The Department of Finance launched the BSc Finance in September 2016. The programme was created to meet the growing demand for more specialist education in the academic subject of Finance as a subset of Economics.
Now entering its fifth year, the BSc Finance has gone from strength-to-strength, with a combined cohort of over 150 students enrolled on the programme. We are proud to offer our students world-class teaching, delivered by some of the most renowned experts in the field, as well as a dynamic range of personal and professional development opportunities.
On this page you will discover more about the BSc Finance: from teaching, assessment, and careers, to development opportunities, events and social activities offered to our students.
You can also visit our BSc Finance prospectus page for more information about admissions and how to apply.
Why should I apply to the BSc Finance?
You should apply for the BSc Finance if you want...
You will be taught by world-leading academics who are recognised leaders in their areas of research. You will also benefit from the expertise of guest lecturers from top financial institutions, reflecting the fact that the programme is both academically rigorous as well as grounded in practical application of theory.
All undergraduate Finance lectures will be delivered by Faculty rather than PhD students, which is an example of the top-level teaching offered on the BSc Finance at LSE.
The Department of Finance is also closely associated with two leading research groups at LSE: the Financial Markets Group and the Systemic Risk Centre, which both regularly host a wide variety of seminars, conferences and public addresses by leading academics and practitioners.
Graduates from BSc Finance will be well prepared for careers in: investment banking, sales, trading and research, investment management, consulting, central banks, regulators, start-ups and other professional careers in the City, as well as further academic study. Our location in one of the world's top financial centres serves as a major advantage to students in terms of proximity, access and opportunity when embarking on a career in the City.
Many of our students have summer internships during their studies. Recent student destinations for internships include:
- Rothschild
- Lazard
- JP Morgan
- Credit Suisse
- Royal Bank of Scotland
- Barclays
- Bank of America Merill Lynch
- Oxera (economic consulting service)
- Factset (financial data solutions)
- HSBC
- Roundhill (real estate investment and management firm)
- Optiver (global electronic market maker)
LSE offers its students exceptional careers advice, guidance and development opportunities through its dedicated advisory service at LSE Careers.
The BSc Finance is unique within the LSE, being the first academic programme with a 'House' system. Incoming students are allocated into one of four academic houses, named after renowned figures in the field of finance, which serve as social and pastoral communities for students across all three years of the programme. Each House is allocated an activities budget each year which it can spend on communal activities. Previous House activities have included film and pizza nights, meals out, and even a trip overseas.
The annual Inter-House Debating Competition is a firm favourite amongst students, where a wide range of topics are discussed in a lively and engaging forum.
Students also enjoy a dedicated space for socialising in the form of the BSc Finance Student Common Room. Located in the heart of campus, it is a popular space for students to meet and spend time.
The Department of Finance also hosts social events for students such as inter-year drinks, dinners and ice-skating. Students can also partcipicate in activities such as mini golf, paintballing, bowling and more.
Read what some of our current students have to say about their experiences of the BSc Finance programme.
BSc Finance students benefit from a range of activities which are part of the Professional Development programme. Examples include:
- CV checking sessions
- One-to-one careers sessions
- Careers planning meetings: internships
- Presentation skills training
- Public speaking practice sessions
- Inter-house debate competition
What is the programme structure?
The BSc Finance programme offers students not only the chance to specialise in Finance, but also to develop a thorough foundation in Economics, Mathematics, and Statistics.
In the first two years of the programme students follow a curriculum that is similar to the LSE BSc Economics programme. In the third year, students specialise in Finance through the study of two core Department of Finance courses: Corporate Finance and Asset Pricing.
In this way, the BSc Finance students are able to study Economics alongside Finance for the majority of their degree, specialising at the end of the programme.
In your three years on the programme you will have the options to study the following courses:
One from the following two options:
(* half unit)
Please note that not every course is available each year and that some courses may only be available with the permission of the course leader and/or may be subject to space.
One from the following two options:
(* half unit)
Please note that not every course is available each year and that some courses may only be available with the permission of the course leader and/or may be subject to space.
Either:
Or:
(* half unit)
Please note that not every course is available each year and that some courses may only be available with the permission of the course leader and/or may be subject to space.
Who can I contact for further information?