Bachelor of Science in Social and Political Sciences with International or Placement Year

at Keele University United Kingdom

One of the oldest industries still in existence, ever since the first bartering and exchange systems the role of banking has been constantly evolving. Now, ground-breaking technology – the driving force behind new developments like digital lending, neobanking, automated and personalised customer experiences – is making a career in the financial services more exciting and rewarding than ever before.

Fundamental to the design of our programme is the emphasis on practical skills needed to work in the banking sector. While learning about retail and private banking, banking regulations, capital markets, econometric analysis and finance in a global markets, you’ll tackle multiple financial scenarios and work with real-world data in our state-of-the-art Bloomberg Suite, which features industry-leading technology and information captured from the world’s largest financial organisations.

You will develop a rigorous understanding of modern banking challenges faced by industry and wider society, following the latest research in the field of banking and finance.

Studying alongside a diverse international body of students from a wide range of national and social backgrounds, you will develop as a global citizen, vital in today’s globalised world of work. You will expand your professional networks and learn to appreciate different cultural backgrounds and personalities.

This MSc Banking and Finance will be suited to those aspiring to or currently working within the banking sector and wider financial services. Achieving this qualification will demonstrate to employers here in the UK and overseas that you have advanced your knowledge in financial management, particularly in core banking activities, financial planning, investment, liquidity and risk management.

Content of this master’s degree has been purposefully designed to meet the criteria set out by the Chartered Banker Institute (CBI). It is our intention to apply for accreditation as soon as the relevant conditions to do so have been met.* Long-term, if you want to progress up the ranks within retail banking or corporate/private banking, Chartered Banker status is considered the ‘gold’ standard. Holders of the title are recognised as highly qualified, professionals with a detailed knowledge of the modern banking sector and its ethical and professional requirements.

Keele’s Biochemistry programmes offer broad and stimulating coverage of modern biochemistry. You might explore the secrets of the human genome, or the individually tailored molecular therapies of the future. You will focus on areas of biochemistry which could include human and mammalian biochemsitry relating to health and disease.

This combined honours degree includes Medicinal Chemistry, where you’ll develop deep understanding of the complex chemical and biological processes involved in the design and manufacture of drugs and other therapies for treating disease. This course prepares you to help solve problems at the intersection of chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology and pharmacology. The goal of medicinal chemistry is to support the search for new drugs to treat conditions such as heart disease and cancer. You’ll work in well-equipped laboratories, and learn to conduct effective independent research. Keele also offers support to find an industrial or research placement for a summer. You’ll develop essential skills for employment, such as problem solving, presentation and communication. 

International Business will help you to appreciate the diversity of international work cultures and acquire the skills to help manage them. You’ll learn about the global business environment, international business strategies, supply chains and cross-cultural management. In Marketing you will learn how to plan and implement successful marketing strategies. There are exciting opportunities to explore branding and digital marketing and how to implement these in the context of international business. There’s also a firm grounding in the wider social context of organisation and a broad reflection on the ethics of business and marketing. The variety of optional modules available on this course will also enable you to further develop your skills and insights. 

Working with published writers from within and outside the University, the Keele Writing MA offers participants an opportunity to improve their writing and to bring it up to publishable standard while learning more about the critical and intellectual context in which their work is situated.

Students on the Keele Writing MA also participate directly in the development and maintenance of the events, publications, workshops and short courses which constitute Keele's vibrant writing culture - typically through opting to gain experience in one of the areas in which writers often establish a secondary income – reviewing, editing and teaching.

You can study full-time or part-time for this MA. It is also possible to take short courses in Creative Writing, delivered as part of our MA programme, as well as Certificate and Diploma-level courses in the subject.

Natural Sciences allows you to study a broad range of disciplines within a Single Honours programme. You choose one core discipline as a named route, accounting for half of your learning, that ensures you have a solid grounding in an established discipline. The remaining half of your learning is through an even mix of programme-specific interdisciplinary modules that cover the full range of disciplines offered by the programme and your own choice of elective modules that allows you to mix and match different subjects.

You will study fundamental mathematical and statistical techniques alongside modern software development methods. You will have the opportunity to apply your learning using authentic datasets in our cutting-edge computing laboratories.

You'll explore a range of advanced technical topics which may include cloud computing, as well as academic research, industry-focused professional skills and practical problem-solving ensure you are fully equipped for an exciting and intellectually stimulating journey as a Data Scientist.

On this programme, you will also combine the key principles of Neuroscience with more specific areas of the subject such as neuroanatomy, neuropharmacology and neuropathology.

Working in diverse ways, including our well-equipped labs, you’ll develop independent research skills as you learn to acquire, interpret and analyse data from multiple sources. You will also understand how neuroscience can help us understand medical problems and improve the quality of life. 

You will learn a range of analytical and quantitative skills including practical experience using professional software such as Bloomberg and Stata. You will explore the economic behaviour of households, businesses and governments, the functioning of markets and the effects of fiscal and monetary policies. You will examine topics like, the behaviour of financial institutions, such as banks, hedge funds and portfolio managers, their instruments and how they interact in markets. Wider contemporary issues such as the ethics of banking and lending markets will also be analysed.

The course will equip you with a range of skills and capabilities, both subject-related and more general lifelong skills of analytical ability, critical thinking and advanced numeracy. You will develop an awareness in using professional software tools, such as Bloomberg and Stata. These tools will enable you to analyse and interpret economic and financial data.

If you do not meet the requirements for direct entry into our BSc (Hons) Biology and Data Science Degree degree, our Foundation Year can provide an alternative route into your degree.

Keele University is consistently ranked among the top universities for student satisfaction, and we have over 70 years’ experience of teaching a foundation year to students. On the Keele Foundation Year, you’ll study on campus, joining our community from the outset, and you will have access to a range of support.

Keele’s Biochemistry programmes offer broad and stimulating coverage of modern biochemistry. Whether you choose to study as combined honours or single honours, you’ll be studying life at the molecular level, investigating some of the most exciting areas of contemporary life science and medical research.

You might explore the secrets of the human genome, or the individually tailored molecular therapies of the future. Particular emphasis is placed on human and mammalian biochemistry, especially relating to health and disease. 

The Human Biology element of this course is ideal if you’re interested in biology but are looking for a particular focus on the human body and how we’ve adapted to our environment. This course provides a broad understanding of the physiology of the body’s major systems as well as human health and disease and the relationship between the human body with the environment. You might explore the impact of nutrition and the environment on health, how humans in turn impact on the environment, and specialised topics such as human parasitology and human evolution.

Keele’s multidisciplinary approach puts human biology in context, so you’ll have input from a range of experts which may include clinicians, physiotherapists, nutritionists, geographers and conservation biologists. You may engage in additional opportunities which might include studying abroad and work experience. 

This course aims to provide you with a realistic perspective on how to manage across borders. You will explore the contemporary concepts, debates and practical challenges in sustainable global management. Through a selection of real-life projects, international virtual teamwork activities and other innovative learning methods, you will learn about the difficulties and benefits of managing people, strategies, processes and structures across cultures and languages. 
Your first year will introduce basic concepts and practices for the study of management and international business. During the second year, you will have the opportunity to deepen your understanding of international management by studying specialised modules.