programme meets CUE standards for postgraduate training in banking and finance. Graduates are eligible for CFA charter and CIB banking certification.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

6 roles

Investment Banker
High demandKsh 150,000 to Ksh 600,000
Manages investment banking operations, overseeing capital raising, M&A, advisory, and managing investment banking.
Financial Analyst
High demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 450,000
Conducts financial analysis, overseeing statements, ratios, valuation, modelling, and managing financial analysis.
Banking Manager
High demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 500,000
Manages banking operations, overseeing strategy, operations, risk, compliance, and managing banking.
Risk Manager
High demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 500,000
Manages financial risk, overseeing credit, market, operational, compliance, and managing risk management.
Portfolio Manager
Moderate demandKsh 130,000 to Ksh 550,000
Manages investment portfolios, overseeing allocation, securities, performance, and managing portfolio management.
Financial Consultant
Moderate demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 450,000
Provides financial consulting, overseeing advisory, planning, strategy, and managing financial consulting.

Graduate outcomes

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

Bloomberg Terminal
SoftwarePrimary
Bloomberg Terminal for financial data, covering markets, analysis, news, and managing financial data.
Excel Financial Modelling
Software
Excel for financial modelling, covering valuation, analysis, forecasting, and managing financial models.
R Studio
Software
R Studio for econometrics, covering statistics, modelling, forecasting, and managing quantitative analysis.
Python
Software
Python for financial data analysis, covering data, modelling, visualisation, and managing financial data.

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Global banking is just about local banking.
Global banking covers comprehensive international operations, markets, regulations, and cross-border finance beyond just local banking.
This programme is only for bankers.
Banking and finance skills are valuable for analysts, consultants, managers, regulators, and educators beyond just bankers.
Financial analysis is just about numbers.
Financial analysis covers comprehensive statements, ratios, valuation, modelling, and strategic decision-making beyond just numbers.
Investment management is just about stocks.
Investment management covers comprehensive portfolio, securities, asset allocation, risk, and performance beyond just stocks.
Risk management is just about insurance.
Risk management covers comprehensive credit, market, operational, derivatives, and compliance beyond just insurance.
This programme is only for those already in banking.
The programme is designed for professionals from different backgrounds aspiring to work in the banking and finance industry.