Finance and Financial Technology

Finance and financial technology is a degree that combines the enduring fundamentals of financial analysis, investment and risk management with an engagement with the digital innovations that are reshaping how financial services are delivered. Financial technology, commonly called FinTech, encompasses blockchain and digital currencies, algorithmic and automated trading, open banking, insurtech, regulatory technology and the data science approaches that are transforming credit scoring, fraud detection and customer service in financial institutions. Understanding both the financial foundations and the technological disruption is what makes this combination particularly valuable in the contemporary job market.

At the University of Southampton this three-year programme develops your knowledge of corporate finance, investment, derivatives, risk management and financial markets alongside the technical and conceptual understanding of FinTech that the programme brings. You will engage with real-world applications of financial technology and with the research and development that is driving rapid change in the sector, developing the ability to analyse how new technologies interact with regulatory frameworks, business models and customer behaviour. Southampton's strong research environment means you will encounter current thinking from academics working at the frontier of both finance and technology scholarship.

Graduates are well placed for careers across the financial services sector and the growing FinTech industry. Banks, investment management firms, asset managers, payment companies, insurance technology businesses, data and analytics companies and regulatory bodies all recruit graduates who can bridge financial and technological understanding. Roles in product development, risk management, data analysis, compliance and strategy are among the destinations, alongside more traditional finance careers in investment banking, corporate finance and wealth management where FinTech literacy is increasingly expected.

Some graduates go on to postgraduate study in finance, financial technology, data science or financial regulation.