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2019-20-Business-Management-and-Finance

Finance and Investment BSc (Hons)

This course prepares students to excel in a career within the broad financial sector, including financial management, investment banking and equity trading. The programme is designed with a special focus on practical perspective and employability.

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Block teaching designed around you

You deserve a positive teaching and learning experience, where you feel part of a supportive and nurturing community. That’s why most students will enjoy an innovative approach to learning using block teaching, where you will study one module at a time. You’ll benefit from regular assessments - rather than lots of exams at the end of the year - and a simple timetable that allows you to engage with your subject and enjoy other aspects of university life such as sports, societies, meeting friends and discovering your new city. By studying with the same peers and tutor for each block, you’ll build friendships and a sense of belonging.

Read more about block teaching

Overview

The Finance and Investment BSc course at ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ provides a rigorous academic approach to finance with a focus on practical skills and employability. Students will be equipped with the advanced technical skillset, knowledge, and professional attitude necessary to excel in a career in the financial sector. The course is a member of the Chartered Financial Analysts (CFA) Affiliation Program and our curriculum well-prepares students to sit the CFA examinations to obtain one of the most reputable professional qualifications in the finance and investment industry.

On this course, you will develop a comprehensive understanding of finance through exploration of the connected disciplines of accounting and economics. This programme is ideal for those interested in a mathematical approach, where strong emphasis is placed on quantitative data. The use of important industry-standard commercial databases and software, such as Bloomberg, Thomson Reuters Eikon, Matlab, and Python, are integrated into teaching to bridge the theoretical and practical aspects of finance.

Innovative modules will introduce you to new methodologies – such as Artificial Intelligence and Financial Applications, where you will gain hands-on experience of using, evaluating, and even developing your own AI applications, to solve real-life problems.

Our Trading Floor will give you a simulated experience on industry-standard software that is used by decision-makers in practice. The programme is also structured to address many of the competence requirements of professional finance bodies.

Key features

  • Be equipped with an advanced technical skillset and professional attitudes to develop your career in finance and investment.
  • Benefit from broad module content covering topics in finance, accounting, and economics.
  • Experience a ‘state-of-the-art’ module Artificial Intelligence and Financial Applications, which will introduce you to the new methodology revolution. You will have hands-on experience of using and evaluating AI applications, as well as developing your own applications to solve real-life problems.
  • Study a programme which is structured to address many of the competency requirements of professional Finance bodies. We are proud to be a member of the CFA Affiliation Program.
  • As a member of the CFA Affiliation Program, we can award the CFA Program Awareness Scholarships to a number of our top-performing students every year.
  • Gain practical experience and essential employability skills with the modern trading floor equipped with industry-standard databases, including Bloomberg, LSEG Workspace, FAME, FT.COM, among others.
  • Benefit from block teaching, where most students study one subject at a time. A simple timetable will allow you to really engage with your learning, receive regular feedback and assessments, get to know your course mates and enjoy a better study-life balance.

 


Scholarships

²ÝÁñÊÓƵ offers a range of undergraduate and postgraduate scholarships and bursaries to help you realise your academic ambitions.

International student scholarships

Find out about available international scholarships or visit our fees and funding page for more information.


  • UK
  • EU/International

Institution code: D26

UCAS course code: N301

Duration: Three years full-time, four years with a placement.

Fees and funding: 

2025/26 tuition fees for UK students: £9,250

Find out more about additional costs and optional extras associated with this course.

 

Institution code: D26

UCAS course code: N301

Duration: Three years full-time, four years with a placement.

Fees and funding:

2024/25 tuition fees for international students: £15,750.

Find out more about available funding for international students.

Find out more about additional costs and optional extras associated with this course.

Entry criteria

GCSEs

  • Five GCSEs at grade 4 or above including English and Maths

Plus one of the following:

A levels

  • A typical offer is 112 UCAS points. You need to study at least two subjects at A Level or equivalent (e.g. BTEC)

T Levels

  • Merit

BTEC

  • BTEC National Diploma - Distinction/Distinction/Merit
  • BTEC Extended Diploma - Distinction/Distinction/Merit

Alternative qualifications include:

  • Pass in the QAA accredited Access to HE overall 112 UCAS tariff  with at least 30 L3 credits at Merit.
  • English and Maths GCSE required as separate qualification. Equivalency not accepted within the Access qualification. We will normally require students to have had a break from full-time education before undertaking the Access course. 
  • International Baccalaureate: 26+ points.

Mature students

We welcome applications from mature students with non-standard qualifications and recognise all other equivalent and international qualifications.

English language

If English is not your first language then an IELTS score of 6.0 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each component (or equivalent) is essential.

English Language tuition, delivered by our British Council accredited Centre for English Language Learning, is available both before and throughout the course if you need it.

 

UCAS tariff information

Students applying for courses starting in September will be made offers based on the latest UCAS Tariff.

Contextual offer 

To make sure you get fair and equal access to higher education, when looking at your application, we consider more than just your grades. So if you are eligible, you may receive a contextual offer. Find our more about contextual offers.

 

Structure and assessment

 

Course modules

Teaching and assessment

Accreditation

 

Year 1

Block 1: Global Financial Markets and Institutions

Block 2: Mathematics and Statistics for Financial Decision Making

Block 3: Essentials of Economics

Block 4: Business Intelligence and Financial Data Analysis

 

Year 2

Block 1: Financial Reporting and Analysis

Block 2: Corporate Finance

Block 3: Econometrics

Block 4: Asset Pricing and Risk Management

Year 3

Block 1: Derivatives and Alternative Investments

Block 2: Investment and Portfolio Management

Block 3: Artificial Intelligence and Financial Applications

Block 4: Ethics, Governance and Sustainability in Finance

Teaching and assessment

  • You will receive formal lectures and tutorials that have an emphasis on giving you increasing responsibility for your own learning.
  • Assessment will be made by a mixture of coursework of both a formative and a summative nature and a number of traditional exams will be set. Some multiple-choice tests may be used to review progress of students, but traditional exams will predominate in part as a preparation for a future professional career.
  • Case work, real-life examples and/or data will be a feature of the course to allow students to adapt technical knowledge to specific scenarios and provide tailored finance advice.
  • Problem solving will also underpin assessment activities in line with the interprofessional nature of finance.
  • Group work will be encouraged throughout the course.
  • A sustainable and ethical context will operate throughout the majority of modules.
  • A significant tutorial programme will be developed to ensure that students have sufficient knowledge of the rigours of the UKHE environment and skills required for success.

Finance and Investment BSc (Hons) at ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ is a member of the Chartered Financial Analysts (CFA) Affiliation Program. Our curriculum prepares students to sit the CFA examinations and obtain one of the most reputable professional qualifications in the finance and investment industry.

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Facilities and features

Hugh Aston Building

You will be taught in our purpose-built Hugh Aston Building equipped with lecture theatres and classrooms, break-out spaces for group work, quiet study zones for individual work, and high-spec IT labs installed with professional software.

You’ll also have access to the building’s new £5.5 million extension called The Yard, which provides more than 22,000 square metres of extra space. This is designed to facilitate your learning experience with large and airy breakout spaces, a new Student Advice Centre, and a balcony on the top floor. The Yard also features more comfortable classrooms and self-study spaces, allowing you to carry out independent study as well as group work.

Students benefit from The Trading Floor, which can provide simulation of what it is like to work in the financial industry in roles such as trading, portfolio management, investment banking, corporate finance and financial or economic analysis.

Library and learning zones

On campus, the main Kimberlin Library offers a space where you can work, study and access a vast range of print materials, with computer stations, laptops, plasma screens and assistive technology also available. 

As well as providing a physical space in which to work, we offer online tools to support your studies, and our extensive online collection of resources accessible from our , e-books, specialised databases and electronic journals and films which can be remotely accessed from anywhere you choose. 

We will support you to confidently use a huge range of learning technologies, including the Virtual Learning Environment, Collaborate Ultra, ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ Replay, MS Teams, Turnitin and more. Alongside this, you can access LinkedIn Learning and learn how to use Microsoft 365, and study support software such as mind mapping and note-taking through our new Digital Student Skills Hub. 

The library staff offer additional support to students, including help with academic writing, research strategies, literature searching, reference management and assistive technology. There is also a ‘Just Ask’ service for help and advice, live , online workshops, tutorials and drop-ins available from our , and weekly library live chat sessions that give you the chance to ask the library teams for help.

More flexible ways to learn

We offer an equitable and inclusive approach to learning and teaching for all our students. Known as the Universal Design for Learning (UDL), our teaching approach has been recognised as sector leading. UDL means we offer a wide variety of support, facilities and technology to all students, including those with disabilities and specific learning differences.

Just one of the ways we do this is by using ‘²ÝÁñÊÓƵ Replay’ – a technology providing all students with anytime access to audio and/or visual material of lectures. This means students can revise taught material in a way that suits them best, whether it's replaying a recording of a class or adapting written material shared in class using specialist software.

Opportunities and careers

Find the people who will open doors for you

²ÝÁñÊÓƵ's award-winning careers service provides guaranteed work experience opportunities ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ Careers Team
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²ÝÁñÊÓƵ Global

Our innovative international experience programme ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ Global aims to enrich studies, broaden cultural horizons and develop key skills valued by employers. 

Through , we offer an exciting mix of overseas, on-campus and online international experiences, including the opportunity to study or work abroad for up to a year.

 

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Placements

During this course, you will have the option to complete a paid placement year - an invaluable opportunity to put the skills developed during your degree into practice. This insight into the professional world will build on your knowledge in a real-world setting, preparing you to progress onto your chosen career. 

Our award-winning Careers Team can help to hone your professional skills with mock interviews and practice aptitude tests, and an assigned personal tutor will support you throughout your placement. 

Students have taken up placements in the private, public and not-for-profit sectors, including some international posts, with leading companies such as IBM, Lloyds Banking Group, EY, Volkswagen Financial Services and the NHS.

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Graduate careers

The Finance and Investment degree is ideal preparation for a career in a broad range of sectors including financial management, investment banking, and equity trading.

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