Finance (FinTech) with Placement Year
Finance with a focus on financial technology combines the established analytical discipline of finance with specialist engagement in the digital systems and innovations that are transforming the financial services industry. Financial technology, or FinTech, encompasses mobile payments, digital banking, lending platforms, algorithmic trading, blockchain applications, regtech, and the application of artificial intelligence and data science to financial decision-making. Understanding both the underlying financial principles and the technological systems reshaping the industry gives graduates a distinctive and increasingly valuable perspective on one of the world's most dynamic sectors.
At the University of Reading, this four-year degree with a placement year prepares you for a fast-paced career in financial technology, combining core finance knowledge with specialist FinTech content and the real-world professional experience that the placement year provides. You will study financial markets, corporate finance, risk management, investment analysis, and valuation, alongside modules covering the technologies and business models specific to the FinTech sector. The placement year gives you a full year of professional experience in a financial or technology organisation before your final year, which is particularly valuable in a sector where employer familiarity and demonstrated professional capability make a significant difference to graduate outcomes.
Finance FinTech graduates are sought by a wide and growing range of employers. Traditional financial institutions developing digital products and services, FinTech start-ups and scale-ups, technology companies building financial applications, management consultancies advising financial services clients, and regulators developing frameworks for digital finance all need graduates who understand both the financial and technological dimensions of the sector. Typical graduate roles include financial analyst, FinTech product manager, quantitative analyst, data analyst in financial services, and technology risk specialist.
Many graduates pursue further study in finance, data science, or financial engineering.