Master of Science in Fintech with Business Analytics

at University of Westminster - Marylebone Campus United Kingdom

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 demand for postgraduates with this type of knowledge and learning. Financial services employers seek candidates who can help the business rapidly adapt their 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.

Looking for a business management degree with a difference? The opportunity to work in sports management is a dream for anyone with a passion for sport, but you don’t have to be a sports fanatic to take this degree. One of the most exciting industries, sport and leisure in the UK alone employs 580,000 people. In 2019, more than a third of those employed in the field of sport in the EU-27 was aged between 15-29.

Developed in partnership with some of London’s leading sports clubs, agencies and governing bodies, including Queens Park Rangers and the MCC at Lords, our BA includes practical, professional work experience with a sports club or agency to get you work-ready.

Whether you go on to work as a marketing manager for a Premiership club, a sports analyst, sponsorship executive or diversity advisor, the career pathways are varied and rewarding.

Our degree provides an innovative, industry-focused programme that develops your knowledge of contemporary business management within the context of the wider sports industry. You will gain an in-depth knowledge of how the industry works. You will also learn to appreciate the internal and external challenges facing sports organisations, such as sustainability, diversity, and the impact of new technologies on sports marketing, management and customer engagement.

Specialist optional modules allow you to tailor your studies to match your interests. They include marketing and management, entrepreneurial enterprise, event management, sustainability, and social media innovation.

Where better to study than a centre of sports excellence? With 12 professional football teams, two premiership rugby team, and two country cricket sides, London is home to iconic sporting venues such as Wembley Stadium, Twickenham, Lord’s Cricket Ground and the Olympic Park in East London.

Our MSc Finance (International Finance pathway) will equip you with the practical and technical skills needed to work anywhere in the world, as a self-employed financial consultant, financial analyst/manager or venture capitalist in a multinational company, financial institution or government setting.

With its strong analytical focus and emphasis on financial institutions and their markets, this course will be of interest if you already work in the financial markets and are seeking career progression, or if you don’t have a traditional background in finance but wish to change careers. You'll study a common first semester, allowing you to make a more informed choice about your specialist pathway (in International Finance or Banking) for the second semester.

In our state-of-the-art Financial Markets Suite (FMS), you'll receive hands-on training and have access to live and historical news and data, experiencing the same Bloomberg platform used by leading global investment banks. You’ll gain a real-world understanding of assets, indices, currencies, derivatives, stocks, shares and interest rates, better preparing you for the business and finance world that awaits.

Project management, as a profession, has undergone rapid transformation in the last 20 years. The ever-growing consumer demand for complex, customised goods and services and the evolution of worldwide competitive markets for their production and distribution have increased the need for agile project managers who understand organisational issues, human behaviour and have the skills to organise the delivery of such products.

Accredited by both the Association of Project Management (APM) and the Project Management Institute (PMI), our Master’s degree recognises that in today’s competitive business environment effective project management is integral to success in all sorts of industries and sectors.

Skills in planning, benefits management, quality management, risk control and communication are essential to the smooth running of projects ranging from large-scale operational changes in multinationals to the running of hospitals and universities, government policies, engineering projects or one-off launches by fashion houses, advertising agencies and film productions.

Whether caused by politics, environmental issues or world health crises, the global economy is ever changing and of growing concern to businesses. Monitoring and predicting the impact of economics on business is now a top priority, raising the demand for graduates who understand how markets work and how local and international issues can affect competition and performance.

Combining the study of economics with general business management, this degree is designed to equip you with the skills and knowledge to analyse individual company and industry performance within the context of global economics. Using live and historical data in our state-of-the-art Financial Markets Suite (FMS), you’ll apply economic theory and practice to real-world businesses, learning how to plan, evaluate economic trends and become better placed to help firms make effective business decisions. 

To help you support future business and management decisions, we’ll examine how and why businesses emerge, exist and expand – studying their global environment, relationship and interactions with employees, providers of capital, customers, competitors, government and other regulatory bodies. You’ll gain a deeper understanding of the economic, qualitative and quantitative techniques and ideas used to analyse and solve business problems in a global marketplace. 

Taught by academics with substantial business experience across the range of business disciplines, through consultancy or knowledge exchange, there is an emphasis on learning through practice, so you graduate with the breadth of knowledge and capabilities to respond proactively and creatively to contemporary business issues and challenges. Throughout the course, you’ll also develop a range of transferrable skills highly prized by employers, such as critical evaluation, self-direction and problem-solving, as well as a sound grasp of analysis, presentations and negotiation techniques.

You’ll be capable of holding positions of significant responsibility and authority in public companies, private businesses and government agencies. Past Business Management graduates have found successful employment as management, marketing and advertising trainees, as trainee accountants and brand managers, recruitment consultants, retail managers and as assistants in market research, PR and global branding.

This course develops your ability to initiate and implement advanced analysis and research in transport policy, planning and management. You will learn the techniques and methodologies you need to take decisions, or to provide the necessary information for others to take policy decisions. The MSc course has been running successfully for many years, and is offered by the Department of Planning and Transport. The course is accredited by the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT), and graduates are exempt from the Institute's exams. The Course also forms part of the pathway to the Transport Planning Professional (TPP) qualification.

The course will enable you to understand the causes and motivations of personal travel and goods movement; to analyse transport problems and develop, and implement policies and measures for resolving such problems; to evaluate transport projects, plans and policies, taking into account the need for stakeholder participation and recognising the political, social, health, environmental and economic issues involved.

The MSc course balances theoretical and practical applications in the three separate components: core modules, option modules and a research dissertation.

Responsive to trends and issues in global financial services industries, our MSc Finance (Banking pathway) degree aims to equip you with the advanced skills to pursue careers in retail, commercial and private banking as a loan officer, private banker, private wealth consultant or to work within the back and middle offices of an investment bank, in risk management, administrative or support services. It combines a broad range of topics, including finance, economics, quantitative methods and big data analysis.

Study with us and, on successful completion, Finance (Banking) MSc students will receive Associate Chartered Banker status with the Chartered Banker Institute. This is the first step on the ladder for professional recognition as Chartered Banker, the gold standard for professionals working in the banking sector.

You'll study a common first semester providing a solid introduction to financial markets, institutions and intermediaries, and the function of banks in relation to these. This allows you to make a more informed choice about your specialist pathway (in Banking or International Finance) for the second semester, where you delve more into retail and investment banking, choosing options according to your interests, for example, in banking technology, compliance or behavioural finance.

Globalisation has enabled companies to become better connected, able to target international customers, develop a worldwide supply chain and attract a multicultural workforce. Our degree will prepare you to respond proactively and creatively to the opportunities and risks presented by international business and the challenges of the global business environment – from cultural, legal and economic perspectives.

Today, almost all companies, involved in anything from the sale of physical goods to services such as finance, marketing and construction, are affected by global events and competition. Exciting opportunities exist for graduates with a cross-cultural perspective who can operate with confidence, adapt and successfully negotiate increasingly complex internal and external global environments.

On our course, you’ll have a truly global learning experience, studying alongside staff and students from all over the world. We also try to provide as many opportunities as possible for you to hear direct from our alumni, who have established successful international careers in sectors as diverse as human resources, IT, law and finance.

You’ll be studying in the heart of London, one of the world’s major cities and international business hubs, and can also choose to spend a year living, studying and/or working abroad at one of our partner institutions in Europe, Asia, Australia or the USA. This will give you a valuable insight into another country’s learning experience and broader cultural environment.

Top reasons to study with us

• Programmes are delivered by a multicultural and international teaching body, who come from professional practice and/or regularly publish in top international journals
• Participate in Westminster Working Cultures trips to understand working cultures within businesses abroad, which in the past have included Berlin, Mumbai and Washington DC
• Extend your learning and your international experience by taking part in an overseas Summer School. Past venues include ESCE, Paris, Copenhagen Business School, and Inha University, South Korea
• Option to spend one year studying abroad at one of our partner institutions or gain valuable work experience, or a combination of both, for example, one student studied at Copenhagen Business School and then worked at Volkswagen in Germany
• Opportunity to study a foreign language as an optional module in each year of study
• Access to one of the largest financial databases in our state-of-the-art Bloomberg virtual trading room
• Guest lectures from industry practitioners have previously included speakers from IBM, Tableau, Coca Cola and LinkedIn

Economists tackle anything from interpreting and forecasting market trends or individual business performance by country, region or market, to advising businesses, governments and individuals on everyday and strategic decisions. These can encompass areas as diverse as international trade, profit maximisation, pricing decisions, forecasting revenues or consumer demand, to managing the national health service, tackling unemployment or inequality.

You’ll learn to analyse and predict the impact of economic, social and public policy issues on a variety of stakeholders, including consumers, investors, businesses, and how to source and provide the most appropriate insight to inform future decision-making and strategy.

As the role of data in informing decision-making grows, this degree expands your crucial skills in data gathering, handling and interpretation, quantitative analysis and forecasting. You will use industry-standard software, including SPSS, Excel,Eviews, Minitab and other statistical packages, to analyse data, build models and produce forecasts. You will also develop key soft skills such as communicating complex economic ideas to a non-expert, a logical approach to formulating and solving problems, presentation skills and teamwork.

Digital transformation is one of the most important strategic challenges facing businesses. Creating new ways to connect, collaborate and conduct business, digital technologies have the power to transform the delivery of existing products and services and inspire new. By combining digital business with general management, our degree prepares you to guide businesses through digital evolution.

We offer an all-round business education, deepening your understanding of business essentials including accounting, business management, data analysis, marketing, HR and supply chain. At the same time, you’ll explore how to take advantage of technology and effectively manage business functions from both traditional and digital perspectives: the business process; the supply chain; systems integration; and the management of information, quality, demand, capacity and resources.

You’ll develop the skills and knowledge to analyse the role of digital business models based on disruptive technologies, digital and social media marketing, digital transformation and project management. We’ll look at current digital trends, emerging technologies and their implication for business practice, such as the importance of developing a holistic approach, including big data, blockchain and mobile computing.

Developing a mix of business and technical skills, you’ll gain hands-on experience of problem-solving within the digital business area, solving real-world business problems with 21st century technology. We’ll also look at best practice in existing digitally-powered and disruptive businesses like Uber and Amazon, with the opportunity to attend guest lecturers and field trips within the degree programme.

Taught by academics with professional experience, there is an emphasis on learning through practice, so you graduate with the breadth of knowledge and capabilities to respond proactively and creatively to contemporary business issues and challenges. Throughout the course, you’ll also develop a range of transferrable skills highly prized by employers, such as critical evaluation, self-direction, professional presentation, team working, leadership, communication and problem solving.

There is a global shortage of digital skills, so the demand for graduates who possess them is high.

Our course was designed with input from a range of industry professionals from industry sectors including– retail, public relations, marketing, pharmaceuticals, government and the NHS. Students are prepared for problem-solving disciplines, such as digital analytics, web analytics, business analysis and consultancy.