MSc Financial Technology (FinTech)

Content

The optional modules listed are those that are most likely to be available, but they may be subject to change.

You will study:

• The FinTech Environment - This module examines the nature of FinTech in the current industry context, exploring contemporary market developments and evaluating the challenges and opportunities presented. The module will employ multiple guest speakers to immerse students in the reality of market developments and highlight creative innovation in FinTech.
• Finance for FinTech - This module will introduce you to the key concepts and issues in financial management, financial markets, institutions, and instruments to give you a foundation on the applications of finance. These three key areas will give you a solid foundation for you to understand the key products and developments in FinTech. You will cover the key financial decisions made by financial managers. You will then examine the key financial instruments, the concepts of risk and return, and portfolio theory. You will also study the functioning of modern banking systems, including financial intermediation, operation of payment systems, and the conduct and transmission channels of central bank monetary policy.
• Introduction to Programming and Data Science - This module introduces you to principles of data science and programming with a range of applications to appropriate domains. It aims to provide you with an understanding of the role computation can play in solving problems and, regardless of your previous programming experience, feel confident in your ability to write small programs that allow you to accomplish useful goals. It covers basic programming, statistical inference and analysis, data analytics practices, data management processing and manipulation.
• Interdisciplinary Group Project - In this module, students will work in mixed-specialism groups to identify, plan, prototype and develop a financial technology product, service or systematic data analysis. Alongside basics in project management, you will choose from a range of bitesize specialist workshops in areas such as design thinking and user experience methods, business opportunities and models in FinTech and emerging tools and platforms. You will work with a supervisor and with input from industry mentors to plan, prototype and test the project deliverable.
• FinTech Dissertation - This module allows you to carry out in-depth research in an area of FinTech of your own choosing, determined by your skills and interests. This could focus on a contemporary issue, challenge or problem in FinTech, or apply enterprise skills by developing and evaluating a new FinTech product or service. The project will require you to work with an academic supervisor and in some cases, where a live industry project is being pursued, an industry mentor.

Plus, two optional modules from:

• Blockchain and Cryptocurrencies
• Big Data
• Data Management
• Designing the User Experience
• Machine Learning and Predictive Analytics
• Information Security
• Financial Engineering
• Financial Investments in Practice
• Fund Management  
• Principles of Financial Intermediation
• International Financial Crime
• International Banking and Finance Law
• Entrepreneurship and Innovation
• Information Technology Law.

This structure is for full-time students only. Part-time students study the same modules but the delivery pattern will be different. 

The University continually enhances our offer by responding to feedback from our students and other stakeholders, ensuring the curriculum is kept up to date and our graduates are equipped with the knowledge and skills they need for the real world. This may result in changes to the course. If changes to your course are approved, we will inform you. 

Learning and Teaching

Your learning will be developed through a mix of industry-inspired case studies, live briefs, innovation and creative problem-solving projects, and industry thought leadership in guest lectures.

You'll work regularly in our Bloomberg Trading Room and, if you wish, can study for the Bloomberg Trading Certificate alongside your Master's.

You may participate in business pitches and data projects, and work alongside researchers inour Big Data Laboratory.

And there'll be lots of opportunities to network with the regional FinTech community through seminars, conferences, module partnerships and live projects.

See our full glossary of learning and teaching terms. 

Study time

Expect 12-15 hours of class contact time a week. On top of this, we recommend spending at least another 24 hours a week on private study, to include library research, group projects, preparing for assessments and your Bloomberg activities.

Assessment

We make use of a range of types of assessment including applied projects, case studies, group and individual presentations, live project consultancy, portfolios and extended research reports, as well as exams.

See our full glossary of assessment terms.