Finance

Finance is the study of how money, capital and risk are managed over time. It encompasses the analysis of financial markets, the valuation of assets, the management of investment portfolios, the financing decisions of corporations and the mechanisms through which banks and financial institutions intermediate between savers and borrowers. Understanding finance means developing both the quantitative skills to model and analyse financial data and the conceptual frameworks to interpret what those models reveal about risk, return and value.

At Heriot-Watt University, this four-year full-time programme is a specialist applied finance degree designed to respond to the demands of the global financial services industry. You will cover a range of specialist finance courses alongside core business and economics foundations, with particular attention to the knowledge and skills needed for careers in banking and investment management at a national and international level. The programme includes a year abroad, giving you international exposure that is valuable in a field that is inherently global.

The typical entry tariff is 184 UCAS points. Heriot-Watt has a strong reputation in finance education and a well-connected alumni network in financial services.

Graduates from this programme are well placed to enter careers in banking, investment management, asset management, private equity, risk management, corporate finance, financial analysis and treasury. The specialist finance training makes graduates particularly attractive to financial services employers, and many graduates go on to professional qualifications with bodies such as the CFA Institute or the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment. The international dimension of the programme, including the year abroad, strengthens your ability to work across financial markets in different regulatory environments.

Postgraduate study in finance, financial engineering, quantitative finance or financial economics is also an option for those who want to deepen their expertise or move into research.