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BSc|Undergraduate

Finance with a Year in Industry

Entry year
Academic Year 2025/26
Entry requirements
ABB
Duration
4 years (Full-time)
UCAS code
N300

Finance is about making and managing money. It can involve investing in the stock market, trading in currencies and derivatives, or making lending decisions in banks. Students who study the BSc Finance with a Year in Industry degree at Queen's will gain the skills and knowledge that are needed to succeed in the financial industry. A placement year with a financial institution is integrated into this degree. A Careers and Work Placement Office supports students through the application process, and helps them to find high quality opportunities.

Finance at Queen's is consistently ranked in the top 10 in the UK by the Complete University Guide.

Finance with a Year in Industry highlights

Career Development

During the third year of the degree, students complete a 9 to 12 month placement within a financial institution. These placements are usually in Belfast, Dublin, or London, and can involve companies such as Morgan Stanley, the Bank of England, FinTru, First Derivatives or KPMG. The placement year gives students excellent experience and connections, and provides a competitive edge when seeking graduate employment.

World Class Facilities

You will have access to industry standard Bloomberg terminals in the Trading Room, giving students the skills, experience and knowledge necessary to prepare them for a career in the financial services sector.

Industry Links

The BSc Finance at Queen’s has been accepted into the Chartered Financial Analysts (CFA) University Affiliation Program. This status is granted to universities whose degree programmes incorporate at least 70 per cent of the CFA Program Candidate Body of Knowledge, including the CFA Institute Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct. Our status as an Affiliated University of CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) signals to students and the marketplace that our BSc Finance degree curriculum is closely tied to professional practice and helps students when sitting their CFA exams.

Student Experience

Students can take part in the QUB Student Managed Fund which gives participants the opportunity to invest real money and manage the risk of their portfolios.

Further Study Opportunities

Students can choose from a wide range of Master’s programmes as well as a comprehensive list of research topics; see the School website for further information.

Queen’s Business School is committed to the continuous improvement and enhancement of all of its degree programmes. New modules may be developed and included to replace or enhance those which are mentioned in this brochure.

Student Experience

The Finance & Actuary society runs social and educational events for members, such as the end of year formal.

Students consistantly rate the course very highly, giving strong positive satisfaction rates in the National Student Survey.

Students can sign up for the London or Dublin Study Trips to visit leading financial companies in these cities.

Student Testimonials

Course Structure

Course Content

Six modules are taken in each of Years 1, 2 and 4. In Year 3, students undertake a salaried placement in a financial environment for a minimum of nine months.

People teaching you

Programme Director, BSc Finance

Queen’s Business School
Lisa has a PhD in Finance and five years industry experience, having worked as an Economist in the Central Bank of Ireland and a Risk Analyst in the National Treasury Management Agency of Ireland. Her research interests include sustainable finance, financial risk, contagion and spillovers and she is a member of the Sustainable Finance Effectiveness working group (SFEG), which is part of the Green Growth Knowledge Partnership (GGKP). She is a lecturer in QBS, teaching postgraduate and undergraduate modules in sustainable finance, corporate finance and investment risk and regulation.

Contact Teaching Hours

Medium Group Teaching

3 (hours maximum)
1-3 hours of practical classes, workshops or seminars each week

Personal Study

24 (hours maximum)
22–24 hours studying and revising in your own time each week, including some guided study using handouts, online activities, etc.

Small Group Teaching/Personal Tutorial

3 (hours maximum)
1-3 hours of tutorials

Large Group Teaching

9 (hours maximum)
6-9 hours of lectures

Learning and Teaching

Queen’s Business School is one of the largest Schools in the University with more than 1700 full-time undergraduate students and 300 plus postgraduate students. The School has been delivering high quality programmes for more than 40 years and was one of the first schools in the UK to introduce undergraduate management education. Since then, QBS has been developing and enhancing its teaching portfolio for both local and international students and boasts students from more than 20 different nationalities.

In recent years, the School has benefited from significant investment resulting in many new academic appointments and state-of-the-art facilities including computer teaching labs with specialised software and a Trading Room in Riddel Hall. In addition, the new McClay library houses an excellent selection of Management and related texts and there are extensive IT facilities throughout the campus.

At Queen’s, we aim to deliver a high quality learning environment that embeds intellectual curiosity, innovation and best practice in learning, teaching and student support to enable students to achieve their full academic potential. In line with this, one of QBS’ primary objectives is to deliver innovative learning and teaching programmes that provide students with the competences and skills to make a positive contribution to business, economic and civic life.

On the BSc Finance programme we achieve these goals by providing a range of learning environments which enable our students to engage with subject experts both academic staff and industry guest speakers, develop skills and attributes and perspectives that will equip them for life and work in a global society and make use of innovative technologies and a world-class library that enhances their development as independent, lifelong learners. Examples of the opportunities provided for learning on this degree programme are:

  • Adviser of Studies

    To assist with the choice of modules at the beginning of each academic year

  • E-Learning technologies

    Information associated with lectures and assignments is often communicated via a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) called Canvas. A range of e-learning experiences are also embedded in the degree programme through the use of, for example, interactive support materials, podcasts and web-based learning activities. There are also opportunities to develop technical skills in the use of industry software.

  • Induction

    Formalised induction for all undergraduate students. For Stage 1 students, this includes several half-day sessions the week before the programme begins to allow students to familiarise themselves with the campus and the degree programme. During Stage 1 there are a number of follow-up sessions throughout the year. Topics such as academic writing, referencing, plagiarism, communication skills, examination preparation and managing time effectively are all covered in these practical sessions.

  • Lectures

    These introduce foundation information about new topics as a starting point for further self-directed private study/reading. As the module progresses this information becomes more complex. Lectures, which are normally delivered in large groups to all year-group peers, also provide opportunities to ask questions and seek clarification on key issues as well as gain feedback and advice on assessments. Additional lectures are also delivered by employer representatives. In addition to the academic content of the lectures and workshops, this enables employers to impart their valuable experience to QBS Finance students, introduces important local employers to our students and allows our students to meet and engage with potential future employers.

  • Masterclasses

    Throughout the degree students are offered exposure to financial experts from the London financial markets who share their industry knowledge and offer advice on what it takes to succeed in the world of finance.

  • Peer Mentoring Scheme

    Whereby students in second and third year of their degree programme volunteer to mentor Stage 1 students. Developing the programme themselves, with support from academic staff in QBS, the mentors organise informal meetings, regular contact and a series of events ranging from ice-breaker type events to employer-led sessions with the Stage 1 students.

  • Personal Development Planning

    To encourage students to engage in independent learning.

  • Practicals

    Finance is a very theoretical yet vocational subject and as such we facilitate opportunities for students to engage in the application of theory. Students will have opportunities to develop technical skills and apply theoretical principles to real-life or practical contexts through the modules you study and through industry presentations and workshops that we host.

  • Self-directed study

    This is an essential part of life as a Queen’s student when important private reading, engagement with e-learning resources, reflection on feedback to date and assignment research and preparation work is carried out.

  • Seminars/tutorials

    A significant amount of teaching is carried out in small groups (typically 15-20 students). These sessions are designed to explore, in more depth, the information that has been presented in the lectures. This provides students with the opportunity to engage closely with academic staff who have specialist knowledge of the topic, to ask questions of them and to assess their own progress and understanding with the support of their peers. During these classes, students will be expected to present their work to academic staff and their peers.

  • Student Support Systems

    QBS has an active and co-ordinated student support system to assist students in making the transition from school to university.

  • Supervised projects

    As part of the continual assessment on a range of modules, students will be expected to carry out projects. They will receive support from the module coordinators who will guide them in terms of how to carry out projects and who will provide feedback during the write up stage.

  • Trading Room

    Several classes on the degree programme are taught in the dedicated financial trading room which recreates the excitement of an investment bank trading floor, and provides students with hands-on experience in a dynamic environment. Real-time data feeds from major exchanges are displayed on terminals and wall screens, and industry-standard software packages are used to provide the best possible introduction to investment banking IT.

  • Work placements

    The BSc Finance programme has a compulsory placement year. This begins after all Stage 2 courses have been successfully completed. The Careers and Work Placement Office within the School facilitates students in sourcing and securing appropriate placements and provides appropriate support whilst the student is with the host organisation. This is a significant learning and employability enhancement opportunity and will ensure that the theory being understood in the lecture theatre is complemented by the development of practical, transferrable skills.

Assessment

Details of assessments associated with this course are outlined below:

  • The way in which students are assessed will vary according to the learning objectives of each module. Details of how each module is assessed are shown in the Student Handbook which is provided to all students during their first year induction. Finance modules are typically assessed by a combination of continuous assessment and a final written unseen examination. Continuous assessment consists of tutorial submissions, short class tests, individual project work, small group projects and presentations – this involves three/four students per group working on a specific task, for example, a solution to a particular finance problem.

Feedback

As students progress through their course at Queen’s they will receive general and specific feedback about their work from a variety of sources including lecturers, module co-ordinators, placement supervisors, personal tutors, advisers of study and peers. University students are expected to engage with reflective practice and to use this approach to improve the quality of their work. Feedback may be provided in a variety of forms including:

  • Feedback provided via formal written comments and marks relating to work that students, as individuals or as part of a group, have submitted.
  • Face to face comment. This may include occasions when students make use of the lecturers’ advertised “office hours” to help address a specific query.
  • Placement employer comments or references.
  • Online or emailed comment
  • General comments or question and answer opportunities at the end of a lecture, seminar or tutorial.
  • Pre-submission advice regarding the standards students should aim for and common pitfalls to avoid. In some instances, this may be provided in the form of model answers or exemplars which students can review in their own time.
  • Feedback and outcomes from practical classes.
  • Comment and guidance provided by staff from specialist support services such as, Careers, Employability and Skills or the Learning Development Service.
  • Once students have reviewed your feedback, they will be encouraged to identify and implement further improvements to the quality of their work.

Facilities

Students have access to Bloomberg software, a market leader in financial news, data and analytics, which is used by many financial institutions. The Trading Room allows for an interactive and exciting learning environment which brings textbook theory to life.
https://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/queens-business-school/student-opportunities/fintru-trading-room/

What our academics say

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Modules

Modules

The information below is intended as an example only, featuring module details for the current year of study (2023/24). Modules are reviewed on an annual basis and may be subject to future changes – revised details will be published through Programme Specifications ahead of each academic year.

  • Year 1

    Core Modules

    Statistical Methods (20 credits)
  • Year 2

    Core Modules

    Excel and VBA (20 credits)
    Monetary Theory (20 credits)
    Placement Learning (0 credits)
    Futures and Options (20 credits)
    Behavioural Finance (20 credits)
    Investment Analysis (20 credits)
  • Year 3

    Core Modules

  • Year 4

    Core Modules

    Optional Modules

    Sustainable Finance (20 credits)
    Python for Finance (20 credits)
    Equity Research (20 credits)
    FinTech (20 credits)
    Corporate Finance (20 credits)

Entrance requirements

A level requirements

ABB including Mathematics

A maximum of one BTEC/OCR Single Award or AQA Extended Certificate will be accepted as part of an applicant's portfolio of qualifications with a Distinction* being equated to grade A at A-Level and a Distinction being equated to a grade B at A-level.

Irish leaving certificate requirements

H3H3H3H3H3H3/H2H3H3H3H3 including Mathematics

Access Course

Successful completion of Access Course with an average of 70% including 75% in two Mathematics modules (Level 3). Must be a relevant Access Course (eg: Mathematics and Computing).

International Baccalaureate Diploma

33 points overall, including 6,5,5 at Higher Level including Mathematics.

BTEC Level 3 Extended/National Extended Diploma

QCF BTEC Extended Diploma (180 credits at Level 3), with overall grades D*DD.

RQF BTEC National Extended Diploma (1080 Guided Learning Hours (GLH) at Level 3), with overall grades D*DD.

Applicants must additionally have achieved A-Level Mathematics grade B.

Graduate

A minimum of a 2:1 Honours Degree, provided any subject requirement is also met

Note

All applicants must have GCSE English Language grade C/4 or an equivalent qualification acceptable to the University.

How we choose our students

Applications are dealt with centrally by the Admissions and Access Service rather than by Queen's Business School. Once your application has been processed by UCAS and forwarded to Queen's, an acknowledgement is normally sent within two weeks of its receipt at the University.

Selection is on the basis of the information provided on your UCAS form. Decisions are made on an ongoing basis and will be notified to you via UCAS.

Applicants for the BSc Honours in Finance must be able to satisfy the University's General Entrance Requirements and in addition all applicants must have A-Level Mathematics at grade B or above, offers are made in terms of grades rather than UCAS Tariff points.

Demand for places differs from course to course and for Finance past performance at GCSE is taken into account when deciding whether or not to make conditional offers. For entry last year, we started making offers to applicants offering A-Level/BTEC Level 3 qualifications (or equivalent), who have achieved 4 grade A/7 and 2 grade B/6 at GCSE. This threshold may be lowered as the cycle progresses depending upon the number and quality of applications. The final threshold is not usually determined until late in the admissions cycle, so there may be a delay in processing applicants who do not meet the initial threshold.

Offers are normally made on the basis of 3 A-levels. The offer for repeat applicants is set in terms of 3 A-levels and may be one grade higher than that asked from first time applicants. Grades may be held from the previous year.

Applicants offering two A-levels and one BTEC Subsidiary Diploma/National Extended Certificate (or equivalent qualification), or one A-level and a BTEC Diploma/National Diploma (or equivalent qualification) will also be considered. Offers will be made in terms of the overall BTEC grade(s) awarded. Please note that a maximum of one BTEC Subsidiary Diploma/National Extended Certificate (or equivalent) will be counted as part of an applicant’s portfolio of qualifications. The normal GCSE profile will be expected.

For applicants offering Irish Leaving Certificate, please note that performance at Junior Certificate is taken into account. Last year the initial Junior Certificate profile to qualify to be made an offer was 4 A/Distinction and 2 B/Higher Merit grades. The Selector also checks that any specific entry requirements in terms of Leaving Certificate subjects can be satisfied. This threshold may be lowered as the cycle progresses depending upon the number and quality of applications. The final threshold is not usually determined until late in the admissions cycle, so there may be a delay in processing applicants who do not meet the initial threshold.

The information provided in the personal statement section and the academic reference together with predicted grades are noted but are not the final deciding factors in whether or not a conditional offer can be made. However, they may be reconsidered in a tie break situation in August.

A-level General Studies and A-level Critical Thinking would not normally be considered as part of a three A-level offer and, although they may be excluded where an applicant is taking 4 A-level subjects, the grade achieved could be taken into account if necessary in August/September.

Applicants are not normally asked to attend for interview, though there are some exceptions and specific information is provided with the relevant subject areas.

If you are made an offer then you may be invited to an Open Day organised by Queen's Business School, which is usually held in the second semester. This will allow you the opportunity to visit the University, to find out more about the degree programme of your choice, the facilities on offer together with a flavour of the academic and social life at Queen's.

If you cannot find the information you need here, please contact the University Admissions Service (admissions@qub.ac.uk), giving full details of your qualifications and educational background.

International Students

Our country/region pages include information on entry requirements, tuition fees, scholarships, student profiles, upcoming events and contacts for your country/region. Use the dropdown list below for specific information for your country/region.

English Language Requirements

An IELTS score of 6.5 with a minimum of 5.5 in each test component or an equivalent acceptable qualification, details of which are available at: http://go.qub.ac.uk/EnglishLanguageReqs

If you need to improve your English language skills before you enter this degree programme, INTO Queen's University Belfast offers a range of English language courses. These intensive and flexible courses are designed to improve your English ability for admission to this degree.

  • Academic English: an intensive English language and study skills course for successful university study at degree level
  • Pre-sessional English: a short intensive academic English course for students starting a degree programme at Queen's University Belfast and who need to improve their English.

International Students - Foundation and International Year One Programmes

INTO Queen's offers a range of academic and English language programmes to help prepare international students for undergraduate study at Queen's University. You will learn from experienced teachers in a dedicated international study centre on campus, and will have full access to the University's world-class facilities.

These programmes are designed for international students who do not meet the required academic and English language requirements for direct entry.

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Careers

Career Prospects

Introduction

Our graduates find employment in investment banks, corporate banks, building societies, insurance houses,
stockbrokers, investment banks, accountancy and actuarial firms, specialist financial and private equity companies as well as in the finance functions of more general companies.

Employment after the Course

Typical career destinations of graduates include:
Financial Analysts (in bonds, equities and derivative products)
Fund Managers
Treasurers
Financial planners
Wealth managers
Accountants
Financial Economists
Forecasters
Corporate lenders

Employment Links

Recent graduate employers have included: Allstate; Bank of Ireland; Citi Group; Delta Index; Energia; Ernst & Young; FinTRU; First Derivatives; Goldman Sachs; HSBC; Kerr Henderson; KPMG; Mercer Plc; Morgan Stanley; Nationwide Building Society; Nomura Bank; Oxford Economics; PIMCO; PWC; Setanta Asset Management.

Alumni Success

“I began my career with Deutsche Bank, before moving to Lehman Brothers in 2003, where I ran Client Service and Transition, and then Nomura International. My team are responsible for clients on J.P. Morgan’s Custody and Fund Services platform, which looks after assets of nearly $20 trillion.”
Declan Breslin, BSc Finance
Global Head of Client Service and Solutions, Custody and Fund Services – J.P. Morgan, New York

Professional Opportunities

This programme closely reflects the real-world finance and investment environment and focuses on the applied skills that employers look for.

We regularly consult and develop links with a large number of employers including all the major finance employers in Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland and Britain. We host annual employer liaison meetings for the course as well as annual finance careers fairs at which students can engage with a range of employers on a one-to-one basis. Students are also offered exposure to experts from the London financial markets, who share their industry knowledge and advice.

What employers say

Prizes and Awards

Top performing students are regularly awarded prizes and scholarships from leading financial companies, eg PwC, KPMG, EY, Barclays, BDO, Citi, Pramerica and Ulster Bank.

Degree Plus/Future Ready Award for extra-curricular skills

In addition to your degree programme, at Queen's you can have the opportunity to gain wider life, academic and employability skills. For example, placements, voluntary work, clubs, societies, sports and lots more. So not only do you graduate with a degree recognised from a world leading university, you'll have practical national and international experience plus a wider exposure to life overall. We call this Degree Plus/Future Ready Award. It's what makes studying at Queen's University Belfast special.

Tuition Fees

Northern Ireland (NI) 1 £4,750
Republic of Ireland (ROI) 2 £4,750
England, Scotland or Wales (GB) 1 £9,250
EU Other 3 £20,800
International £20,800

1EU citizens in the EU Settlement Scheme, with settled status, will be charged the NI or GB tuition fee based on where they are ordinarily resident. Students who are ROI nationals resident in GB will be charged the GB fee.

2 EU students who are ROI nationals resident in ROI are eligible for NI tuition fees.

3 EU Other students (excludes Republic of Ireland nationals living in GB, NI or ROI) are charged tuition fees in line with international fees.

The tuition fees quoted above are for the 2024/25 academic year and are a guide only. In addition, all tuition fees will be subject to an annual inflationary increase in each year of the course. Fees quoted relate to a single year of study unless explicitly stated otherwise.

Tuition fee rates are calculated based on a student’s tuition fee status and generally increase annually by inflation. How tuition fees are determined is set out in the Student Finance Framework.

Additional course costs

Students undertake a placement in year 3 and are responsible for funding travel, accommodation and subsistence costs. These costs vary depending on the location and duration of the placement.

A limited amount of funding may be available to contribute towards these additional costs, if the placement takes place through a government student mobility scheme.
 
Students who undertake optional study tours are expected to make a contribution, of approximately £150.

Year in Industry

All Students

Depending on the programme of study, there may be extra costs which are not covered by tuition fees, which students will need to consider when planning their studies.

Students can borrow books and access online learning resources from any Queen's library. If students wish to purchase recommended texts, rather than borrow them from the University Library, prices per text can range from £30 to £100. Students should also budget between £30 to £75 per year for photocopying, memory sticks and printing charges.

Students undertaking a period of work placement or study abroad, as either a compulsory or optional part of their programme, should be aware that they will have to fund additional travel and living costs.

If a programme includes a major project or dissertation, there may be costs associated with transport, accommodation and/or materials. The amount will depend on the project chosen. There may also be additional costs for printing and binding.

Students may wish to consider purchasing an electronic device; costs will vary depending on the specification of the model chosen.

There are also additional charges for graduation ceremonies, examination resits and library fines.

How do I fund my study?

There are different tuition fee and student financial support arrangements for students from Northern Ireland, those from England, Scotland and Wales (Great Britain), and those from the rest of the European Union.

Information on funding options and financial assistance for undergraduate students is available at www.qub.ac.uk/Study/Undergraduate/Fees-and-scholarships/.

Scholarships

Each year, we offer a range of scholarships and prizes for new students. Information on scholarships available.

International Scholarships

Information on scholarships for international students, is available at www.qub.ac.uk/Study/international-students/international-scholarships.

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Apply

How to Apply

Application for admission to full-time undergraduate and sandwich courses at the University should normally be made through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). Full information can be obtained from the UCAS website at: www.ucas.com/students.

When to Apply

UCAS will start processing applications for entry in autumn 2025 from early September 2024.

The advisory closing date for the receipt of applications for entry in 2025 is still to be confirmed by UCAS but is normally in late January (18:00). This is the 'equal consideration' deadline for this course.

Applications from UK and EU (Republic of Ireland) students after this date are, in practice, considered by Queen’s for entry to this course throughout the remainder of the application cycle (30 June 2025) subject to the availability of places. If you apply for 2025 entry after this deadline, you will automatically be entered into Clearing.

Applications from International and EU (Other) students are normally considered by Queen's for entry to this course until 30 June 2025. If you apply for 2025 entry after this deadline, you will automatically be entered into Clearing.

Applicants are encouraged to apply as early as is consistent with having made a careful and considered choice of institutions and courses.

The Institution code name for Queen's is QBELF and the institution code is Q75.

Further information on applying to study at Queen's is available at: www.qub.ac.uk/Study/Undergraduate/How-to-apply/

Apply via UCAS

Terms and Conditions

The terms and conditions that apply when you accept an offer of a place at the University on a taught programme of study. Queen's University Belfast Terms and Conditions.

Additional Information for International (non-EU) Students

  1. Applying through UCAS
    Most students make their applications through UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) for full-time undergraduate degree programmes at Queen's. The UCAS application deadline for international students is 30 June 2025.
  2. Applying direct
    The Direct Entry Application form is to be used by international applicants who wish to apply directly, and only, to Queen's or who have been asked to provide information in advance of submitting a formal UCAS application. Find out more.
  3. Applying through agents and partners
    The University’s in-country representatives can assist you to submit a UCAS application or a direct application. Please consult the Agent List to find an agent in your country who will help you with your application to Queen’s University.

Download Undergraduate Prospectus