国产探花

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Top reasons to choose this course

• Accredited by two professional bodies, with exemptions from professional qualifications.
• Hands-on learning via specialist Bloomberg terminals that give you access to data used on trading floors around the globe.
• Industry insight from experienced lecturers and guest speakers.
• Tailor your degree and specialise in areas like FinTech, banking or taxation through option modules.
• Graduate with a year of work experience when you choose a placement year.

Course structure

In your first year, you will gain academic and professional skills in economics and financial accounting and an introduction to financial markets.

In your second year, you’ll learn about trading, modelling and dealing before you specialise and extend your studies to include more optional modules. You can choose to take a paid placement year between your second and third year, which gives you essential experience and improves your skills and your employability.

In your final year, you will study advanced core modules in financial management and risk, and then choose from a range of option modules including econometrics and taxation to help widen your knowledge.

Learning is delivered through a stimulating mix of seminars, academic and industry lectures, and workshops. You will mainly be assessed through group work, presentations, exams and essays.

Making sure that what you learn with us is relevant, up to date and what employers are looking for is our priority, so courses are reviewed and enhanced on an ongoing basis. If you apply to us, you’ll be told about any new developments through .

Year 1

In your first year you will be introduced to the core disciplines of economics, finance and accounting.

Modules

• The Economy, part 1

  The Economy Parts 1 and 2 introduce you to economics and provide a foundation for further study in economics and related disciplines. We closely follow the which emphasises real-world issues, empirical evidence and recent developments in economics. It also highlights the importance of institutional, historical, political and environmental contexts in economic analysis. Part I covers the first half of the CORE curriculum. 

• The Economy, part 2

  The Economy Parts 1 and 2 introduce economics and provide a foundation for further study in economics and related disciplines. We closely follow the which emphasises real-world issues, empirical evidence and recent developments in economics. It also highlights the importance of institutional, historical, political and environmental contexts in economic analysis. Part II covers the second half of the CORE curriculum.

• Quantitative Methods

  This module will provide you with a basic, but essential, introduction to statistical and mathematical methods and concepts that will equip you with the skills and knowledge to understand the economic/financial theory presented in the first and subsequent years of study.

  By the end of the module you'll be able to effectively undertake and present empirical research/investigations and demonstrate an ability critically evaluate your own work and the work of others on statistical and mathematical grounds.

• Applied Statistics

  This module introduces you to using real-world data to understand and solve problems in economics and finance. You'll learn basic techniques required for data acquisition, processing and analysis across a range of computer packages.

  Three important resources are introduced – Excel, R and Bloomberg – which are key tools for professional economists and finance practitioners in banks, businesses, government, and academia.

• Introduction to Financial Markets

  This module introduces you to the interactions between the elements that make up financial markets and the institutions that operate and oversee financial markets at both a national and international context. You will also examine the rapid innovation that takes place in both financial instruments and markets.

• Financial Analysis

  This module introduces company financial statements and the techniques used to evaluate a company's financial position and performance. You will explore the uses of financial data by capital markets for valuation purposes, and gain a theoretical and practical understanding of the ways in which stakeholders, in particular the stock market, analyse and interpret company reports.

Year 2

In your second year, you will begin to specialise in your studies, developing your financial modelling and trading skills, as well as practical skills such as research techniques.

Modules

Core modules

• Introduction to Econometrics

  This module will equip you with the skills and knowledge to analyse economic and financial data using econometric models. You'll deepen your knowledge of regression analysis and be introduced to econometric methods and techniques. You'll develop your use of econometric software and of analysing real data through secondary data sources or live briefs.

• Financial Management

  The module provides an appreciation of financial decision-making within an organisation. You'll be able to explore decisions related to the financing, long-term investments and operations of an organisation.

• Financial Modelling and Dealing

  The module provides the basic tools and data handling skills that will enable you to model financial relationships and understand the basic principles of stock market trading. You will also be introduced to specialist software to carry out set tasks. You'll develop the practical skills and knowledge needed for further study and that will enhance employment opportunities.

• Money, Exchange Rates and Trade

  The module will help you to develop your understanding of monetary economics and its relationship with the exchange rate and international trade. Through this you'll further develop your appreciation of trading blocks, currency unions and commercial policy, and their impact on international finance and trade.

Options*

• Intermediate Microeconomics

  This module enables you to develop a thorough understanding of key microeconomic theories and how they are applied. This understanding will be the foundation for further specialist study in microeconomics and plays an important part in an economist's professional training. You'll explore conventional models of consumer and producer behaviour, market efficiency and welfare, and market failure. Alongside this you'll consider alternative approaches to microeconomic analysis and criticisms of the standard economic model.

• Business Ethics and Corporate Governance

  The power and influence of business in society is greater than ever, and the demands placed on business to be ethical by its various stakeholders are becoming more complex and challenging. This module looks at the fundamentals of business ethical decision making, the pressures to compromise the ethical standards of individuals and their organisations, and the safeguards against malpractice, illustrated by real-life case studies.

• Business and Corporate Law

  In this module you'll gain an understanding of the principles of business and company law and develop an awareness of how important law is within the business context.

• Environmental Economics

  Issues surrounding the environment and natural resources are becoming increasingly mainstream in economics. This module outlines how economic concepts, tools and policy instruments are relevant, and are used to understand and manage environmental issues at the level of businesses and governments.

• Intermediate Macroeconomics

  Intermediate macroeconomics will further develop your understanding and application of concepts and tools learned in year 1. You'll analyse contemporary macroeconomic policy problems using a three-equation macroeconomic model as a starting point. The financial system is incorporated into the heart of the analysis, and you'll consider the historical and institutional context.

• Personal Financial Planning

  This module is an exploration of the principles of personal financial planning and investment, integrating theory and practice. You'll gain knowledge and understanding of the relationships between the parts of personal finance including an analysis of various generic products, and incorporating the inherent elements of risk and taxation and the techniques and stages of personal financial planning.

• Applied Business Analytics

  This module will help you to develop an analytic mindset and equip you with basic data literacy that is useful for the business environment. You'll look at methodologies, algorithms and challenges related to analysing and presenting business data alongside applying data analysis to support decision-making across business functions and industries.

• Development Economics

  This module enables you to consider the relationship between international law and development. You'll examine international regulation of economic activities in institutions, considering how effective international law is in achieving development policy objectives in the global south. You will develop the skills, knowledge and understanding to be able to conduct a socio-economic analysis of conditions and institutions across the world, emphasising human development and migration, inequality, poverty, the right to health and the environment.

*Option modules are indicative and may change, depending on timetabling and staff availability.

Placement year

The paid work placement year is a great opportunity to apply your learning to real-life situations and challenges. You'll meet and network with potential employers, and have opportunities to get real work experience before you graduate – something that employers value highly.

Our students have completed placements at:

• American Express
• Bank of America
• Merrill Lynch
• Credit Suisse
• Dow Jones
• Goldman Sachs FTSE Group
• KPMG
• PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and OSTC.

It is also possible to undertake a placement year abroad.

On your placement, you will complete a business project. This project contributes to your degree and, depending on the topic you choose, could provide valuable insight for your placement employer.

Final year

During your final year, you will study advanced core modules in financial management and choose option modules to tailor your course to your interests and ambitions. Depending on your module choices, this may give you exemptions from the examinations of the accrediting bodies.

Modules

Core modules

• Finance and Risk Management

  This module focuses on financial management, and mainly the issues that affect corporate financial managers. It has two parts: the first deals with applied topics in corporate finance and the second explores risk management tools and techniques. Areas covered include an appreciation of financial risk management and the use of derivatives, and analysis of capital structure and investment decisions.

• Fintech (Financial Technologies)

  This module explores how fintech is reshaping the financial services ecosystem with emphasis on regulation, competition and financing of innovation. You'll examine payments, deposits and lending, blockchain, insurance (insurtech), open banking, capital raising, wealth management and market provisioning domains. You'll have the opportunity to learn from guest lecturers from fintechs and banks plus gain hands-on experience through solving case studies.

• Investment Management

  On this module you'll use what you've learned so far on your course to understand current best practice in investment analysis considering a variety of asset classes, and apply your knowledge to the managing of institutional investment portfolios.

• Quantitative Trading and Investment with R

  This module will develop your ability to use R to assess the performance of investment strategies. You'll implement time series econometric techniques and be introduced to packages of functions for assessing investment performance while also developing the ability to write your own functions.

Options*

• Taxation

  This module introduces the UK tax system and considers the basics of tax planning opportunities and techniques.

• Applied Econometric Techniques

  This module develops your knowledge of advanced techniques that are commonly used in empirical finance and economics research. You'll use real-world data and apply statistical techniques to test economic modules, and undertake analysis using statistical software. By the end of the module you'll be equipped to apply econometric techniques that are extremely useful for study and in the work place.

• Financial and Capital Markets

  The module develops your understanding of the financial system and allows you to get some experience of financial markets. You'll have an opportunity to manage a portfolio of assets and to analyse the performance of that portfolio as well as the investment environment.

• Banking and Money

  This module introduces the study of banking and money. You'll cover two broad areas:

  • the microeconomic and managerial aspects of banking, such as the bank risk, efficiency, competition and performance
  • the macroeconomic elements of banking instability, the role of banks in the monetary transmission mechanism, the interplay between banks, regulators and policy makers, and the role of banks in setting the interest rates.
• International Finance

  This module takes the areas of finance and financial management that you have studied before in a domestic setting, and looks at how the domestic theory alters in an international setting because of factors such as exchange rates and country risk. You'll also be introduced to the international financial management complexities associated with the foreign direct investment decisions of multinational companies.

• Carbon Accounting

  The module covers the Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GGP) with its Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions as well as associated issues such as net-zero, carbon offsets and certification processes. You'll use 国产探花 HESA Estates data to demonstrate your understanding of GGP and to explore potential mitigating strategies. You'll also undertake a short (equivalent of two days) consultancy with local small businesses to understand their emissions.

• Dissertation for Economics and Finance

  The dissertation is an extended project where you'll research a topic that you are interested in. It is largely based on observations and experience, and you'll use statistical and econometrics methods along with reviewing and analysing existing research. You'll be able to explore and develop your own ideas, with guidance from an academic supervisor.

*Option modules are indicative and may change, depending on timetabling and staff availability.

Student society

The Investment and Trading Society gives students the opportunity to take part in real-time trading competitions against other universities, guest talks and field trips.

You can also receive advice about applying for jobs, internships and postgraduate posts that can help you towards a higher grade and improve your prospects once you leave university.

Bloomberg suite

During your course you will have access to our Bloomberg suite. This real-time trading room recreates the pressure of a trading floor with up-to-the-minute market data. Bloomberg is a system used around the world in bank dealing rooms and investment houses to show business leaders the most up-to-date information on markets.

You'll learn how to analyse financial markets, assess economic scenarios and developments that impact the global economy.

Course leader

Dr Catherine Matthews

Catherine is the course leader on our Finance and Investment BSc(Hons).

She specialises in teaching corporate finance, but has also taught modules across the subject areas of accounting, economics and finance at both postgraduate and undergraduate levels. Catherine holds two awards for teaching excellence.

Her research interests are in the area of small business finance - in particular working capital management and trade credit management, which formed the focus of her doctoral research and the basis of her publications to date.

Catherine has held external examiner and associate editor roles, and supervises several PhD students.

Course fees

If you choose to take the professional placement (sandwich) year offered on this course you will pay a reduced fee during this year. Our fee for the professional placement year is £1,500 for UK students and £2,280 for international students. This fee may be subject to small increases, in line with inflation.

The fees listed here are for the first year of full-time study if you start your course in the academic year 2025–26.

You will pay fees for each year of your course. Some fees may increase each year.

UK undergraduate and some postgraduate fees are regulated by the UK government and increases will not be more than the maximum amount allowed. Course fees that are not regulated may increase each year by up to 5% or RPI (whichever is higher).

If you are studying part-time your fee will usually be calculated based on the number of modules that you take.

Find out more

• 国产探花 Boost – cost of living help for our new undergrad students. Find out about how we can help with your study, accommodation or travel costs and more...
• Fees, bursaries, scholarships and government funding info for UK and international undergraduate students
• Student finance and budgeting while studying
• Read our student contract and (pdf) for more on 国产探花 tuition fees.

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