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Financial Economics with Foundation Year at Birkbeck, University of London - UCAS

Course options

2025 - 2026
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There are other course options available which may have a different vacancy status or entry requirements – view the full list of options

Birkbeck, University of London has participated in the Teaching Excellence Framework. These ratings were awarded in 2023, for four years.

Course summary

Our BSc Financial Economics will provide you with a core set of technically demanding, yet applications-oriented, skills in financial economics and an extensive knowledge of the financial sector. You will acquire the knowledge and skills needed for working in professions requiring economic and financial literacy. You will also gain hands-on experience in academic research and data analysis, as a practical project is an integral part of the degree. This is a rigorous course that combines an open admissions policy with high standards. Where there are gaps in your previous education we will fill those gaps, but you will also achieve the same standard of training in the core skills of finance and economics as in any other financial economics degree in the UK. The course is fairly demanding in terms of its use of quantitative techniques. If you have not studied maths for some time, we offer an intensive two-week evening preliminary or refresher course prior to the start of the degree. The course features two routes, which allow you to focus either on the technical or the applied aspects of financial economics. If you opt for the Foundation Year route, this will fully prepare you for undergraduate study. It is ideal if you are returning to study after a gap, or if you have not previously studied the relevant subjects, or if you didn't achieve the grades you need for a place on your chosen undergraduate degree. This course has an evening timetable with lectures, seminars and classes taking place in the evening. Highlights

  • Birkbeck was ranked in the top 25 universities in the UK for its Economics and Econometrics research in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework.
  • The course offers a well-integrated interdisciplinary core, allowing you to obtain a broad and balanced perspective, while the unique two-pathway structure allows you to tailor your studies and focus on either the technical or the applied aspects of financial economics.
  • We have an excellent reputation for the quality of our teaching, providing training for employers such as the Treasury and the Bank of England.
  • You will be taught by academics who are professional practitioners in the world of economics and international finance, and who provide specialist advice and in-house training for government departments and City firms and banks.
  • We bring together research and teaching across economics and finance, mathematics and statistics in a single department, which creates significant interdisciplinary synergies.
  • Goldman Sachs and Birkbeck Diversity Scholarships are available for this course for students from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds.
Careers and employability Graduates can pursue career paths in the financial sector or economics. Possible professions include:
  • financial risk analyst
  • bank manager
  • economist
  • statistician.
We offer a comprehensive careers service - Careers and Enterprise - your career partner during your time at Birkbeck and beyond. At every stage of your career journey, we empower you to take ownership of your future, helping you to make the connection between your experience, education and future ambitions.

Modules

For information about course structure and the modules you will be studying, please visit Birkbeck’s online prospectus.

Assessment method

Most modules are assessed by course assignments and/or in-class tests and an unseen formal examination in June. In the final year, there is a 5000-word project.

How to apply

29Jan

This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Foundation

International applicants

If English is not your first language or you have not previously studied in English, our usual requirement is the equivalent of an International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic Test) score of 6.5, with not less than 6.0 in each of the sub-tests. We also accept other English language tests.

Entry requirements

Qualification requirements

We welcome applicants without traditional entry qualifications as we base decisions on our own assessment of qualifications, knowledge and previous work experience. We may waive formal entry requirements based on judgement of academic potential. You may be invited to complete a short test in English and mathematics.

Student Outcomes

Operated by the Office for Students

There is no data available for this course. For further information visit the Discover Uni website.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

England £4765 Year 1
Northern Ireland £4765 Year 1
Scotland £4765 Year 1
Wales £4765 Year 1
International £9030 Year 1

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .

Additional fee information

Home students: Year 1&2: £4,765 per year Year 3+: £7,145 per year International students: Year 1&2: £9,030 per year Year 3+: £13,545 per year Students are charged a tuition fee in each year of their course. Tuition fees for students continuing on their course in following years may be subject to annual inflationary increases.
Financial Economics with Foundation Year at Birkbeck, University of London - UCAS