Financial Technology (FinTech)

The module aims to equip you with an advanced understanding of financial markets, financial assets, and digital assets. The prime focus of this module is to enable you to understand digital assets, digital currencies, and technology-based financial market solutions. Moreover, the module assesses your ability to establish the link between these advancements and established financial techniques and methods. The module contents blend quantitative, analytical, and theoretical components.

This module will set the foundations of the entire degree programme. You will study and get an introduction to Python and gain an understanding of the basic terminologies operating in the FinTech domain. You will also have a chance to get free Microsoft Azure certification.

As part of this module, you will also undertake the qualitative research methods study and learn how to do a literature review.

This module will begin from Sept 25 entry. For 2024 and early 25 entry, please speak to the admissions team.

This module aims to develop your understanding by asking how favourable the economic and political environment influences the development and performance of Fintech firms. The module focuses on discussing the external factors affecting fintech businesses, with an aim to extract lessons learned and provide broad reviews of economic determinants and regulatory policies e.g. regulatory uncertainty, transparency, fraud and self-regulation, standardisation, and data.

This module will equip you with the skills to interpret how disruptive fintech innovations are developed using appropriate tools and techniques. It discusses the future of money, the economy and financial marketplaces. It provides a practical and theoretical understanding of how the financial services industry has been transformed by adopting and using digital innovation and information technologies. More specifically, the module will examine blockchain, cryptocurrency, payment infrastructures, the digital economy, the fintech ecosystem and crime detection, and forensic analytics.

Assessment: 100% portfolio

In this module, you will learn Power BI, a powerful data visualisation/business analytics service from Microsoft. In Power BI, you can import and merge data from multiple sources, including the cloud, and construct interactive, rich, dynamic visualisations and dashboards with an intuitive interface. Features on Excel are extended in Power BI, hence more advanced visual approaches are possible without having any coding skills. The module will provide hands-on Power BI training so you can extract insights from big data from multiple sources using graphs, tables, and maps and make interactive dashboards.

Assessment: 100% assignment

Fintech companies heavily depend on machine learning, artificial intelligence, predictive analytics, and data science to simplify financial decision-making and optimise solutions. In this module, you will learn Advanced Python tools for Big Data and analytics, understand computational models underpinning artificial intelligence and predictive analysis, and work on a group project. You will also study quantitative research methods as part of this module.

Assessment: 10% individual assessment, 60% group project, 30% group video presentation

The Practical Project is your opportunity to consolidate your learning in the field of Fintech through a substantive and original piece of research, which is informed by theory, research and/or practice that is at the forefront of the discipline.

In the first two trimesters, you will attend weekly classes to develop your qualitative and quantitative research skills. In the final trimester, you will complete a three-month internship (paid or unpaid) with a client on a project related to technological transformation in financial services and markets. At the end of the internship, you will submit a reflective report on the application of your skills within the internship.

Assessment:10,000 - 12,000 word final report

The Practical Project placement gives you an opportunity to work for 6 months on a full-time basis. You can work with an organisation located regionally, nationally, or internationally, as agreed with Salford Business School. You will be assigned an academic supervisor who will guide the entire process. You will submit a report that should demonstrate the work you have undertaken during your internship. The report should explain the deliverables created, the theories and concepts applied, the data-gathering activities undertaken, the impact achieved, and an appropriate level of critical reflection.

Assessment: 10,000 - 12,000 word final report

The Practical Project is your opportunity to consolidate your learning in the field of FinTech through a substantive and original piece of research, which is informed by theory, research and/or practice that is at the forefront of the discipline. The project may be an analysis of Big Data or the transformation of the financial services industry through the adoption and use of digital innovation and information technologies, for example.

Assessment: 12,000 - 15,000 word final dissertation