How Do I Choose a UK Finance Course?

If you’re considering doing a UK Finance course at a UK university, there are quite a few things for you to think about. It’s a big choice, and you shouldn’t rush it! With so many available to choose from, how to you choose the right finance course?

Think about what career you want to do

If you’re keen on a finance course then consider what you might want to do as a finance career first.  Many roles in investment banking or financial analysis for instance will look for a related degree such as economics or finance. If you’re planning in this type of career, you might want to think about this and try and tailor your choice to tick this requirement on the recruiter’s list.

Do you want to study one subject alone or study a joint honours degree?

You might have interests in more than one subjectMany finance courses in the UK provide the opportunity to study two subjects together (Joint Honours), whether they are finance related or one finance related and one completely different subject such as a language or an arts or humanities subject. Again, think about how each combination on offer could be beneficial to you for your prospective future finance career.

Would you like work experience as part of your course?

You could study a sandwich degree, which involves a placement year in full-time work in the UK. You could also potentially undertake your placement year in another country as long as the university approves.

If you’d like to do this, then you’ll have to search for the courses that provide this an integrated part of your degree and create your shortlist from those available.

Look at the elective modules. So they fit your interests?

There could be a niche area of your interests that you’re eager to cover in your studies. It’s important to read carefully through the course descriptions of all the courses on offer that are relevant to your career choices and see which appeals to you the most. Elective modules can differ quite a bit between each university. Look on the university websites and get in touch with course providers to find out more and help you make your decision.

Could the content allow you to move onto the right postgraduate course if that’s what you want to do?

Some finance careers usually demand a level of qualification beyond that of a Bachelor’s degree or the equivalent. For example, if you want to become a quantitative analyst you’ll often need to have a postgraduate qualification too that contains a heavy quantitative element. And to get onto a postgraduate course that will be relevant, you will need to have some quantitative elements in your Bachelor’s degree from the UK too!

Check that your shortlisted courses provide you with this requirement if you do want to pursue postgraduate study eventually.

Look at university rankings, but don’t let this influence your decision completely

There are plenty of university rankings online to provide guidance on the top institutions in the UK. You might want to use these as a guideline to get an idea of who the top institutions are, but it’s still important to choose the course with the best content for you and your interests.

Check which scholarships are available

Many UK universities offer scholarships and bursaries too. The financial support available might help you to make your decision on which course to select. It’s not cheap to study in the UK and if you want to live and study in London then living costs can also be high. Financial support during your studies will not go amiss!

Think about which UK city or town you want to spend your time in

Finally, an undergraduate degree in the UK will last three or four years. Where would you like to spend most of that time?! London aside, the UK has plenty of big university towns and cities with buzzing financial scenes which will offer a great university experience plus the opportunities to get work experience in the finance industry.