Our banking and finance degree gives you the specialist knowledge, skills and experience to succeed in a sector that influences the success of our global economy. London is one of the best cities in the world to study finance, which means our BSc in finance will give you the essential skills to pursue international career opportunities in banking, insurance and accountancy.
With the flexibility to study over three or four years – the latter with a year-long paid industry placement – you’ll build your specialist economic knowledge, gain experience of the operations, strategy and regulatory functions of banking and finance, and learn the practical skills you need to succeed in one of most important global sectors.
Our London location gives you access to some of the industry’s most prestigious companies and influencers. You’ll also have the opportunity to build your professional network and gain hands-on experience through a range of work experience placements.
Our three-year and four-year study options both give you the chance to develop your practical skills through work experience in the industry. You’ll have the opportunity to take two 18-week summer placements as part of a three-year degree, or a 36-week paid work placement in your third year as part of a four-year approach.
You’ll have access to the latest Bloomberg and Datastream finance software in our Financial Markets Lab.
The BSc Banking and Finance programme is designed to give you a solid knowledge of trading and investment management. It includes two options in financial trading. One, Applied Financial Trading is a non-credit bearing one semester option in year 2, and the second option is Applied Computational Finance (30 credits) in year 3. Both options are run by Alberto Pallotta, Senior Quantitative Trader at the London Trading Institute, and by Andy Demi (CEO and FOREX trader). The London Trading Institute offers a certificate of completion to all the students who take the non-credit bearing option, which is free of charge to BSc Banking and Finance students.
While you are an undergraduate or foundation year student, you’ll have a Personal Tutor directly related to your course. If you need support with academic writing, numeracy and library skills, we’ll be sure to provide it. Our Student Learning and Graduate Academic Assistants have studied your subject and can support you based on their own experience.
Our graduates are able to secure a range of roles in prestigious organisations that include Bensons Accountants, Tradewise, London Eye and South Sudan Women’s Skills Development.
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This course provides an advanced financial education which covers both microeconomic and macroeconomic theory and policy. You will learn quantitative research and computing methods essential for economics and finance. As part of your studies you will also cover:
You will graduate with the confidence to present and discuss economic argument using verbal, graphical, mathematical and statistical language. Prepared with the skills to research and disseminate economic and financial data: to support arguments and draw conclusions. You will also become confident in analysing and interpreting economic and financial information and be able to demonstrate a critical evaluation of economic issues relevant to banking and finance.
This module is an introduction to bookkeeping and financial accounting. Its main aim is to provide you with the basic techniques and skills required in order to record transactions by the method known in accounting as double entry and then prepare a set of single company accounts based on those records. You will also start to be able to interpret the accounts prepared by others.
This module provides a thorough grounding of the basic statistical methods and computer software for the analysis and presentation of accounting and economic data. It caters for those with some prior mathematical knowledge, and while you are expected to complete mathematical calculations by hand and using a computer, the emphasis is on the interpretation and communication of quantitative results.
This module aims to present an overview of key financial markets and institutions to prepare you for more advanced and specialist studies in Year 2 and 3. The module adopts both a quantitative and qualitative approach to explaining the functioning and importance of financial markets and institutions supported by real world examples.
The purpose of this module is to introduce economic and financial decision theory. We start with consumer choice and production decisions without risk or uncertainty. We then extend this theory to investment and financial decisions made under risk, uncertainty or incomplete information. This module presents and contrasts classical and alternative decision theories and discuss how these alternative theories can better explain various puzzling phenomena in financial markets.
This module aims to build your knowledge of banking as preparation for more advanced study. It approaches banking from an economic perspective with an aim to explore the complexity and integrated nature of financial systems with emphasis on the UK, identify and assess different systems of allocating funds for economic development, develop your ability to apply introductory risk management tools and techniques in banking, and investigate emerging issues and contemporary trends in banking theory and practice.
The aim of this module is to develop an understanding of securities and derivative products. The module will focus in particular on the rationale, mechanics and risk/rewards for investors in fixed income instruments, equities, options, futures and forwards, interest rate and exchange rate swaps, commodities and energy derivatives. A practical understanding of the pricing mechanics of fixed income securities and derivative instruments will be developed. The module will also cover the applications of derivative instruments in hedging and investment. A strong emphasis on the structural and regulatory characteristics of each financial instrument and their respective markets will be placed. The module will incorporate the Bloomberg Financial Database in teaching the concepts, valuation principles and application of financial derivative products.
This module aims to build upon and extend your ability to read, write, listen and speak Spanish in business contexts and to promote an understanding of Hispanic culture in general and in the business world. You will analyse the main types of business communications to appreciate relevant specialised vocabularies and underlying cultural assumptions.
This module explores the mathematics that underlies financial processes and financial decision making, and complements the study of these areas in economics and accounting. Specific areas include probability, extending interest ideas to annuities and bonds, modelling financial data using time series models and Markov chains, applying discrete methods for option pricing, and using utility to make decisions in risky environments.
The aim of the first part of this module is to introduce a variety of personal finance products and issues so as to increase your financial literacy. The second part will give you an understanding of personal financial behaviour. This includes an understanding of how market anomalies, financial bubbles, fake news and manipulations in financial markets can influence individual financial decision making as well as providing the ability to apply cognitive and emotional behaviour biases in irrational behaviour contexts.
This module aims to develop knowledge of financial accounting techniques and practices by introducing issues which involve more than one possible accounting treatment and examine the impact of international regulatory frameworks. Students are encouraged to adopt a critical attitude to the quality of corporate reporting, particularly in areas of non-mandatory narrative disclosures such as corporate social responsibility and governance.
This module aims to allow students to develop an understanding of the process of financial risk management in banking, including financial markets and instruments, derivatives, various bank risks and their management, financial crisis and securitisation, regulations, and the effect of accounting standards. This module provides students the opportunity to develop risk modelling skills, analytical and numerical skills in banking risk management practice.
The module aims to equip students with knowledge sufficient in depth to critically engage with modern investment theory and practice. It incorporates a study of portfolio theory as the basis for contextualising challenges in investment decision-making, especially those related to asset price determination, understanding risks, asset management practice, the merits of rival investment philosophies, financial market liquidity and information disclosure. It investigates how these challenges drive institutional, product, regulatory and technological innovation in financial markets.
Financial services have become increasingly automated and reliant on information technology (FinTech). From stock and derivatives high-frequency trading (HHT) to algorithm trading (ALGO), cryptocurrencies, online banking and mobile payments, computational techniques have become essential to providers and customers of financial services.
This module will present the main developments in FinTech in the past two decades, and the challenges artificial intelligence poses to financial regulators. A practical understanding of automated trading will be developed by using extensive worked examples of Python and R codes, which are the main languages used in automated finance. Institutional structures of automated markets for equities, fixed income instruments, options, futures, commodities and energy derivatives, will be extensively introduced and discussed.
This module builds on the material covered in Banking Theory Practice and you are strongly advised to have taken and passed this module before attempting this one. A sound grasp of macroeconomics is also desirable. The module aims to provide you with an understanding of money, monetary standards and the monetary sector. You will gain an understanding of the evolution of monetary and banking economic theory and the seminal controversies since Hume and Bagehot along with the ability to apply monetary theory to public policy in a domestic and international context. You will investigate emerging and current issues of monetary policy and banking, analyse public policy and safety of the financial system, and develop specialist knowledge suitable for further development via postgraduate study or professional employment.
The module aims to provide students with a working knowledge of econometrics techniques applied to financial and investment analysis. Students will be able to address the problems arising from data collection and analysis and the importance of empirical work in different fields of finance. Expertise will be acquired in the use of appropriate computational software packages (e.g. Stata or Gretl); the skills needed to communicate the results of empirical work in economics, and to critically evaluate results, projections and forecasts in academic work and public policy.
The aim of this module is to provide participants with the critical tools and mindset to analyse and identify responses to modern ethical business challenges. Students would be sensitised to different ways of thinking, learning from debating and collaborating with their peers from different cultural backgrounds so as to build their methodological, analytical and communication skills.
The aim of this module is to introduce to students the complexities of starting a business. It draws together a range of theories, concepts and notions from a number of sources such as Finance, Marketing and Strategy. In particular, the module facilitates the development of a unique business plan in which students will learn, practice and apply the necessary academic and practical knowledge and skill sets, including team working, required for the establishment of a new business, as well as an understanding of the complexities relating to the functioning of a small business.
This module continues to explore the ideas and techniques introduced in the Financial mathematics module, extending discrete ideas to the continuous case with applications to distributions, time series and forecasting models, and option pricing. The module uses eigenvalue methods to analyse Markov chains, introduces integration, covers the estimation of model parameters from financial data, and explores the use of game theory to make business decisions.
This module reviews, builds upon and extends your existing language skills in reading, writing, listening and speaking Spanish in business contexts to the advanced level. Through this module, you acquire advanced linguistic and cultural knowledge required for business communication in a global environment. It also enhances your awareness of international business and trade issues in the Spanish-speaking world, and how it fits into the global economy today.
This module aims to provide you with the theories of exchange rate and balance of payments, and the skills of managing international financial assets and exchange rate risks in a global environment. You will have the opportunity to study the operations of the world capital markets, grasp the principles essential to understanding of global financial issues and policies, and apply tools to effectively evaluate international risk in order to succeed in international financial environment.
The primary aim of the internship module is to provide you with the opportunity to undertake a period of work experience for a minimum of 30 days. This will facilitate you to gain an insight into the world of work and appropriate conduct at work, and the process of becoming and staying employable through assertiveness, continuing development and reflection on both your development and the link between theory and practice. You will also develop an understanding of the organisation, sector and the environment in which it operates.
This module aims to allow students to develop an understanding of the process of financial risk management in banking, including financial markets and instruments, derivatives, various bank risks and their management, financial crisis and securitization, regulations, and the effect of accounting standards. This module provides students the opportunity to develop risk modelling skills, analytical and numerical skills in banking risk management practice.
The module aims to equip students with knowledge sufficient in depth to critically engage with modern investment theory and practice. It incorporates a study of portfolio theory as the basis for contextualising challenges in investment decision-making, especially those related to asset price determination, understanding risks, asset management practice, the merits of rival investment philosophies, financial market liquidity and information disclosure. It investigates how these challenges drive institutional, product, regulatory and technological innovation in financial markets.
This module builds on the material covered in Banking Theory Practice and you are strongly advised to have taken and passed this module before attempting this one. A sound grasp of macroeconomics is also desirable. The module aims to provide you with an understanding of money, monetary standards and the monetary sector. You will gain an understanding of the evolution of monetary and banking economic theory and the seminal controversies since Hume and Bagehot along with the ability to apply monetary theory to public policy in a domestic and international context. You will investigate emerging and current issues of monetary policy and banking, analyse public policy and safety of the financial system, and develop specialist knowledge suitable for further development via postgraduate study or professional employment.
The module aims to provide students with a working knowledge of econometrics techniques applied to financial and investment analysis. Students will be able to address the problems arising from data collection and analysis and the importance of empirical work in different fields of finance. Expertise will be acquired in the use of appropriate computational software packages (e.g. Stata or Gretl); the skills needed to communicate the results of empirical work in economics, and to critically evaluate results, projections and forecasts in academic work and public policy.
The aim of this module is to provide participants with the critical tools and mindset to analyse and identify responses to modern ethical business challenges. Students would be sensitised to different ways of thinking, learning from debating and collaborating with their peers from different cultural backgrounds so as to build their methodological, analytical and communication skills.
The aim of this module is to introduce to students the complexities of starting a business. It draws together a range of theories, concepts and notions from a number of sources such as Finance, Marketing and Strategy. In particular, the module facilitates the development of a unique business plan in which students will learn, practice and apply the necessary academic and practical knowledge and skill sets, including team working, required for the establishment of a new business, as well as an understanding of the complexities relating to the functioning of a small business.
This module continues to explore the ideas and techniques introduced in Financial mathematics module, extending discrete ideas to the continuous case with applications to distributions, time series and forecasting models, and option pricing. The module uses eigenvalue methods to analyse Markov chains, introduces integration, covers the estimation of model parameters from financial data, and explores the use of game theory to make business decisions.
This module reviews, builds upon and extends your existing language skills in reading, writing, listening and speaking Spanish in business contexts to the advanced level. Through this module, you acquire advanced linguistic and cultural knowledge required for business communication in a global environment. It also enhances your awareness of international business and trade issues in the Spanish-speaking world, and how it fits into the global economy today.
This module aims to provide you with the theories of exchange rate and balance of payments, and the skills of managing international financial assets and exchange rate risks in a global environment. You will have the opportunity to study the operations of the world capital markets, grasp the principles essential to understanding of global financial issues and policies, and apply tools to effectively evaluate international risk in order to succeed in international financial environment.
The primary aim of the internship module is to provide you with the opportunity to undertake a period of work experience for a minimum of 30 days. This will facilitate you to gain an insight into the world of work and appropriate conduct at work, and the process of becoming and staying employable through assertiveness, continuing development and reflection on both your development and the link between theory and practice. You will also develop an understanding of the organisation, sector and the environment in which it operates.
The primary aim of these work experience modules is to provide you with flexibility to undertake a period of work experience without having to take an extra year of study. This is achieved by integrating your learning at work with your studies. You will attain a sandwich degree within three rather than four years.
In the first year of study you will be required to record and reflect upon your learning at work and in the second year to reflect on how you have developed and built on your learning from the previous year as well as complete a report on the organisation you worked for. The modules will therefore support you to reflect on your own development, integrate theory and practice, develop your commercial awareness and thus enhance your personal and professional development.
More information about this course
See the course specification for more information about typical course content outside of the coronavirus outbreak:
Optional modules are usually available at levels 5 and 6, although optional modules are not offered on every course. Where optional modules are available, you will be asked to make your choice during the previous academic year. If we have insufficient numbers of students interested in an optional module, or there are staffing changes which affect the teaching, it may not be offered. If an optional module will not run, we will advise you after the module selection period when numbers are confirmed, or at the earliest time that the programme team make the decision not to run the module, and help you choose an alternative module.
You will graduate primed with the professional knowledge and skills for a career in the banking and finance sector, and be well prepared for postgraduate study. The finance industry offers a wealth of career options for determined graduates within areas such as banks and building societies, insurance, accountancy within either audit, tax or an accountancy business, or managing investment and pension funds. The roles are just as varied and can include Trainee Accountant, Claims Negotiator, Self Ledger Clerk, Finance Secretary and also Sales.
Previous graduates have gone on to work in a wide range of roles in prestigious organisations including:
Additionally, you could go on to further study on courses such as MSc Banking & Finance.
Teaching interests: Financial Economics; Microeconomics; Financial Data Analysis
Research interests: Empirical Finance; Financial Econometrics; Financial Economics
Teaching interests: Management Accounting, Issues in Financial Accounting
Research interests: Education and use of learning technologies
Alison is a Chartered Management Accountant CIMA and has connections with professional accounting bodies and employability. Prior to joining Middlesex University, Alison worked at HSBC, Mitsubishi Trust and Banking Corporation and Lendlease. She is interested in the development of online technologies and applying these into Higher Education.
Teaching interests: Financial Accounting, Audit, Entrepreneurial Finance
Research interests: Accounting Education, Technology in Education, Accounting History
Ellie is a Middlesex University alumna. She trained and qualified as a Chartered Accountant with Deloitte gaining experience of a diverse range of clients in the banking and finance industry. She is heavily involved with the activities of the British Accounting and Finance Association – Accounting Education Special Interest Group.
Teaching interests: Financial Accounting and Corporate Finance
Angeli is ACA qualified and holds a BA in Accounting from the University of Dundee. She was the Finance Director at BD London, an advertising and marketing agency, and at Earls Court and Olympia exhibition venues prior to joining Middlesex University.
Teaching interests: Financial Accounting; Managerial Finance
Research interests: Financial Reporting; Audit Quality; Corporate Governance
Kooi See has extensive accounting experience in public accounting firm prior to joining the teaching profession. She has taught in Malaysia, United Arab Emirates and Vietnam.
Teaching interest: Financial Aspects of Business
Vinita is a chartered accountant and has over fifteen years' experience in Practice. She was previously a senior manager in a City firm of accountants. She is now Head of Finance in a commercial organisation, and a part-time lecturer at the University. She strives to bring her practical experience into her teaching to make the subject real and relevant to her students.
Tony has many years of teaching finance at London South Bank University, Coventry University and, now, Middlesex University. His teaching portfolio extends across corporate finance, investment analysis, financial markets and financial risk management. Tony’s produced teaching material for the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (ICSA) and is currently the coordinator for an ICSA module in Portfolio Management. His interests lie in the evolution of investment management, financial markets and risk assessment practices.
We’ll carefully manage any future changes to courses, or the support and other services available to you, if these are necessary because of things like changes to government health and safety advice, or any changes to the law.
Any decisions will be taken in line with both external advice and the University’s Regulations which include information on this.
Our priority will always be to maintain academic standards and quality so that your learning outcomes are not affected by any adjustments that we may have to make.
At all times we’ll aim to keep you well informed of how we may need to respond to changing circumstances, and about support that we’ll provide to you.
Start: September 2023
Duration: 3 years full-time, 4 years full-time with placement, 6 years part-time
Code: N420
Start: October 2023
Duration: 3 years full-time, 4 years full-time with placement, Usually 5 years part-time
Code: N302
