MSc Islamic Finance 2025*

*Subject to approval

Searching for a new and unique area where you can develop your knowledge and professional skills – an MSc in Islamic Finance provides you with a transformative journey, as it will equip you with the crucial knowledge and skills needed to be part of this dynamic and exciting alternative financing field. 

Programme overview

In the world of sustainable development and Ethics-Social and Governance paradigms, MSc in Islamic Finance will give you the necessary critical skills to develop ethical screening and decision-making on top of financial decision-making skills.  

Since Islamic finance is constituted from a particular knowledge set, this programme aims to provide you with fundamental knowledge related to Islamic finance galvanised by essential practical skills and real-world applications in an international context. It also focuses on the countries that have a systemic presence of Islamic finance, including the UK.

Through Islamic finance and finance related core and elective modules, you will gain a deep understanding of the Islamic financial system and the working of Islamic financial contracts within national and international contexts. Core modules include specialised modules such as Islamic Political Economy, Islamic Law and Financial Transactions, Islamic Banking and Finance, and conventional finance modules such as Fundamentals of Finance and Financial Management. Each module is tailored to foster an intricate grasp of Islamic and conventional finance in an interactive manner within the global financial system by making reference to sustainable development and the digital economy.

In assisting you to personalise your learning experience, you will have the flexibility to choose from a variety of optional modules that align with your career aspirations in the Islamic and conventional sectors. These electives include Islamic Capital Markets, Risk Management Issues in Islamic Finance, Climate Finance, Private Equity and Wealth Management, among others, allowing you to specialise in areas that serve your interest.

The programme is structured as a one-year, full-time, residential course that significantly enhances your international exposure. Through collaborations with our esteemed global Islamic finance partners, you will have opportunities to participate in Durham Islamic Finance Summer School to enhance your practical skills by learning from global leaders of Islamic finance.

Durham is one of the most spectacular towns in the UK, with a huge historical legacy. Similarly, campus life is vibrant and enriching. Hence, engage in numerous activities and events that will broaden your business acumen, including exclusive presentations offered by Durham Islamic Finance Summer School by the guest speakers renowned in international Islamic finance circles.

Our Business School is accredited by the AACSB, AMBA, and EQUIS, is recognised for its academic rigor and commitment to excellence. You will learn from academics who are not only leaders in their fields but also passionate about mentoring the next generation of Islamic finance leaders.

Prepare to advance your career with a globally oriented mindset and a network of peers and professionals from around the world, as Durham Business School is internationally recognised for being at the forefront of Islamic finance research and education, where you will develop the expertise to thrive in diverse environments and make impactful decisions on a global scale.

Thus, international and domestic developments provide an enhanced rationale for taking up an MSc Islamic finance programme to be part of a thriving and unique sector known as Islamic finance.

Entry Requirements 2025 entry*

*Subject to approval

The application process opens 1 October 2024 for Masters programmes commencing 2025.
We aim to have a diverse student body and recognise that we can only offer places to a finite number of applicants. To help achieve our aim, we look to ensure we offer places to applicants from all nationalities and close applications when we receive the allocated numbers.
The University is under no obligation to make any offer of a place on the programme to any applicant, nor is the University obligated to fill all spaces available on the programme.

The MSc in Islamic Finance programme is designed for new or recent graduates. However, it may also be of interest to those who already have practical experience in the field of finance. 

Prospective candidates must hold qualifications equivalent to a UK first or upper second-class honours degree in any discipline. 
For applicants whose first language is not English: a minimum score of 6.5 in IELTS, with no element below 6.0; or a minimum score of 92 in TOEFL, with no element below 23; or an equivalent qualification.

Fees for 2025 entry *

*Subject to approval

The tuition fees for 2025/26 academic year have not yet been finalised, they will be displayed here once approved.

Visit the University's Scholarship page and Funding Database to explore a range of support options.