Finance BSc (Hons)

Our BSc (Hons) Finance degree is a great choice for anybody looking to excel in the finance industry or wanting to master the fundamentals of trading techniques and investment management. 

The course is versatile and broad. You will unpack concepts, theories and models to develop an understanding of how they enable effective financial decision-making.

We will guide you, to grow into an investment analyst or corporate financial manager of the future, touching on and improving your quantitative analysis skills as we go. There will a focus on applied experience to prepare you for employment after university.

The course is delivered by Aston Business School which is part of an elite group of global business schools that hold the gold standard of ‘triple-crown’ accreditation from AACSB, AMBA and EQUIS.

BSc (Hons) Finance:

• Our BSc (Hons) Finance degree at Aston University will equip you with the theoretical and experiential knowledge, along with analytical skills to succeed in the financial sector.
• What we will provide
  • First-class teaching in the UK’s second-largest city, delivered by a diverse array of staff who will inspire and excite you. You will enjoy a rewarding, fun learning experience with group work, idea sharing, real-world case studies, real-time financial data and engaging virtual tools like games and simulations.
• What you will provide
  • You will bring motivation and a determination to succeed in your studies. Throughout your degree, you must be willing to grow as an independent learner, self-direct yourself to take full advantage of our lecturers expert knowledge and innovative facilities, and you must be adaptable and demonstrate a willingness to push yourself.
• What skills we teach
  • Through a range of activities, you will develop the core skills sought after by any employer such as communication, teamwork and effective decision making. You will have the ability to interpret and critically analyse small to large scale financial data to apply these to real-world company performance questions.
• Placement year
  • We all know that taking a placement year will boost your employability – it’s what makes Aston University graduates some of the most employable in the country. It’s for this reason that we encourage every student to take one. The placement year gives you the chance to put theory into practice, gain relevant work experience, and develop professional and transferable skills.
  • The placement year is compulsory for BSc (Hons) Finance students. International students can request permission to opt out of the placement year, but we strongly recommend that it is completed where possible.
• Career prospects
  • As an Aston University Finance graduate, you will be equipped for a range of different career options. Our recent graduates have gone on to work across the public, private and third sectors for organisations including: Barclays Bank, JCB and Amazon Logistics.

How You Will Learn:

• Our teaching approach is innovative, comprehensive, and practical, emphasising real-world application. The BSc (Hons) Finance programme employs diverse teaching methods, including lectures, tutorials, case studies and presentations. 
• At the start of your course, you will be allocated a personal tutor who can offer individual study advice and guidance.
• Our emphasis is on practical knowledge application, with guest lectures from prominent business leaders and mentoring programs offering unique insights. 
• Our renowned Visiting Professors, top UK business figures, share their expertise and expectations from students and graduates.
• Our virtual learning environment enhances traditional teaching with access to Bloomberg trading terminals for applied real-world experience. You'll have access to the University Library's extensive collection of over 25,000 books and electronic journals.
• University-wide services like the careers service, Jobshop, counselling and advice services, sports facilities, and Chaplaincy enhance your overall university experience and prepare you for your professional career.
• Aston University also offers an array of extracurricular activities, including clubs and societies like Aston Bright Futures, which works with leading businesses across various sectors. These activities not only enrich your student experience but also help you explore your specific interests and career pathways.

What You Will Learn:

• Driven by the needs of industry, our course provides you with a comprehensive and critical understanding of finance, management and economics alongside the opportunity to specialise in areas of finance that interest you.
• First year
  • In the first year, you will establish a strong foundation in finance, economics and business, allowing you to build upon your knowledge throughout the duration of your degree. You will also gain introductory insights into statistics and quantitative methods for financial decision-making.
• Second year
  • With the fundamentals mastered in the first year, your second year will provide an opportunity to specialise in certain topics that interest you most. You will begin to study accounting, economics and finance theories, concepts and models in more depth, exploring how these can be applied to real-world problems within business.
• Placement year
  • The Aston University placement year forms an integral part of your educational journey and gives you the chance to put theory into practice, gain relevant work experience, and develop professional and transferable skills. Our award-winning careers and placements team are on hand to support you through every step of your placement journey.

Course Objectives:

• Ensures you are provided with education and training in a range of business and finance concepts, theories and techniques that are important in the analysis of management and financial decision making.
• Develops your critical understanding of how organisations make effective financial decisions.
• Enables you to critically evaluate the usefulness of finance theories in the analysis of business and managerial decision-making.
• Enables you to apply the concepts, theories and quantitative methods studied to a range of scenarios (including international settings) requiring financial decision-making, whilst recognising any important cultural issues.
• Facilitates you to work effectively as a self-directed and independent learner.
• Stimulates your interest in the theories of finance and management, their application to a range of real-world issues and their relevance in a variety of contexts.
• Develops a range of skills that will be of value in employment and self-employment, including team-working and communication skills.
• Provides you with the knowledge and skills required for further study in areas that involve finance.

Entry Requirements:

• A Levels
• BBB (standard offer)
• BBC (with EPQ or Core Maths minimum grade B)
• BBC (contextual offer)
• Contextual offers
• Aston Ready is our contextual offer scheme that could reduce your undergraduate offer by one or two grades. Assessed at the point of application, there are no additional forms to fill in.