UDBKFIPT - BSc Banking and Finance (with Integrated Professional Training)

The BSc Banking and Finance programme aims to foster life-long learning among students and to provide a springboard into employment in the graduate labour market. The course is designed to prepare students for a career in the banking and finance industry in London, Europe or further afield.

The course provides students with the broad range of skills they need to secure and retain employment in the highly competitive labour market. The academic depth and breadth of this undergraduate programme provide highly relevant subject specific knowledge and transferable skills. Students also develop their cognitive skills, problem solving, quantitative and IT competence, and effective oral and written communication skills.

Students are able to gain experience of a real-world business environment through the compulsory work-related learning module options which can be selected by students in either the second or third year of their course programme.

The course adopts an approach to teaching and learning based on practices that have been agreed across Banking, Finance and Economics undergraduate courses.

This course provides students with an in-depth knowledge and understanding of theory, methods and application in Banking and Finance and develops their ability to use critical reasoning in a variety of contexts.

Students’ learning is initiated and directed through formal contact time with the teaching team in lectures, seminars and workshops. Students are encouraged to develop their learning through small-group activity in class and through reading, writing, problem-solving and other learning activity outside class. Students learn both individually and in groups and use case studies, presentations and problem-based learning exercises to develop and demonstrate their understanding. Critical thinking is developed throughout the course.

Numerical and statistical skills are introduced and developed in core quantitative modules at levels 4 and 5 and the application of these methods is supported and enhanced in other core modules. Students learn how to obtain, manipulate and interpret key financial data and they are able to extend quantitative and research skills at level 6 in the project module and through option choice.

Practical skills are developed through the use of student presentations in seminars/tutorials, and through independent activities undertaken by students who reflect on, develop and present work for informal assessment by the tutor. Initiative and independence are developed progressively through the three levels of the course, so that students learn to take greater responsibility for their work, culminating in their level 6 project.

With respect to blended learning: all modules make use of virtual learning environment platforms (WebLearn) in which module lecture material, course handbooks and other material are made available. Other ICT resources include links to key web resources, on-line learning games, test questions and previous examples of assessments with feedback.

Students may transfer between the BSc Banking and Finance (with Integrated Professional Training), BSc Economics and Finance, BSc Economics and BA Business Economics at the end of Level 4 without loss of time.

An inclusive learning environment anticipates the varied requirements of learners, while raising aspirations and supporting achievement for people with diverse requirements, entitlements and backgrounds.

The BSc Banking and Finance aims to:

1. Provide a knowledge and understanding of methods, theory and application in Banking and Finance;
2. Provide a range of cognitive and transferable skills which promote employability and/or further study;
3. Develop students’ abilities to use and evaluate forms of analysis in a variety of contexts relevant to the banking and finance industry;
4. Engage students in a rich and challenging course which promotes personal and academic development and life-long learning.

Upon successful completion of the BSc Economics and Finance, students will be able to:
1. articulate core banking and finance concepts, theories and models and use these tools to analyse banking and finance problems and policy questions in a business, government, or social context;

2. understand and apply mathematical and econometric methods and computing techniques in a variety of banking- and finance-related contexts, elaborate the range of ideas and differing methods of analysis used in Banking and Finance; and explain verbal, graphical and mathematical representations of economic and financial ideas and analyses, including the relationship between them, drawing appropriate inferences;

3. apply intellectual skills and critical reasoning with particular emphasis on the development of the higher order skills of analysis, synthesis and evaluation of concepts, ideas and theories in banking and finance; and carry out independent scholarly research and use acquired knowledge to analyse and evaluate specific issues and problems in banking, business and finance.

4. produce reports and give oral presentations to a professional level; and work effectively in groups and demonstrate team-working, planning, communication and other “soft” skills; and link theoretical and quantitative knowledge and analytical skills to practice in business, finance, government and other organisations; and communicate complex ideas and analysis in banking and finance through written and oral expositions;

5. marshal evidence and assimilate, structure and analyse qualitative and quantitative data; interpret and present effectively economic and financial information from Bloomberg and elsewhere, using up-to-date statistical and modelling tools and appropriate software

6. apply and evaluate research techniques used in Banking and Finance; and design, plan, organise and deliver an individual research project reflecting professional standards adopted in economics and finance

Economics for Finance and Business FE4001
Fundamentals of Accounting FE4002
Quantitative Methods for Banking, Finance and Economics FE4003

Contextualising Theory FE4052

Introduction to Financial Markets and Institutions FE4051

LEVEL FIVE
Econometrics and Financial Modelling FE5001
Corporate Finance and Investment FE5002
Bank Lending and the Legal Environment FE5006
International Business and World markets FE5004
Statistical Methods and Modelling Markets MA5041
Corporate Financial Services Strategy FE5051
Money and Banking FE5052
Economics and Ethics FE5053
IT for Professionals FE5055
Learning Through Work 1 MN5W55
Creating a Winning Business 1 MN5W50
Open Language Programme OL0000
Extension of Knowledge XK0000

LEVEL SIX
Professional Experience Year placement MN6W04
Economics of Multinational Business FE6051
Empirical Research in Global banking, Finance and Economics FE6P01
Development Economics and Emerging markets FE6002
Economics of Human Resources FE6003
Financial Instruments and Financial Engineering FE6004
International Corporate Social Responsibility FE6063
Personal Finance FE6052
International Finance FE6005
Learning Through Work 2 MN6W55
Creating a Winning Business MN6W50
Extension of Knowledge Module XK0000
Open Language Programme OL0000

Learning Outcomes cover LO1-6

Finance (2016)

A range of assessment methods are used across each level of the course, reflecting the range of learning outcomes at each level and the diversity of learning styles amongst students. In each module the assessments methods chosen are those best-suited to measuring the achievement of that particular module’s learning outcomes.

For instance essays are used in modules where learning outcomes include the development of writing skills, referencing, synthesis and critical evaluation. Group work is used in modules where co-operative skills are being developed. Case studies are employed where students are learning how to apply economic analysis to particular scenarios or organisations. Other methods or assessment include: individual presentations, coursework problem sets and mini-projects, group reports, in-class tests, seen and unseen exams.

Priority is given to methods of assessment consistent with timely formative feedback, either in the development stage of the work or as soon as possible after the assessment has been completed.
On some modules formative feedback on drafts of essays may be provided before essays are handed in. The University aims to provide feedback on the first assessment component within a week of submission, and for subsequent assessment components within two weeks of submission.

Unseen and seen examinations are also seen as an important tool for assessing the achievement of learning outcomes and the maintenance of academic standards.

As part of our Undergraduate Student Promise, every student will undertake accredited work-related learning.

Students are required to take a 30 credit 12-month sandwich work-placement module before commencing their final year of study, which extends the course to four years, enabling them to acquire work-related learning and enhance their practical business skills and experience.

Work-related learning provides students with:
● the experience of a competitive recruitment process or pitching for an opportunity
● a work-related experience or project which impacts a real organisation
● assessment and feedback on their reflections on their experience of the work-related learning and planning for their future career.

Students will be supported in finding suitable opportunities in the form of the one-year work placement, which is a pre-requisite for completing the course. We have dedicated placements and careers teams who will assist learners with all aspects of their job search and application. The suitability of the opportunities will be assessed by the Module Leader on an individual basis. It is the student’s responsibility to apply for opportunities and engage with the relevant University personnel who to assist them in their efforts at gaining a suitable role.

The course draws on external links with banking and finance practitioners in the City and elsewhere in the UK. These links give rise to University and GSBL public lectures, external speaker seminars and other meetings of interest to undergraduate students. These events throughout the course provide opportunities for students to gain knowledge and experience from outside the University.

Students are able to study at various universities in Europe, usually for one semester, as part of the Erasmus programme.

Students are encouraged to reflect on their personal development throughout the course. They are introduced to personal development planning in the academic skills seminars in FE4001 Economics for Finance and Business at level 4 and they are thereafter encouraged to plan the development of their skills and employability throughout their course.

Students are provided with support for the development and reflection on professional skills during continuous induction as part of FE4002, and develop their presentational and team-working skills in a number of modules across levels of study. Where particular skills are developed in particular modules, lecturers and course tutors make this process explicit to students to enhance reflection.

The level five and six extension of knowledge options allow students to shape their own specialist knowledge and development, including the option of developing skills in languages such as German, French, Spanish or Arabic.

The final-year project module FE6P01 Empirical Research in Global Banking, Finance and Economics requires students to carry out research and assessment work which incorporates work-based skills, career management and professional standards. This module will also feature presentations from outside professionals so that students relate their own project work to real-world practice.

Taking this course opens up a wide range of career opportunities. In the past BSc Banking and Finance (with IPT) graduates have found employment in financial institutions, international companies and public sector organisations. A sizeable proportion also progress to postgraduate study.

The Careers Development and Employment Service is a university-wide resource made available to students which provides information about labour market opportunities and career development.
Students are given a “Careers” talk during Welcome Week at the beginning of level 4. The University careers advisor then gives career presentations in core lectures in all three levels of the course and also runs careers and CV forums which students are encouraged to attend.

Students are also introduced to the local Careers and Employability team within the School and the placements service it provides. They are encouraged to plan early for their work-related learning module core options at either Levels 5 or 6 to assist students in finding work placement opportunities. The course leader, with the support of academic staff contributing to the course, provides information about career opportunities after graduation and works closely with Careers and Employability team to assist students to find beneficial part-time work and/or internships.

Guest speakers organised by the School of Business & Law and student societies bring students into contact with finance specialists and business managers from both national and international organisations. These meetings give students the opportunity to know more about future career paths and the best strategies to pursue their own career aspirations.

In addition, students are encouraged to participate in extra-curricular activities including involvement in peer coaching of students, receiving professional mentoring, volunteering in the not-for-profit sector, joining or setting up student society and national competitions / activities including University Business Challenge and Amnesty International Raise Off. Within GSBL there are a series of regular staff research seminars provided by the different subject areas including economics, finance, management, and human resources. The University’s research centres also stimulate student links with outside activities and organisations. These centres provide opportunities for students to engage in wider research issues at the forefront at knowledge.

A wide variety of careers in banking, insurance and investment are open to graduates. Recent graduates have found work with companies such as Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan and the Royal Bank of Scotland as financial analysts, investment bankers, credit analysts and traders.

You may also wish to continue your studies on a postgraduate degree course.

In addition to the University's standard entry requirements, you should have:

• a minimum of grades CCC in three A levels in academic or business subjects (or a minimum of 96 UCAS points from an equivalent Level 3 qualification, eg BTEC National, OCR Diploma or Advanced Diploma)
• English Language GCSE at grade C/grade 4 or above (or equivalent)

To study a degree at London Met, you must be able to demonstrate proficiency in the English language. If you require a Tier 4 student visa you may need to provide the results of a Secure English Language Test (SELT) such as Academic IELTS. For more information about English qualifications please see our English language requirements.

If you need (or wish) to improve your English before starting your degree, the University offers a Pre-sessional Academic English course to help you build your confidence and reach the level of English you require.