Duke in London-Finance
A 6-WEEK SUMMER GLOBAL FINANCE PROGRAM
STUDY INTERNATIONAL MARKETS IN EUROPE'S FINANCIAL CENTER
Apply NowMeet London-Based Duke Alumni Working in Finance
This program is designed for students interested in gaining a deeper understanding of the financial services industry and global financial markets. The program incorporates two full-credit courses that address broad issues in finance, including a financial crises class that addresses causes and outcomes of a number of market bubbles and crashes, as well as a behavioral finance class that examines how market participants make decisions given known psychological biases. London is an ideal setting in which to study these topics, given the city’s role as a center for financial transactions throughout Europe, as well as links to the US, Asia, and emerging markets. The location likewise offers a variety of opportunities to interact with Duke alumni living and working in London as financial market professionals.
Program Fast Facts
Location: London, United Kingdom
Term: Summer II
Dates: July 1, 2023 - August 12, 2023
Application Deadline: February 1st
Academic Theme(s): Finance, Economics
Credit Type: Duke Credit
Eligibility: Must have GPA of 3.0 or higher. Must complete ECON 101. Completion of MATH 202 is beneficial, though not required. Non-Duke students are not eligible to apply to this program.
Duke Affiliation: Co-sponsored by Duke’s Department of Economics
Housing: Residence Hall
Primary Contacts:
Emma Rasiel (program-specific questions)
Christine Lee (GEO-related questions)
ACADEMICS
All students will be registered for both of the following courses. Neither the pass/fail option, nor auditing is permitted.
ECON 307A
Understanding Financial Bubbles and Crises
(SS) 1.0 Credit, Instructor: Caccavale
Pre-requisite: ECON 101
This course examines the similarities/differences of historical financial crises from “Tulipmania” in 1636 through the Credit Crisis of 2008. The class explores the regulatory changes that are enacted post-crisis and discusses factors we would employ to prevent future economic bubbles/crises. We will examine the impact of speculation, market fear/greed, fraud and corruption, financial instruments and regulations of past bubbles to attempt to predict and avoid future financial bubbles and crises. The course will look at specific financial crises in various markets ranging from industries (The Railway Mania of 1854) to stocks (The 1929 Stock Market Crash) to currencies (The European Monetary Collapse of 1992) to debt/asset (The Credit and Housing Crisis of 2008) and to exogenous financial market shocks (Covid-19). Class includes guest speakers from the London financial community to provide an inside view and feel of the markets during those periods as well as current topics in the financial arena.
ECON 368A / PSY 368A
Behavioral Finance: A Taxonomy of Money Mistakes
(SS) 1.0 Credit, Instructor: Rasiel
Pre-requisites: ECON 101. (Completion of ECON 201 and any of MATH 202, 212, 216, 218, or 222 would be beneficial, but is not required)
The European financial center, London, is an ideal location to learn more about how psychological biases affect financial market prices, both at the individual and aggregate level. This course mixes insights from the fields of psychology and decision-making to characterize some prevalent features of irrational behavior in financial markets. Throughout the course, visiting lectures from London-based finance executives will provide real-world color on the topics that we discuss in class. Further insights will be gained via site visits to financial firms’ offices, where we will learn about London’s role as the multi-cultural European financial center. Each class will begin with a discussion of a current news item or story from one of the leading British newspapers that morning, in which a particular behavioral bias or probability error is explicitly identified.
On Internships
Applicants should not anticipate having the opportunity to interview for a finance summer internship in London as a direct result of participating in this summer program. The London offices of investment banks hire interns almost exclusively from the U.K. and European schools, and do not typically interview students from U.S. schools or consider them for internships based in London. Nonetheless, the exposure to international financial firms, and networking opportunities with Duke alumni may prove valuable for students who wish to apply for U.S. or Asian-based financial market internships in a subsequent summer.
EXCURSIONS & ACTIVITIES
There are typically 6-8 required excursions, mostly to financial firms in London, to meet with alumni in the financial markets who offer panel discussions to talk about current financial market issues and activities. Other required excursions have included a visit to the Bank of England. The program also includes optional tours in London and elsewhere in England that are location-specific rather than academically related. Tours in recent years have included: a private tour to the Houses of Parliament; a day-long visit to Oxford; a London play; a trip to the Tate Modern Art Gallery; guided walking tours in various parts of London. Excursions and activities for summer 2022 are still being worked on.
HOUSING & MEALS
You will be housed in a UCL residence hall in central London, near the British Museum and convenient to the underground and Theatre District. There are kitchen facilities in the residence hall and many inexpensive restaurants nearby.
COSTS
These costs are estimated based on previous years’ programs and the current exchange rate. All costs are subject to change.
Summer 2023
Duke Students | |
---|---|
Tuition | $5,410 |
Program Fee |
$4,250 |
Transcript Fee | N/A |
Other Costs | Other Costs |
TOTAL (Estimated): | $16,810 |
Non-Duke students are not eligible to participate in this program.
Costs FAQs
The program fee for this program includes:
- Accommodations
- International SOS coverage
- Program-sponsored activities and excursions
- Orientation program
What is not included?
Use the following list to assist with budgeting for expenses outside the program fee. This list contains common examples but should not be considered exhaustive.
- Airfare
- Airport transportation to/from program site
- Meals
- Local transportation
- Out-of-pocket medical expenses
- On-site accident and health insurance policy
- Visa and/or residency permit (if needed)
- Passport
- Immunizations
- Mobile phone
- Laundry
- Independent travel and entertainment
- Items of a personal nature
- Incidentals
- Access to educational facilities at host university
- Textbooks and class materials
- Internet usage
U.S. citizens do not need a visa for this program. However, if you are not a U.S. citizen, you may need a visa. Please be sure to research the cost of obtaining a visa for Canada, including any required travel to a consulate or embassy.
If you receive financial aid, and need assistance with travel costs, please contact your financial aid counselor.
Personal expenses can fluctuate greatly depending upon habits and preferences of the individual. It’s also wise to budget for unexpected expenses such as medical emergencies. You can use a cost-of-living comparison tool to get an idea of what daily life costs in the program host location.
Step 1: Upon acceptance to the program, you must submit the Summer Participation Agreement found in your MyExperientialEd application to confirm your enrollment. A parent/guardian’s co-signature is required. This form takes the place of a deposit.
NOTE: If you withdraw after March 15, you will be charged a cancellation fee for voluntary withdrawal. Fees range from $1,500-2,000.
Step 2: Summer invoices will be sent via email to your Duke email address and home email address. Remit payment to the Bursar per due date and address indicated on your online statement. Consult the Duke Bursar's office billing schedule for payment due dates.
Financial Aid
Duke students receiving institutional need-based grant aid are eligible for aid for this program; work-study funds are converted to grants. Students are individually responsible for making the necessary arrangements with the Karsh Office of Undergraduate Financial Support and the Duke Bursar’s Office.
Scholarships
This program offers the following scholarship opportunities:
DATES
Attendance is required at all classes, excursions, and group events. Given the intense nature of this program, late arrival and/or early departure is not permitted.
- Arrival: July 1, 2023
- Departure: August 12, 2023
Flights
You will make your own travel arrangements to and from the program site. You are expected to arrive on the arrival date cited above, which usually means departing the U.S. one day prior. Once you have a flight itinerary, please log in to MyExperiential to update your travel registry.
Housing Before/After
You will need to make your own housing arrangements if you will be arriving before the program start date or leaving later than the program end date.
VISA & PASSPORT
Visa
No visa is required of U.S. citizens to participate in this program. Non-U.S. citizens should pay special attention to the visa requirements for their specific citizenship by contacting the country embassy to find out if any visa restrictions are in effect. Please use this website for more information: https://www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa.
Passport
All participants must have a valid passport. Make sure your passport has at least six months of validity beyond the program end date to avoid unintended disruptions. For instructions on obtaining or renewing your U.S. passport, visit passports.state.gov.
Program Faculty & Staff
The program faculty director(s) can assist with questions related to program academics, admissions, on-site needs, etc. For all other inquiries, please contact the Global Education Office.
Faculty Directors


GEO Program Manager

ADMISSIONS
Deadline: February 1
This program has rolling admission. Applications will be considered on a first-come, first-served basis until the program fills; after that, qualified students are added to a waitlist and notified of openings. Applications must be received by the deadline to be considered. Applications open on November 1.
Priority: Priority is given to applicants who apply early and meet the prerequisites.
Eligibility: Must have GPA of 3.0 or higher. Must complete ECON 101. Completion of MATH 202 is beneficial, though not required. Non-Duke students are not eligible to apply to this program.
Please note: all students must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to participate on this program, or have received an exemption from both Duke and from our local vendor. Exemptions from Duke will not automatically carry over, nor are they guaranteed to also be approved by the local vendor.
*Special Note for First Year Applicants: Program acceptance cannot be determined until after Dean’s Checks are completed in January.
GEO policy for graduating seniors who wish to apply for a Duke summer study abroad/away program:
Students must be active, matriculated students in order to participate in any Duke-in summer programs, including Duke’s domestic summer programs. All program courses must be taken for graded credit. If seniors plan to graduate in May of the year they plan to study abroad in the summer, they will not be eligible to participate on any of our summer programs unless they receive approval from their academic dean at Duke to delay their graduation until after the summer program has ended.
Non-Duke students planning to graduate in May in the year they plan to study abroad in the summer must provide approval to delay their graduation until after the summer program has ended from the appropriate official at their home institution. Such approval must be furnished in writing to GEO before the student will be allowed to participate in the summer program. This approval may be sent via email to the appropriate program assistant at GEO.
Duke students who defer their graduation to participate in study abroad should consult with their financial aid advisor in the Duke Office of Undergraduate Financial Aid to determine whether they are eligible for a summer aid package and/or a GEO summer scholarship.
Apply
Start your application early to ensure that it is complete by the deadline! Incomplete applications will not be forwarded to the program directors for consideration.
Submit the following items using MyExperientialEd:
- Online application
- Official transcript(s) from all colleges and universities attended. First-year students should wait for fall semester grades to be posted before submitting their transcript.
- A personal statement, no longer than one page, explaining your interest in international financial markets, and this program
- Resumé
Once you submit an application, you may be asked to interview with the faculty director.