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Undergraduate Study

BSc Finance

UCAS code NN55
Duration 3 years
Entry year 2024
Campus Streatham Campus
Discipline Accounting and Finance
Contact

Web: Enquire online
Phone: +44 (0)1392 726679

Typical offer

View full entry requirements

A-Level: AAA 
IB: 36/666
BTEC: DDD

Contextual offers

A-Level: ABB
IB: 32/655
BTEC: DDM

Overview

  • You will be equipped with skills and knowledge in financial decision-making and commercial awareness in environmental sustainability, responsible leadership and technological transformation. 
  • Tailor your programme to your interests with three flexible pathways in Investment Banking, Business Management and Data Science
  • Develop a set of transferrable graduate skills hugely relevant to the future of finance, including independent learning, communication and presentation, teamwork and collaboration and enhanced technical abilities
  • You will be prepared for a career in a wide range of sectors including banking and financial services, private and public organisations and the broader corporate world
  • Depending on the modules taken, you may be prepared to work towards professional certifications

UK Business School of the Year

Times Higher Education Awards 2022

Top 10 for Accounting and Finance

7th in The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2023 and 8th in The Complete University Guide 2024

Specific modules can enable you to work towards professional certifications

Opportunity to specialise with a choice of pathways

Entry requirements (typical offer)

Qualification Typical offer Required subjects
A-Level AAA n/a
IB 36/666 n/a
BTEC DDD n/a
GCSE B or 5 Grade B or 5 in GCSE English language and Mathematics (or GCE AL/AS Mathematics or Further Mathematics or Pure Mathematics or Core Mathematics)
Access to HE 30 L3 credits at Distinction Grade and 15 L3 credits at Merit Grade N/A
Contextual Offer

A-Level: ABB
IB: 32/655
BTEC: DDM

Specific subject requirements must still be achieved where stated above. Find out more about contextual offers.

Other UK, EU and International equivalences

View UK, EU and International equivalences

English language requirements

International students need to show they have the required level of English language to study this course. The required test scores for this course fall under Profile C (2). Please visit our English language requirements page to view the required test scores and equivalencies from your country.

NB General Studies is not included in any offer.

Grades advertised on each programme webpage are the typical level at which our offers are made and provide information on any specific subjects an applicant will need to have studied in order to be considered for a place on the programme. However, if we receive a large number of applications for the programme we may not be able to make an offer to all those who are predicted to achieve/have achieved grades which are in line with our typical offer. For more information on how applications are assessed and when decisions are released, please see: After you apply

Course content

Your first year will give you a general overview of the role of financial assets and markets. You will gain a broad understanding of the fundamentals of securities and investment under the current economic environment within the financial services industry.

We will introduce you to economics and teach you how to summarise and analyse data using statistical methodologies to test hypotheses. All our modules have an international focus, allowing you to experience the global scope of the modern financial world. 

At the Business School, we are passionate about environmental sustainability, responsible leadership, and technological transformation. You will be introduced to ethical issues and dilemmas in business and encouraged to consider the social, economic, and environmental implications of professional behaviours and decisions. 

Pathways

Three flexible pathways: Investment Banking, Business Management, and Data Science, have been built into the curriculum, enabling you to tailor your studies to suit your personal interests and career aspirations.

This degree offers you the opportunity to spend a year working in a related industry or studying abroad.

If you choose one of these options your placement year will take place in your third year, before returning to complete your degree at Exeter in your fourth and final year of study.

You can apply directly to one of these options, or you can apply to the standard 3 year course and transfer onto one of these options at the end of your first year.

More about placement options

 

With Industrial Experience

With Year Abroad

Pathways

On the Business Management pathway, you will develop your understanding of the purpose and functioning of organisations within the global business environment.

You will study corporate finance and governance, investment practice, risk management and financial reporting, to prepare you for careers in business and corporate finance.

Optional modules allow you to either pursue a broad understanding of business management, or to specialise in your chosen field of entrepreneurship or leadership, enabling you to tailor your degree to suit your personal ambitions and interests.

How to apply

You can apply to this pathway via UCAS using the codes below, or you can apply to BSc Finance (UCAS code NN55) and choose a pathway once you're at Exeter.

Course UCAS code Duration
BSc Finance: Business Management NN46 3 years
BSc Finance: Business Management with Industrial Experience NN50 4 years
BSc Finance: Business Management with Year Abroad NN51 4 years

The Data Science pathway has been designed to meet the growing demand for Finance graduates with specialist skills such as programming for financial applications and quantitative data analysis techniques.

It includes optional modules on topics such as machine learning for economics; bitcoin, AI and the metaverse. You will also study corporate finance, investment practice, risk management and financial reporting.

How to apply

You can apply to this pathway via UCAS using the codes below, or you can apply to BSc Finance (UCAS code NN55) and choose a pathway once you're at Exeter.

Course UCAS code Duration
BSc Finance: Data Science NN47 3 years
BSc Finance: Data Science with Industrial Experience NN52 4 years
BSc Finance: Data Science with Year Abroad NN53 4 years

On the Investment Banking pathway, you will gain the fundamental knowledge and technical application of investment tools and asset classes. You will study specialist topics such as equity and fixed income, financial modelling, quantitative methods, economics of financial crisis, and risk management in the banking and financial services sectors.

In addition, modules in corporate finance and governance, investment practice and financial reporting will provide you with skills for a career in banking, financial services or the broader corporate world. 

Please note that this pathway will achieve CFA accreditation, so only compulsory modules are available - no optional modules.

How to apply

You can apply to this pathway via UCAS using the codes below, or you can apply to BSc Finance (UCAS code NN55) and choose a pathway once you're at Exeter.

Course UCAS code Duration
BSc Finance: Investment Banking NN45 3 years
BSc Finance: Investment Banking with Industrial Experience NN48 4 years
BSc Finance: Investment Banking with Year Abroad NN49 4 years

Course variants

Course UCAS code Duration
BSc Finance with Industrial Experience NN56 4 years
BSc Finance: Business Management with Industrial Experience NN50 4 years
BSc Finance: Data Science with Industrial Experience NN52 4 years
BSc Finance: Investment Banking with Industrial Experience NN48 4 years

Why choose a year in industry?

  • Gain a proven work history that is excellent to discuss at job interviews and gives you a head start in the working world.
  • Get paid! Typical salaries range from £19,000 to £23,000 but can extend from £15,000 to £52,000.
  • Many students are offered graduate jobs from their placement employer.
  • 97% of With Industrial Experience graduates were in graduate employment or postgraduate study within 6 months of graduating, compared to 93.5% of non-WIE graduates (DLHE 2017)
  • Increase your confidence and resilience, and make friends for life

What does a year in industry mean for me?

The ‘With Industrial Experience’ (WIE) pathway is a four-year version of your degree, in which your third year is spent in a professional placement before returning to university for your fourth and final year. The Business School Careers Team supports you every step of the way, helping you identify placement providers, create a strong application, practice interview techniques, and support you while you are in placement.

The placement year assessment currently comprises:

  • Progress reports provided by employers
  • A reflective essay
  • A business report

How do I secure a placement and where can I go?

You are responsible for sourcing and securing a work placement, but you will be supported throughout by the Business School Careers Team and assigned an academic tutor for the duration of your placement. Placements are available internationally. Previous placement providers include Adidas, Apple, ASOS, Bank of England, Deloitte, Disney, EY, GlaxoSmithKline, Goldman Sachs, PwC

Does it count towards my degree?

The placement year is assessed and contributes one-seventh of your final degree classification when you graduate.

Does it affect my tuition fee?

During your placement year you will pay a reduced tuition fee of approximately 20% of the maximum fee for that year. Find out more on our tuition fee webpages.

How do I apply?

‘With Industrial Experience’ (WIE) is available on all our undergraduate programmes. You can apply through UCAS using the code above, or ask to transfer onto WIE in the first term of your first year. Find out more on our careers pages.

Other work experience options

If you choose not to undertake the four-year WIE pathway, there are other ways to gain work experience, from the Business Internships and Placements Module, to summer internships. Find out more on our careers pages.

Course UCAS code Duration
BSc Finance with Year Abroad NN57 4 years
BSc Finance: Business Management with Year Abroad NN51 4 years
BSc Finance: Data Science with Year Abroad NN53 4 years
BSc Finance: Investment Banking with Year Abroad NN49 4 years

Why choose a year abroad?

  • In a complex and hyper-connected world, it is more important than ever to demonstrate a global outlook to employers
  • A report by Universities UK International shows that graduates who are mobile during their degree are more likely to earn more than non-mobile peers
  • Broaden your perspective in a way that benefits you for life: accelerating your resilience and flexibility, developing your ability to communicate across cultures, and demonstrating that you take the initiative
  • We find students return from their year abroad with heightened self-confidence and an impressive work ethic.

What does a year abroad mean for me?

The ‘With Year Abroad’ (WYA) pathway is a four-year version of your degree, in which your third year is spent studying at one of our 60 partner universities (spanning 26 countries), before returning to university for your fourth and final year. There is also the opportunity to combine study and work abroad, doing a semester of study at one of our partner universities followed by a semester of work in a placement that you secure anywhere in the world.

The Business School Study Abroad Team supports you every step of the way, helping you to decide where to go, create a strong application, and supporting you while you are abroad.

Where can I go?

We have partners in: Canada, USA, Mexico, Peru, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Germany, Denmark, Netherlands, Switzerland, France, Spain, Portugal, Poland, Slovenia, Italy, Turkey, China, Hong Kong, Thailand, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand.

Does it count towards my degree?

The placement year is assessed and contributes one-seventh of your final degree classification when you graduate.

Does it affect my tuition fees?

If you spend a full academic year studying abroad you will pay a reduced fee of approximately 15% of the maximum fee for that year.

How do I apply?

Year abroad options are available on all our undergraduate programmes. You can apply for the four-year ‘With Year Abroad’ variant of your degree through UCAS using the code above, or ask to transfer onto the WYA programme in your first year. Acceptance is dependent on satisfactory academic performance and the level of research you have undertaken into your chosen institution. Find out more on our study abroad webpages.

Other study abroad options

If you choose not to undertake the full year studying abroad, there are other ways to gain a taste of the study abroad experience. You can spend two to six weeks at one of our international partner universities. Find out more on our study abroad webpages.

Fees

Tuition fees for 2024 entry

UK students: £9,250 per year
International students: £23,700 per year

Scholarships

The University of Exeter has over £2.5 million in scholarships available for students applying to study with us in 2023 - including our Global Excellence Scholarships* for international fee paying students and financial support for students from disadvantaged backgrounds, lower income households and other under-represented groups to help them access, succeed and progress through higher education.

* Terms and conditions apply. See online for details.

Find out more about tuition fees and scholarships

Learning and teaching

How will I learn?

You will learn through a mix of:

  • Lectures of one or two hours once a week for each module. These give you the information central to the module and help you understand complex ideas.
  • Seminars and tutorials every week or every other week for each module. They cover in-depth discussions of topics introduced in lectures.
  • Total timetabled study hours (lectures, seminars, tutorials) for your whole degree are on average between 11 and 14 hours per week.
  • In addition, you are expected to complete an average of 20-25 hours of independent or group study per week.

How will I be assessed?

Modules are assessed through a mixture of:

  • Group work
  • Coursework
  • Project work
  • Examinations

The weighting of these components varies according to the module. Coursework is typically between 2,500 and 6,000 words in length, and exams are usually held at the end of the module in January and May/June.

Where will I study?

You will be based at the purpose-built University of Exeter Business School located on the Streatham Campus in Exeter, Devon.

Optional modules outside of this course

Each year, if you have optional modules available, you can take up to 30 credits in a subject outside of your course. This can increase your employability and widen your intellectual horizons.

Proficiency in a second subject

If you complete 60 credits of modules in one of the subjects below, you may have the words 'with proficiency in [e.g. Social Data Science]' added to your degree title when you graduate.

  • A Foreign Language
  • Law
  • Social Data Science
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Leadership

Find out more about proficiency options

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Your future

Your degree demonstrates that you have the following professional skills:

  • Professional, industry-accredited knowledge
  • An enquiring mind and rigorous approach
  • Responsible leadership and entrepreneurship
  • Financial decision-making and commercial awareness of environmental sustainability
  • Analytical, teamwork, communication and research skills transferrable across a range of industries
  • Ability to manipulate financial and other numerical data and appreciate statistical concepts
  • Ability to locate, extract and analyse data from multiple sources
  • Ability to present qualitative and quantitative information with analysis, argument and commentary
  • Ability to analyse the contexts in which finance operates
  • Depending on the modules taken, you may be part qualified towards a range of professional qualifications (see accrediting bodies)

Career paths

Upon completion of the course, you should be well placed to pursue a wide variety of career options in areas such as:

  • Finance
  • Investment banking
  • Banking
  • Accounting and auditing
  • Personal and corporate finance
  • Government organisations
  • Consultancy
  • Education, Teaching and Research

Your future

The University of Exeter Business School provides a range of careers and employability support for Undergraduate students. Visit the Business School Career Zone web page for more information.

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