Accounting and Finance and Economics

Finance and Investment - BSc (Hons)
with a Year in Industry

This is an archived course for 2021 entry
2023 courses

Where better to prepare for a career in the fast paced and global world of finance than at a university which has its very own Bloomberg lab?

Through our virtual trading platform, our CFA-accredited BSc Finance and Investment gives you advanced conceptual knowledge and the hands-on experience to succeed in the fast-paced and competitive world of global finance.

Overview

Do you aspire to be a banker? A portfolio manager? A risk manager? A regulator? As a BSc Finance and Investment student at KBS you develop the kind of in-depth understanding of financial principles to give your career a head start

On this programme you gain the analytical, technical and interpersonal skills required to understand, analyse and address the challenges faced by today's financial market.

The Bloomberg Lab, a dedicated virtual trading floor, enables you to hit the ground running with real time data from real financial markets to apply your newfound expertise.

Our BSc Finance and Investment degree programme

On our flexible programme, you take a broad range of compulsory modules as well as having the opportunity to select optional modules to tailor the course to suit your career aspirations and interests. You will explore areas such as financial markets and instruments, fundamentals of finance and investments, corporate banking, economics for business, quantitative methods for finance, risk management and business employability skills.

Taught by leading experts from business and the professions on our historical Medway campus, with close links to London, you have excellent opportunities to experience finance and investment in action through hands-on experience via in-class live case studies from our visiting industry experts, enterprise challenges and company visits.

At KBS you are so much more than just a number,

~ Yemurai Machacha, BSc Finance and Investment, 2020.

Experiential learning

Kent provides a variety of employability opportunities for students during their studies. These range from short-term company internship opportunities to voluntary work with local charities and University Business Societies. The central Careers and Employability Service also offers an exciting Employability Points Scheme. In addition to this, the Kent Business School specialised team of Employability experts provides support to all our students in personalised 1:1 meetings as well as online support via the Employability blog. Unique to KBS, our Alumni have access to all employability support for three years after their graduation.

Gaining 1-year cross-cultural experience: Year abroad

If you would like to enhance your employability skills by widening cross-cultural perspectives, developing a global mind-set or learn another language then you can spend a year studying at one of Kent’s global partner institutions, see Finance and investment with a year abroad. You do not have to make a decision before you enrol at Kent but certain conditions will apply. For more information, see Programme Structure and Career sections.

Extra activities

In addition to your studies, our students can discover how to turn their ideas into a successful business at our ASPIRE centre, which provides practical advice and support to all entrepreneurially-minded students, and runs our Business Start-up Journey initiative. Many of our students get involved with societies including the Kent Business Society, which in previous years has organised: Social events Talks from industry leaders Networking events

An outstanding student experience

Kent Business School is dedicated to ensuring a positive experience for all our students, from induction to graduation, and beyond.

As a Student Success school, we are committed to championing Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion, and warmly welcome students from all backgrounds. Your experience is central to what we do, so we will listen to you every step of the way, through our robust Student Voice processes and mechanisms.

Alongside a world-class teaching and educational experience, KBS delivers a wide-ranging package of support, designed to ensure that you can maximise your time with us: Every student is allocated an Academic Adviser from our highly skilled academic staff team, who will meet with you individually to give you personalised guidance on your academic journey with KBS.

Our dedicated Student Support Team, led by the Senior Tutor, are on-hand throughout term time and during vacations to provide confidential, sensitive, pastoral support and guidance to our students. Academic Peer Mentors, recruited from the School’s most experienced undergraduate students, are available to help you to navigate your course and the modules that they themselves have sat, giving you insider access to someone who knows what it’s like to study on your course.

About Kent Business School

Our School is proud to be in the top 1% of business schools globally to hold accreditations from three large business organisations:

All of our programmes at Kent Business School address the challenges of modern global business and we aim to meet industry demands of producing quality graduates by ensuring we unlock our students’ potential, expand their thinking and nurture their talent. 

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Entry requirements

Please also see our general entry requirements.

  • medal-empty

    A level

    ABB-BBB

  • medal-empty GCSE

    Mathematics grade 6 / B and English grade 4 / C.

  • medal-empty Access to HE Diploma

    The University will not necessarily make conditional offers to all Access candidates but will continue to assess them on an individual basis. 

    If we make you an offer, you will need to obtain/pass the overall Access to Higher Education Diploma and may also be required to obtain a proportion of the total level 3 credits and/or credits in particular subjects at merit grade or above.

  • medal-empty BTEC Nationals

    The University will consider applicants holding BTEC National Diploma and Extended National Diploma Qualifications (QCF; NQF; OCR) on a case-by-case basis. Please contact us for further advice on your individual circumstances.

    A typical offer would be to achieve Distinction, Distinction, Merit

  • medal-empty International Baccalaureate

    34 points overall or 16 points at HL, including Mathematics 4 at HL or SL (Mathematics Studies 5 at SL)

  • medal-empty International Foundation Programme

    Pass all components of the University of Kent International Foundation Programme with a 60% overall average, and 60% in LZ013 Maths and Statistics if you do not hold GCSE Maths at 6/B or equivalent).

The University will consider applications from students offering a wide range of qualifications. Some typical requirements are listed below. Students offering alternative qualifications should contact us for further advice. Please also see our general entry requirements.

If you are an international student, visit our International Student website for further information about entry requirements for your country, including details of the International Foundation Programmes. Please note that international fee-paying students who require a Student visa cannot undertake a part-time programme due to visa restrictions.

Please note that meeting the typical offer/minimum requirement does not guarantee that you will receive an offer.

International students should visit our International Student website for further specific information. International fee-paying students who require a Student visa cannot study part-time due to visa restrictions.

English Language Requirements

Please see our English language entry requirements web page.

If you need to improve your English language standard as a condition of your offer, you can attend one of our pre-sessional courses in English for Academic Purposes before starting your degree programme. You attend these courses before starting your degree programme.

Course structure

Duration: 4 years full-time

Our programmes require you to study a combination of compulsory and optional modules, typically taking four modules per term over two terms in each of the three stages of study. The course structure provides a sample of the modules available for this programme. This listing is based on the current curriculum and may change year to year in response to new curriculum developments and innovation.

Stage 1

Your first year is a compulsory introductory year, designed to provide you with a solid foundation in the understanding of finance and investment taking modules which may include economics for business, quantitative methods, an introduction to data analysis and statistics, the fundamentals of finance and investments and the fundamentals of accounting

Compulsory modules currently include

This module will cover the key concepts of microeconomics and theories related to the individual, firm and industry in the short and long run, underpinned by existing evidence on past and current economic trends in the UK, Europe and the rest of the world.

Indicative topics are:

Key microeconomic concepts such as opportunity cost and equity versus efficiency

Supply and demand; elasticity

Cost and revenues

Profit maximisation under different market structures

Input markets; labour and capital

Find out more about BUSN3650

The aim of this module is to give students a solid grounding in key statistical techniques required to analyse effectively business data and data relevant for business. Indicative content:

• Maths and statistical skills for business; revision of algebra and basic mathematical functions.

• Summarising data with histograms, bar charts, frequency distributions, measures of central tendency and dispersion.

• Spreadsheets: features and functions of commonly-used spreadsheet software including: workbook, worksheet, rows, columns, cells, data, text, formulae, formatting, printing, , charts and graphs, data management facilities,

• Probability: The relationship between probability, proportion and percent, addition and multiplication rules in probability theory and Venn diagrams.

• Common Probability Density Functions.

• Sampling and its use in inference, and applications of sampling in business management.

• Regression and correlation: scatter plots; simple regression; interpreting computer output.

• Forecasting using spreadsheets.

• Hypothesis testing using z-scores and t-scores

• Simulations- random number generation

Find out more about BUSN3670

This module builds on knowledge gained from CB367: Introduction to Data Analysis and Statistics for Business. The module is designed to provide a sound mathematical and statistical foundation for studying finance. Students will learn the key mathematical and statistical tools necessary to analyse effectively financial data.

Topics covered include:

• Basics: algebra, linear equations

• Solving simultaneous linear equations

• Rates of change and Differentiation

• Optimization (minimisation-maximisation)

• Introduction to matrix algebra

• The classical simple and multiple linear regression model (estimation – inference)

Find out more about BUSN3740

This module begins by looking at the role of investments and finance in an organisational context. It then considers the role of financial markets and the links between investors and businesses. Students will learn different investment appraisal techniques used in capital budgeting decisions, such as NPV and IRR. The module also covers the basics of any investment decision, such as the relation between return and risk. In the second part of the module, student will learn about short and long term sources (i.e. capital structure) of finance available to businesses and how to determine the cost and value of each source of long-term finance.

Topics covered include:

- Short-term and long term investment appraisal and capital budgeting techniques

- Estimation of return and risk in the context of portfolio theory

- Short-term finance and working capital management

- Long-term finance and the cost of each source of finance

- Capital structure and weighted average cost of capital

- Interaction of investment and financing decisions

Find out more about BUSN3750

This module introduces students to different financial markets and their role in the economy. These markets include equity, bond/debt/interest rate, foreign exchange and derivative markets. In this module, students will also learn about the trading instruments used in these markets. Moreover, the module offers an exploration of current developments in the world's financial markets and institutions, including innovation, globalization, and deregulation, with a focus on the actual practices of financial institutions, investors, and financial instruments.

Topics covered include:

• The development of financial markets and instruments and their role in the economy

• Money, interest and bond markets and their major instruments

• Equity markets, their functions and instruments

• Derivative markets and their instruments

• Foreign exchange markets

Find out more about BUSN3760

The module will cover various aspects of the changing international business environment, and their impact upon business operations and strategy. It will give students an appreciation of the business difficulties faced; the variety of factors influencing the choices and compromises that have to be made in international businesses, and the implications of those for the future viability and effectiveness of the organisations concerned.

An list of topics is given below:

• Globalisation: Definition, Evolution, Implications for countries, firms and people

• The International Business Environment: World Institutions, Patterns of International Trade and FDI Activities

• The Triad: European Union, United States, Japan - Investment, Trade, Relations

• Developing and Emerging Economies: Opportunities and Challenges

• Cultural Frameworks for International Business

• Entry Modes: Theory and Practice

• Internationalisation Theories

• International Expansion Strategies

• International Stakeholders – Ethical Issues

Find out more about BUSN3840

This module aims to give students a better understanding of the importance of accounting in the modern world and how accounts are produced and regulated to produce meaningful information for all internal and external stakeholders.

Find out more about BUSN3860

This module provides fundamental knowledge of a range of business organisations, business purpose, ownership types and stakeholder influence. It further introduces organisational structures, functional areas and the impact of the external environment on business. Furthermore, this module introduces the many factors that shape the nature of organisations operating in an increasingly complex business environment such as innovation, internationalisation, entrepreneurship, and sustainability. Module participants explore this dynamic nature of business and consider successful existence within modern organisations through studying and applying employability skills such as leadership, teamwork, and resilience.

Find out more about BUSN4010

Stage 2

Your second year allows you to develop your critical thinking about finance and investment with greater emphasis on understanding key concepts and theories. This will help you to develop intellectual agility and provides an opportunity to apply theory to practice.

Compulsory modules currently include

This module advances the topics learnt in BUSN3750 Fundamentals of Finance and Investments. In this framework, the module considers the impact of inflation, capital rationing, and taxation in capital budgeting decisions along with the understanding and use of sensitivity analysis in the context of risk in project appraisal. It then proceeds to introduce risk free asset in portfolio formation and concludes with learning about Capital Asset Pricing Model. Students also learn about the impact of taxes on capital structure and weighted average cost of capital. The module also covers another (in addition to investment and financing decisions) major financial management decision, that is, the dividend policy of the firm. Finally, the students also learn about mergers and acquisitions in the context of corporate restructuring. In sum, this module aims to cover the following topics:

- Impact of inflation, capital rationing and taxation on investment appraisal and capital budgeting techniques

- Risk free rate, portfolio theory, and Capital Asset Pricing Model

- Impact of taxes on costs of different sources of finance

- Capital structure and weighted average cost of capital in the presence of taxes

- Dividend based valuation and factors affecting dividend decision

Find out more about BUSN7650

This module is concerned with derivative securities used by the investors for hedging (risk management), speculation and arbitrage purposes. In this module students learn about various derivative instruments such as forwards, futures and options contracts on a range of different underlying assets. These underlying assets could be physical assets such as commodities (gold, oil, etc.) or financial securities (currencies, stocks, etc.). Students also learn about how these derivative instruments are valued. The main focus behind the use of these derivatives would be from risk management perspective. More specifically, this module aims to cover the following topics:

- Types of derivative instruments and their characteristics

- Forward contracts and their valuation

- Futures contracts and their valuation

- Options contracts and their valuation

- Uses of derivatives in portfolio management

Find out more about BUSN7660

The module aims to give students a solid understanding of the basic econometric tools that are often used in the empirical finance literature. The module also develops the IT skills of the students so that students are able to implement sophisticated statistical techniques to model, analyse and forecast financial data by means of Eviews (econometric software). Students will also improve their ability to critically evaluate the use of econometrics in the academic finance literature.

Topics covered include:

• Dummy variables in linear regression models

• Time series models (ARIMA models)

• Forecasting

• Unit root tests

• Simulation analysis

Find out more about BUSN7670

The module aims to provide students with a thorough understanding of the financial accounting techniques at an advanced level and gain an appreciation of the regulatory and social environment within which financial reporting takes place. They will also be able to analyse corporate financial statement information and to make performance evaluations and investment decisions.

Topics covered include:

• Conceptual framework of financial reporting

• Financial Reporting environment

• Off Balance sheet financing

• Group Accounting

• Ratio analysis

• Economics of valuation and valuation models

• Financial reporting model

Find out more about BUSN7730

In the wake of the largest economic crisis in recent times many causes have been proposed for the turmoil. At the centre of the argument is banks' excessive risk-taking behaviour, especially through abundant lending, over-leveraging and dramatic expansion in the usage of credit transfer products in the years leading up to the crisis. On the policy side, incompetence of regulators overseeing the banking system is voiced. Therefore, understanding the banking business and regulation from an international perspective is of paramount importance to prevent future economic crises that may be caused by banks. In this perspective, the module examines the different types of banks, their financial features and risk in banking. It introduces several international banking activities that link national financial markets globally. Particular focus is placed on the importance of regulation from an international perspective through Basel accords.

Topics covered in this module include:

• Introduction to financial intermediation

• Activities of International Banks and relationship banking

• Banks’ balance sheet and income statement

• Perceptions of the global banking before/after 2007/08 financial crisis

• Income structure and balance sheet of banks and bank risks: Retail vs. Investment banks

• International activities of banks: Syndicated lending and asset securitisation

• Bank regulation and supervision: Basel I, II and III

• The 2007/2008 global banking crisis: Causes, the aftermath and implications for banks and regulators

Find out more about BUSN7740

The module will introduce students to the investment environment providing an explanation of the major types of markets in which the securities trade, the trading process and the main players in these markets. It will then follow with a detailed discussion of asset classes, such as stocks, bonds, real estate, commodities and so on. The module will also include a discussion on the asset pricing theories (capital asset pricing model, arbitrage pricing theory and multifactor models). It will mainly focus on the valuation techniques of financial securities, in particular stocks, bonds, and derivative contracts. The module will also introduce students to the CFA Institute Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct.

Topics to be included in this module are as follows:

- Investment Environment

- Asset classes and financial instruments

- Trading of Securities

- CFA Institute Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct

- Review of Equilibrium in Capital Markets (Capital Asset Pricing Model, Efficient Market Hypothesis, Arbitrage Pricing Theory, Multifactor models)

- Technical and Fundamental Analysis

- Security Analysis: Macroeconomic and industry analysis

- Equity Valuation Models

- Financial Statement Analysis

- Bond prices and yields

- Term structure of interest rates

- Derivative contracts

Find out more about BUSN7750

The module helps prepare students to acquire and develop the employability and transferable skills necessary to search and successfully apply for work experience and graduate opportunities in the commercial and public sector and postgraduate study.

The curriculum builds on employability support offered at Stage 1 providing intermediate level knowledge and exercises in application writing, CVs, careers advice, interview and assessment centre techniques, numeracy and competency tests, and psychometric evaluation.

Find out more about BUSN7910

This module will cover the core principles of macroeconomics; including the measurement of key macroeconomic variables and limitations to existing practices. Students will consider competing theories related to the macro economy in the short and long run and their overall consequences for the business environment. This will be underpinned by existing evidence on past and current levels of macroeconomic indicators in the UK, Europe and the rest of the world. Indicative topics are:

• The Macro economy – as a system: the circular flow (including injections and withdrawals), national income measurement, economic growth and

international comparisons

• Macroeconomic variables: GDP, unemployment, inflation, money supply and balance of payments

• The open macro economy; including imports and exports; the role of exchange rates and trade theory.

• Macroeconomic theories: including the classical approach, the Keynesian demand management approach and monetarism

• Macroeconomic policies: demand versus supply side economic management

Find out more about BUSN7950

The aim of the module is to develop an understanding of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability informed by ethical theory and stakeholder perspectives. Students will have the opportunity to familiarise with essential readings and cases in CSR to enable them to recognise key issues raised by stakeholder groups. such as shareholder activism; socially responsible investment; employee discrimination; working conditions; ethical issues in marketing; management; consumer protection; gifts/ bribes; accountability; collaboration with civil society organisations, and corruption of governmental actors. The module will therefore contribute in building an understanding of contemporary social issues in business by highlighting the importance of a collaborative approach with internal and external stakeholder groups.

Indicative topics are:

- Business Ethics

- Corporate Social Responsibility

- Sustainability

- Social responsibilities of sectors and industries

- Stakeholders of organisations, including:

Employees

Suppliers

Competitors

Shareholders

Civil society

Government

- Implementation of socially responsible and sustainable programmes and initiatives

Find out more about BUSN7960

Year in industry

You have the option to take a 12 month placement which is integral to your chosen degree programme between the 2nd and 3rd year of study

You are supported by a dedicated placement team and a programme designed to ensure that you gain experience in the functional areas and industries of your choice.

The placement allows you to experience, first hand, many of the issues addressed in the taught programme and to use the tools, techniques and applications in a real business setting. It will become a vital component of your CV and will give you a distinct advantage over other business graduates.

You need to pass Stage 2 to progress to the Year in Industry. Find out more about the placement year with the Kent Business School.

The following modules are offered to our current students. This listing is based on the current curriculum and may change year to year in response to new curriculum developments and innovation:

Compulsory modules currently include

Stage 3

Your final year has a greater focus on capstone finance and investment areas of study such as risk management, portfolio management, alternative investments and fixed income securities. You may choose from a range of optional modules covering more niche areas relating to the course, including business law and employment rights, behavioural finance and consultancy skills and practice. There is also a detailed research project as an option as part of this final stage.

Compulsory modules currently include

The module begins with motivations for risk management in general and then covers the practice of risk management. In particular, students are introduced to the current thinking on governance and regulatory systems, followed by industry practices for managing certain common types of risk. Critical evaluation of these practices is incorporated where applicable.

Topics covered in this module include:

- Introduction to general risk management theory, how and why it generates value

- A taxonomy of risks, including Market Risk, Credit Risk, Liquidity Risk, Operational Risk, Model Risk, Regulatory Risk, Legal/Contract Risk, Tax Risk, Accounting Risk, and Political Risk.

- Introduction to Governance and Regulation

- Standard measures of risk

- Risk measurement for security portfolios

- Hedging techniques using financial derivatives

- Evaluation of hedging performance

Find out more about BUSN7690

This module provides students a solid foundation on key topics of portfolio management, which covers various categories of portfolios and constructing portfolios targeting given objectives. The content includes:

• The Investment Policy Statement

• Modern Portfolio Management Concepts, Asset Classes, and International Diversification

• Management of Individual/Family Investor Portfolios

• Management of Institutional Investor Portfolios

• Economic Analysis, Setting Capital Market Expectations, and Industry Analysis

• Asset Allocation, Risk Aversion and Optimal Risky Portfolios

• Portfolio Construction and Revision, Portfolio Theory and Practice

• Performance Evaluation of Portfolio Management

Find out more about BUSN7720

The curriculum considers the alternative investment techniques available in the global financial markets. Portfolio analyses will be extended to include focuses on commodities, real estate, private equity and hedge funds. The module will include an investigation of the underlying rationale for such investment types as well as providing an understanding of the construction and management of relevant strategies.

The syllabus will typically cover:

• Introduction to Alternative Investments and their characteristics

• Hedge Fund Strategies

• Investing in Commodities

• Real Estate investment instruments

• Private Equity / Venture Capital Valuation

• Formulation and implementation of various active and passive investment strategies, as well as the analysis and management of risks associated with particular strategies.

Find out more about BUSN7760

The world of fixed-income markets is becoming increasingly more complex with debt instruments that have varied payoffs structures and fixed-income derivatives that are growing in size and complexity. As a result of the 2007-2008 global financial crisis many key players in the fixed-income markets either collapsed (Bears Stearns and Lehman Brothers), or were bailed out by governments (Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae, the Royal Bank of Scotland, Lloyds TSB, and HBOS, etc.). Hence, the aim of this module is to provide an introduction of the complex nature of fixed-income markets and securities and a discussion on the forces affecting prices and risks of such instruments. The module will also include a discussion on the appropriate management techniques to hedge the risks associated with fixed-income instruments.

This module will cover the following topics:

- Features of debt instruments and risks associated with investing in these instruments.

- Debt and money markets (participants, operations, trading activities).

- Fixed-income instruments (Government bonds, corporate bonds, credit ratings, high-yield bonds, international bonds, mortgage-backed securities, etc.).

- Money market instruments (Treasury bills, commercial paper, repurchase agreements, bills of exchange, etc.).

- Fixed-income valuation (traditional approach, arbitrage-free approach, yield measures, volatility measures).

- Term-structure of interest rates and classic theories of term structure, derivation of zero-coupon yield curve.

- General principles of credit analysis (credit scoring, credit risk modelling, etc.).

- Fixed-income portfolio construction and management strategies (portfolio's risk profile, managing funds against a bond market index).

Find out more about BUSN7770

The module helps prepare students to acquire and develop the employability and transferable skills necessary to search and successfully apply for work experience and graduate opportunities in the commercial and public sector and postgraduate study.

The curriculum builds on knowledge and experience gained in related employability modules delivered at Stages 1 and 2, providing further guidance and more advanced practical exercises in application writing, CVs, careers advice, interview and assessment centre techniques, numeracy and competency tests, and psychometric evaluation. The aims here are to support students during their final year in applying for good graduate jobs and MSc degree programmes.

Find out more about BUSN7930

Optional modules may include

Fees

The 2021/22 annual tuition fees for this programme are:

  • Home full-time £9,250
  • EU full-time £12,600
  • International full-time £16,800

For details of when and how to pay fees and charges, please see our Student Finance Guide.

For students continuing on this programme, fees will increase year on year by no more than RPI + 3% in each academic year of study except where regulated.* 

Your fee status

The University will assess your fee status as part of the application process. If you are uncertain about your fee status you may wish to seek advice from UKCISA before applying.

Fees for Year in Industry

Fees for Home undergraduates are £1,385.

Fees for Year Abroad

Fees for Home undergraduates are £1,385.

Students studying abroad for less than one academic year will pay full fees according to their fee status. 

Additional costs

General additional costs

Find out more about accommodation and living costs, plus general additional costs that you may pay when studying at Kent.

Funding

We have a range of subject-specific awards and scholarships for academic, sporting and musical achievement.

Search scholarships

University funding

Kent offers generous financial support schemes to assist eligible undergraduate students during their studies. See our funding page for more details. 

Government funding

You may be eligible for government finance to help pay for the costs of studying. See the Government's student finance website.

Scholarships

General scholarships

Scholarships are available for excellence in academic performance, sport and music and are awarded on merit. For further information on the range of awards available and to make an application see our scholarships website.

The Kent Scholarship for Academic Excellence

At Kent we recognise, encourage and reward excellence. We have created the Kent Scholarship for Academic Excellence. 

The scholarship will be awarded to any applicant who achieves a minimum of A*AA over three A levels, or the equivalent qualifications (including BTEC and IB) as specified on our scholarships pages.

Teaching and assessment

Teaching

We use a variety of teaching methods, including;

  • lectures
  • small group seminars
  • group projects
  • presentations
  • computer-based situations.

Classroom-based learning is supported by the latest online technologies and learning platforms.

Assessment

Your progress is assessed through coursework and exams. Coursework takes a variety of forms and includes;

  • reports
  • essays
  • group presentations
  • video podcasts
  • online tests and quizzes.

Exams are individual written assessments tested under time-controlled conditions.

As part of your studies it is also possible to take a foreign language module in stage 1 and for students going on a Year Abroad in year 1 and 2 subject to programme requirements. Alternatively, our university also offers language courses as part of extra-curricular activities.

To proceed to the next year you must achieve satisfactory results. Your final degree is based on marks gained in the second and third years (and Placement Year/Year Abroad if chosen) and credits which you build up throughout the whole programme.

Contact hours

Undergraduate students can expect around 8 contact hours per week, depending on year of study and optional module choices made. The remainder of the working week consists of self-guided study based on degree programme content and requirements of specific modules. For a student studying full time, each academic year of the programme will comprise 1200 learning hours, which include both direct contact hours and private study hours.  The precise breakdown of hours will be subject dependent and will vary according to modules.  Please refer to the individual module details under Course Structure.

Independent rankings

For graduate prospects, Accounting and Finance at Kent was ranked 8th in The Complete University Guide 2021.

Careers

For graduate prospects this course is ranked 8th in The Complete University Guide 2021.

Successful KBS graduates: graduate destinations

Finance and Investment is a brand new programme, graduates from other finance programmes as part of KBS find work in public and private sector both overseas and in the UK in a wide range of companies and organisations, including:

  •  ABN AMRO, 
  • Accenture, 
  • Burgess Hodgson,
  • Baker Tilly, 
  • Deutsche Bank, 
  • Ernst & Young,
  •  Fidelity Investment, 
  • HSBC, 
  • KPMG,
  • PwC, Royal Bank of Scotland.

Many of our students also stay local and find job opportunities regionally in small and medium firms or even set-up their own businesses as well-equipped entrepreneurs.

Embedded employability: developing career-enhancing skills

The Backpack to Briefcase scheme provides bespoke career and skills development events and activities for all Kent Business School students. Available from the first year through to graduation, Backpack to Briefcase is designed to prepare you for a successful career after university.

To help you appeal to employers you will graduate with a solid grounding in core business management concepts, theories and skills in a global context but also key transferrable skills such as critical reflection, cultural awareness, creativity and innovation, effective time-management and productive teamwork as well as enhanced confidence, intellectual curiosity and resilience. As a KBS graduate you will be able to demonstrate to your employer how you have developed The Grad Goals.

You can also gain skills by signing up for one of our Kent Extra activities, such as adding much-sought-after analytical skills or computing skills to your degree via Kent’s Q-Step Centre.

Ongoing support: help finding a job

Kent Business School has an excellent international reputation and good links with businesses locally and globally. Our qualified careers practitioners provide support to all business undergraduate students for up to three years after graduation.

In addition, Careers and Employability Service at the University, can also provide advice on how to apply for jobs, write a good CV or perform well in interview.

Professional recognition

CFA Institute

Accredited by the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)

The mission of the CFA is to lead the investment profession globally by promoting the highest standards of ethics, education, and professional excellence for the ultimate benefit of society.

Apply for Finance and Investment with a Year in Industry - BSc (Hons)

This course page is for the 2021/22 academic year. Please visit the current online prospectus for a list of undergraduate courses we offer.

Contact us

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United Kingdom/EU enquiries

Enquire online for full-time study

T: +44 (0)1227 768896

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International student enquiries

Enquire online

T: +44 (0)1227 823254
E: internationalstudent@kent.ac.uk

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Discover Uni information

Discover Uni is designed to support prospective students in deciding whether, where and what to study. The site replaces Unistats from September 2019.

Discover Uni is jointly owned by the Office for Students, the Department for the Economy Northern Ireland, the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales and the Scottish Funding Council.

It includes:

  • Information and guidance about higher education
  • Information about courses
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Find out more about the Unistats dataset on the Higher Education Statistics Agency website.