Our courses

Overview

The field of business and financial management in the UK is a vital contributor to the economy. With significant annual contributions, this sector generates substantial revenue, provides employment for millions, and supports countless businesses across the nation.

The BSc (Hons) Business and Financial Management course is designed to equip students with a comprehensive understanding of both foundational principles and advanced concepts in financial management. This rigorous program offers a blend of theoretical knowledge and practical skills, preparing graduates for diverse career paths within the financial sector and beyond. Through engaging with contemporary practices in investment, corporate finance, and risk management, students will cultivate critical decision-making abilities and a strong awareness of the ethical and cultural dimensions of the business environment.

Structure and content

See below for the modules you will study:

Foundation Year

• Critical Thinking Skills
• Data Skills
• Professional Development Skills
• Research Skills

Year 1

• Academic and Professional Skills
• Sustainable Business in the Contemporary Environment
• Financial Markets and Institutions
• Business Finance

Year 2

• Managing Human Resources
• Sustainability in Career Development
• Entrepreneurial Finance
• Principles and Practice of Marketing
• Budgeting and Financial Risk Management

Year 3

• Executing Business Strategy
• Leadership and Change Management
• Corporate Financial Management in the Digital Age
• Undergraduate Major Project (Business and Financial Analysis)

For a more detailed overview of the course modules, you can view the Course Information Sheet below.

Course Information Sheet

Entry requirements

3-year full time study option

ARU London's standard offer is 96 UCAS tariff points from 3 A Levels, e.g. BCC.

Alternatively, ARU London asks for:

• Irish Leaving Certificate: BBCCC.
• Scottish Highers: BBCCC.
• BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma: DMM in a business-related subject.
• International Baccalaureate Diploma: 24 points.

All applicants are required to have at least 3 GCSEs at grade C, or grade 4, or above, including English and Maths. 

If English is not your first language you will be expected to demonstrate a certificated level of proficiency of at least IELTS 6.0 (Academic level) or equivalent English Language qualification, as recognised by Anglia Ruskin University.

Applicants studying for other qualifications should contact ARU London to discuss their circumstances.

We also welcome applications from mature individuals who can demonstrate appropriate, relevant work experience.

Our published entry requirements are a guide only and our decision will be based on our assessment of your overall suitability for the course. We treat everyone as an individual which means we will look at your whole application including any relevant work experience and personal circumstances as well as your educational qualifications. Please contact admissions@london.aru.ac.uk for more information.

4-year full time extended study option

5 GCSEs at grade D, or grade 3, or above including English and maths and evidence of two years post-GCSE study at Level 3. If you have achieved at least grade E in one A level, or equivalent, you are exempt from the two-year post-GCSE study requirement, but you still must meet the GCSE requirements. 

International Students Undergraduate Entry Requirements 

To join the first year of our undergraduate course, you’ll need one of the following.

• GCE A levels from a recognised UK examination board.
• An International Baccalaureate with a minimum of 24 points.
• A university foundation course recognised by Anglia Ruskin University.
• Relevant qualifications obtained in your home country: see our country-specific entry requirements.

If you've completed a study at university level in the UK or your home country, you may be eligible to enter directly into Year 2 or 3 of a related degree course at ARU. Find out more about transferring to ARU.

If you are an international student and would like to apply to study at ARU London, you can do so here. 

Teaching and assessment

Knowledge and understanding is assessed via a number of methods including a range of assignments. These assignments can be in a variety of forms from a written Management Report, to an analysis of a company report, to a presentation that responds to an organisational issue which allows opportunities for students to partake in a practical experience which syntheses theory and practice.

Formative assessment will be provided throughout the duration of the course, providing feedback to improve students’ knowledge and development, whilst allowing the opportunity to evaluate student academic needs.

Most modules will have at least two assessments which provides an opportunity to assess knowledge and understanding and a range of skills in an effective manner.

Intellectual Skills

Where modules have two pieces of assessment the first is completed part the way through the module delivery. This provides an opportunity for students to obtain feedback on their performance which encourages their learning and, hopefully, adds to their performance in the second assessment. 

The Undergraduate Major Project (Business and Financial Analysis) places specific emphasis on research skills and thinking skills in general and, more specifically, on financial analysis. The use of case study material, simulations and projects throughout the pathway provides many opportunities to develop and exercise deductive, inductive, and other cognitive skills.

Practical Skills

These skills are developed through a range of activities and assessments. Students are provided with many opportunities to develop their communication skills, both orally and in writing, e.g. by making presentations, negotiating or producing a management report. 

Transferable Skills

Case study-based project work and practical work, including presentations, provide a ‘live’, authentic, way of learning, practising and thinking about a student’s academic studies. Working in response to the complexity of real-life situations enables students to ‘participate’ in work-based experiences, gaining insights into the requirements of working environments.

Timetable

Full-time Schedule:

Standard delivery:
Studying on campus 2 days a week, which is Monday-Friday (10:00-17:00)

Employability

Employability is a key aspect of all courses at ARU London. Employers from the business and financial management sector have been directly involved in the design and development of this course, and their desire for a combination of academic learning, work experience, and application of learning to the real world of business and financial management has directly influenced the structure and content of the course. Theoretical learning is applied to practice as a standard approach within teaching and learning.

Where possible, the course makes use of authentic assessments that replicate workplace activities. In addition, great use is made of external speakers from industry and practice who visit modules routinely to provide context to student learning. Where possible, off-site visits are arranged. Alternatively, where possible, practitioners and leaders from the business and financial management sector come in as guest speakers. Thus, the academic experience provided to students on this course ensures the development of several key transferable skills, such as commercial awareness, innovation, adaptability, initiative and analytical thinking.  

Associated Jobs:

• Financial manager and controller
• Financial analyst
• Chief financial officer
• Financial adviser
• Private wealth adviser
• Portfolio manager
• Fintech adviser
• Quantitative analyst
• Retail and investment banker

*Please note that this list is not exhaustive*

To learn more about where this course can take you, please visit the Employability Service. 

ARU London Employability Service provides students with expert support to help them prepare for employment. Within the scheme, the Employment Department assists students by giving feedback on their CVs and cover letters as well as teaching valuable interview techniques. The Employability Service also has a well-established range of external partners. The Service is, where possible, able to match students to suitable opportunities offered by partner employers so that they can obtain extensive practical work experience in the sector by working part-time during the academic study period and/or full-time during vacations.

Course Fees

Home Students

Foundation year will cost £5,760

International Students 

For international students studying their undergraduate with ARU London the tution fee will be £16,700 per year. 

EU nationals who meet residency requirements (have settled or pre-settled status) may be eligible for 'Home' fee status. If you do not meet these residency requirements, overseas fees will apply. Irish citizens living in the UK or Ireland will be eligible for 'Home' fee status under the Common Travel Area arrangement. Please read the student finance for EU students web page on www.gov.uk for information. 

For 2024-2025 entry, the maximum government-approved undergraduate tuition fee for UK students is £9,250 per year. The University is able to charge this fee subject to an approved Access and Participation Plan for 2024-2025 and its current rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework

Course Aims

1. To offer a rigorous academic course of study at a level appropriate to an honours degree that will provide students with opportunities to gain a solid foundation in both the fundamentals and cutting-edge developments in business financial management theory and practice.

2. To ensure that students who complete the course depart with a wide range of skills and competencies along with an appreciation of the design and functioning of financial markets, banking markets, stock exchanges, and financial institutions.

3.  To facilitate students to understand and apply current theories, practices and principles of investment and value, corporate finance dynamics, decision-making processes, securities analysis (such as equity, currency, fixed income, and derivative instruments), risk management, and international financial management in a range of businesses and financial organisations.

4. To provide students with a range of opportunities to develop the attitudes and capabilities to meet the challenges presented by a career in a financial management organisation or other business organisation.

5.  To offer students opportunities to develop individual confidence and competence within business and financial management, foster professional approaches to work with others and the benefits of effective management through the principles of sustainability, diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility (DEIA).

6. To offer students opportunities to develop the transferable skills necessary for students’ personal development as lifelong independent learners.

7. To integrate academic and experiential knowledge to enable students to progress and apply key employability skills, develop skill areas of individual weakness, raise self-awareness, develop reflective skills through assessments, including performative live projects, in order to work in an interdisciplinary environment.

Course Learning Outcomes

Knowledge and understanding

Organisational Analysis and Strategic Influence

Evaluate how business and financial organisations are structured and managed, and how internal and external factors influence their strategy, performance, adaptability, sustainability, and ability to meet stakeholder needs. (A01, A02).

Applying Financial Theories to Real-World Contexts

Demonstrate understanding of key financial theories, tools, and institutions, including financial statements and their limitations, and apply them to real-world contexts. Analyse how physical, human, financial and governance structures impact organisational effectiveness and efficiency, using both theory and evidence. (A03, A04).

Understanding Decision-Making Methods and Core Management Functions

Understand and evaluate decision-making methods and analytical tools, including AI, used in business and finance. Explore how effective communication supports implementation. Demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of core management functions such as people management, marketing, finance, law, and information systems—using relevant theories and frameworks (A05, A06).

The Impact of Financial Services and Regulations 

Demonstrate in-depth understanding of financial services, including how finance theory and evidence explain evolving activities and investment behaviour. Understand the scope and impact of financial regulation, its rationale, obligations for firms and its role in addressing climate and environmental risks (A07, A08).

Ethical Responsibility

Identify and incorporate a critical ethical dimension into their work with an appreciation of personal responsibility and professional codes of conduct (A09).

Intellectual (thinking), practical, affective and transferrable skills

Critical Thinking, Analysis, and Research

Graduates will apply critical thinking, analysis, and synthesis in evaluating theories, models, and research in business and financial management. They will also conduct research and execute case study projects on relevant issues using a range of interpersonal skills with minimal supervision (B01, B05).

Quantitative and Qualitative Analysis

Select appropriate quantitative and qualitative research methods and techniques to collect, analyse, interpret and transform abstract data and concepts towards a given purpose by appropriate means (B02).

Multidisciplinary and Multicultural Awareness

They will appreciate the relevance of multidisciplinary and multicultural approaches to business and financial management and be critically self-aware (B04, B08).

Problem-Solving and Flexibility

Graduates will confidently recognise and define complex concepts and problems, applying appropriate knowledge and skills to identify solutions (B03).

Communication Skills

They will communicate effectively both orally and in writing as an individual, a team member, and a team leader, interacting in a supportive and proactive manner (B07).

Autonomous Learning and Responsibility

Graduates will manage their learning effectively, act autonomously, and develop an awareness of personal responsibility and professional codes of conduct, with a focus on sustainability (B06, B09).

More information 

For an extensive list of assessment methods, learning activities and more you can read the Course Specification Form (CSF) for this course below

Course Specification Form