MSc Financial Services Management

Our MSc Financial Services Management has been created for those who wish to commence or develop their career in the vibrant Financial Services sector.

Taught by academics who have many years experience of working with the growing financial services sector in Wales on live projects, the course aims to provide you with the skills and attributes needed to become a fully rounded financial services sector professional. It will help to prepare you to work in a wide variety of roles in areas such as marketing, project management, finance, risk, compliance, and transformation/change.

You will develop knowledge and understanding of models, techniques, theories and advanced trending practices pertinent to the financial services sector and the skills to critically evaluate and apply them in the workplace to create value.

2023
2024

Study Mode 2023	Duration	Start Date	Campus	Campus Code
Full-time	1 Year	September	Treforest	A

Study Mode 2024	Duration	Start Date	Campus	Campus Code
Full-time	1 Year	September	Treforest	A

Course structure and content is pending final Faculty approval for 2023/24

Initial modules will provide an introduction to the diverse financial services sector and develop knowledge and skills that are relevant to the workplace. The Research Methods module will introduce the critical analysis and evaluation skills needed at masters’ level and help prepare you for the written coursework as well as the research project that will be undertaken on completion of the taught modules.

Later modules will provide opportunities to demonstrate your ability to make effective leadership decisions through the synoptic case study exam for Strategic Business Analysis and to showcase an in-depth understanding of a practical issue through the Financial Services Research Project.

Modules to be studied:

Introduction to Financial Services & Risk Environment - 20 credits
Applied Research Methods for Financial Services - 10 credits
Customer Insight in the Financial Services Sector - 20 credits
Financial Services Project Approaches - 10 credits
Leadership & Influencing - 10 credits
Advanced Technologies for Financial Services - 20 credits
Innovation & Entrepreneurial Skills in FS - 10 credits
Strategic Business Analysis - 20 credits
Financial Services Research Project - 60 credits

Students will have the opportunity to gain an externally accredited project management qualification for an additional fee. They will be able to choose between:

The APMG International AgilePM Foundation which is the first step to gaining the AgilePM Practitioner Certificate

and/or

The (APM) Project Fundamentals Qualification (PFQ) which is the first step to becoming a Chartered Project Professional.

Teaching

Guest lecturers will feature throughout the programme.

Assessment

You will be assessed via a range of methods including written coursework (e.g. professional reports, white papers), presentations, objective test questions and a synoptic case study exam.

A minimum 2:2 Honours degree or an equivalent international qualification may also be acceptable.

The course welcomes international applicants and requires an English level of IELTS 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in each component or equivalent.

Please note that whilst this course does not require a DBS check for entry, some professions will not consider candidates who have certain types of criminal convictions. Therefore, if you have a criminal conviction and you are considering a particular career path, we would recommend that you check with the relevant professional body or refer to their recruitment policy to make sure that your conviction will not disadvantage you.

Full-time fees are per year. Part-time fees are per 20 credits. Once enrolled, the fee will remain at the same rate throughout the duration of your study on this course.

August 2023 - July 2024 Fees

Full-time UK: £9500
Full-time International: £14950

August 2024 - July 2025 Fees

Full-time UK: TBC
Full-time International: TBC

Student Perks

At the University of South Wales, you’re investing in so much more than a degree. We strive to provide our students with the best possible experience, no matter what you chose to study. Whether it’s access to top of the range mac books and PCs, state-of-the-art facilities packed with industry-leading equipment and software, masterclasses and events led by industry experts, or a wide range of clubs and societies to meet likeminded people, better tomorrows start with extra perks.

Each course also has their own unique student benefits to prepare you for the real word, and details of these can be found on our course pages. From global field trips, integrated work experience and free course-related resources, to funded initiatives, projects working with real employers, and opportunities for extra qualifications and accreditations - at USW your future, is future-proofed.

Click here to learn more about student perks at USW.

Additional Costs

As a student of USW, you’ll have access to lots of free resources to support your study and learning, such as textbooks, publications, online journals, laptops, and plenty of remote-access resources. Whilst in most cases these resources are more than sufficient in supporting you with completing your course, additional costs, both obligatory and optional, may be required or requested for the likes of travel, memberships, experience days, stationery, printing, or equipment.

Funding

Funding to help pay for (or cover) course tuition fees and living costs

Whilst you’re studying, you’ll have two main financial obligations – tuition fees and living costs. There’s lots of financial help available from the University of South Wales and external funding sources, that may provide loans (which have to be paid back) and grants, scholarships and bursaries (that don't).

To learn about course fees, funding options, and to see if you are eligible for financial support, visit our Fees and Funding pages.

Apply directly to the University if you are applying for a part-time, professional or postgraduate course, an Erasmus/Exchange programme, the Legal Practice (part-time) course, to top up your Foundation Degree or HND, or to transfer to USW from another institution.

Apply now

Admissions statement

This programme prepares you to work in the financial services sector. This includes diverse areas such as banking, insurance, mortgage lending, leasing, car finance and investment management. FinTech, RegTech, InsurTech and WealthTech are some of the terms linked to the rapidly evolving technical solutions being deployed within the sector.

Graduates have been employed within financial services sector employers in roles such as:

Finance
Marketing
HR
Risk and Compliance
Commercial Lending
Fund Management/Analysis
Finance Analyst
Business Intelligence
Project Management
Continuous Improvement

Our Careers and Employability Service

As a USW student, you will have access to advice from the Careers and Employability Service throughout your studies and after you graduate.

This includes: one-to-one appointments from faculty based Career Advisers, in person, over the phone or even on Skype and through email via the "Ask a Question" service. We also have extensive online resources for help with considering your career options and presenting yourself well to employers. Resources include psychometric tests, career assessments, a CV builder, interview simulator and application help. Our employer database has over 2,000 registered employers targeting USW students, you can receive weekly email alerts for jobs.

Our Careers service has dedicated teams: A central work experience team to help you find relevant placements; an employability development team which includes an employability programme called Grad Edge; and an Enterprise team focused on new business ideas and entrepreneurship.