30Apr
PostgraduateCourse summary
The MSc in Financial Technology is designed to prepare you for a career in banking and finance with an emphasis in technologies and data management. In addition to the fundamental skills and knowledge of finance, you will be exposed to leading-edge concepts in artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain (cryptocurrencies), and big data analysis among other emerging topics. The curriculum draws on GCU’s expertise in diverse areas of finance including regulation, risk analysis, modelling, and securities and investments within the framework of systems architecture, software development, and data management. The content and teaching strategies are designed to help you gain the essential skills and knowledge to prepare you to grow as a professional within the changing landscape of the banking and finance industry. Advances in technology have brought about radical changes to financial operations, products and services. Key amongst them are activities such as the provision of credit (disintermediation through peer-to-peer lending and crowdfunding), payment systems (blockchain technology and digital currencies), investments (algorithmic trading, online stockbroking services), and personal finance (robo-advisory services for individual investors). These innovations depend on secure and efficient communication systems and the processing of large amounts of data via machine learning algorithms. The modules in this course will help you gain an understanding of the evolving nature of financial technologies: impact on financial rules and regulation, analysing and managing financial risk, current and emerging trends in different financial sectors as well as challenges and opportunities to the subject and practice of finance. On an equal basis, the course's modules focus on enhancing your skills and knowledge of software development, artificial intelligence, data visualisation and ethics, putting these into practice to solve real-world problems. This course will enable you to: Critically apply concepts of machine learning, neural networks, data science algorithms, advanced exploratory statistics to solve financial problems with applications of computational intelligence. Evaluate the latest software development methodologies and apply the appropriate process to the information system needs of banking and financial institutions. Critically analyse information collection techniques and analysis methods and manipulate and develop tools and technologies designed for capturing, processing, storing, transferring, analysing, and visualising data for financial applications. Develop a workable knowledge base and skills in areas of current technological development in finance (such as blockchain, distributed ledger technology, cybersecurity, payment systems and so on) as applied to risk analysis and modelling, regulation, compliance, and investment analysis.
Modules
The MSc Financial Technology was designed in collaboration between the Department of Computing and School of Computing, Engineering, and Built Environment (SCEBE) and the department of Finance, Accounting and Risk at the Glasgow School of Business and Society (GSBS). Its structure is meant to maximise the areas of expertise of each School in this subject and help students gain a systematic understanding of how financial techniques can be adapted, programmed, and implemented through emerging technologies meant to ‘disrupt’ the ways in which financial products and services are produced and consumed. The course consists of eight taught modules (15 credits each for a total of 120 credits), four from the GSBS Finance, Accounting and Risk portfolio, and four from SCEBE’s. These provide a mix of software development and data management with financial knowledge and skills. The research portion of the programme (60 credits) equips students to deepen their learning of new digital business models in financial services, the impact of innovation through technology in the industry, technology skills in blockchain and machine learning applications in finance, and the application of technology to quantitative finance skills. Bank Operational Risk Management, Software Development for Data Science, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Data Ethics and Research Methods, Financial Services Regulation, Fundamentals of Financial Technology, Financial Risk Modelling, Data Visualisation, Masters Finance Research Project
Assessment method
Assessment methods vary between modules and may include: essays, reports, class tests, written exams, presentations and skills based assessments.
Professional bodies
Professionally accredited courses provide industry-wide recognition of the quality of your qualification.
- Chartered Banker Institute
Entry requirements
Minimum academic requirements Minimum academic requirement: UK honours degree 2:2 (or equivalent) in a relevant computing subject or in a finance subject with an appropriate maths or computing component. English language requirements Academic IELTS score of 6.0 (or equivalent) with no element below 5.5.
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
| Channel Islands | £9900 | Year 1 |
| Republic of Ireland | £9900 | Year 1 |
| England | £9900 | Year 1 |
| Northern Ireland | £9900 | Year 1 |
| Scotland | £9900 | Year 1 |
| Wales | £9900 | Year 1 |
| EU | £19800 | Year 1 |
| International | £19800 | 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
Part-time and distance-learning tuition fees:
Distance Learning (Home/ Republic of Ireland/ Channel Islands): £9,900
Distance Learning (EU/ International): £9,900
For details of part-time fee rates, please make an enquiry today.
Please note, fees are subject to change and published here for guidance only.
Sponsorship information
We provide high-quality education for a fair price; as the University for the Common Good, we are committed to offering accessible higher education for talented students by keeping our tuition fees low and providing a generous scholarship package of £2 million per year.
Provider information
Glasgow Caledonian University
City Campus
Cowcaddens Road
Glasgow
G4 0BA