Economics, Finance and Banking

Economics, finance, and banking is a degree that addresses the three interconnected disciplines at the heart of the global financial system. Economics provides the theoretical and empirical framework for understanding how markets work, how policy affects behaviour, and what drives growth and stability across economies. Finance examines how capital is raised, allocated, and priced, and how risk is assessed and managed.

Banking brings a specific focus on financial institutions, the services they provide, and the regulatory environment in which they operate.

At the University of Portsmouth, this three-year, full-time programme prepares you for careers in the financially demanding and fast-moving sectors of banking, finance, and risk management. A sandwich year is built in, giving you a full year of professional experience in a relevant financial institution or organisation. A year abroad option and work placement opportunities are also available, broadening your exposure to financial practice in different national and institutional contexts.

You will develop rigorous quantitative skills alongside the economic and financial knowledge that employers in competitive financial careers look for.

Graduates are well-placed for careers in retail and commercial banking, investment banking, financial analysis, risk management, treasury, financial regulation, and economic consultancy. The combination of economic understanding, financial theory, and banking knowledge is valued by employers across the full range of financial services, from high street banks and building societies to investment firms, regulatory bodies, and central banks. Many graduates also pursue professional qualifications in banking, investment management, or accountancy to complement the academic foundation the degree provides.

Postgraduate study in finance, banking, or economics is another route for those who wish to develop deeper expertise.