Our Financial Economics course (with Foundation Year) is a four-year course with an integrated foundation year which leads to the same qualification as our three-year honours degree. It has been specifically designed for those wanting to undertake degree-level study but who may not meet the entry requirements or have traditional qualifications.

The Foundation Year (Year 0) offers you the chance to expand and strengthen your confidence, skills and knowledge – ensuring that you are well-prepared and qualified to progress into Year 1 of the undergraduate degree.

This degree offers you the opportunity to study economics within a real-world context, developing strong analytical skills and a career-relevant qualification in economics and its application to global finance. The programme includes core components in economics and finance. By studying microeconomics and macroeconomics, you will develop a firm understanding of economics both at the individual level and at the level of the economy as a whole. The finance component provides in-depth coverage of topics such as the financial system, financial markets and products, the financing of companies and the role of investment.

With a wide range of optional modules you can tailor your programme of study to your own interests and career aspirations. You will develop a portfolio of analytical skills that will be attractive to a wide range of employers in the financial sector and beyond.

Bangor is now an exam centre for The Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment, one of the world’s largest professional bodies for the financial sector. Our BSc Accounting & Finance, Banking & Finance or Financial Economics students can now take the L3 Introduction to Investment qualification at Bangor and gain Student Membership of CISI. International students may take the International Introduction to Investment, which focuses on global financial markets.

Why choose Bangor University for this course?

• You will study within a multidisciplinary School that employs specialists across a broad range of business subjects, including Accounting, Banking, Finance, Economics, Management, Marketing and Entrepreneurship.
• All single honours students taking degrees within Bangor Business School follow the same modules in year 1, so you may change to another Business School degree anytime up to the start of year 2.
• Our students take part in national competitions such as the IBM Business Challenge.
• A Careers and Employability Fair is held every year and provides an opportunity for students to meet recruiters and learn more about post-graduation employment options.
• We arrange a varied programme of guest lectures. Recent speakers  have included the Chief Executive of the Scottish Premier League, the Chief Operating Officer of No. 10 & 11 Downing Street, and the Head of IT Security at HSBC.
• Our staff are active researchers in their subject areas and we enjoy an international reputation.
• We have excellent computing facilities and you will be able to develop your skills in data analysis and report preparation.
• Bangor offers an attractive range of postgraduate degrees in business and finance subjects, if you wish to study for an extra year after completion of your BSc degree.

You will spend up to 15 hours per week in lectures, seminars and tutorials. There is a mixture of continuous assessment and written examinations. You will complete assignments such as collecting and analysing information from commercial databases or the internet, preparing business case studies, writing essays and completing problem-solving exercises.

What will you study on this course?

In Year 0 you will take modules intended to familiarise you with core themes, principles and topics that you will study in greater depth later in the degree: Business Functions, Business Law, Management Studies, Introduction to Financial Accounting, Microeconomics, Macroeconomics

You will also follow take modules in IT and Communication Skills, Computing, UK government and Society, Mathematics for Business and Social Sciences, Academic Skills.

Year 1 of all our Single Honours degree courses will provide you with a strong foundation in the disciplines offered in Bangor Business School – Accounting, Banking, Economics, Finance, Management and Marketing – together with in-depth study of core topics in the field of Accounting and Banking. You will also benefit from a comprehensive introduction to key analytical skills.

In Years 2 and 3, you will progressively specialise in your course’s core field of study. In addition to further developing your skills, you will also be introduced to more specialist approaches, theories and concepts.

Many graduates from Bangor Business School pursue careers in areas such as accountancy, banking, investment, insurance, risk management, marketing, human resource management and retail management.

Studying Economics as a subject will give you an understanding of the world and its inner workings. You will learn everything from what determines the price of goods and services to why the average standards of living vary so widely within and between countries.