Financial Technology MSc
Why choose this course?
This new course has been designed to prepare graduates and professionals with the skills needed to launch a career in FinTech or the financial services sector.
You will develop in-demand analytical and programming skills alongside a thorough understanding of key trends in financial technology such as blockchain, cryptocurrency and machine learning. With access to real-time financial data via our dedicated Bloomberg Trading Room, you will be taught by academics actively researching the FinTech sector along with industry experts to ensure your skills are at the forefront of this exciting sector.
The course includes a practical project which can either take the form of a professional consultancy project, research dissertation, or your own fintech start-up or process efficiency solution, supported by our specialist innovation incubator, The Nest.
| Mode | Duration | Start date |
|---|---|---|
| Full time | 1 year | September 2024 |
| Full time | 2 years including professional placement | September 2024 |
| Main location | Kingston Hill |
Reasons to choose Kingston University
- Kingston Business School is one of only 5% of the world's business schools to be accredited by AACSB International.
- This course is taught by research-active staff and provides cutting-edge knowledge regarding the latest developments in financial technology.
- We are ideally located close to central London, one of the world's leading FinTech hubs, where we have extensive industry connections which help students to secure professional placements.
- Access to a Bloomberg trading room, offering hands-on skills and the opportunity to apply for Bloomberg certification. You may also use other databases, such as Thomson DataStream Advance.
- You will have the opportunity to engage with industry, debate current trends and develop in-demand skills to work at the intersection of finance and technology.
- Free car parking at the Kingston Hill campus is available for students of this course. The campus can also be easily accessed by public transport. Halls accommodation is just a walk away from the classrooms.
About the Department of Accounting, Finance and Informatics
The Department of Accounting, Finance and Informatics delivers high quality degrees in accounting, banking, finance, investment, financial technology, risk management and real estate. Our courses are accredited by professional bodies including ACCA, CIMA, ACT, RICS and ICAEW.
We are located on the doorstep of London - one of the world's largest financial hubs - where our partnerships with global organisations give you access to meaningful opportunities. We are one of only a few UK universities to have a Bloomberg Trading Room.
Kingston Business School Accreditations
Kingston Business School holds the prestigious international accreditation by the AACSB (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business) in recognition of the excellence of its business education. This accreditation has been earned by just 5% of the world's business schools and recognises the high quality and standard of our business degree offerings.
Specialist careers support
You will take part in an Assessment Centre Experience, providing the opportunity to experience the pathway to employment with tailored feedback to help develop your employability skills for the world of graduate employment.
- Develop your understanding of the jobs market, including current trends and opportunities, different recruitment processes and how to identify relevant roles
- Receive personalised feedback reports to help you to improve and progress
- Access additional webinars on top tips, employer expectations and best practice
At Kingston Business School we lead
What you will study
Please note that this is an indicative list of modules and is not intended as a definitive list. Those listed here may also be a mixture of core and optional modules.
Modules
Optional placement year
Core modules
Finance, Regulation and Ethics
30 credits
This module provides you with a strong technical introduction to financial markets and institutions, along with an introduction to the legal and regulatory frameworks and principles for the FinTech sector. You will learn about a range of topics from simple concepts such as time value of money to complex market segments and instruments. You will also cover behavioural finance topics as they relate to traditional finance and more specifically their importance across the FinTech space, including ‘gamification' of FinTech products and services.
You will develop technical skills that are widely used in the financial services industry and understand underlying reasons for financial markets workings. You will also engage with ongoing legal developments, issues and debates on the key areas of regulation and supervision of financial technology, ethics and compliance and the role of central banks and other relevant regulators in national and international settings.
You will gain practical knowledge and skills through a series of lab sessions, industry engagement and the use of Bloomberg Terminals for information gathering and data collection.
Programming and Big Data in Finance
30 credits
In this module you will discover how programming and software solutions are used in the financial industry to manage Big Data. Through hands-on exercises and real-world projects, you will learn how to develop and use software to quickly deploy technical solutions to problems in the financial services context, including how these are used for risk assessment, fraud detection, and personalisation of financial products.
You will gain the skills necessary to identify the possible approaches and design strategies for programming and problem solving in this domain, understand techniques for big data management, and be able to develop and use software solutions to process and analyse large datasets in the context of finance, such as in distributed computing and machine learning.
FinTech, Funding and Strategy
30 credits
This module provides a foundation to the disruptive nature of the FinTech ecosystem and the increased recognition that it is core for finance and financial services in the years to come. You will discover theories of innovation, relevant technologies and the impact of fast-paced changes to the regulatory context.
You will gain a practical and theoretical understanding of how the financial services industry has been transformed both from an external perspective on technological and market developments, as well as an internal perspective on organisational transformation and new ways of working for innovation and agility.
You will experience how to work as an agile team and turn an idea into product development, talking to consumers, partners, and competitors as you encounter the chaos and uncertainty of how a start-up actually works.
You will practice evidence-based entrepreneurship as you learn to transform a FinTech idea into a venture-scale business opportunity; selecting an appropriate financial model, produce financial projections, testing ideas and develop an iterative minimal viable product (MVP) based on stakeholder feedback that is as close as possible to go-to-market.
Blockchain FinTech Applications
15 credits
In this module you will learn about blockchain technology and its application across financial services and fintech, including cryptocurrencies. The main topics covered include the basics of blockchain technology, evolution, different types of use cases including cryptocurrencies, mining and investments in cryptocurrencies.
Teaching consists of lectures and practical case studies, alongside a series of lab sessions where you will gain hands-on practical experience. The module is assessed via two contemporary coursework applications where you will develop a business solution based on blockchain technology.
Machine Learning and FinTech Applications
15 credits
This module covers the use of machine learning and other automated techniques in the field of financial technology. You will learn about the various applications of these techniques in finance, including credit risk modelling, fraud detection, and trading strategy development.
You will also develop an understanding of the ethical and regulatory considerations of using these techniques, especially machine learning, in financial decision making.
Capstone modules (choose one)
Consultancy Project
60 credits
In this module you will have the opportunity to work with clients on a broad range of projects to identify areas where a company can improve its service and operations to remain competitive within the FinTech sector.
You will work with a mentor to co-construct your project which could focus on any element of the programme, from providing strategic advice, implementation support, analysis of the company's current operations or emerging technologies, support with regulatory compliance or designing and implementing new digital products and service.
You will develop the necessary consultancy skills through workshops to review the theory and practice of management consulting, and the process of sourcing and delivering consulting work to aid strategic decision making in the business and finance world.
Dissertation and Research Methods
60 credits
This module will introduce you to methods and procedures for identifying, investigating and analysing a research problem, and an opportunity to apply these tools in the development of a dissertation. You will be expected to be familiar with the theory and research in your chosen area of study, and to demonstrate your ability to review and apply concepts and techniques critically.
Core modules
Professional Placement
120 credits
The Professional Placement module is a core module for those students following a masters programme that incorporates an extended professional placement that follows completion of the first 180 credits of taught modules and project or dissertation. It provides students with the opportunity to apply their knowledge and skills in an appropriate working environment, and to develop and enhance key employability skills and subject specific skills in their chosen subject.
It is the responsibility of individual students to locate and secure a suitable placement opportunity; this will normally involve one placement which must be completed over a minimum period of 10 months and within a maximum of 12 months. The placement must be approved by the module leader prior to commencement to ensure its suitability.
You will develop in-demand analytical and programming skills alongside a thorough understanding of key trends in financial technology such as blockchain, cryptocurrency and machine learning. With access to real-time financial data via our dedicated Bloomberg Trading Room, you will be taught by academics actively researching the FinTech sector along with industry experts to ensure your skills are at the forefront of this exciting sector.
The course includes a practical project which can either take the form of a professional consultancy project or your own fintech start-up or process efficiency solution, supported by our specialist innovation incubator, The Nest.
Kingston Business School: be who you want to be
After you graduate
Graduates will be well-placed for careers within finance, financial technology, financial services, compliance and quantitative analysis.
Entry requirements
Teaching and assessment
Who teaches this course
You will be taught by an experienced teaching team whose expertise and knowledge are closely matched to the content of the modules on this course. The team includes senior academics and professional practitioners with industry experience. The following group of staff members are currently involved in the delivery of different elements of this course. This pool is subject to change at any time within the academic year.
Fees for this course
Course changes and regulations
The information on this page reflects the currently intended course structure and module details. To improve your student experience and the quality of your degree, we may review and change the material information of this course. Course changes explained.
Programme Specifications for the course are published ahead of each academic year.
Regulations governing this course can be found on our website.
