Financial Planning & Practice BSc (Hons)

Course Content

• Course Details

  This course aims to develop key academic and professional skills in banking, finance and financial services. Financial Planning & Practice differs from Accounting and Finance in that the subject is more analytical, requiring you to be investigative in your problem-solving.

  Year 1

  At Stage one you will develop your skills and will be introduced to the key topics within the subject such as the Principles of Banking. You can also choose to study the law surrounding businesses and companies, or take a work-based learning module based on your chosen career path.

  Year 2

  At Stage two you will take specialist modules in investment, pensions and retirement planning, personal tax, financial intermediation and financial services law. These are core subjects if you are considering pursuing a career in the retail financial services sector. You will then have the opportunity to select modules in the areas of interest to you, such as pensions, taxation and the role of the services sector.

  Year 3

  At Stage three, you will be able to study the more strategic and specialist areas of banking and financial planning. As part of your assessment at this stage, you will be expected to write a comprehensive financial plan based on a true to life case study. This financial plan will allow you to put all of the theory you’ve learnt into practice as you will solve real world problems and will need to offer practical advice and give recommendations to help clients achieve their objectives. Through this project you will also develop your client facing skills which will help to prepare you for the workplace.

  You can shape your course to reflect your areas of expertise and specialisms at this stage by selecting from a range of optional modules in areas such as sales and marketing, insurance and personal tax planning.

  List of modules

  Please note the modules shown here relate to the academic year 22/23. The modules relating to the academic year 23/24 will be available from June 2023.

  • Stage 1
    • Financial Protection (20 Credits)
      Module code: ACC1010

      Status: Compulsory
      The purpose of this module is to deliver the core content in line with FCA accreditation guidelines for Financial Protection. It will build a sound knowledge in all aspects of current financial protection products, needs and trends used by financial planners.
    • Financial Regulation and Ethics (20 Credits)
      Module code: ACC1011

      Status: Compulsory
      The purpose of this module is to build an understanding of financial regulation to include the role of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the bank regulatory bodies (the PRA & FPC) and the role of prudence, market discipline and supervisory review. It also encourages the development of institutional, regulatory and ethical perspectives. The module represents a key component in understanding banking and financial services industry supervision and regulation.
    • Financial Skills and Numeracy (20 Credits)
      Module code: ACC1012

      Status: Compulsory
      The purpose of this module is to develop decision making skills which rely on the proper collection, effective presentation and correct analysis and interpretation of numerical data. It introduces the basic concepts of business mathematics and statistical methods and lays the foundation of quantitative techniques.
    • Principles of Banking (20 Credits)
      Module code: ACC1013

      Status: Compulsory
      The purpose of this module is to introduce the role of banks and other financial institutions (FIs) and how they connect within the financial system. The products and services that banks and other FI?s provide are covered in detail. It builds an understanding of the history, the development and evolution of bank products and their significance in financial intermediation and money creation.
    • The Economic Environment (20 Credits)
      Module code: ECN1006

      Status: Compulsory
      This module will enable students to understand the operation of markets and the economy and apply economic principles to material in their other courses. It considers both microeconomics - the analysis of choices made by individual decision-making units and macroeconomics - the analysis of the economy as a whole.
    • Business and Company Law (20 Credits)
      Module code: LAW1015

      Status: Compulsory
      The purpose of this module is to enable students to acquire a sound understanding of certain fundamental aspects of Business and Company Law. This will include the basic principles of contract law which underpins agency, employment and company law contracts. Students will understand how the legal rules operate to maintain harmonious relationships between a range of business and companies. .
  • Stage 2
    • Taxation Theory and Practice (20 Credits)
      Module code: ACC2009

      Status: Compulsory
      The purpose of this module is to examine how taxation affects the financial strategy of organisations, commercial and non-commercial, national and international. It develops an appreciation of the effect of taxation on financial decision-making.
    • Investment Principles and Risk (20 Credits)
      Module code: ACC2020

      Status: Compulsory
      The purpose of this module is to deliver the core content in line with FCA accreditation guidelines for Investment Principles & Risk. This module will analyse the suitability of investment products in the context of current financial theory. It covers a review and critical appraisal of investment performance in relation to risk and expected return.
    • Pensions and Retirement Planning (20 Credits)
      Module code: ACC2021

      Status: Compulsory
      This module provides a deep insight into the financial services market in general and retirement planning advice in particular. The module will develop knowledge and understanding of regulatory issues, the mechanics and purpose of the main retirement products and the process of giving advice to clients.
    • Financial Intermediation (20 Credits)
      Module code: ACC2022

      Status: Compulsory
      This module focuses on the role of commercial banks in the financial system. It also covers the role of the central bank in monetary policy and how banks assess and manage credit, operational and market risks. Industry key performance indicators and bank performance is evaluated.
    • Financial Regulation (20 Credits)
      Module code: ACC2023

      Status: Compulsory
      The purpose of this module is to provide the necessary knowledge of financial services and regulation within UK and in a global context. This module builds an understanding of financial services regulation and compliance from a consumer, institution and regulator perspective .
    • Digital Business and Finance (20 Credits)
      Module code: ACC2038

      Status: Designate
      This module examines the role that finance plays in organisations and the activities that finance professionals perform to fulfil these roles. It focuses on the technologies that define and drive the digital world in which finance operates, and how finance professionals can use data to create and preserve value for organisations. It explores how finance can interact with other parts of the organisation to achieve the objectives of the whole organisation, showing how finance can work collaboratively in a connected (and joined-up) organisation and not in isolation.
    • Project Management: Planning and Control (20 Credits)
      Module code: BSO2016

      Status: Designate
      The purpose of this module is to address underlying principles for planning, scheduling and control of projects that may consist of numerous separate tasks or jobs performed.
    • Learning Through Work (WBL) (20 Credits)
      Module code: HRM2042

      Status: Designate
      The purpose of this module is to provide the learner with the opportunity to examine and analyse the specific characteristics or behaviours, employability and job-related skills and knowledge required to be a successful and effective employee in their particular business sector/type of organisation.
    • Services Marketing (20 Credits)
      Module code: MKT2007

      Status: Designate
      The purpose of this module is to provide an overview of Marketing techniques that are being developed and applied within the global service sector. The distinctive challenges faced by service marketers will be studied and this module looks at customer relationship management and personal selling within a service marketing context.
  • Stage 3
    • International Money and Finance (20 Credits)
      Module code: ACC3007

      Status: Compulsory
      This module appraises the increasingly important aspect of multinational financial management in dynamic international business. It critically analyses the attractions and limitations of doing business in a global market, identifying the additional inherent risks that global market exposure produces and strategies in managing the global firm.
    • Principles of Insurance (20 Credits)
      Module code: ACC3012

      Status: Compulsory
      This module will introduce the core aspects of general insurance, with particular emphasis on the UK market, but recognising the place of multi-national insurance programmes. It also covers the role of insurance within the consumer and commercial environments related to distribution, underwriting, claims and management. Application of theoretical knowledge to practical situations is part of the module.
    • Corporate Governance (20 Credits)
      Module code: ACC3017

      Status: Compulsory
      The purpose of this module is to examine the practice and key issues of governance within organisations in the national and multinational context. The module combines theories, codes and regulations, corporate social responsibility and ethics in addressing how modern corporations could adopt effective governance to manage their role and place in the society.
    • Advanced Personal Tax Planning (20 Credits)
      Module code: ACC3018

      Status: Compulsory
      This module develops advanced technical knowledge and understanding in the key advisory areas of personal tax. It concentrates on the technical aspects of investment product taxation.
    • Global Banking (20 Credits)
      Module code: ACC3019

      Status: Compulsory
      This module provides a comprehensive framework to evaluate the role of the banking industry in the global financial makets. Through a combination of case studies and theories, the module covers a wide range of comtemporary banking and financial markets issues, from asset & liability and risk management of financial institutions, through financial crises and regulation, to financial technology and innovation.
    • Financial Planning Practice (20 Credits)
      Module code: ACC4006

      Status: Compulsory
      The purpose of this module is to deliver the core content in line with FCA accreditation guidelines. It brings together all the knowledge and skills gained on the programme and applies these to real life client scenarios. The focus is on real interaction between advisers and clients. It looks in detail at the advice process and achieving best outcomes for clients within the regulatory framework.

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• Entry Requirements

  A typical offer would be BCC at A Level or DMM at BTEC. In addition to standard entry requirements Mathematics GCSE at grade C/4 or above, or equivalent, is required for entry to this subject.

  Integrated Foundation Year Entry Requirements

  The standard entry requirements for the Integrated Foundation Year are DEE at A level or MPP at BTEC.

  For more information on how to make an application please visit our How to Apply pages for Home and EU, and International students.

  English Language Requirements

  All International and EU students applying for a course with us must meet the following minimum English language requirements:

  • IELTS 6.0 (or equivalent) with a minimum of 5.5 in all bands for study at undergraduate level

  For information regarding English language requirements at the University, please see our IELTS page.

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• Fees and Funding

  22/23 Tuition Fees
  

  Fees quoted relate to study in the Academic Year 22/23 only and may be subject to inflationary increases in future years.

  • UK Full Time: £9,250
  • UK Part Time: £1,500 per 20 credit module
  • UK Integrated Foundation Year: £9,250 for the foundation year; thereafter standard fees apply
  • International Full Time: £14,000
  • International Integrated Foundation Year: £14,000 for the foundation year; thereafter standard fees apply
  • Optional Work Placement Year: £1,100

  For information on the scholarships available to you, please see our scholarships page.

  Additional costs

  There are no additional costs for this course for students beginning their studies in September 2022. Should this change, applicants and students will be contacted by the university with details of the costs.

  21/22 Tuition Fees
  

  Fees quoted relate to study in the Academic Year 21/22 only and may be subject to inflationary increases in future years.

  • UK Full Time: £9,250
  • UK Part Time: £1,465 per 20 credit module
  • UK Integrated Foundation Year: £6,780 for the foundation year; thereafter standard fees apply
  • International Full Time: £13,000
  • International Integrated Foundation Year: £13,000 for the foundation year; thereafter standard fees apply
  • Optional Work Placement Year: £1,000

  Additional costs

  There are no additional costs for this course for students beginning their studies in September 2021. Should this change, applicants and students will be contacted by the university with details of the costs.

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• Accreditation

  This course is accredited by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the regulator of the financial services industry.

   

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• Student Perks

  At the University of Northampton, everything we do, from funded trips to paid internships, is to give you everything you need to make a difference when you leave.

  If you join this full time degree at Northampton you will receive a laptop when your course begins. The laptops are built to a bespoke custom specification ideal for use in the seminar room, collaborative group work or studying at home.

  Whatever your ambitions, we’re here to help you to achieve them. We’ll support you to identify the skills you’re learning during your course, find your strengths and secure practical experience so that when it comes to applying for jobs or further study you’ll feel confident in standing out from the crowd. We’ve created the Northampton Employment Promise because we are so confident that if you focus on your studies and complete one of our awards you’ll be highly employable by the time you graduate. Putting you in a great position to secure employment or continue your studies.

  To check out the full list of perks visit our Student Perks page.

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• Integrated Foundation Year

  The Integrated Foundation Year (IFY) offers a new and exciting route into studying for a degree, attracting ambitious and driven students who are willing to learn and advance.

  If you have non-standard qualifications or do not quite meet the admissions requirements for Banking and Financial Planning we can offer you a fantastic opportunity to study a four year Banking and Financial Planning programme which includes a Integrated Foundation Year. The Integrated Foundation Year will help you develop the theoretical/practical and academic skills you need, in order to successfully progress to the full award.

  Featuring a reduced tuition fee in the first year, our four-year courses will enable you to successfully follow the degree pathway of your choice while gaining essential study skills. The foundation year of your chosen degree will be studied on a full-time basis and is aimed at supporting the transition to higher education. Years two, three and four are then studied as a standard degree programme.

  Please see our Integrated Foundation Year page for more details.

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• Optional Work Placement Year

  You are encouraged to undertake a year-long placement in between Stages Two and Three of study. If you meet the entry criteria, and choose to take up a placement year you will find it an invaluable experience that helps you to apply your learning in your final year and prepares you for your career. We offer a lot of support in helping you to find a placement, which can be in the UK or overseas.

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• FAQs

  How will I be assessed?

  This course uses a variety of assessment methods including reports, essays, financial plans, presentations, student-led seminars, workshops, e-based assessments and examinations.

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Careers and Employability

The UK is the centre for financial services and the largest sector for employment.

Those with knowledge in the field of financial services will find employment in the banks and other financial institutions including investment analysts and stockbrokers.

You may typically look at financial adviser/manager roles, investment banker/analyst and roles within the sphere of financial planning (tax, wealth management, investment) as well as compliance roles.

Please see the National Careers Service website for a job description and earnings bands for financial advisers.