BA (Hons) in Finance, Investment and Risk

Accredited by: EPAS CIM

The financial services sector in Scotland manages over £800 billion in funds and generates around £7 billion for the Scottish economy. This programme has a track record of producing in-demand graduates with the knowledge and expertise needed to succeed in the fast-moving world of financial services.

The programme, which has been recognised by Scottish Financial Enterprise for its innovation, is designed to develop your skills for an industry which in Scotland employs almost 100,000 people directly and the same again indirectly. It covers everything from personal finance to pension funds, stock markets, corporate finance and investment and risk management in financial services. You also have the opportunity to specialise depending on your interests.

Glasgow School for Business and Society has been named a Centre of Excellence by the UK's Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment (CISI) and this programme offers the potential for exemptions from several professional bodies.

International Student Start Dates

For new international students, orientation events start on 14 September 2018 . This extra time is specifically designed to assist new international students in settling into the UK and GCU prior to the start of general student induction and teaching.

There will be a whole host of fun and informative activities taking place during this period, including campus and city tours, as well as welcome events where you can meet other international students.

Assessment Methods

Our approach to the learning, teaching and assessment is tailored to the needs of the financial services industry. We adopt a wide range of learning and teaching methods to ensure our students gain the necessary knowledge and understanding, while developing their intellectual and personal skills to become lifelong learners.

Our assessments are designed to develop our students' independent learning while testing their ability to address problems, formulate arguments and analyse issues. As a result, the programme adopts a wide range of assessment styles, geared to the content of the modules, and enabling the students to show the development not just of their written skills and learning, but also in skills such as presentation, team working, problem-solving and leadership, and in the use of the IT and social network resources such as Twitter.

Teaching Methods

Wherever possible, our teaching considers real-world situations in the financial services sector, both in the UK and internationally, and includes input from industry practitioners in the creation or development of modules and resources. A range of industry guest speakers contribute across our teaching programme, and a number of financial services companies sponsor prizes for high performing students.

To facilitate this approach, we use 'GCULearn', the university’s virtual learning environment, across all programme modules. Through GCULearn, course materials, reading resources, assessments and feedback are all available online. It is also used to enable students to undertake online activities and tasks, listen to podcasts, be involved in online discussion groups, and take part in blogs and Twitter-based learning activities. This approach is blended with more traditional lecture, tutorial and seminar contact.

Glasgow Caledonian University is a distinctive, inclusive and forward-looking university that is committed to its social mission to promote the common good. We have become an international centre of excellence in higher education, promoting employability and global citizenship in our graduates. We win awards for our support and commitment to the student experience, whilst delivering innovation through our world-class research in key areas of strength. We have a tradition of widening access to higher education for talented individuals regardless of their backgrounds, and we leverage our intellectual and social capital for the benefit of the communities we serve in Scotland and internationally.

Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) is a vibrant, innovative and multi-award winning University for the Common Good.

We aim to contribute to society in a manner that embraces yet goes beyond the traditional role of a university. GCU’s For the Common Good commitment is brought to life and delivered by students and staff across academic schools and departments.

Welcome to the Glasgow School for Business and Society

We thrive on ideas, support innovation and value the importance of social responsibility. Students come to us for our knowledge and experience to enhance their career and personal ambitions. Our external partners come to us to find the latest research-led thinking and to access the talent of our students.

Corporate responsibility and sustainability are fundamental concerns for every organisation. The Glasgow School for Business and Society seeks to address the complex challenges of the global economy while delivering social benefit to local and global communities.

Global citizenship, responsible leadership, entrepreneurship and social justice are core to our teaching, research and public engagement activities.

Our distinctive, research-led portfolio offers excellent and accessible higher education opportunities in Glasgow, London and New York. Our programmes are endorsed by professional and academic accreditations confirming that your qualification is among the best in the world.

Corporate responsibility and sustainability are now fundamental concerns for every organisation. As a University for the Common Good, we are playing a key role in the global transformation of business management education. We seek to address the complex challenges of the global economy in the 21st century while delivering social benefit to local and global communities.

We are particularly pleased that our success at embedding ethics, responsibility and sustainability across all aspects of life at Glasgow School for Business and Society has been acknowledged through our membership in ASHOKA U, United Nations Global Compact and PRME, as well as local initiatives such as WRAP and Business in the Community.

We have also become the first university in Scotland to join the prestigious EPAS global network. I welcome this recognition of our high-quality learning and teaching experience that equips our graduates with the skills and knowledge to succeed in the global market. The EPAS accreditation is indicative of a wider institutional commitment to use the very highest international benchmarks to evidence the quality of our provision. This provides robust reassurance to our staff, students, academic and business partners that we are a globally-networked university that is embedded within our local community.

We challenge our staff and students to be critical and independent learners, to become responsible leaders and to make positive contributions to business and society. We’d invite you to join us in our commitment to the Common Good.

Professional Affiliations

The Glasgow School for Business and Society has a strong track record of working partnerships with professional bodies which ensure our courses are relevant to the changing needs of the labour market.

Our professional affiliations not only keep our students up-to-date with the latest advances in business, but they help our graduates stand-out when looking for employment and in some cases confer a special status on graduation.

Examples of professional bodies with which GSBS is associated include:

• AACSB
• ABS (Association of Business Schools)
• Business in the Community
• CEEMAN
• EFMD (European Foundation for Management Development)
• ESRC (Economic and Social Research Council)
• UN PRME Initiative (Principles of Responsible Management Education)
• Gold Approved Learning Centre for ACCA
• Approved Teaching Centre for the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD)
• Centre of Excellence with the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment (CISI)

We offer programmes and modules accredited by:

• ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants)
• Broadcast Journalism Training Council (BJTC)
• Chartered Banker
• Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment (CISI)
• Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT)
• Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM)
• Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD)
• Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS)
• Chartered Insurance Institute (CII)
• Chartered Management Institute (CMI)
• CIMA (Chartered Institute of Management Accountants)
• EPAS (European Foundation for Management Development Programme Accreditation Scheme)
• ICAEW (The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales)
• ICAS (Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland)
• Institution Of Occupational Health (IOSH)
• Institute of Operations Management (IOM)
• Institute of Risk Management (IRM)
• IOR (Institute of Operational Risk)
• Law Society of Scotland
• National Council for the Training of Journalists (NTCJ)
• British Psychological Society
• SHRM (The American Society for HRM)
• The Institute of Hospitality (IHA)
• The Institute of Travel and Tourism (ITT)
• Tourism Society (TS)
• Tourism Management Institute (TMI)

Our Departments

Law, Economics, Accountancy & Risk

Our Department brings together academics with interests and expertise in law, risk, economics, accountancy and finance. We pride ourselves on our close links with business organisations including not-for-profit organisations and professional bodies that accredited a number of our programmes.

Department of Business Management

Our Department is focused on the contemporary and innovative use of management approaches and techniques, resources and processes to enhance and develop organisations in the private and public sectors in a highly competitive global marketplace

Department of Social Sciences, Media and Journalism

Bringing together over fifty staff, the Department has both a strong research culture and a commitment to teaching excellence. Rated as internationally excellent and world-leading in several areas in the last Research Assessment Exercise.