Financial Technology University of Bristol

Overview

The content will combine finance theory with extensive applications through to practical issues using real-world data. The Financial Technology  programme from University of Bristol  includes units addressing the latest technological developments that have transformed many aspects of the finance industry such as big data, artificial intelligence, machine learning, process automation, cryptocurrencies and blockchain, alongside units that cover the underpinning theory and practice of finance.

Artificial intelligence and machine learning are reshaping the financial services sector and are being used across a range of applications including trading, portfolio construction and evaluation, risk management, financial intermediation and corporate finance. 

You will gain a broad, high-level overview of the impact that technology is having in reshaping many aspects of financial services. You will also develop specific practical skills in programming, statistical analysis and financial modelling, which will enable you to apply these technological innovations in a variety of contexts. This may include algorithmic trading, robo-advising, peer-to-peer lending, mobile payments, crowdfunding and digital currencies.

The teaching will be research-led and undertaken by subject experts, involving a mixture of lectures and small-group tutorials as well as computer lab-based sessions for the completion of data-based case studies and applications. Industry-relevant skills are embedded in the units throughout the programme, which are practical in nature without compromising academic rigour.

Career prospects

The programme will provide a first-rate educational foundation to develop your career in any aspect of the financial services sector with a focus on financial technology. This could be in 'fintechs' themselves, or in more traditional investment management, corporate finance, or banking firms.

Successful graduates from the programme will have a combination of conceptual knowledge in finance, an understanding of financial markets and instruments, and skills in data analysis and programming. 

These attributes are of considerable demand in the industry given the rapid and continuing growth in this area in recent years and the reported lack of suitably qualified individuals. The programme, and in particular the skills imbued through the dissertation, will also provide an excellent springboard for progression to doctoral study.