International Finance and Investment – BA (Honours)

At a glance

Gain a professional knowledge of the products and services used in stockbroking, fund management and financial markets. You can gain valuable professional experience with a placement, in the UK or overseas, at a major organisation such as Henderson Global Investors and Morgan Stanley. Also there’s the opportunity to achieve industry recognition with industry-sponsored prizes.

Key points
• Gain the key knowledge and skills needed for a role in investment management.• Spend a year gaining experience with a major investment organisation such as Morgan Stanley.
• Win industry-sponsored prizes from investment management firms for outstanding academic achievement.
• Benefit from close links with the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment (CISI).

What is international finance and investment?
International finance and investment studies the decisions related to a portfolio of investments, for example pensions, hedge funds or trust funds, in accordance with the stated goals of the fund.

This course

Prepare for a career in fund management and stockbroking on a course designed in consultation with industry practitioners and professional bodies.

In the first year, you get a broad grounding in finance and related topics, to ensure that you have a sound platform on which to build. Starting in the first year, and throughout your course we regularly provide you with opportunities to develop your IT and numerical skills.

Your second and final years focus primarily on finance and financial markets, in line with your specialism. This develops the key skills required of you by employers and offers you a greater understanding of the different financial roles within organisations.

In your third year you can apply what you have learnt on placement in a professional organisation. This is a great opportunity to gain valuable insight into the workings of that organisation and increases your career potential. You build professional relationships with potential employers that can lead to the offer of a permanent job after you graduate.

You can gain placements in large organisations such as Henderson Global Investors, Redmayne Bentley and Morgan Stanley. We encourage students who are interested to apply for work placements which are based overseas in countries such as France, USA, Australia, Gibraltar and Dubai.

All students returning from placement study the career management and professional development module. This module asks students to reflect upon their placement experiences and plan future career moves. Students who don't go on placement take a period of work-based learning in their final year.

You can also gain professional exemptions from the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment (CISI), The Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) and the Association of Corporate Treasurers (ACT). These industry recognised qualifications can further enhance your prospects as you prepare for a career in the sector.

Key areas of study
This course gives you an in depth knowledge of banking and finance and covers key areas such as • financial and management information • financial institutions and markets • principles of investment • mergers and acquisitions • strategic issues in financial services.

Enhanced study experience
We embed a wide range of extras into your course to enhance your study experience and to give you greater employability and technical skills after graduating. Visit the enhanced study media box to view examples of our many initiatives.