Svetlana Viteva

Having completed a bachelor’s degree in Economics and Business Administration, I believed I had a solid understanding of market fundamentals and considered the Investment Analysis programme offered by the University of Stirling to be the right step forward in fulfilling my academic ambitions. After my involvement with the University for over a year, it would suffice to say that this is a place full of opportunities for the discerning student. This could be fully illustrated from my own experiences in the university.

To begin with, I was awarded with the Karen Napier scholarship, without which I would have found it difficult to complete the Masters. The programme proved to be intellectually challenging and truly inspiring. Classes were demanding and required extensive reading. The faculty was an invaluable support and offered help whenever needed. Comprehending the often complex and intertwined concepts in financial studies was quite intimidating at times. The course, however, is structured in a way which allows you to see link between different classes and grasp the “bigger picture”, while learning about the intricacies and technicalities of finance. Moreover, the partnership of the programme with the CFA institute is an immense benefit to everyone planning to sit the CFA examinations as it covers a substantial portion of the Level I, II and III curriculum. I would highly recommend the course to anyone who aims to become a certified analyst. I successfully passed my CFA Level I exams before the end of the school year thanks to the great preparation provided by the Investment Analysis classes in Stirling.

Passion and commitment for your field of study truly pays off in the end. At the end of the programme, I received the prestigious Walter Scott global Investment Management Prize, a monetary award given to the most meritorious student in the Investment Analysis programme. I have also chosen to pursue doctoral study in the University of Stirling for which I am being generously funded by the Accounting and Finance Division. The academically motivating atmosphere coupled with the excellent teaching staff makes me look forward to the next four years of research with optimism.