BA (Hons) Finance

Finance is the brains, eyes and ears of industry, helping to foresee potential challenges and achievements and preparing organisations effectively by allowing them to plan ahead.

This BA (Hons) Finance course gives you a firm foundation in the value of understanding financial decision-making, risk management and the financial markets.

The financial sector drives economic growth and has the potential to foster innovation, wealth and positive social change. In addition to modules on financial markets, you'll get a view of the societal and behavioural elements of finance.

Strengthen your ability to understand and shape numerical data, analyse statistics and information, but importantly how to communicate this effectively.

Develop and practice the personal, professional and academic skills needed to succeed in finance, whether that be to manage your family investment portfolio or enter a global conglomerate.

Get into the practicalities of the industry as you manage your own spreadsheet to form and track a portfolio of your own - an insightful practice.

You need to have a good attitude to learning, an open mind to numeracy and a professional mindset to flourish, on this course. Whilst strong numeracy skills are not required, an interest in the subject is helpful.

If you are interested in an MSc in Finance and Investment Banking, this is the ideal program to prepare you and ensure you are in a strong position to be accepted onto the course.

Why Choose This Course?

• Our finance group has a culture of shared values and aspirations, which is an important aspect of both yours and our success in helping you fulfil your potential.
• Enhance your independent thinking skills on our career-focused degree, helping you apply theory and understand the realities of the sector.
• As the course progresses and you develop key areas of interest, you'll get to choose which routes to take based on your own passions and career plans.
• Assignments include a mix of essays, reports and presentations, both individually and as part of the team, preparing you for the world of work with relevant skill development.
• You are actively encouraged in CV boosting activities such as industry placement, study abroad or internships (including the latest online bite-sized digital experiences) as well extracurricular activities.
• Choose to enter our entrepreneur making ‘Flare Ignite’ competition, join the Enactus society to have a positive social and environmental impact, or enter the University Business Challenge.
• The GoHerts Award is open to all students and is an opportunity to further boost your CV with activities such as volunteering, work experience, skills development, society involvement and fundraising.
• We support and mentor students, even after graduation. This has led to a strong and influential network of alumni, many of whom regularly come back as guest lecturers.
• Through our strong relationships with professional bodies and business connections, meet entrepreneurs–in–residence, business ambassadors and industry leaders.

What You'll Study

• Teaching is a combination of in person sessions (at least eight hours per week) supported by online materials and resources. You study four modules in each semester.
• Senior advisers from all corners of the finance sector are consulted to give ideas and sense check modules, ensuring you get the necessary knowledge and skills to succeed.
• Your first year establishes a solid foundation in financial principles and their connection with society and business, preparing you for success.
• We promote teamwork, instilling in you both people and organisational skills alongside your analytical and financial expertise.
• In your second year, develop your professional skills and knowledge as you explore essential topics such as business ethics, financial instruments and business lifecycle.
• In your final year, get ready for the business world as you take on challenges with all your skills and knowledge acquired, as well as study niche topics. There is a high number of optional modules available to allow you to specialise in key areas of interest.
• There are also opportunities to further enrich your personal development through our GoHerts program, placements, internships, study-abroad and Future Success team events.

Who You'll Learn From:

• Your team includes experienced academics, researchers and consultants alongside guest lecturers from industry, many of whom are alumni.
• The teaching team is led by an experienced professional with a keen interest in innovation. He is enthusiastic about the power of economics, with its fusion of ideas and approaches to improve lives and societies and meet the challenges of the modern world.
• You also have experienced financial researchers who have undertaken consulting and research projects associated with capital market relative performance measures, investment portfolio management and internal performance audit amongst other topics.
• Lecturers have their own individual interests which often leads to academic or professional work and publications in areas such as Behavioural Finance, Experimental Finance and Household Finance.