FinTech with Business Analytics MSc
London, United Kingdom
DURATION
1 Years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
01 Jul 2025
EARLIEST START DATE
Jan 2025
TUITION FEES
GBP 19,000 / per year *
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* international | UK: £14,500
Open Days at University of Westminster
Undergraduate Open Day 23 November 2024/ Postgraduate Online Open Day 26 February 2025
Introduction
The traditional world of banking and finance has been transformed with the emergence of new technology and the development of new, faster, cheaper and more efficient ways of conducting business. The financial services sector is evolving as FinTech and business data analytics are becoming mainstream global activities.
Technology–led changes in digital finance, along with a plethora of new market regulations and compliance, are seeing the evolution of a transformed landscape that is characterised as a smart financial ecosystem. The revolution in financial markets is rapidly increasing the demand for postgraduates with this type of knowledge and learning. Financial services employers seek candidates who can help the business rapidly adapt its services and operations and develop new business models.
Our exciting MSc draws together knowledge of financial markets and institutions along with the education and skills to develop and implement technological solutions to problems in digital finance. Graduates will be equipped with contemporary digital financial and business analytics knowledge and skills to meet and adapt to the changing needs of businesses and digitally astute consumers.
This cross-disciplinary course, capitalising on our links with the School of Computer Science and Engineering, is designed to develop an in-depth understanding of the financial techniques and applications that are transforming the sector and giving rise to a new financial ecosystem. You will learn to apply the computational technologies, products and approaches used in business: blockchain technology, digital currencies, big data, predictive analytics, artificial intelligence, machine and deep learning.
While our academic programme is grounded in theory, it has a strong practical orientation. You’ll use coding and analytics skills to develop business and financial insights to solve real-world problems and access live market data via the state-of-the-art Bloomberg platform in our purpose-built Financial Markets Suite (FMS).
We are one of the leading providers of financial education in London, located close to the City of London, the world-famous financial district, where some of the largest global financial institutions and companies are based.
Our course was designed with input from a range of industry professionals who have expertise in financial markets, institutions and financial regulation. To retain currency and relevance, we receive ongoing feedback from Westminster Business School’s Departmental Employability Board, whose members include representatives from Vanguard, JPMorgan and Global Structured Finance.
Top reasons to study with us
- Opportunity to complete an in-course work placement with one of over 20 financial services partner organisations or undertake a research project to consolidate your learning
- State-of-the-art Bloomberg-powered virtual trading floor
- Guest lectures from industry practitioners – recent talks featured a senior business manager from Barclays and a seasoned entrepreneur
- Field trips to financial institutions – students recently had a guided tour of the new Bloomberg HQ in London
Why study this course?
- Outstanding facilities
State-of-the-art Bloomberg-powered Financial Markets Suite (FMS) featuring industry-leading technology and software. - Combine theory and practice
Link theory to global practice through real-life case studies, guest lectures, field trips and insight from one of the world’s largest financial databases. - Professional software
Free access to professional software including Bloomberg, Datastream, Fame, Factiva, EViews, Matlab, Nvivo, SPSS, Sage, Statista, EIU Viewswire, Mintel, Passport (Euromonitor), and LinkedIn Learning.
Career Opportunities
The FinTech and Business Analytics MSc will equip you with the skills to collect and analyse big datasets to develop new investment and risk insights.
Specialist knowledge of the Financial Markets will prepare you to enter or progress in careers in the global financial services market, including work in retail and corporate banking, capital markets, asset management, insurance and related sectors.
The course will also prepare you for further study, such as MPhil, PhD or other research that could lead to a future in the academic world.
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.
- Work placements
Growing number of financial services and FinTech business partners offering opportunities for work placements. - Develop your CQ
Develop your cultural intelligence – or ‘CQ’ – studying alongside students and staff representing more than 100 nationalities. - Kickstart your career
Learn how to use social media in your job hunt or LinkedIn to kickstart your career.
Industry links
Westminster Business School has 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 have extensive professional experience that includes the following professions:
- Credit risk analyst
- Financial analyst
- Financial consultant
- Global entrepreneur
- Lending specialist in the banking sector
- Research consultant
- Risk management
- Software development and management
Job roles
This course will prepare you for roles such as:
- Financial data science analyst/manager
- Financial or FinTech analyst/consultant
- Fintech-based fund management
- Fintech start-up founder
- Investment and risk manager
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.
Admissions
Curriculum
This innovative course has been designed for learners who wish to specialise in one of the most exciting areas of finance and gain a deeper understanding of finance applications that are transforming the financial services sector.
Semester 1
The first semester provides detailed coverage of global financial markets, institutions and their services and securities, alongside a thorough introduction to key aspects of FinTech.
Encompassing both quantitative and qualitative methods, you'll build your knowledge of business analytics, together with the basic programming (Python) and analytical techniques required for using computational methods in finance. You’ll learn how to use standard industry-based mathematical and statistical packages (eg SPSS) and select from the range of analytic techniques to analyse current data accessible via Bloomberg or Data Stream.
Semester 2
In the second semester, we examine some of the new, more complex emerging technologies, including blockchain, original and new types of cryptocurrencies, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML) and predictive analysis. You'll gain detailed knowledge and advanced learning of a range of AI/ML techniques, including logistic regression, decision tree, Naive Bayes and others, to solve problems or to undertake projects in capital markets, asset portfolios and risk management contexts.
To better prepare you to predict future or unknown outcomes in the financial services sector, you’ll learn about big data management, data mining methods and decision-support in a variety of financial services contexts, such as corporate finance, forecasting in capital markets, credit risk, fraud detection and in asset management. The course culminates with a work placement with one of our many financial services partner organisations or a research project in an area of your choice.
Modules
The following modules are indicative of what you will study in this course.
Core Modules
- Financial Markets and Institutions
- Business Analytics
- Computational Methods for Finance
- Banking Technology
- Blockchain Technologies and Cryptocurrencies
- Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in Finance Services
- Predictive Analysis for Decision-Making
- Project (FinTech with Business Analytics) OR Work Placement Project
Option Modules
- Big Data Theory and Practice
- Evidence Law
- High-Frequency Trading
- Legal Aspects of International Banking
- Legal Aspects of International Finance, Sustainability and Innovation
- Managing Cyber Crime
- RegTech and Financial Crime
Program Tuition Fee
Scholarships and Funding
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.
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Program Admission Requirements
Show your commitment and readiness for Grad school by taking the GRE - the most broadly accepted exam for graduate programs internationally.