Overview
Prepare for a fast-paced career in financial services. Develop a balanced understanding across finance, economics, accounting and management to help you thrive, whether you’re interested in a career in investment banking, training and research, or working with start-ups.
Course outline and modules
Prepare for a career in the finance industry. Our BSc Finance degree will develop your understanding of finance, economics and management to equip you with the knowledge, skills and applied experience that makes our graduates some of the most employable in the country.
What you’ll learn
You will unpack many aspects of finance and management throughout the course, from capital markets and derivatives, through to asset pricing and international finance. You’ll also develop excellent financial literature skills, from interpreting small scale to large financial data and apply these to real-world company performance questions.
As well as class-based learning, students on our BSc Finance will enjoy study trips such as the recent visit to the London Stock Exchange. Given the global demand for graduates with finance degrees, you can also study a language alongside your degree as well as explore our study abroad opportunities and double degree route.
International students
Aston University is a diverse, close community and welcomes international students. Students from over 120 different countries choose to study with us every year. Based in the centre of Birmingham, Aston is not only a great place to study, it’s also a great place to live.
Aston’s professional work placements can improve your chance of securing a graduate job. Placements give you experience, confidence and opportunities, so you’ll be better prepared for your future career. One of the great things about Aston is our focus on employability. Our close links with businesses, industries and professions make this possible.
For International Students intending to do a foundation year, visit ONCAMPUS.
Foundation programme
Choosing to start your Aston journey with our foundation programme in business will help you develop specialist knowledge to ensure you are fully prepared to study your chosen undergraduate course. During your foundation year you’ll have excellent support from academics, while group projects will give you the chance to meet new people, make new friends and build a network of peers who will share your university journey. We also have a Learning Development Centre that can provide additional support and offer pre-sessional English language programmes.
Post-study work visa
Aston University welcomed the creation of a new immigration route which will enable international students to remain in the UK for two years after they have completed their studies, in order to find work. The new post-study work visa will apply to international students starting undergraduate and postgraduate courses from 2020 at universities with a track record of compliance with immigration policy. Find out more about the post-study work visa.
Modules
Year 1
You will study a range of topics, designed to give you a solid foundation for your business degree. The core modules are:
- Introduction to Finance
- Introductory Accounting for Business
- Law for Business
- Mathematics for economics
- Statistics for economics
- Introduction to Microeconomics
- Introduction to Macroeconomics
Learning, teaching and assessment
Our close links to industry and our focus on delivering practical business experiences provides a blend of learning experiences to equip you for your future career.
Learning and teaching
You will experience a range of teaching methods on our BSc Finance degree at Aston including lectures, tutorials, group working, case studies and both individual and group presentations.
Traditional teaching is enhanced by a virtual learning environment that is used to host a range of electronic supporting materials. For example, all business students undertake the Business Game module and compete in teams in a computer simulation exercise that culminates in a presentation to a panel of internal employers.
Bloomberg Trading Room at Aston
Today's economy is rapidly changing, and for students looking to get a competitive edge, the ability to analyse real-time data is vital. The Aston Bloomberg Trading Room provides students with a simulation of what it’s like to work in the financial industry, and gain experience of a trading floor environment.
Bloomberg trading software is internationally renowned and used by the world's most influential decision makers, providing coverage of markets and securities as well as offering trading solutions. Find out more.
Aston University has subscriptions to both the Financial Times and The Economist, which you can benefit from whilst studying here.
Assessment
You will undertake a mix of coursework and examinations as well as group work and presentations.
Personal development
Our business degrees are designed to also give you a range of transferable and practical skills to help you succeed in your chosen career. We make extensive use of group working and presentations to prepare you for the reality of working life. This experience will develop your teamworking and negotiating skills.
The integrated placement year gives you genuine, practical work experience that is invaluable in developing an appreciation of issues such as office politics, which cannot be replicated in the lecture room.
Career prospects
The specialist financial knowledge gained through this degree provides excellent preparation for graduate entry into finance-related careers.
Because this degree also combines broader-based business knowledge, it provides an excellent foundation for careers in general management and imparts skills that will be highly valued by graduate recruiters in both the private and public sectors.
Many students are offered jobs linked to their placement year. The integrated placement gives you an opportunity to gain experience for your CV as well as an understanding of the areas of finance that you’re interested in, preparing you for the world of work.
Recent graduates
Our recent finance graduates have obtained positions in roles such as:
- Finance Reporting Analyst
- Area Manager
- Risk Assurance
- Associate Auditor
- Investment Analyst
- Operations Analyst.
My name is Kavisha Prince Anthony, and I always had a dream of studying abroad. Thankfully, that dream came to life since I applied to the Study Advisor. I was able to receive my visa within four days. I also had some visa refusals in the past; I had about six UK visa refusals in the past, but thankfully, it was not an issue since the Study Advisor was able to make things work this time. I highly recommend Study Advisor for your dreams of going abroad, whether it be the UK or any other European country there is.