International Finance and Banking BSc (Hons) top-up

Study level: Top-up courses
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Do you speak another language and are you interested in banking and finance? Then international banking and finance could be an ideal potential future career option for you.

Year of entry

Location

Coventry University (Coventry)

Study mode

Full-time

Duration

1 year full-time (Entry at level 6)
2 years full-time (Entry at level 5)

Course code

N315

Start date

September 2024
January 2025
May 2025


Course overview

This course is designed for international students and as such, is designed with a specific focus on banking and finance in an international context, incorporating the study of the English language for business, to better prepare you for potential global career options in areas such as business, accountancy or financial management.

If you are a UK student and would like to study the course, please contact us at info.fbl@coventry.ac.uk for more information.

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Rated Gold Overall

Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2023

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5 QS Stars for Teaching and Facilities

QS Stars University Ratings

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Top 5 Student City in England (Coventry)

QS Best Student Cities Index 2025

Why you should study this course

Designed to help you develop the skills needed for a career in the finance and banking sectors, this top-up course covers core finance modules and relevant banking modules, while also incorporating important elements of the economics and accounting disciplines. This approach allow you to gain knowledge across various areas, while also specialising in the skills needed to become a finance and banking professional.

With a strong focus on applying learning to practical situations, this course involves rigorous banking and regulation-based modules which should help to prepare you for potential work in the sector. Throughout the course, modules should allow you the opportunity to work on real case studies and explore the tackling of specific issues faced by banks in the global banking environment, using the skills you have learned to look at proposing recommendations on how to solve the problems.  

There are also modules covering contemporary developments in the industry, including Financial Technology, or FinTech, which give you the opportunity to gain insight into recent technological developments (such as blockchain and cloud computing), new emerging sectors (such as crypto-currencies and peer-to-peer lending), and take a look at the main players driving the growth of the FinTech industry.

By studying our top-up course you will benefit from:

  • Specialist content which covers the identification, analysis and solution of financial decision making.
  • Outstanding facilities4 include our Trading Floor, currently one of the largest of its kind in Europe, featuring contemporary Bloomberg terminals. 
  • Opportunity to access support from the university’s sigma centre, which can provide maths and stats help and advice through drop-in sessions with experienced staff4.
  • Experienced staff, some of whom have worked in roles such as auditors for large scale professional services firms in different countries and as ACCA markers in the UK (please note that staff are subject to change).
  • Opportunities2 to join a variety of student-led societies, such as the Accounting and Finance society, the Investment Society and the Financial Trading Society.
  • Potential opportunities to network with like-minded professionals and visit key financial institutions, which have previously included the London Stock Exchange and Bank of England2.

Memberships

Chartered Association of Business Schools (CABS)

Coventry Business School is currently an active member1 of the Chartered Association of Business Schools, which has a membership of over 120 business schools and higher education providers, and supports its members in maintaining world-class standards of teaching and research.

European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD)

Coventry Business School is currently an active member1 of the European Foundation for Management Development, a global membership organisation dedicated to management development, covering over 900 members across 91 countries.

This course is recognised by the above memberships for the 2022/23 intake. There is currently no intention for either of these memberships to lapse however if either of these memberships were not to be renewed, we would notify applicants and students as soon as possible.

Additional certificates

As part of the degree you will have the option to work towards two additional certifications (outside of your study modules):

[1] Bloomberg Market Concepts Certificate: Optional certification to help our students stand out and demonstrate their understanding of financial markets, central banking and the application of economic indicators, as well as hone their skills in utilising Bloomberg terminal functionalities for a fast moving market.

[2] Bloomberg ESG Certificate: Optional certification for students to demonstrate their understanding of the Environmental, Social and Governance factors, and their implications for strategy development and regulatory compliance.


What you'll study

The modules in this year are intended to provide a strong background in Finance and Financial Theory, setting the basis for further specialism at Level 6. All modules are mandatory.

Alongside modules covering key areas of finance and banking, you will also study a module focused on employability skills, to help you as you progress into the world of work, and a module on academic English, to help further develop the English language skills needed in the globalised economy.

Modules

All modules are mandatory.

Further focus is placed during the year on your personal development, with a module on employability skills, and a module on academic English. Modules in this year are designed to provide a more focused analysis of the banking industry, including risks in the sector and associated theories.

Modules

All modules are mandatory.

Further focus is placed during the year on your personal development, with a module on employability skills, and a module on academic English. Modules in this year are designed to provide a more focused analysis of the banking industry, including risks in the sector and associated theories.

Modules

We regularly review our course content, to make it relevant and current for the benefit of our students. For these reasons, course modules may be updated.


How you'll learn

Seminars and workshops are smaller group teaching environments, they are interactive and may involve hypothetical problem questions, simulations, case studies and the analysis of more theoretical issues. Teaching methods include: lectures, seminars, workshops and personal study.

Teaching contact hours

We understand that everyone learns differently, so each of our courses will consist of structured teaching sessions, which may include:

  • On campus lectures, seminars and workshops
  • Group work
  • Self-directed learning
  • Work placement opportunities2.

As a full-time undergraduate student, you will study modules totalling 120 credits each academic year. A typical 20 credit module requires a total of 200 hours study. This is made up of teaching contact hours, guided and independent study.

Teaching hours:

Starting at level 5: Teaching hours vary each semester, year of study and due to module selection. You can expect 12-15 teaching hours each week during the second year of a degree course. You will also have the option to attend optional sessions including time with a progress coach or to meet with staff for advice and feedback. As you progress through your studies, teaching hours may reduce.

Starting at level 6: Teaching hours vary each semester, year of study and due to module selection. During your top-up year you can expect 9-12 teaching hours each week. You will also have the option to attend optional sessions including time with a progress coach or to meet with staff for advice and feedback. As you progress through your studies, teaching hours may reduce.

Guided and independent study:

Throughout your studies, you will be expected to spend time in guided and independent study to make up the required study hours per module. You'll be digging deeper into topics, review what you've learnt and complete assignments. This can be completed around your personal commitments. As you progress through your studies, you'll spend more time in independent study.

Online learning:

As an innovative university, we use different teaching methods including online tools and emerging technologies. So, some of your teaching hours and assessments may be delivered online.


Assessment

This course will be assessed using a variety of methods which will vary depending upon the module. Assessment methods include:

  • Formal examinations
  • Phase tests
  • Essays
  • Group work
  • Presentations
  • Reports
  • Projects
  • Coursework
  • Exams
  • Individual Assignments
  • Laboratories

The Coventry University Group assessment strategy ensures that our courses are fairly assessed and allows us to monitor student progression towards achieving the intended learning outcomes.


Entry requirements

Typical offer for 2024/25 entry.

For level 5 you will have successful completion of 1 years appropriate academic study in Higher Education. For level 6 you will have successful completion of 2 years appropriate academic study in Higher Education.

English language requirements

  • IELTS: 6.0 overall, with no component lower than 5.5.

If you don't meet the English language requirements, you can achieve the level you need by successfully completing a pre-sessional English programme before you start your course. 

For more information on our approved English language tests visit our English language requirements page.

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Fees and funding

2024/25 Tuition fees

Student Full-time Part-time
International £16,800 per year Not available

For advice and guidance on tuition fees3 and student loans visit our undergraduate finance page and see the University’s Tuition Fee and Refund Terms and Conditions.

We offer a range of international scholarships to students all over the world. For more information, visit our international scholarships page.

Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching, assessments, facilities and support services. There may be additional costs not covered by this fee such as accommodation and living costs, recommended reading books, stationery, printing and re-assessments should you need them. Find out what's included in your tuition costs.

*Irish student fees

The rights of Irish residents to study in the UK are preserved under the Common Travel Area arrangement. If you are an Irish student and meet the residency criteria, you can study in England, pay the same level of tuition fees as English students and utilise the Tuition Fee Loan.

**EU Support Bursary

Following the UK's exit from the European Union, we are offering financial support to all eligible EU students who wish to study an undergraduate or a postgraduate degree with us full-time. This bursary will be used to offset the cost of your tuition fees to bring them in line with that of UK students. Students studying a degree with a foundation year with us are not eligible for the bursary.


Facilities

Our facilities4 and technology are close to what you would expect in real-world business environments.

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The Trading Floor

The Trading Floor is an invaluable facility that allows you to get hands-on with industry-standard software. Featuring contemporary dual-screen Bloomberg terminals, the facility adds a dynamic practical element to your course.

 

 

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Talent Team

Employability is at the forefront of all our accounting and finance courses. Our dedicated Talent Team are also on hand to help. They can assist you in applying for work placements, graduate level jobs and offer skills development workshops, and also organise networking events to introduce you to potential employers and industry contacts.

A female student sat at a desk holding a pen and looking at a laptop.

sigma Centre

The sigma Centre is housed in our Lanchester Library and offers maths and statistics support through drop-in sessions and bookable appointments. It is the ideal place to help you navigate any issues you might have while studying an accounting and finance degree.

 


Careers and opportunities

Upon successful completion, you will be able to:

  • Develop a critical understanding of appropriate research theories and empirical evidence relevant to banking policy, regulation and ethical practice.
  • Assess banking and financial institutions’ operations within an international context by comparing different approaches to financial regulation and practice.
  • Constructively analyse theoretical and empirical approaches to solving banking and financial problems in an international context.
  • Apply financial modelling and analytical tools when conducting research using a variety of finance and finance-related resources such as relevant databases and literature in order to resolve typical finance and banking issues.
  • Demonstrate digital literacy by using information, communication and digital technologies in solving different financial problems and be aware of emerging financial technologies that play a significant role in the finance and banking world now and in the future.
  • Make rational decisions that take into account ethical issues faced by the finance and banking industry today and demonstrate awareness of the role played by ethics in making financial decisions.
  • Understand what is meant by, and what is involved in, the risk management of financial issues and relevant factors influential to the investment behaviour of firms.
  • Demonstrate enhanced employability including attributes such as professionalism, and interpersonal and communication skills to enable the effective oral written presentation of work, whilst also showing initiative and the ability to work independently.

Upon successful completion, you should be well placed to pursue a variety of potential future career options in finance, management, accounting, banking, personal and corporate finance and IT in private, public and third sector organisations. Subject to further training or qualification, you could find yourself exploring potential future roles as an accountant, auditor, business analyst, investment consultant, stock controller, tax assistant or teacher.

Further study

Alternatively, you may decide to pursue postgraduate study opportunities by studying courses such as Accounting and Financial Management MSc or Finance MSc here at Coventry Business School, which could further enhance your employability.

Please note that further study opportunities are subject to competitive application, availability, meeting any applicable visa requirements and additional costs may apply.

Graduate Immigration Route visa

Based on current information from the UK Government, international students whose study extends beyond summer 2021 may be eligible for a visa under the UK Government’s Graduate Immigration Route, which will enable students to stay and work, or look for work, in the UK at any skill level for up to two (2) years. Check the most up to date guidance available to check your eligibility and any updates from the UK Government before making an application or enrolment decision.


How to apply