(BSc) Bachelor of Science
Banking and Finance (Including Placement Year)
Current
University of Essex
University of Essex
Essex Business School
Colchester Campus
Honours Degree
Full-time
Finance
BSC N392
08/06/2026
Details
Professional accreditation
Accredited by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) for the purpose of exemptions from some professional examinations.
Admission criteria
- GCSE: Mathematics C/4.
Plus a level 3 qualification:
- 112 UCAS tariff points from a minimum of the equivalent of 2 full A-levels.
- IB: 29 points in the IB Diploma or 112 UCAS tariff points to include a minimum of 2 Higher Level subjects. Our Maths requirement can be met with either: 2 in Standard level Maths; 2 in Higher level Maths; or 4 in IB Middle Years Maths.
- We accept A-levels, AAQs, BTECs, Access to HE Diploma, T-levels and most other qualifications that hold UCAS tariff points. Acceptability of some non A-level qualifications (such as BTECs) may depend on the subject studied and units taken.
You can calculate your UCAS tariff points on the UCAS website.
Whilst International A-levels and BTECs aren't on the UCAS tariff calculator, we assign them the same tariff points as their UK counterparts.
More information about our requirements and how to apply is on our undergraduate application information page
Contextual Offers:
We are committed to ensuring that all students with the merit and potential to benefit from an Essex education are supported to do so. We make Contextual Offers, of up to two A-level grades (or equivalent) below our standard conditional offer, to applicants from underrepresented groups residing in the UK. Our Contextual Offers policy outlines the full eligibility criteria.
If you haven't got the grades you hoped for, have a non-traditional academic background, are a mature student, or have any questions about eligibility for your course, more information can be found on our undergraduate application information page.
IELTS (International English Language Testing System) code
English language requirements for applicants whose first language is not English
IELTS 6.0 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each component, or specified score in an equivalent test that we accept.
Details of English language requirements and the tests we accept for applicants who require a Student visa (excluding Nationals of Majority English Speaking Countries) can be found here
If we accept the English component of an international qualification it will be included in the academic levels listed above for the relevant countries.
Pre-sessional English courses
If you do not meet our IELTS requirements then you may be able to complete a pre-sessional English pathway that enables you to start your course without retaking IELTS.
Additional Notes
If you’re an international student, but do not meet the academic requirements for direct admission to this degree, you could prepare and gain entry through a pathway course. Find out more about opportunities available to you at the University of Essex International College
Course qualifiers
A course qualifier is a bracketed addition to your course title to denote a specialisation or pathway that you have achieved via the completion of specific modules during your course. The
specific module requirements for each qualifier title are noted below. Eligibility for any selected qualifier will be determined by the department and confirmed by the final year Board of
Examiners. If the required modules are not successfully completed, your course title will remain as described above without any bracketed addition. Selection of a course qualifier is
optional and student can register preferences or opt-out via Online Module Enrolment (eNROL).
- Applied Data Science: In order to be eligible for the qualifier, you must successfully complete the following modules: Year Two: BE311 - (15 credits) Corporate Finance BE313 - (15 credits) Portfolio Analysis BE314 - (15 credits) Financial Modelling Students must achieve 2:1 or above in one of the modules listed above and no result (from the list above) can be lower than a 2:2. Final Year: BE332 - (15 credits) Options and Futures BE333 - (15 credits) Empirical Finance (take as option in Accounting & Finance, Banking & Finance and Financial Management) BE631- (15 credits) Risk Management and Financial Institutions. Students must achieve 2:1 or above in two of the modules listed above and no result (from the list above) can be lower than a 2:2. Students must also have completed and pass one of the following modules (must utilise data gathering/retrieval, econometric estimation and analysis and a result of no lower than 2:2 must be achieved): BE936 – (15 credits) Accounting Project BE937 – (15 credits) Finance Research Project
Rules of assessment
Rules of assessment are the rules, principles and frameworks which the University uses to calculate your course progression and final results.
Additional notes
None
External examiners
External Examiners provide an independent overview of our courses, offering their expertise and help towards our continual improvement of course content, teaching, learning, and assessment.
External Examiners are normally academics from other higher education institutions, but may be from the industry, business or the profession as appropriate for the course.
They comment on how well courses align with national standards, and on how well the teaching, learning and assessment methods allow students to develop and demonstrate the relevant knowledge and skills needed to achieve their awards.
External Examiners who are responsible for awards are key members of Boards of Examiners. These boards make decisions about student progression within their course and about whether students can receive their final award.
Programme aims
To provide students with the academic training in the principles of banking and finance.
To provide students with the opportunity to analyse the role of financial and banking information and data.
To equip students with knowledge of fundamental research methodologies covering quantitative or qualitative approaches to empirical research in finance, with a focus on banking.
To develop students' critical and analytical skills and to encourage the acquisition of autonomous study skills in the learning process.
To produce students who will have a sufficient variety and depth of knowledge to start careers in the financial sector, most notably in the City of London (banking, stockbroking, derivatives, insurance, regulation and other areas of finance).
To provide students the knowledge and analytical skills to pursue postgraduate courses in finance at Essex and elsewhere.
Learning outcomes and learning, teaching and assessment methods
On successful completion of the programme a graduate should demonstrate knowledge and skills as follows:
A: Knowledge and understanding
A1: The contexts in which finance can be seen as operating including knowledge of the institutional framework necessary for understanding the role, operation and function of markets and institutions.
A2: The basics of financial statements and appreciation of the limitations of financial reporting practices and procedures.
A3: Understanding of particular areas of banking in which the student has chosen to specialise.
A4: Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of fundamental issues in banking such as risk management and regulation.
A5: The major theories of asset pricing and their relevance and application to theoretical and practical problems.
A6: The major theories associated with the management of risk, such as portfolio management, asset allocation and the application of financial derivatives to practical problems.
A7: The major theoretical tools necessary for advanced study in finance.
A8: An ability to interpret and analyse financial data using appropriate statistical packages.
A9: The relationship between financial theory and empirical testing and an ability to evaluate empirical evidence.
A10: The factors influencing the investment behaviour and opportunities of private individuals investing in bond, equity, and derivative markets.
Learning methods
Lectures and tutor-led seminars.
Directed reading.
Individual and group tasks.
Assessment methods
Unseen written examinations.
Assessed essays.
Class tests.
Pre-published class assignments.
B: Intellectual and cognitive skills
B1: A capacity for the critical evaluation of arguments and evidence.
B2: An ability to analyse and draw reasoned conclusions concerning structured and, to a more limited extent, unstructured problems from a given set of data which must be acquired by the student.
Learning methods
Lectures and tutor-led seminars.
Directed reading.
Individual and group tasks.
Assessment methods
Unseen written examinations.
Assessed essays.
Class tests.
Pre-published class assignments.
C: Practical skills
C1: Ability to locate, extract and analyse data from multiple sources, including the acknowledgement and referencing of sources.
C2: Communication skills, including the ability to present quantitative and qualitative information together with analysis, argument and commentary in a form appropriate to a different intended audiences.
Learning methods
Lectures and tutor-led seminars.
Directed reading.
Individual and group tasks.
Assessment methods
Unseen written examinations.
Assessed essays.
Class tests.
Pre-published class assignments.
D: Key skills
D1: Present ideas and arguments in a coherent and effective manner.
D2: Use appropriate Information Technology to locate, acquire and analyse data.
D3: Manipulate and analyse numerical (including financial) data and appreciate the nature and limitations of basic statistical concepts.
D4: Identify and analyse problems and apply appropriate knowledge and skills to develop effective solutions
D5: Problem-solving and analytical skills
D6: Time management, task prioritisation and working to deadlines.
Learning methods
Lectures and tutor-led seminars.
Directed reading.
Individual and group tasks.
Assessment methods
Unseen written examinations.
Assessed essays.
Class tests.
Pre-published class assignments.