Finance with Foundation year

Finance is the discipline concerned with how individuals, corporations, and institutions raise, allocate, and manage money and financial assets under conditions of uncertainty. It encompasses corporate finance, investment analysis, portfolio management, risk management, banking, and the regulatory frameworks that govern financial markets, and it is one of the most technically demanding and professionally rewarding of business disciplines.

At Birkbeck College in London, this four-year full-time programme includes a foundation year that provides an accessible and supported entry route for students who need additional preparation before beginning degree-level finance study. The foundation year builds the mathematical, analytical, and academic skills needed to succeed in the core finance curriculum. From there you will study financial theory, corporate finance, investment analysis, portfolio management, derivatives, financial modelling, and the quantitative methods that underpin rigorous financial analysis.

The programme provides a core set of technically demanding yet applications-oriented skills, equipping you with the knowledge needed to compete successfully in a demanding jobs market.

The typical entry tariff is 88 UCAS points, and the programme is studied full time over four years.

Graduates from finance programmes go on to careers in banking, asset management, corporate finance, financial analysis, risk management, insurance, financial technology, and the civil service. Many pursue professional qualifications such as the CFA, CIMA, or ACCA alongside or after their degree. Further study options include postgraduate programmes in finance, investment management, financial risk, and business administration.