Financial Technology (FinTech)

Teesside University

United Kingdom, Middlesbrough

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Teesside University

United Kingdom , Middlesbrough

Key Facts

Program Level

Master by Course Work

Study Type

Full Time

Delivery

On Campus

Campuses

Main Site

Program Language

English

Start & Deadlines

Next Intake DeadlinesSeptember-2024

Apply to this program

Go to the official application for the university

Duration 2 year(s)

Tuition Fee

GBP 15,000 / year

Next Intake September-2024

Financial Technology (FinTech)

About

You explore topics including fundamentals of software for digital innovation, big data and business intelligence, contemporary financial technology, machine learning, blockchain and cryptocurrency. You develop theoretical, technical and critical thinking skills in applying disruptive innovative technologies to financial services.

The Advanced Practice route enhances your qualification by adding a vocational or research-based internship to the one-year master's programme. A vocational internship is a great way to gain work experience and give your CV a competitive edge. A research internship provides you with the opportunity to develop your analytical, research and academic skills by working alongside our artificial intelligence and machine learning research groups. We guarantee a research internship, but cannot guarantee a vocational internship. However we provide you with practical support and advice on how to find and secure your own vocational internship position.

There are three routes you can choose from to gain an MSc Financial Technology:

full-time - 2 years with advanced practice
full-time - 1 year
part-time - up to 3 years (can be completed in 2 years if preferred).

FinTech (financial technology) is an evolving technology which provides innovation and efficiency in the financial services. FinTech includes distributed ledger technology also known as the blockchain, big data and business intelligence.

Core modules

Big Data and Business Intelligence

You develop your ability to design and implement database, big data and analytics applications to meet business needs. A case study is used to follow the system development lifecycle. You develop a plausible application from inception to implementation for a real-world scenario.

You investigate the issues and technologies associated with implementing and supporting large scale databases and the services that are needed to maintain and access a repository of data. Investigations are undertaken in a number of areas including big data, data warehouses, integrating legacy data, data management and approaches that support the modelling and visualisation of data for a range of use views.

Blockchain and Cryptocurrency

Blockchain technology is disrupting the financial industry and has many applications in payments, insurance, lending, supply chain, settlement of securities transactions and contract execution. You explore what a blockchain is and how you can create one with simple Python codes. You are introduced to cryptocurrencies and the technical concepts related to financial applications of blockchain.

You study topics related to public and private blockchains, cryptography, cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ether, smart contracts and applications.

Computing Masters Project

You undertake a major, in-depth, individual study in an aspect of your course. Normally computing master's projects are drawn from commercial, industrial or research-based problem areas. The project involves you in researching and investigating aspects of your area of study and then producing a major deliverable, for example software package or tool, design, web-site and research findings. You also critically evaluate your major deliverable, including obtaining third party evaluation where appropriate.

The major deliverable(s) are presented via a poster display, and also via a product demonstration or a conference-type presentation of the research and findings. The research, project process and evaluation is reported via a paper in the style of a specified academic conference or journal paper. The written report, the major deliverable and your presentation of the product are assessed.

The project management process affords supported opportunities for goal setting, reflection and critical evaluation of achievement.

Contemporary Financial Technology

You explore the emergence of the FinTech industry through the lenses of the evolution of financial services technology, customer needs and user experience.

You explore the existing and emerging financial technologies sector, focusing on user needs, particularly the unbanked. You gain knowledge of user experience design for FinTech and use a high-level prototyping platform to develop a new FinTech service in a group.

By the end of the module you will have developed, and critically evaluated a new service and reflected on your contribution.

Digital Entrepreneurship

You gain an introduction to business innovation and entrepreneurial concepts, enabling you to apply inherent analytical skills to business design and realisation to gain the most out of the opportunities offered by the fast-moving world of digital business. You develop an understanding of the benefits and impact of emerging digital technologies as the core engine of digital native start-ups in our society.

Machine Learning

Machine learning is a subfield of computer science concerned with computational techniques rather than performing explicit programmed instructions. You build a model from a task based on observations in order to make predictions about unseen data. Such techniques are useful when the desired output is known but an algorithm is unknown, or when a system needs to adapt to unforeseen circumstances.

You explore statistics and probability theory as the fundamental task is to make inferences from data samples. The contribution from other areas of computer science is also essential for efficient task representation, learning algorithms, and inferences procedures. You gain exposure to a breadth of tasks and techniques in machine learning.

Assessment is an in course assessment (100%).

Software for Digital Innovation

You gain an introduction to the Python programming language and its application to solving problems in digital innovation. This involves the principles of programming, the syntax and structure of Python, its relevant libraries and modules, and how it is incorporated in existing software tools. You form a solid foundation of producing software solutions to real-world problems.

Advanced practice (2 year full-time MSc only)

Internship

The internship options are:

Vocational: spend one semester working full-time in industry or on placement in the University. We have close links with a range of national and international companies who could offer you the chance to develop your knowledge and professional skills in the workplace through an internship. Although we cannot guarantee internships, we will provide you with practical support and advice on how to find and secure your own internship position. A vocational internship is a great way to gain work experience and give your CV a competitive edge.

Research: develop your research and academic skills by undertaking a research internship within the University. Experience working as part of a research team in an academic setting. Ideal for those who are interested in a career in research or academia.

Modules offered may vary.

How you learn

You learn about concepts and methods primarily through keynote lectures, labs and tutorials using case studies and examples. Lectures include presentations from guest speakers from industry. Critical reflection is key to successful problem solving and essential to the creative process. You develop your own reflective practice at an advanced level, then test and assess your solutions against criteria that you develop in the light of your research.

How you are assessed

You are assessed on your subject-specific knowledge, cognitive and intellectual skills and transferable skills applicable to the workplace. The assessments include assignments, tests, case studies, presentations, research proposal and literature review, and the production of a dissertation. The assessments may include individual or group essays or reports. You are also assessed on your presentation skills and report writing where appropriate.

Disciplines

Computing & Cyber Security

Requirements

Entry Requirements

A bachelor degree with a minimum of 65%, 2.5/4.0 or good

Career

You can expect to find employment in one of the increasing number of sectors needing specialists equipped with the cutting-edge expertise in financial and digital technologies. The course provides you with directly transferable skills for a career in a range of industries in the finance sector, as well as progression opportunities to PhD research.

We create opportunities for you to meet and network with our industry partners through events such as our ExpoSeries. These events enable our students to showcase their work to industry. ExpoTees is the pinnacle of the ExpoSeries with over 100 businesses from across the UK coming to the campus to meet our exceptional students, with a view to recruitment.

Students on the two-year full time course take a 60 credit Advanced Practice module

Fee Information

Tuition Fee

GBP 15,000

How to Apply

Applying Online - Information Required to Complete Your Application

Personal Details

- Full Name, including title
- Sex
- Date of Birth
- E-mail Address
- Telephone Number
- Home and Correspondence addresses, including postcode
- Alternative email Addresses
- Country of Permanent Residence or Local Authority
- Country of Birth
- Nationality
- Ethnicity - this data will not be accessible to those making the application decision
- Type of applicant - choose from UK/EU or Overseas
- Who is entering the application - choose from Applicant, University Staff/Overseas Office or Other Third Party
- Disability
- Whether your parents/guardians have Higher Education qualifications
- Details of any previous study or application to this University

Payment of Fees

- Who is paying your fees
- Name and address of your Fee Payer
- Details of any previous funding body and previous course

Overseas Applicants Only

- Date of entry to UK/EU
- Passport Number (if you need a visa)
- Previous UK study, including details of any previous visas, overstays in the UK and visa refusals

University Staff and Office/Agent Applications Only

- School/Office Code
- Agent Code
- Agent Name
- Agent Company
- Reference Number

Qualifications

Qualifications Held (maximum of 6)
(For certain courses e.g. Summer University courses & other short courses, this information is not requested)

- Year and month awarded
- Qualification type, level and subject
- Grade
- Awarding Establishment e.g. College/University Name

Qualifications Pending (maximum of 6)
(For certain courses e.g. Summer University courses & other short courses, this information is not requested)

- Year and month of exam
- Qualification type, level and subject
- Date grade expected
- Awarding Establishment e.g. College/University Name

Highest qualification

Portfolio Details

Foreign Language Courses Only

- Qualifications and experience in chosen language
- where more than one occurence of a courses runs in paralell, indicate which group you wish to join

Professional Qualifications

- Professional/Statutory Body and Registration PIN
- Other course specific professional details as required

School of Health & Social Care courses only

- NHS PIN
- NHS Trust / Practice details
- National Insurance Number
- Assignment/Employee Number
- Line manager name and email address
- Full or part time
- Pay band
- Profession, Staff Group and Job Role
- Other course specific details as required

Social Work Practice Education courses only

- Social Work Registration Number

Erasmus Applications

Details of the Exchange Co-ordinator at Your Home Institution
- Name
- Position
- Email Address

Higher and Degree Apprenticeships

- Unique Learner Number
- National Insurance Number
- *Employer Code
- *Employer Postcode (This is your normal place of work which may be different from the company's main postcode)
- *Number of employees at this postcode
- Highest level qualifications in English language and mathematics

*Your employer should be able to supply this information

Last Two Education Establishments Attended
(For certain courses e.g. Summer University courses & other short courses, this information is not requested)

- Name and address
- Dates from and to
- Full or Part time
- Level of study

English Language Ability
(For certain courses e.g. Summer University courses & other short courses, this information is not requested)

Whether English is your first language

If not

- IELTS - score, date of exam and Test Report Form Number
- Other test - name, score and date of exam

Work Experience (maximum of 2)
(For certain courses e.g. Summer University courses & other short courses, a reduced set of employment information is requested)

- Employers name
- Job title
- Dates from and to
- Full or Part time
- Main responsibilities

Summer & Winter University Courses Only

- Whether you are enrolled or due to enrol on a college or university course
- If so, where and which course
- Whether you are thinking of starting a Higher Education course
- If so, area of interest/study
- Reason for applying to Summer/Winter University

Referee
(For certain courses e.g. Summer University courses & other short courses, this information is not requested)

- Name
- Address
- Other contact details

Note : some course will require two referees, e.g. PHD courses

Personal Statement
(For certain courses e.g. Summer University courses & other short courses, this information is not requested)

Can be uploaded as a document or entered as text

It is suggested that your statement is prepared electronically in advance of starting the application

Enrolment

Some short courses may ask you to provide enrolment information as part of the application. This will require extra details but also means you will not be asked to complete the full on-line registration process at a later date.

This data will not be accessible to those making the application decision

- Type of Term-time Accomodation
- Next of Kin Name
- Next of Kin Telephone Number
- Next of Kin Relationship
- Religious Beliefs
- Criminal Conviction Declaration

Documents currently available for upload
(For certain courses e.g. Summer University courses & other short courses, this option is not available)

- Reference
- Personal Statement
- CV
- Results
- Proof of English Language Qualifications, e.g. IELTS or TOEFL certificate
- Passport
- Previous Visas
- Previous Visa Refusals

For Research courses, the following additional uploads are mandatory

- Research Proposal
- Research Training Document
- Research Personal Statement
- Research Sponsorship/funding letter