Finance with work placement

Finance is the discipline concerned with how money is raised, allocated, and managed by individuals, organisations, and governments. It encompasses corporate finance, investment, risk management, financial markets, banking, and the analytical methods used to value assets and evaluate financial decisions. A finance degree develops the quantitative and analytical skills that are central to the profession, alongside an understanding of the economic and regulatory environment in which financial activity takes place.

At the University of Bath, this four-year full-time programme with a work placement year is designed to combine rigorous academic training with direct professional experience. The placement year is a central feature of the degree, giving you the opportunity to spend a full year in a finance role before your final year of study. This experience is highly valued by employers and gives you a significant advantage in the graduate labour market, as well as allowing you to test and consolidate your academic knowledge in a real professional context.

Your first year covers the fundamentals of finance, accounting, economics, and mathematics, building the quantitative and conceptual foundations that the more advanced parts of the programme require. You will go on to study financial markets, corporate finance, investments, risk, and the regulation of financial institutions, developing both the technical knowledge and the professional skills that a career in finance demands.

Graduates from this programme go on to careers in investment banking, asset management, corporate finance, financial analysis, risk management, financial consulting, and the Treasury functions of large organisations. Bath's strong reputation with finance employers and the placement year's contribution to your professional network make the transition into employment particularly well-supported. Many graduates also pursue professional qualifications in finance, accounting, or risk management, and postgraduate study in finance or economics is another route for those who wish to develop specialist expertise.