Be a bright light in the big City: our Money, Banking and Finance (MBF) programme combines the analytical rigour of an economics degree with practical focus on banking, accounting, law and finance.

Birmingham’s established MBF programme was developed in response to demand from employers in the financial services sector for informed, able graduates with a relevant degree. It is designed to provide you with the intellectual skills to work in this dynamic and fast-changing industry, and should further enable you to gain exemptions from relevant professional examinations such as the ICAEW.

First year

You study core compulsory modules in Accounting, Economics, Law and Quantitative Methods.

Second and third years

In these years you build on this foundation with more advanced compulsory modules in Economics, Finance, Quantitative Methods, Banking and Banking Law, together with a wide range of options that enable you to specialise in your preferred areas such as economics, accounting, or banking and finance.

At the end of the programme you should have a good appreciation of economic analysis related to financial markets and institutions; the effects of government policy on the financial sector; quantitative techniques for empirical analysis of economic and financial data; accounting concepts relevant to financial market analysis; and the legal aspects of financial services.

If you want to take advantage of a unique opportunity to be supported with a work placement opportunity as part of your final year, this course includes the opportunity to undertake a 'Professional Development' module as part of your optional module choices

How will I be taught?

Economics is a department within our Business School. Birmingham Business School has strong links with industry, so as well as exploring theoretical aspects, you’ll find that your degree has a strong practical focus, and this is reflected in the way you’ll be taught. Learning from experts in their field, you will be encouraged to think for yourself and will experience a number of different learning settings, including lectures, tutorials and even the opportunity to be involved in our Economics Laboratory. Our aim is to equip you with specific skills in economics, but also generic skills that can be applied right across the job spectrum, such as analytical and data analysis.

As a Birmingham student you are part of an academic elite and will learn from world-leading experts.  From the outset you will be encouraged to become an independent and self-motivated learner.  We want you to be challenged and will encourage you to think for yourself. 

Your learning will take place in a range of different settings, from scheduled teaching in lectures and small group tutorials, to self-study and peer group learning (for example preparing and delivering presentations with your classmates).

To begin with you may find this way of working challenging, but rest assured that we’ll enable you to make this transition.  You will have access to a comprehensive support system that will assist and encourage you, including personal tutors and welfare tutors who can help with both academic and welfare issues, and a formal transition review during your first year to check on your progress and offer you help for any particular areas where you need support.

Find out more about our academics' approaches to teaching and learning.

Personal Tutor

Throughout your course, your Personal Tutor, who will be assigned to you from day one, will be on hand to give you all the academic and welfare support and advice you need. Our aim is to ensure you make the most of your potential and your time here at Birmingham, and your Personal Tutor will help you to do this.

Contact hours

As well as time with your lecturers and personal tutor, academic and professional services staff (like our dedicated Careers Network team) will be avialable to offer individual and group support throughout your time here at Birmingham.

Learning settings

You’ll find our Economics department staff here at Birmingham located in a building at the heart of our world famous main campus in Edgbaston, Birmingham.

Lectures and teaching will take place in a variety of  versatile lecture theatres and breakout rooms which, as well as the traditional whiteboard and pen, are equipped  with wireless connection and constantly updated technology including all the audio-visual equipment that you would expect from one of the UK’s premier insitutions.

Small-group tutorials/personal tutorials run alongside our lectures, addressing any individual problems you may have and allowing you to consolidate lecture material, as well as test your understanding through problem-solving exercises.

Self study is an essential part of the programme and requires self motivation and enthusiasm for your subject. It also allows you to pursue your own lines of enquiry and become an independent thinker.

Birmingham Business School has invested in The Birmingham Experimental Economics Laboratory (BEEL) which was founded in 2012 and enables economics experiments to take place on campus. The laboratory focuses on research into individual and strategic decision making and students are actively encouraged to participate in these experiments.

Preparation for your career should be one of the first things you think about as you start university. Whether you have a clear idea of where your future aspirations lie or want to consider the broad range of opportunities available once you have a Birmingham degree, our Careers Network can help you achieve your goal.

Enjoy all the University has to offer, which is a lot! Make sure you go to as many events as possible because you never know whom you might meet and those networking connections can be vital in your search for a job later on - Joseph Morris, BSc Money, Banking and Finance

Our unique careers guidance service is tailored to your academic subject area, offering a specialised team (in each of the five academic colleges) who can give you expert advice. Our team source exclusive work experience opportunities to help you stand out amongst the competition, with mentoring, global internships and placements available to you. Once you have a career in your sights, one-to-one support with CV’s and job applications will help give you the edge. In addition, our employer-endorsed award-winning Personal Skills Award (PSA) recognises your extra-curricular activities, and provides an accredited employability programme designed to improve your career prospects.

Your Birmingham degree is evidence of your ability to succeed in a demanding academic environment. Employers target Birmingham students for their drive, diversity, communication and problem-solving skills, their team-working abilities and cultural awareness, and our graduate employment statistics have continued to climb at a rate well above national trends. If you make the most of the wide range of services you will be able to develop your career from the moment you arrive.

Mark Fairbrother - Aston Villa Football Club, United Kingdom

Mark Fairbrother graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree (BSc) in Money, Banking and Finance from the University of Birmingham (UoB) in 2001. He is currently employed as the Head of Finance at Aston Villa Football Club in Birmingham, United Kingdom, a business with a turnover of £92 million, which employs 1716 staff.

 

Among his many responsibilities, Mark is accountable for financial reporting and he works with directors in the financial side of player transactions. He also manages the relationship with between the bank and the tax office and assists the commercial team in the negotiation of new sponsors. We recently caught up with Mark to find out how his time at the UoB has impacted his career since he graduated:

“After graduation, I joined PricewaterhouseCoopers on their graduate training programme within their assurance practice in Birmingham,” Mark begins. “Once I completed my chartered accountancy professional qualification in 2004, I looked after a number of large scale regional clients and particularly focussed on clients within the financial services industry. I was also part of the UK and Indian training tutor programme. In 2008, I secured my job as Financial Controller with Aston Villa; working for a football club is a fantastic experience as the job is extremely varied because there are so many business operations within the organisation.”

Having decided to pursue a career in finance and accounting, Mark explains why he chose to study at the UoB:

“Of all the universities I visited, the UoB was the one I was most impressed by, so much so I chose to return in September 2011 to study my Executive MBA! The campus was really inspiring and the course itself was far more appealing than similar courses offered by other institutions. The variety of modules available were fantastic and the skills and knowledge acquired from studying such diverse topics have really helped me in the wider business world.

"The guild was a fantastic place and I have some great memories from events that occurred there."

“I did not study economics before coming to the UoB so I was a bit apprehensive about taking up an economics focussed degree. I was not alone in this; the academics, who were very supportive and understanding, developed our comprehension of economics very quickly. There is a balance of easy and tough subjects but overall, the topics are of real interest, particularly those you can choose yourself through the module options in the second and third years.

“Through studying the BSc in Money, Banking and Finance at the UoB, I learnt how to utilise my learning which made studying for my accountancy exams far more bearable. Obtaining this skill benefitted me greatly as it contributed to my success in securing my current role. I also studied a lot of material which is still applicable to my job now; there are approximately ten course books still in my office which I refer to when I have finance or accounting queries!”

Looking back over his experience at the university, Mark reflects on some of his most memorable highlights during his time at the UoB:

“The guild was a fantastic place and I have some great memories from events that occurred there. The halls of residence were also a wonderful experience and some of my best friends now are people I met in my first weeks in Mason Hall, my first year accommodation.”

In recommending the UoB to potential students considering embarking on an undergraduate programme, Mark says:

“The module choice is a key aspect in shaping your degree; make sure you choose modules that you enjoy as you will really benefit from your experience and this will encourage you to do well. The options I selected really helped make for a pleasant learning experience as I was able to select subjects that I had a keen interest in.