MSc Financial Technology (FinTech)

Financial Technology (FinTech) is one of the major revolutions in financial markets, with technology enhancing or replacing traditional financial methods in the delivery of financial activities.

Investment in the FinTech sector is rapidly increasing, and the FinTech industry, especially start-ups, faces technological, legal and regulatory challenges and unexpected events. Therefore, FinTech professionals are required to have analytical and critical thinking skills which help them find creative solutions to such problems.

This new MSc degree in FinTech will equip you with the tech skills, finance skills, and soft skills you'll need to build a career in the rapidly expanding financial technology field. As a graduate, you will have the knowledge and understanding required to respond to the evolving requirements of employers within the wide range of industries related to financial technology.

This programme can also be studied via Distance Learning.

What you will study

All module information is for 2023 entry and is subject to change.

First-year

Core

• Quantitative Methods in Finance
• Fundamentals of Financial Technology, Blockchain, and Value Creation
• Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence in Finance
• FinTech Regulation, Compliance, Ethics, and Risk Management
• Dissertation

Option

• Asset Pricing and Financial Markets
• Analytics for Finance and Accounting
• Accounting and Finance
• Corporate Finance
• International Finance

Learning and assessment

The FinTech program aims to integrate applied and theoretical knowledge with assessment processes that test both the knowledge of the discipline and understanding of its application and limitations. To this end, the learning, teaching, and assessment strategy for this program has been developed to help the student build their knowledge throughout their study to develop their research, critical thinking, and writing skills.

The learning will be directed, supported, and reinforced through a combination of lectures, tutorials, seminars, labs, and project supervision, as well as through personal research and directed and self-directed study. These activities will all be further supported using a virtual learning environment (VLE). To facilitate learning, lectures will be grounded in active and collaborative learning and will typically utilize expertise from the School of Management faculty, industry experts, case studies, and problem-solving exercises.

The nature of the collaborative activities varies, though typically students may be required to engage as a group, develop and discuss a case(s)/scenario, and provide solutions based on sound analysis and logical arguments using information from varying sources. Students also will use the expertise of their peers and will gain the skills to lead start-ups and companies into the fintech revolution. Constructive feedback is provided by peers and the module leader/tutor during the teaching sessions. Tutorials will be in the format of discussion-based, problem-solving, and/or review and Q&A sessions, with oral feedback given in class.

Lab sessions will complement formal lectures and tutorials and will be an opportunity for students to do some hands-on-system work and focus on developing and practicing both coding analytics skills and coding-free analytics skills. Students will be guided to suitable primary and secondary (open access) data sources and be required to conduct research, analysis, and presentation exercises.

The assessment strategy of this program is robust, adopting a range of assessment methods, thereby aiming to be inclusive, and allowing students to play to their strengths while also developing areas of weakness. The skills and knowledge developed throughout the program are formatively and summatively assessed by a mixture of written examinations, coursework, group projects, and [multimedia] presentations. Assessment is integrated with learning and teaching to support and demonstrate achievement of the learning outcomes for individual modules and the program.

Career support

The University is committed to helping students develop and enhance employability and this is an integral part of many programs. Specialist support is available throughout the course from Career and Employability Services including help to find part-time work while studying, placements, vacation work, and graduate vacancies. Students are encouraged to access this support at an early stage and to use the extensive resources on the Careers website.

Discussing options with specialist advisers helps to clarify plans through exploring options and refining skills of job-hunting. In most of our programs, there is direct input by Career Development Advisers into the curriculum or through specially arranged workshops.

AWS Academy program from Amazon Web Services (AWS)

The School of Management has joined the prestigious worldwide AWS Academy program from Amazon Web Services (AWS). All students will be allowed to enhance their employability skills, helping to make them ready for the world of work.

AWS Academy is a global program that provides educational institutions with access to cloud computing content to support student learning in a competitive digital workplace. As a member of the AWS Academy, the University of Bradford will help students become proficient and certified in the use of AWS technologies and ready to join the dynamic cloud IT workforce.

All learners will have the opportunity to seek professional certification with the skills gained through AWS Academy content, delivered by University staff that are AWS Academy accredited.

Career Booster

During your time studying at the Faculty of Management, Law and Social Sciences you will have the opportunity to take part in our distinctive career booster programme throughout your course. The program is designed to equip you with the necessary skills and graduate attributes to be job-ready when seeking employment with leading innovative organizations. The Career Booster Programme (PDF, 2.8 MB) offers you the opportunity to gain certificates in:

• The European Computer Driving License (ECDL) - the benchmark for digital literacy
• Sage 50 Accounting and Sage 50 Payroll - training that will allow you to develop leading accounting and payroll software skills
• Project Manager Professional certificates - giving you the edge when seeking to become a Certified Project Manager
• Big Data analysis and reporting skills - using Software and Services (SAS) that will lead to certification.
  In addition, the program will also include activities to promote teamwork, confidence, communication, and many other skills sought by employers.

Developing a portfolio of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Certificates will demonstrate to employers that you are not only ambitious but also take responsibility for your professional development.

Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)

Students registered for postgraduate degrees in the School of Management (SoM) during the 2020/21 academic year will be encouraged to register with the Project Management Institute (PMI) and become a Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM). The PMI is the world's leading association for those who consider project, program, or portfolio management as their profession or for those who see developing skills in this area as being an important additional professional qualification.

The school will help support students prepare for this exam through the one-week Career Booster short course programme which will be delivered in Semester 2. This will be followed by a one-week CAPM revision session to help students prepare for the exam.

Any of the School’s MSc students at the beginning of the academic year at Bradford can register as an individual member of the PMI. This will give students access to a range of learning materials on the PMI website. Towards the end of the taught MSc program at the School of Management, students will be supported to register for the PMI’s CAPM exam which is a three-hour multiple-choice assessment.

Regardless of your career stage, the Certified Associate in Project Management is an asset that will distinguish you in the job market and enhance credibility and effectiveness working on projects or with project teams. Further information on the benefits of becoming a member of the PMI and a Certified Associate in Project Management can be found on the Project Management Institute (PMI) website.

Career prospects

In recent years investment in the FinTech sector has remarkably increased. According to KPMG (2019), global investment in FinTech companies hit $111.8 billion with 2,196 deals in 2018, which is almost double in 2017 in terms of volume of transactions. Also, the UK’s investment increased to $20.7B, up from $5.6B in 2017, accounting for the majority of FinTech funding for Europe.

FinTech has dramatically changed the financial service landscape. Financial institutions including banks are now offering an array of digital self-services, such as online banking and trading apps as well as digital tools for financial planning via social media and smartphones. Therefore, the company’s personnel must stay up-to-date and relevant with cutting-edge technologies.

As FinTech gains momentum year-on-year, there is a huge demand for professionals with specific FinTech skills. These skills can be classified into three categories tech skills, soft skills, and finance skills.

Tech skills include the ability to program, a solid understanding of databases, and working with big data, etc. According to the World Economic Forum, data analysts and scientists, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning specialists, are the major emerging specialisms required by businesses in all sectors. Other key technological abilities needed in the FinTech sector in the short and long term include:

• Machine learning and cognitive computing
• Digital currencies and blockchain
• Big data analytics, optimization, and fusion
• Distribution systems, mobile payments, and peer-to-peer applications

Finance skills required in the FinTech sector include an understanding of financial markets, financial institutions, financial instruments, risk management, asset pricing, and valuation.

However, a FinTech professional cannot succeed on the back of their technical or financial skills alone. You will also need to build a robust portfolio of soft skills to achieve long-term success in this industry, such as:

• People skills: emotional intelligence, communication & empathy
• Creativity & problem-solving Skills:
• Adaptability & flexibility

This program has been designed to give you these skills. You will graduate as a well-rounded, critically-aware professional, able to pursue a career in this fast-growing and diverse sector.

Times Higher Education Business School of the Year 2021

The Times Higher Education Awards recognize outstanding achievements in UK higher education. The School of Management was recognized for our focus on economic and social regeneration.

Our award citation states, "During the pandemic, the school focused its initiatives on helping graduates from disadvantaged backgrounds navigate the disrupted job market and on providing support for local businesses dealing with crisis trading conditions. The judges commended Bradford's "inspiring" support for students, alumni, schools and local businesses."