LSE MSc in Law and Accounting. Advice please!!
I would really appreciate any insights for me in regards of the masters program that I will be attending.
I recently have been admitted to LSE MSc Law and Accounting and the program allows me to take two finance related courses alongside with five corporate law courses and accounting courses. I applied to the program because I heard the brand name trumps everything, but I found out it is not true in some cases.
I graduated from Top 20 US University with 3.8 GPA, but since I have no relevant internship during the undergrad. I am currently working as an intern in investment management firm.
Here is the question: after I got admitted to LSE's program, I started to dig into some other programs in UK as well as US. I read a lot of contents that non-finance program at LSE has relatively weak placement record in compared to finance-related programs from lower tier schools like Durham's masters finance or King's College's masters finance courses.
My goal is to break into IB M&A. I know it is almost impossible to land BB IB FT analyst position without relevant experience. So I am looking for MM or boutique IB firm that does primarily M&A deals.
Should I prepare for the admission this year and apply again to top notch finance program? or should I stick with LSE's MSc Law and Accounting?
Thank you guys.
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Stick with it, the MSc Law and Accounting has a good placement record. You are right that brand name trumps everything; moreover, the accounting and finance modules on your course will make up for the lack of finance specialisation.
Be warned that if you lack relevant internship experience you will struggle during recruitment and even a degree from LSE will not get you very far.
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I am in touch with some people who are familiar with the programme.
To echo the poster below, corporate insolvency law will help if you work in special situations or restructuring in future.
Sorry, can't help you.
But does anyone know why law and accounting is considered to be a master of science? Is this UK/LSE specific? What's next: MSc in arts?
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Remember to take company law and restructuring, will really help you out
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Here currently an student in another Msc at the LSE in the Accounting Department (Think Accounting and Finance, Accounting, Organizations, Institutions) . I come from a similar background of yours (non target - high GPA) wantedd to do IB after ny program. Here is my experience so far about your program and the outlook from some of my peers in it : Msc Law and Accounting: - You will lack the skills and finance knowledge that other Msc studnets have since it’s not an specialized degree like the previously mentioned. You will lack Quant skills because even the electives will have extremely selective list of students, and preference will be given to the finance students.
Recruiting wise, the LSE brand is really strong in Europe. I got interviews and presentations at most BB in London. US banks were not as receptive even though I had a BO internship from a top BB.
Your peers are not focus in getting into finance. They want to be associates at law firms or even a paralegals.
However, the degree is extremely cheap 23k compared to other top unis degree and the brand is strong. I believe you can switch programs when you enter the LSE (Multiple people did it). My recommendation would be to switch to a management or other Accounting program when you get there or join the Investment society and other LSESU groups and get involved. Multiple Econ history and even development students got offers at BB/MBB just because the brand name and their invilvement in multiple projects. Good luck in your decision process. LSE is a great school and provide amazing resources, but sometimes people believe the brand alone will provide you a job, something far from reality.
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Sorry for the typos in the last response. I was typing directly on my phone. Going back to your questions:
What do you mean by courses are extremely selective? Do students have to apply for the program and be selected by the faculty? They offer you a place in the course depending on how competitive it is and your main course. Also, yes the faculty makes the decision.
I was going to take courses like corporate finance A and valuation and securities analysis. Are these courses selective as well? Corporate finance courses are only for people in the Finance department. However, you can take their similar modules (Same content) FM 473 and FM474. Now for Valuation and Security analysis ( I'm currently in the module).
I do not think anybody from Law and accounting got the offer to take the module since most people are from the Finance department, Accounting, and Finance or AOI.
Also, is it really possible to switch the program? It is possible. Many people did even without a GMAT score. However, it is competitive and you should have a substantial background in the topic.
My advice is: London is great and LSE an amazing school, but this won't provide you any career opportunities outside London without an internship in FO. I have peers with internships that have not landed even a BO role in a BB. Brexit is making the job market extremely uncomfortable for recent graduates and you should not take that lightly.
What's your target market? (I landed an offer in a top BB in the US) but it was not an easy process. PM if you want more info.
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