BSc (Honours) Financial Trading and Investment Management with Foundation Year

Year of Entry 2025/26
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BSc (Honours)

Financial Trading and Investment Management with Foundation Year

Work with professional traders in both Sheffield and London, gaining hands-on experience of trading financial markets while learning how to manage a range of investments.

Everything you need to know...

  • Pound sign

    What is the fee?

    Home: £9,535 per year (£1,200 for placement year)

  • Time

    How long will I study?

    4/5 Years

  • Location

    Where will I study?

    City Campus

  • Bookmark

    What are the entry requirements?

    64 UCAS Points

  • Checkmark

    What is the UCAS code?

    B015

  • Date

    When do I start?

    September 2025

  • Avatar

    Placement year available?

    Yes


Course summary

  • Gain a solid foundation in financial trading and investment management.
  • Develop deep analytical, critical thinking and problem-solving skills in finance.
  • Study for a degree and a professional qualification in state-of-the-art facilities.
  • Learn from qualified experts – many who are active in business and research.

Apply multiple areas of financial knowledge to a range of real-world settings. Based in our renowned Sheffield Business School in your first and final year – in your second year you’ll work with our experienced trading partner Zishi in London. It’s an incredible chance to gain valuable market knowledge in one of the world’s financial capitals – where you could also complete an extended placement, or even in another global location.  

If you don't meet the entry requirements for our BSc (Hons) course, or you’d like extra preparation before starting degree-level study, we recommend you join the foundation course – which has been designed to encourage exploration and experimentation.


Sheffield Business School accreditation

Sheffield Business School is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) and has been awarded the Business School Impact System label by the European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD).

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How you learn

You’ll study BSc (Hons) Financial Trading and Investment Management at our Sheffield Business School, rated in the top 5% globally for excellence in teaching and research. Here, you’ll join a global community where business leaders, researchers and 7,000 students all come together to solve problems and make things better. 

Our academics are highly skilled professionals, bringing their cutting-edge knowledge and diverse experience into the classroom. Not only are they academically qualified – they’ve also worked in a range of industries, with some actively engaged in research. 

You learn through:

  • Lectures 
  • Tutorials 
  • IT sessions 
  • Regular formative feedback 
  • Teamwork and group-based learning 
  • Practice-based applied learning 
  • Authentic learning experiences 
  • Engagement with guest lectures 
  • Discussions 
  • Self-managed study 
  • Problem-solving
  • Self-development activities

Key Themes

You’ll begin by developing a strong understanding in financial trading, investment management, equipping you with the practical skills essential for investment management, and the quantitative skills to apply the fundamental concepts of finance. You’ll develop your understanding of how and when to use appropriate processes, tools, technologies and trading techniques. 

As you progress, you’ll further refine these fundamentals through real-world projects, collaborating in teams to create reports, presentations, and recommendations inspired by real industry challenges. After completing your second year in London, and potentially a placement year there or further afield, you'll then undertake a trading and investment management project in Sheffield. 

We promote flexibility, aiming to empower you to customise your course to align with your interests and aspirations. You can choose from elective pathways including forensic accounting, sustainable accounting/environmental accounting, sports finance and other traditional routes.

Course Support

You’ll be supported in your learning journey towards highly-skilled, graduate-level employment. This includes: 

  • Access to specialist support services to help with your personal, academic and career development.
  • Access to our Skills Centre for support with one-to-ones, webinars and online resources, where you can get help with planning and structuring your assignments and assessment preparation.
  • Industry-specific employability activities, including work placements, live projects, simulated learning environments, and networking opportunities.

Course leaders and tutors

Tilahun Mekonnen
Tilahun Mekonnen
Senior Lecturer

Currently working as a Senior Lecturer in Business Economics and the International Business Development Manager for Sub Saharan African Countries

Applied learning

Live Projects

In your second year, you’ll actively engage in the formulation and execution of trading strategies in real financial markets in London – making use of live data and integrating your expertise in investment management.

In your final year, rather than a dissertation, you’ll construct a simulated trading or investment portfolio, which serves as the focal point of your major project. 

This final project is an innovative opportunity to demonstrate your applied knowledge and practical competencies in finance and investment. It also offers a real-world perspective that can significantly enhance your career prospects.

Work Placements 

You’ll have the opportunity to take part in an extended work placement between your third and fourth years. This gives you hands-on work experience to prepare you for your future career – immersing yourself in the industry you’ve been learning about.

As your second year is based in London, you’ll be well-positioned to secure a placement in London before returning to Sheffield for your final year. Or if you’d like to broaden your experience even further, we can help you apply for placements around the globe.

This is such valuable work experience to prepare you for your future career – and allows you to graduate with an Applied Professional Diploma to add to your CV. 

Networking Opportunities

You’ll benefit from networking opportunities in both Sheffield and London. Our Sheffield Business School has strong links with industry – both locally and nationally – giving you regular opportunities to network with employers. Additionally, during your time in London, you’ll benefit from the longstanding relationships our trading partner has in the city.

Competitions

As well as in-class tests and quizzes to help build your learning, we also run investment competitions and take part in the annual Bloomberg University Trading Challenge.


Future careers

This course prepares you for a career in a wide range of roles in Financial Services including:  

  • Financial markets trading
  • Investment management 
  • Wealth management 
  • Financial planning and advice 

Previous graduates of this course have gone on to work for trading firms and internationally-renowned financial services organisations, including: 

  • OSTC (a proprietary trading firm)
  • eToro (a retail trading firm) 
  • The Bank of England
  • The Bank of America
  • Investec
  • Barclays

Where will I study?

You study at City Campus through a structured mix of lectures, seminars and practical sessions as well as access to digital and online resources to support your learning.

City Campus

City Campus is located in the heart of Sheffield, within minutes of the train and bus stations.

City Campus map | City Campus tour 


City Campus map
Location

Howard Street
Sheffield
S1 1WB

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Adsetts library

Adsetts Library is located on our City Campus. It's open 24 hours a day, every day.

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Equipment and facilities

Construction of the new Sheffield Business School is underway – providing state-of-the-art teaching and learning facilities and social space to students. 

On this course, you’ll have access to: 

  • Our virtual learning environment – Blackboard sites 
  • Accounting software 
  • Bloomberg Professional Terminals 
  • Our financial trading floor  
  • A physical and online library with databases and digital books, journals, newspapers, and magazines

Media Gallery

Entry requirements

All students

UCAS points

  • 64

This must include at least 32 points from one A level or equivalent BTEC National qualifications excluding general studies For example:

  • CC at A Level
  • MPP in BTEC Extended Diploma.
  • Pass overall from a T level qualification with D or E from core
  • A combination of qualifications, which may include AS levels and EPQ.

You can find information on making sense of UCAS tariff points here and use the UCAS tariff calculator to work out your points.

GCSE

  • English Language at grade C or 4 or equivalent
  • Maths at grade C or 4 or equivalent

ACCESS

  • Access to HE Diploma, with at least 45 level 3 credits.

If English is not your first language, you will need an IELTS score of 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in all skills, or equivalent. If your English language skill is currently below IELTS 6.0 we recommend you consider a Sheffield Hallam University Pre-sessional English course which will enable you to achieve an equivalent English score.

Additional information for EU/International students

This course is not open to international students who require a Tier 4 (General) student visa to study in the UK. If you are an international applicant but do not require a Tier 4 (General) student visa, email our Admissions Team to find out whether you’re eligible to apply.


Modules

Important notice: The structure of this course is periodically reviewed and enhanced to provide the best possible learning experience for our students and ensure ongoing compliance with any professional, statutory and regulatory body standards. Module structure, content, delivery and assessment may change, but we expect the focus of the course and the learning outcomes to remain as described above. Following any changes, updated module information will be published on this page.

You will be able to complete a placement year as part of this course. See the modules table below for further information.

Year 1

Compulsory modules

Module
Credits
Assessment
Accounting In Context
Credits 40
Assessment Coursework(70%) , Practical(30%)
Economics, Finance And Investments
Credits 40
Assessment Coursework(100%)
Going Global
Credits 20
Assessment Coursework(100%)
Preparing For Success
Credits 20
Assessment Coursework(100%)
Year 2

Compulsory modules

Module
Credits
Assessment
Asset Classes And Investment Management
Credits 40
Assessment Coursework(40%) , Exam(60%)
Data Analytics For Finance And Business
Credits 20
Assessment Coursework(100%)
Fundamentals Of Finance
Credits 40
Assessment Coursework(60%) , Practical(40%)
Introduction To Trading Algorithms
Credits 20
Assessment Coursework(100%)
Year 3

Compulsory modules

Module
Credits
Assessment
Financial Management And Risk
Credits 40
Assessment Coursework(40%) , Exam(60%)
Financial Markets And Institutions
Credits 20
Assessment Coursework(100%)
Financial Trading
Credits 40
Assessment Coursework(100%)
Law, Ethics And Investment Professionalism
Credits 20
Assessment Coursework(100%)
Year 4

Optional modules

Module
Credits
Assessment
Placement Year
Credits -
Assessment
Final year

Compulsory modules

Module
Credits
Assessment
International Derivatives And Risk
Credits 20
Assessment Exam(100%)
Investment Taxation
Credits 20
Assessment Exam(100%)
Regulation Of Markets, Firms And Client Advice
Credits 40
Assessment Coursework(50%) , Exam(50%)
Trading And Investment Management Project
Credits 40
Assessment Coursework(100%)

Fees and funding

Home students

Our tuition fee for UK students on full-time undergraduate degree courses in 2025/26 is £9,535 per year. These fees are regulated by the UK government and therefore subject to change in future years. During your placement year you will pay a reduced fee of £1,200.

We are currently reviewing our tuition fees for the foundation year stage of this course following the Government announcement of fee changes for some foundation year courses and will confirm fees as soon as possible.

If you are studying an undergraduate course, postgraduate pre-registration course or postgraduate research course over more than one academic year then your tuition fees may increase in subsequent years in line with Government regulations or UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) published fees. More information can be found in our terms and conditions under student fees regulations.

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Financial support for home/EU students

How tuition fees work, student loans and other financial support available.

Learn more

Additional course costs

The links below allow you to view estimated general course additional costs, as well as costs associated with key activities on specific courses. These are estimates and are intended only as an indication of potential additional expenses. Actual costs can vary greatly depending on the choices you make during your course.

General course additional costs

Additional costs for Sheffield Business School (PDF, 142KB)

Legal information

Any offer of a place to study is subject to your acceptance of the University’s Terms and Conditions and Student Regulations.

 

How do I apply?

Apply now via UCAS

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Why not come to our next open day? Open days are the perfect place to talk to staff and students, visit our campuses and get all the information you need. Alternatively, feel free to ask us a question.

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Why choose us?

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Teaching

We are Gold rated in the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) for the outstanding quality of our teaching and student outcomes

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Accommodation

We guarantee to find you an affordable place to live that’s close to campus and comes with all bills included

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Excellence

Graduate from Sheffield Business School – rated in the top 6% globally for excellence in teaching and research

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