Year 3 overview

Your final year showcases the ever-changing world of finance by examining new alternative investments, as well examining the importance of investor psychology in financial markets.

Climate Finance and Cryptocurrency Investments are two notable examples of contemporary finance modules that will expand your understanding of the Fintech applications and alternative investments.

These modules are essential for any students entering the finance workplace as they both are increasingly important areas.

The dissertation module is a compulsory module that runs year-long in the final year. You can also choose a range of optional modules to tailor the final year to your interests.  

Optional modules include: 

Auditing Corporate Governance 
 Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainable Business 
International Banking 
Risk Management 

Want more detail? See all the modules in the course.

https://www.southampton.ac.uk/courses/finance-financial-technology-degree-bsc#main

Modules

The modules outlined provide examples of what you can expect to learn on this degree course based on recent academic teaching. As a research-led University, we undertake a continuous review of our course to ensure quality enhancement and to manage our resources. The precise modules available to you in future years may vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand. Find out why, when and how we might make changes.

For entry in academic year 2025 to 2026

Year 1

You must study the following modules in year 1:

Foundations of Business Analytics

Business analytics is closely related to management science and operational research. It refers to the use of statistical methods and models as well as empirical data to support the process of making business decisions. This module provides general knowle...

Foundations of Finance

The module develops an understanding of the role Finance has in the world today by examining topics such as Ethical Finance, compounding and discounting cash flows, as well as an introduction to risk management. This module is critical for laying the fou...

Introduction to Accounting and Finance

The course seeks to provide an introductory, but comprehensive overview of financial accounting, management accounting, and financial management to non-specialist students. The course is delivered with particular emphasis on helping students of management...

Introduction to Management

This module provides you with a broad view on key management related topics. It also provides a chance for you to gain hands-on experience on teamwork through preparation and delivery of a group presentation as part of the module assessment. The lectures ...

Introduction to Marketing

The module introduces you to the basic concepts of marketing and explains its function in today’s business environment. You will discuss principal theory and practice of marketing and how marketing builds value to the firm and the customer with examples a...

Personal Finance

This module develops your understanding of important household financial decisions by introducing some relevant theoretical concepts, showing how actual calculations are made, and then discussing how these individual decisions are important for society. T...

Statistical Methods for Finance

Statistical Methods for Finance is a critical module for you to learn basics for future modules on Econometrics, as well as their final year dissertation. This module covers important topics such as probability, discrete and random variables, Probability...

You must also choose from the following modules in year 1:

Analytics Implementation I: Spreadsheets and Databases

This course provides essential knowledge and skills required to support students’ future learning in future data analytic modules. Without prerequisite knowledge in data analytics, this module will cover spreadsheet analytics and relational database t...

Digital Technologies in Business

Digital technologies ranging from the Internet to cloud computing, artificial intelligence, etc. are often not just a key part of organisational operations; they also create opportunities for developing new digital businesses and their applications can ha...

Finance with Python

Finance with Python is a critical module for you to learn computer programming and perform financial data analysis. This module covers the use of Python in finance, including financial data analysis and statistical modelling, which includes an introductio...

Financial Accounting 1

• Introduction. • Conceptualising Financial Statements. • Introduction to Double Entry & Accounting Equation & Trial Balance. • Adjustments: Accruals, Prepayments & Bad Debt. • Assets, Inventory, Depreciation and Disposal. • Sources of finance and...

Introduction to Economics For Non-Economists

This module introduces economic principles, theories, and methods of analysis. It provides a framework for the application of economic theory to real-world problems. The module will cover key concepts in economics. It will provide a non-technical overv...

Year 2

You must study the following modules in year 2:

Financial Econometrics 1

Financial Econometrics 1 provides you with the necessary skills to undertake quantitative research in finance. Lectures will introduce a broad range of topics (e.g. regression). However, you will discover that by understanding and applying some basic conc...

Financial Management

This module provides a deep insight in some key theories and topics in Financial Management. The module looks at how firms and corporation manage financial investment and decisions in the long term and short term. The module will discuss topics ranging fr...

Introduction to Fintech

This module introduces a novel area of Finance known as Financial Technology (FinTech). This module will explain what Blockchain is and what its applications in Finance and Business are. You will understand how the financial technologies are changing the ...

Portfolio Theory and Financial Markets

The module aims to develop understanding of the role of financial markets, security analysis and valuation, efficient market theory, asset pricing theory and portfolio management. This is an excellent module to understand the basics of finance, how financ...

You must also choose from the following modules in year 2:

Analytics Implementation II: Visualising Data for Effective Communication

Referred to as the ‘the new oil’, the importance of data as a resource to modern society cannot be underestimated. Yet many individuals and organisations alike do not use data effectively, if at all. Effective use of ‘big data’, with its vast sizes and ...

Business Analytics Programming II: Algorithmic Thinking

Programming is a structured way of giving a computer unambiguous instructions to perform specific tasks. Knowledge and experience of programming not only improves your employability but it also teaches you analytical skills such as breaking down a problem...

Econometrics with Big Data

The module will proceed from a review of known content (like matrix algebra, linear regression, hypothesis testing) to more advanced topics such as multiple linear regression, heteroscedasticity, restrictions in hypothesis testing, issues of model misspec...

Financial Accounting 2

The module is intended to introduce students to regulation in financial reporting and to examine specific problem areas using a conceptual framework as a basis of the analysis. This allows an evaluation of current external reporting practice within the co...

Financial Econometrics 2

The module is intended to build on Financial Econometrics 1 and offers a deep understanding to undertake empirical research in finance. Lectures will cover topics from introductory level to more advanced econometrics material. The students will learn how ...

Human Resource Management

This module concerns issues in human resource management and organisational design. These are what ultimately implement the firm’s strategy. Although many organisations recognise the importance of managing the work force effectively and even "know" what a...

Innovation, Technology and the Environment

This module explores the opportunities and challenges presented by the growing importance of the environmental agenda in the political, social economic and technological context. With increasing environmental awareness comes a need for commercially sustai...

Islamic Banking and Finance

There is a growing demand for studying Islamic banking within a highly integrated global financial market. This module provides comprehensive insights over how Islamic finance operates and the structure of Islamic financial institutions in various nationa...

Management Ethics

This module discusses issues related to business ethics. It covers philosophical foundations of ethical theories, and applications of ethical theory to real-life case studies and hypothetical dilemmas. It also discusses causes and consequences of unethica...

Year 3

You must study the following modules in year 3:

Alternative Investments

Alternative investment strategies became increasingly popular among investors to achieve better returns. This module looks beyond the traditional investments such as shares and bonds. It covers a range of topics that introduce the world of alternative in...

Behavioural Finance

Behavioural finance (BF) is an unorthodox area of finance that assumes financial markets are fundamentally inefficient. Advocates of BF believe that investor behaviour and decision making are driven by aspects of personal and market psychology. This modul...

Cryptocurrency Investments

This module develops your understanding of a new method of making payments which is an alternative to cash or credit cards. The first cryptocurrency, Bitcoin, was introduced by Satoshi Nakomoto in 2008, and today around 2,000 cryptocurrencies are availabl...

Dissertation

To provide an opportunity to undertake a sustained piece of individually researched academic study. Inter alia this provides a context within which research skills may be developed and demonstrated.

Futures and Options

In the last 30 years derivatives have become increasingly important in finance and many different types of derivatives are actively traded on exchanges throughout the world. This module explores the pricing and use forwards, futures and options with a par...

You must also choose from the following modules in year 3:

Climate Finance

This module will help you to understand how Finance can help to address Climate Change issues. Climate Finance is a broad discipline that scrutinises both the types of climate risks and the sources of financing of environmental projects that aim to mitig...

Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainable Business

This module covers the development of the concept and the meaning of the term corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainable business (SB); how CSR and SB models are being implemented in today’s corporations, its impact and likely future directions...

Derivatives Trading Book Management with Programming

Derivatives Trading Book Management with Programming is a practically focused advanced course in the market-making of derivatives products using computational modelling. Students will get a bird's eye view of the derivatives industry, and the roles of the...

Empirical Finance

Specifically the module aims to provide a bridge to the more theoretical articles in finance theory, by offering a simple framework of conceptual knowledge that enables thinking while making financial decisions. As such the module gives an appreciation of...

Financial Accounting 3

It is a continuation module from financial accounting 2. Students will be exposed to more advanced knowledge of accounting such as consolidated group financial statements, financial instruments and share based payment.

Hacking for Ministry of Defence

Hacking for MoD (H4MoD) is an interdisciplinary and entrepreneurial module that provides you with the opportunity to learn from the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and Intelligence Community (IC) to better address the nation’s emerging threats and security cha...

International Banking

Banks are at the heart of the global financial system. This module strives to link the theory and practice of banking in a real-world setting. Considerable attention is given to the vast array of risks that banks face and this is achieved by learning abou...

International Finance

This module deals with finance in an international context. This includes spot and the forward exchange rates, the operation of common currency systems and also international cultural differences which affect the way business is governed.

Risk Management

This is a holistic module because it emphasises that its constituent topics dealing with diverse aspects of risk management are highly interconnected. Mastery of the subject is conceived as requiring a strong understanding of these interconnections. For e...

Technological Innovation

Technological innovation is increasingly recognised as one of the most important sources of sustainable competitive advantage for businesses around the world. However, building an organization which can successfully and repeatedly create technological inn...

Learning and assessment

The learning activities for this course include the following:

lectures
classes and tutorials
independent learning (studying on your own)

Academic support

You’ll be supported by a personal academic tutor and have access to a senior tutor.

Course leader

Woon Leung is the course leader.

Careers and employabilityEmployability skills

This degree will allow you to develop and evidence subject-specific and targeted employability skills. This includes the required skill set for a range of future careers, further study, or starting your own business.

The skills you can expect to focus on and gain from this course include:

Research
Critical thinking
Commercial awareness
Self-management
Communication
Teamwork
Problem solving

The employability and enterprise skills you'll gain from this course are reflected in the Southampton skills model. When you join us you'll be able to use our skills model to track, plan, and benefit your career development and progress.

Download skills overview

https://www.southampton.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2025-03/successful-futures-skills-overview.odp