Course Overview
Course summary
Sound financial management lies at the heart of every successful business: to generate sufficient income, optimise resources, reduce risk and gain a good return on investments. This course aims to equip you with a skillset in finance and business management to strategically plan, organise, direct and control finances.
Our Finance and Management degree is specifically designed to meet the needs of a rapidly evolving global finance sector. A multidisciplinary programme, it combines financial theory and practice with business management education, with specific focus on ethics and sustainability, to prepare you for a fast track and rewarding career in the international financial services sector or in management.
With an emphasis on learning through practice, we’ll discuss the 2008 financial crisis and explore topics including taxation, financial management, financial markets, business ethics and game theory. You will gain a sound grasp of financial systems and procedures, while developing your skills for complex modelling and analysis. You’ll gain hands-on experience of common business computing and software, including Datastream, EViews, SPSS with an extensive introduction and training in the Bloomberg system.
You will learn to analyse financial markets to forecast financial performance. In doing so, you’ll use real data – live and historic – in our Finance Markets Suite (FMS) with its replica trading floor. You’ll also hear direct from current professionals: for example, in the third year, we visit the London Stock Exchange Group, where you can learn all about its history and how it has evolved into the international market it is today. An expert trainer, typically with direct experience as a fund manager, explains how modern markets work.
Business School graduates have gone on to work for large banks and other financial institutions, including Vanguard, Standard Chartered, Citibank, Société Générale and Paribas, and governmental agencies, such as the World Economic Forum.
Our course was designed with input from a range of industry professionals with expertise in financial markets, institutions and financial regulation. To retain currency and relevance, we receive ongoing feedback from the School’s Employability Advisory Board, whose members include practitioner representatives from Vanguard, JPMorgan and Global Structured Finance, as well as former students now working in the finance industry who provide suggestions on how to improve future employability for students.
Top reasons to study with us
- One of the top 5 institutions in London for Accounting and Finance (Complete University Guide 2021)
- Programmes are delivered by a multicultural and international teaching body, who come from professional practice and/or regularly publish in top international journals
- Access to one of the largest financial databases in our state-of-the-art Bloomberg virtual trading room
- Free online subscription to The Financial Times
- Guest lectures from industry practitioners: recent talks featured a former city trader with over 20 years’ experience as a senior fixed income risk taker
- Field trips to financial institutions: students had a guided tour of the new Bloomberg HQ in London
- Optional placement year or internship, for example, working in the finance department of an NHS Trust
- Attend a half-day training session with the London Stock Exchange Group, after which you receive a certificate of attendance
Course structure
This degree combines business and analytical skills with sound financial knowledge to help inform business strategy. In each year of study, you will take a combination of core and option modules. The flexible nature of the course allows you to choose topics that most suit your interests or career aspirations – even if these change as your course progresses.
The following subjects are indicative of what you will study on this course.
To help you make an informed decision, you can have a look at how marks have been calculated and study time has been distributed on this course in the past.
You are introduced to finance, relevant mathematics, as well as the functions of business organisations, the broader business environment, and key management skills and competences, including information gathering and analysis, economics, marketing and organisational behaviour. We consider business organisations – their purposes, structures and governance in a global context, together with cultural differences and ethical constraints.
Subjects of study include:
- Creating and Managing an Online Presence
- Introduction to Finance
- Introduction to Financial Markets
- Marketing Principles
- Mathematics for Finance
- People and Organisations
- The Role of the Manager
Credit Level 4
You will investigate and learn how businesses operate, looking at how people are managed, how you manage projects and business operations and how managers make key decisions. You will also study modules to further develop your knowledge and expertise in finance, through corporate finance, security analysis and corporate financial management. Within corporate finance you will explore: the financial decision-making processes of organisations, the role of financial managers and the external factors which impact financial decisions. You will discuss and debate some of the issues facing modern markets, including the challenges of cyber-security, dealing with market abuse, ensuring good corporate governance and the impact of internationalisation.
Subjects of study include:
- Corporate Finance
- Corporate Financial Management
- Leadership and Management
- Managing People
- Operations and Digital Business
- Project Management
- Securities Analysis
Credit Level 5
Optional work placement/study abroad year
Between Years 2 and 3, you can take an optional work placement or study year abroad. The work placement year is a one-year full-time business work placement. Past students have completed placements in a variety of small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and prestigious organisations, including Barclays Bank, British Airways, Disney UK, IBM and the National Health Service (NHS). The study abroad year allows you to follow a programme of study at one of our partner institutions, giving you the opportunity to experience life in another country and learn Business from a different cultural viewpoint.
You can also choose to split your year abroad into a first semester exchange and a second semester work placement, both conducted overseas.
Developing your specialist knowledge further by studying international investments, personal finance and current themes in finance, you will investigate the challenges facing organisations at a strategic level, whether this be the safety measures to handle fluctuating markets or increasing digitisation of business and the need for talent equipped to deal with today’s fast pace of change. In doing so, you will undertake research on an aspect of finance of your choice – past students have, for example, looked at how to make financial markets safer, Brexit and financial markets turmoil, the need for financial regulation, and the role of central banks during the crisis and afterwards.
Subjects of study include:
- Advanced Corporate Finance
- Current Themes in Finance
- Elements of Commercial Law
- Global Financial Markets and Institutions
- Global Strategic Management
- International Investments
- Personal Finance
- Professional Experience Project
- Project and Programme Management
- Sustainable Business
Credit Level 6
Programme Specification
For more details on course structure and modules, and how you will be taught and assessed, see the programme specification.
Careers
This degree is designed to prepare you for a managerial role in the financial and broader business sector. Employers in this industry seek graduates with entrepreneurial flair and analytical mindset to make informed business and management decisions. Graduates emerging from this programme will have the confidence to take on exciting professional and management projects to solve complex problems and make sound business decisions. We expect them to work for international organisations in the financial services sector, for multinationals or in their own entrepreneurial financial management practices. You could go on to work as a financial manager, analyst or advisor in a wide range of private, public or third-sector organisations.
The University's Careers and Employability Service has built up a network of over 3,000 employers around the world, helping all our students explore and connect with exciting opportunities and careers.
Develop your innovation and entrepreneurial skills
Develop your innovation and entrepreneurial skills in The Big Idea competition, sponsored by Santander.
Kickstart your career
Learn how to use social media in your job hunt or LinkedIn to kickstart your career.
Develop your CQ
Develop your cultural intelligence – or ‘CQ’ – studying alongside students and staff representing more than 100 nationalities.
Industry links
We have excellent industry links with some of the top firms in the financial services, along with leading financial technology and data vendor services providers such as Bloomberg. Staff who currently teach on this course also have extensive professional experience that includes the following professions: financial analyst; credit risk analyst; lending specialist in the banking sector; global entrepreneur; software development and management; research consultant; and financial & management consultant.
Job roles
This course will prepare you for roles such as:
- Analyst or researcher
- Business development manager
- Financial advisor
- HR business partner
- Management consultant
Graduate employers
Graduates from the Business School have found employment at organisations including:
- Amazon
- Citibank
- Financial Conduct Authority
- Paribas
- Santander
- Sberbank
- Société Générale
- Standard Chartered
- World Economic Forum
Westminster Employability Award
Employers value graduates who have invested in their personal and professional development – and our Westminster Employability Award gives you the chance to formally document and demonstrate these activities and achievements.
The award is flexible and can be completed in your own time, comprising a set of core and optional extracurricular activities.
Activities might include gaining experience through a part-time job or placement, signing up to a University-run scheme – such as mentoring or teaching in a school – or completing online exercises.
International Opportunities
Many of our courses offer international study and work experiences, and the University provides other global opportunities that all students can apply for - so whatever you're studying, you'll have the chance to go abroad.
Opportunities could include:
- Taking part in semester or year-long exchanges at institutions around the world
- Attending an international summer school or field trip
- Developing your CV through volunteering or work placements abroad
International experience broadens horizons, boosts self-confidence, and improves global understanding, alongside being fantastic for your career.
Find out more about our international opportunities, including funding options and where you can go.
Course Leader
Roberta Adami
Senior Lecturer
Roberta Adami joined Westminster in 2004, bringing the benefit of her middle office experience in global banking to our students. She is now a Senior Lecturer in Finance here, as well as a Visiting Professor at the University of Bologna in Italy, where she teaches investment analysis.
Born in Italy, Roberta studied Economics, before gaining her MSc in Economic and Financial Forecasting. Prior to joining academia, she worked as a financial analyst at CGAM (Citibank Global Asset Management) and as a credit risk analyst at Tokai Bank Europe, in London.
At undergraduate level, Roberta teaches international investments, personal finance, risk management. At postgraduate level she teaches: international risk management, wealth management and supervises postgraduate dissertations. She also taught finance on the Corporate Finance Law LLM and between 2007 and 2018 was a visiting professor at the University of Bologna.
Her research interests lie in pensions, income distribution and inequality, pension funds’ performance and capital markets.
I remember my very first visit to London and being in the City as a young graduate; it was buzzing and made me think that this was the place I wanted to be and work. It was a very steep learning curve and long hours, but ultimately extremely rewarding and fun.
Course Team
Why study this course?
Outstanding facilities
State-of-the-art Bloomberg-powered Financial Markets Suite (FMS) featuring industry-leading technology and software.
Professional software
Free access to professional software including Bloomberg, Datastream, Fame, Factiva, EViews, Matlab, Nvivo, SPSS, Sage, Statista, EIU Viewswire, Mintel, Passport (Euromonitor) LinkedIn Learning.
Expert teaching staff
Expert teaching staff will share their professional experiences of working as financial and credit risk analysts, and as economic, business and digital consultants.
Online open days
Join us at an online open day and get a feel for student life at the University of Westminster.
You'll get a chance to:
- Speak to our academic staff
- Take a virtual reality tour of our student halls
- Ask us any questions you may have about student finance and accommodation
Entry Requirements
- A Levels – BBC to ABB
- International Baccalaureate – 112 to 128 UCAS Tariff points from the IB
- BTEC Extended Diploma – DMM to DDM
- BTEC Diploma – D*D*
- Access – 112 to 128 UCAS Tariff points from the Access course
In addition to one of the above, you should have:
- GCSE English Language grade 4/C – IB grade 4 Higher Level, GCSE Maths grade 4/C – IB grade 4
If your first language is not English, you will need an IELTS of 6.0 overall, with 5.5 in each component.
We also welcome applications from students who are taking a combination of qualifications listed above. For further information, please contact Course Enquiries.
View more information about our entry requirements and the application process
- International Baccalaureate – 112 to 128 UCAS Tariff points from the IB
If your first language is not English, you will need an IELTS of 6.0 overall, with 5.5 in each component.
More information
International Foundation course
We work in partnership with Kaplan International College London to provide Foundation Certificate courses for international students who don’t meet our Bachelor’s degree entry requirements.
Find out how to apply for the Foundation Certificate course.
Pre-sessional English programmes
Need to improve your English before starting your course? We offer summer pre-sessional English programmes to help develop your English language skills.
Learn new skills
Develop your creativity
Develop your creativity to think outside the box.
Learn to critically evaluate
Learn to critically evaluate the strategies that managers use to help organisations adapt in an uncertain or complex environment.
Improve your problem-solving skills
Improve your problem-solving skills to better understand and tackle people management issues.
Westminster Business School blog
Read our blog and get an insight into life and studies at Westminster Business School.
Fees and Funding
UK and EU tuition fee: £9,250 (Price per academic year)
When you have enrolled with us, your annual tuition fees will remain the same throughout your studies with us. We do not increase your tuition fees each year.
Find out how we set our tuition fees.
Funding
As well as tuition fee loans, there is a range of funding available to help you fund your studies.
Find out about undergraduate student funding options.
Scholarships
The University is dedicated to supporting ambitious and outstanding students and we offer a variety of scholarships to eligible undergraduate students, which cover all or part of your tuition fees.
Find out if you qualify for one of our scholarships.
Additional costs
See what you may need to pay for separately and what your tuition fees cover.
International tuition fee: £14,400 (Price per academic year)
When you have enrolled with us, your annual tuition fees will remain the same throughout your studies with us. We do not increase your tuition fees each year.
Find out how we set our tuition fees.
International student funding
Find out about funding for international students.
Scholarships
The University is dedicated to supporting ambitious and outstanding students and we offer a variety of scholarships to eligible undergraduate students, which cover all or part of your tuition fees.
Find out if you qualify for one of our scholarships.
Additional costs
See what you may need to pay for separately and what your tuition fees cover.
Student work
On our doorstep, the London Stock Exchange is a major part of the financial industry and our students have the opportunity to experience a day in the life of the markets, participating in a half-day special educational programme. You’ll learn about the role of the different participants, from companies and governments seeking to raise finance, to investors, traders and the regulators. You’ll also consider the challenges companies face when exploring their finance options.
The Universities Business Challenge is a business simulation game hosted by IBM, which for over two decades has given almost 30,000 students across the UK the opportunity to compete with other universities while gaining hands-on experience on running a virtual business. Making decisions about expenditure on marketing, production, sales and finance, profits and sales are analysed to identify the company with the highest cumulative profit at the end of the final trading period. In 2018, a team from the University of Westminster made it to the semifinals.
Teaching and assessment
Your learning experience is designed to provide both a practical and theoretical understanding of the theories, frameworks and ideas related to business, focusing on the study of organisations, management and the changing environment in which they operate.
To assist the learning experience, we provide reading lists, lecture and seminar materials in advance via Blackboard, our virtual learning environment. Lectures are recorded using specialist software and similar tools to make sure you can really listen to what is said in class and don’t miss a thing.
How you’ll be taught
Through a variety of teaching methods – from traditional lectures and seminars to case study analysis, project work and workshops – we aim to bring study to life by incorporating real-world experience. For example, when learning about international investments, you will have the opportunity to create and manage a portfolio of securities using our Bloomberg terminals.
Businesses increasingly operate with teams of specialists. They require people who can communicate and interact effectively within a team – recognising and supporting leadership, being proactive in leadership, negotiating, and managing conflict. You will be encouraged to work in groups with other students, developing your team-working and problem-solving skills, while providing an opportunity to learn to value the views of others, give and receive constructive feedback.
Where possible, we also take you to visit and learn first-hand from various organisations and businesses, including the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG). You’ll have plenty of opportunities to gain valuable insight from past case studies, including the story of one of finance’s greatest formulas, the Black-Scholes option pricing model, which won two of its developers the Nobel Prize and promised to generate large returns with low risk, but ended up losing hundreds of millions day after day.
How you’ll be assessed
Using a wide range of techniques, you can expect to be assessed on the learning outcomes of your course in core modules through coursework in the form of essays, reports, case studies as well as time-constrained in-class tests and exams.
We try to make assessments as practical and relevant as possible, incorporating the type of work required by future employers, for example, the need to write strategic reports and give presentations.
Supporting you
Our Student Hub is where you’ll find out about the services and support we offer, helping you get the best out of your time with us.
- Study support — workshops, 1-2-1 support and online resources to help improve your academic and research skills
- Personal tutors — support you in fulfilling your academic and personal potential
- Student advice team — provide specialist advice on a range of issues including funding, benefits and visas
- Extra-curricular activities — volunteering opportunities, sports and fitness activities, student events and more
Facilities
Learning platform
Meeting spaces
Library
Classrooms
Bloomberg Suite
Group study zone
Cafe
Course Location
Our Marylebone Campus has benefited from a multi-million-pound refurbishment resulting in new workshops, digital studios and development of the Marylebone Library. The campus is home to Westminster Business School and our award-winning Architecture, Planning and Tourism courses. For more details, visit our Marylebone Campus page.
Westminster Business School
Westminster Business School is one of London’s leading centres for business education based in the heart of London and its political, media and financial services scene.
We are a Chartered Institute of Personnel Development (CIPD) Centre of Excellence, recognised by professional bodies including the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM), Chartered Management Institute (CMI) and APMG International.
Contact us
We have an FAQs page if you are applying this year.
Or you can contact the Course Enquiries Team:
Opening hours (GMT): 9am–4pm Monday to Friday
More information
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