Banking and Finance with a Professional Placement Year (BSc)
- Subject area: Economics
- UCAS code: 97K6
- Next intake: September 2025
- Duration: 4 years
- Mode: Full time with sandwich year
Why study this course
Learn from the best
Benefit from the expertise of a large, diverse faculty bringing unique insights from their own research into the classroom.
State-of-the-art facilities
Taught in our 65-terminal trading from throughout your degree, starting in first year.
Tailor your studies
All final-year modules are optional so you can choose the ones that best fit your interests and aspirations.
From portfolio management to forecasting prices and assessing risk, lessons from economics permeate throughout the banking and financial services sectors. As student on BSc Banking and Finance, you will receive a rigorous training in economics, and will learn to apply its cutting-edge mathematical, statistical and computational tools to financial analyses. Simultaneously, you will develop a critical understanding of the legal, regulatory and ethical frameworks in which financial firms operate.
Formal analysis is, however, only one dimension of the skills you will develop on our programme. The world is a complicated place, and no analysis can hope to account for every eventuality. You will learn to make evidence-based decisions about how to simplify reality to make your analysis meaningful, and to defend your decisions convincingly. You will also learn how to communicate both the complexity and nuance of your analysis to a range of specialist and non-specialist audiences both verbally and in written form.
This programme incorporates a one-year professional placement. Supported by our Placements Team, you will gain real-world workplace experience, seeing first-hand how economics training provides unique, valuable insights to employers and how the skills you are developing equip you for life after university.
As a BSc Banking and Finance graduate, you will be highly sought after in many different occupations because of the uniquely diverse skillset you will develop. Not only do Cardiff graduates go on to have successful careers in leading firms in the financial sector, both in London and elsewhere, but also in a variety of roles across government, accountancy and consultancy. Many more continue their studies at postgraduate level.
Subject area: Economics
Entry requirements
We accept a combination of A-levels and other qualifications, as well as equivalent international qualifications subject to entry requirements. Typical offers are as follows:
A level
AAB-BBB. Must include Maths.
Extended/International Project Qualification: Applicants with grade A in the EPQ/IPQ will typically receive an offer one grade lower than the standard offer. Please note that any subject specific requirements must still be met.
- Our grade range covers our standard offer and contextual offer. We carefully consider the circumstances in which you've been studying (your contextual data) upon application. Eligible students will be given an offer that is lower than the standard offer (usually the middle or lower end of the advertised grade range).
- Where there is no grade range advertised and/or where there are selection processes in place (like an interview) you may receive additional consideration in the selection process.
Learn about eligible courses and how contextual data is applied.
International Baccalaureate
34-31 overall or 666-665 in 3 HL subjects. Must include grade 6 in HL Maths.
Baccalaureate Wales
From September 2023, there will be a new qualification called the Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales (level 3). This qualification will replace the Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate (Welsh Baccalaureate). The qualification will continue to be accepted in lieu of one A-Level (at the grades listed above), excluding any specified subjects.
Other essential requirements
You must have or be working towards:
- English language or Welsh language at GCSE grade C/4 or an equivalent (such as A-levels). If you require a Student visa, you must ensure your language qualification complies with UKVI requirements.
We do not accept Critical Thinking, General Studies, Citizenship Studies, or other similar equivalent subjects.
We will accept a combination of BTEC subjects, A-levels, and other qualifications, subject to the course specific grade and subject requirements.
English language requirements
GCSE
Grade C or grade 4 in GCSE English Language.
IELTS (academic)
At least 6.5 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each subskill.
TOEFL iBT
At least 90 overall with a minimum of 17 for writing, 17 for listening, 18 for reading, and 20 for speaking.
PTE Academic
At least 69 overall with a minimum of 59 in all communicative skills.
Trinity ISE II/III
II: at least two Distinctions and two Merits.
III: at least a Pass in all components.
Other accepted qualifications
Please visit our English Language requirements page for more information on our other accepted language qualifications.
Criminal convictions
You are not required to complete a DBS (Disclosure Barring Service) check or provide a Certificate of Good Conduct to study this course.
If you are currently subject to any licence condition or monitoring restriction that could affect your ability to successfully complete your studies, you will be required to disclose your criminal record. Conditions include, but are not limited to:
- access to computers or devices that can store images
- use of internet and communication tools/devices
- curfews
- freedom of movement
- contact with people related to Cardiff University.
Other qualifications from inside the UK
BTEC
DD-DM in a BTEC Diploma in Business and grade B in A-level Maths.
T level
We do not accept T Levels for this programme.
Please see our admissions policies for more information about the application process.
Tuition fees for 2025 entry
Your tuition fees and how you pay them will depend on your fee status. Your fee status could be home, island or overseas.
Learn how we decide your fee status
Fees for home status
| Year | Tuition fee | Deposit |
|---|---|---|
| Year one | £9,250 | None |
| Year two | £9,250 | None |
| Year three (sandwich year) | £1,850 | None |
| Year four | £9,250 | None |
The University reserves the right to increase tuition fees in the second and subsequent years of a course as permitted by law or Welsh Government policy. Where applicable we will notify you of any change in tuition fee by the end of June in the academic year before the one in which the fee will increase.
Students from the EU, EEA and Switzerland
If you are an EU, EEA or Swiss national, your tuition fees for 2025/26 be in line with the overseas fees for international students, unless you qualify for home fee status. UKCISA have provided information about Brexit and tuition fees.
Fees for island status
Learn more about the undergraduate fees for students from the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man.
Fees for overseas status
| Year | Tuition fee | Deposit |
|---|---|---|
| Year one | £23,700 | None |
| Year two | £23,700 | None |
| Year three (sandwich year) | £4,740 | None |
| Year four | £23,700 | None |
Learn more about our tuition fees
Financial support
Financial support may be available to individuals who meet certain criteria. For more information visit our funding section. Please note that these sources of financial support are limited and therefore not everyone who meets the criteria are guaranteed to receive the support.
Costs for sandwich years
During a sandwich year (e.g. year in industry, placement year or year abroad) a lower fee will apply. Full details can be found on our fees pages.
Additional costs
Accommodation
We have a range of residences to suit your needs and budget. Find out more on our accommodation pages.
Living costs
We're based in one of the UK's most affordable cities. Find out more about living costs in Cardiff.
Course structure
This is a four-year programme. In years one, two and four, you will study a combination of ten- and twenty-credit modules up to a total of 120 credits. Year three is spent away from the University on a professional placement.
The modules shown are an example of the typical curriculum and will be reviewed prior to the 2025/2026 academic year. The final modules will be published by September 2025.
Year one
The autumn semester lays the foundation for everything that follows. You'll take 3 core compulsory modules in macroeconomics, microeconomics, and mathematics and statistics for economists. These will teach you the fundamental models that economists use to analyse markets and the national economy, along with the mathematical tools necessary to quantify and evaluate their predictions.
The spring semester provides opportunities to apply what you have learned. You'll do a deep dive into what it takes to be a successful economist, working in a team to deliver an economics project. You will also begin to develop an understanding of the financial sector in Fundamentals of Finance and Responsible Banking and get into our 65-terminal trading room to learn about trading strategies in Equity Trading.
| Module title | Module code | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Equity Trading | BS1514 | 10 credits |
| Mathematics and Statistics for Economists | BS1515 | 20 credits |
| Professional Skills for Economists | BS1517 | 20 credits |
| Microeconomics | BS1551 | 20 credits |
| Fundamentals of Finance | BS1612 | 10 credits |
| Macroeconomics | BS1652 | 20 credits |
Year two
You'll take 6 dual-semester modules in second year. You will continue your study of core micro- and macroeconomics, incorporating the mathematical tools of first year to make your analysis more precise. You will also be exposed to econometrics, which seeks to identify statistical patterns in economic data whilst accounting for the data’s intrinsic interrelatedness and inaccuracies. Money, Banking and Finance will continue your specialist financial training.
You'll also be able to choose 2 more applied optional modules as you start to focus on fields within banking and finance that you find particularly interesting and that will be useful in your chosen future career.
| Module title | Module code | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Macroeconomic Theory | BS2549 | 20 credits |
| Microeconomic Theory | BS2550 | 20 credits |
| Money Banking and Finance | BS2551 | 20 credits |
| Introductory Econometrics | BS2570 | 20 credits |
| Module title | Module code | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Corporate Financial Management | BS2508 | 20 credits |
| Law of Commerce, Banking and Investment | BS2511 | 20 credits |
| Financial Markets and Institutions | BS2514 | 20 credits |
| State, Business and the British Economy in the Twentieth Century | BS2572 | 20 credits |
Year three: Sandwich year
Apply your university know-how in the real world, as you embark on a salaried placement year.
This is your chance to enhance your career prospects by building a network of business contacts.
You’ll gain insights into organisations and industries with no long-term obligations, develop new skills and hone your competitive edge ready to stand-out in the graduate job market.
| Module title | Module code | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Intercalary Year Abroad in English | BS4015 | 120 credits |
Year four
By final year, you'll have already developed a range of core technical skills, understanding and techniques. Your focus will shift instead to seeing how these are applied to questions in fields that match your interests and future career plans through a wide variety of optional modules. These will emphasise evaluation of competing models and theories, highlighting the importance of empirical work in determining the suitability of different approaches, thereby deepening your knowledge.
As someone who has undertaken a professional placement, you will have an exclusive option to replace a taught module with a research project. This acknowledges the additional skills and independence you will have developed during your placement. Supported by a supervisor, you will apply cutting edge empirical techniques to address an important question facing the sector you worked in.
| Module title | Module code | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Financial Derivatives | BS3515 | 10 credits |
| Econometrics | BS3551 | 20 credits |
| Financial Economics | BS3554 | 20 credits |
| International Finance | BS3555 | 20 credits |
| International Economic History | BS3556 | 20 credits |
| Economics of Banking | BS3571 | 20 credits |
| Corporate Finance and Strategy | BS3577 | 20 credits |
| Security Analysis and Portfolio Management | BS3615 | 10 credits |
| Behavioural Economics | BS3625 | 20 credits |
| Final-year PPY Project | BS3627 | 20 credits |
| Risk Management | BS3633 | 20 credits |
| Economi Wleidyddol Cymru: o 'Oes y glo' i 'Oes y clo' | PL9362 | 20 credits |
The University is committed to providing a wide range of module options where possible, but please be aware that whilst every effort is made to offer choice this may be limited in certain circumstances. This is due to the fact that some modules have limited numbers of places available, which are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, while others have minimum student numbers required before they will run, to ensure that an appropriate quality of education can be delivered; some modules require students to have already taken particular subjects, and others are core or required on the programme you are taking. Modules may also be limited due to timetable clashes, and although the University works to minimise disruption to choice, we advise you to seek advice from the relevant School on the module choices available.
Learning and assessment
Each module is taught by active researchers in your field of study. This not only means that your lecturers are subject experts, but also that the module content is informed by the latest developments in the field. You will see state-of-the-art thinking and techniques, combined with contemporary examples drawn from across the globe that bring the theory to life.
Most modules adopt a blended approach, providing two hours of lectures or example sessions each week alongside weekly or fortnightly small group tutorials. These are complemented by a host of online, independent study activities (videos, assignments, discussion boards, reading etc). You will be required to attend all in-person elements and are expected to manage your time effectively to complete all assigned work. Technology is also brought into the classroom, with online polls and other forms of interaction common even in large lectures.
From first year onwards, you will have sessions taught in our 65-terminal trading room. Here, you will have the chance to engage with the same software used in the financial sector and even learn to manage your own virtual portfolio of financial assets.
Some learning activities will take place in computer labs, as you get to grips with widely used software like Excel (which employers consistently place a high premium on) and more technical coding-based packages like R.
Students who have completed a work placement year will have the option to undertake a 20-credit research project in final year. This acknowledges the unique expertise and greater independence you will have developed during your time in industry, enabling you to apply empirical economics techniques to address an important question facing the sector you worked in.
How will I be supported?
All students are assigned a personal tutor, who is available for pastoral support and to signpost you to the numerous specialist support teams within the Business School and University. These range from counselling or financial advice to disability support or help with visas. You will also meet your programme director during induction – a member of academic staff with overall responsibility for the BSc Banking and Finance degree – who is always available to answer your queries.
The Business School has several on-site specialist teams. Our student support officer can help you with a range of issues, from queries about fees and student loans to emotional support. Our Opportunities Zone is home to our award-winning careers and placements teams, who are on hand to offer specialist advice to help you land your dream job.
The programme places a strong emphasis on supporting your studies. Weekly or fortnightly small group tutorials are designed to be interactive, providing ample opportunity to discuss your work with your class tutor and peers. All module lecturers also host weekly office hours. During this time, you can visit their office without an appointment to get one-to-one guidance and advice.
Throughout your time with us, you will be given the opportunity to submit your assignment answers for feedback through our virtual learning environment: Learning Central. Feedback will always be aligned to the module marking criteria and learning outcomes, emphasising how you can improve your work in the future and providing helpful advice as you prepare to submit formal coursework or to undertake exams.
The Professional Placement Year is year 3 of this four-year programme. You will be responsible for sourcing your own work placement, but advice and guidance will be provided by the School’s Placements Team and Careers Team. All work placements must be approved by the Cardiff Business School work Placement team. During the work placement you will receive regular check-ins from the Placements Team. You will also receive academic support and guidance for the completion of your placement-based assessments through online sessions.
You may conduct your work placement in English or Welsh.
Throughout the year of work placement you continue to be a student of Cardiff University and will have access to all the student support, library and information services. If you are unable to secure a work placement you may transfer to the three-year equivalent non-placement degree.
How will I be assessed?
The BSc Banking and Finance programme employs a diverse range of assessment. All modules have an element of coursework, enabling you to investigate aspects of the module content in more depth. Many of the courseworks reflect the types of activities professional bankers, financiers and economists undertake. Some modules will ask you to produce short briefs with deadlines of 24- or 48-hours, reflecting what happens when an urgent request comes in from a client or senior manager. Others will have longer-term projects, with elements of group work, computer coding, trading simulations, presentations and/or final reports. Some modules will enable you to show off your creativity, producing concise videos that are common in fields like financial journalism. More traditional forms of assessment, such as exams and academic essays are also utilised where appropriate.
We understand that doing well in assessments is important to our students. For this reason, we have developed a marking criteria menu that is employed across all modules and provided to you on day one. Designed to be transparent and simple to follow, each assessment will choose several elements of from the menu to indicate exactly what your assessor will be looking for.
We think this has several advantages. First, all modules employ a consistent approach, ensuring that marking is always transparent and fair. Second, and more importantly, by aligning the feedback you receive with the marking criteria, you will be able to immediately transfer its lessons to other modules where the same criterion is used.
The Placement Year is assessed through written reflective reports and an individual presentation.
Students who have completed the Professional Placement Year will have the option in their final year to undertake a 20-credit research project based on the sector they worked in.
What skills will I practise and develop?
The Learning Outcomes for this Programme describe what you will achieve by the end of your programme at Cardiff University and identify the knowledge and skills that you will develop. They will also help you to understand what is expected of you.
On successful completion of your Programme you will be able to:
Knowledge & Understanding:
- Comprehend the behaviour, structure and risk management strategies of banking organisations and financial markets.
- Demonstrate systematic knowledge and understanding of the regulatory and ethical environment and its effect on banks and financial markets.
Intellectual Skills:
- Evaluate the relative merits of alternative economic arguments, theories, and evidence relating to banking and finance.
- Formulate banking or financial policy recommendations to achieve a given objective, informed by appropriate economic analysis.
- Analyse the behaviour of banks and financial markets with respect to government, regulatory frameworks and central bank policy by combining appropriate economic theories, mathematical and econometric methods.
- Explain the results of an economic analysis by combining verbal argument with mathematical, econometric, and graphical representation.
Professional Practical Skills:
- Assess the quality and relevance of different evidence when addressing problems in banking and finance.
- Simplify complex issues surrounding banking and finance to enable meaningful application of the tools of economics.
- Employ appropriate technical software to conduct a financial analysis.
- Communicate the results of a financial analysis to both specialist and non-specialist audiences in an impactful way.
- Apply appropriate economic reasoning to assist decision-making in a professional and/or business context.
- Understand the nature and operations of a professional environment.
- Operate in the workplace confidently and professionally.
- Develop, enhance, and demonstrate work-related skills, knowledge and experience, in areas including professionalism, ethics, health and safety.
- Be able to identify and adapt to working and related practices in an employment setting and reflect critically on them.
Transferable/Key Skills:
- Solve broadly defined problems in collaboration with others.
- Work independently to solve broadly defined problems.
- Analyse and reflect on personal management skills, identifying ways to improve through personal development planning.
- Develop work-based skills and experience, building on confidence and professionalism.
Other information
Our Trading Room is used as part of some economics and accounting courses but is open to all Business School students. This facility is supervised by trained PhD students who will help you become familiar with the software and modelling techniques used in real-life trading rooms.
Careers
Career prospects
Economics is unique insofar as it develops the technical, analytical, and abstract thinking skills often associated with degrees in quantitative subjects alongside the critical evaluation, argument and communication skills more common in qualitative degrees. For this reason, UK economics graduates consistently have some of the highest employability rates and graduate earnings of any subject. Graduates from our programme regularly go on to work as professional economists, or in associated industries such as finance, banking, accountancy, consultancy or financial journalism.
The Banking and Finance (BSc) degree embeds employability throughout the programme. Some modules, such as Professional Skills for Economists explicitly focus on the range of skills a successful economist should bring to bear, and are strongly aligned to the University’s graduate attributes. The range of learning activities and assessments adopted on other modules, from 24-hour policy briefs and more detailed economic analyses of contemporary issues to presentations and short videos, provide the chance to hone your skills through the kind of activities economics graduates often go on to do in their careers.
Your professional placement year will give you hands-on experience applying the skills you develop in the workplace. You will see how economics can yield important insights in a wide range of roles and sectors and develop a range of experiences that can be called upon when applying for permanent jobs.
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HESA Data: Copyright Higher Education Statistics Agency Limited 2021. The Higher Education Statistics Agency Limited cannot accept responsibility for any inferences or conclusions derived by third parties from its data. Data is from the latest Graduate Outcomes Survey 2019/20, published by HESA in June 2022.
