Overview
Introduction
Finance is at the heart of every business, industry and society around the world – and its role has never been more complex. There’s a huge demand for talented, ambitious graduates with the right financial acumen to meet these challenges. This rigorous programme equips you with the necessary financial knowledge and quantitative skills.
You’ll delve into the use of specific finance techniques, financial decision-making, risk management and the behaviour of the financial markets. Importantly, you’ll learn how to think analytically, evaluate financial issues from different perspectives and apply analytical methods to real-world problems.
You’ll be taught by world-leading academics and practitioners in the field. We make the most of our proximity to the city and financial districts and you’ll benefit from our links with industry practitioners, regulators and policymakers.
Our graduates are well-prepared for careers in investment banking, sales, trading, investment management, management consulting, start-ups, research and academia.
Preliminary readings
If you wish to gain further insight into the subject, we suggest that you look at one of the following books, papers and videos:
- A Admati “Seeing through “the banker’s new clothes””, TEDxStanford
- W Clarke How the City of London Works (7th edition, Sweet and Maxwell, 2008)
- B Graham The Intelligent Investor (HarperBusiness, 2003)
- M Lewis The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine (Penguin, 2011)
- D McCloskey Economical Writing
- PwC: Peer Pressure – How peer-to-peer lending platforms are transforming the consumer lending industry
- H Rey “Monetary Policy and International Capital Flows” IMF Mundell-Fleming Lecture
- D Lucas Valuation of Government Policies and Projects
- P M Dechow, R G Sloan, and J Zha Stock Prices and Earnings
- C Frydman and D Jenter CEO Compensation
The Royal Economic Society Public Lectures:
- T Harford “How to run – or ruin – an economy”
- S Flanders “The UK economy after the crisis”
- R Griffith “Does Starbucks pay enough tax?”
Entry requirements
Here, you can check our entry requirements for GCSEs, A-levels (please read them alongside our information about subject combinations) and the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma. We also consider applications from students with a range of other UK qualifications and from overseas. Please select the overseas button below and choose your country from the dropdown list to find the equivalency to A-levels of your qualification.
We welcome students from all walks of life at LSE. We want to recruit students with the very best academic merit, potential and motivation. So, whatever your background, please do apply. Get all the details on our general entry requirements.
Competition for places at LSE is high. We cannot guarantee you an offer of a place even if you’re predicted or achieve our standard entry requirements.
Our standard offer requirements are intended only as a guide and, in some cases, you’ll be asked for different grades.
Programme content
On this programme, you’ll study 12 units over three years, plus LSE100.
Year 1
You’ll cover fundamental principles in finance, develop your quantitative skills and take compulsory introductory courses in economics, mathematics and statistics. Additionally, you’ll take LSE100.
Year 2
In this second year, you’ll develop your knowledge of core analytical methods in finance and financial economics, and apply them to a range of problems. You’ll take compulsory courses in finance, microeconomics and econometrics.
OR one half unit optional course
Year 3
Your final year gives you the chance to develop in-depth knowledge of a range of finance sub-fields. You’ll take six compulsory courses (half units each) and choose an external option from outside the department (either two half units or a full unit).
Courses to the value of one unit from a range of options
Why study with us
Discover more about our students and department.
Meet the department
The Department of Finance is one of the largest and most highly respected finance groups in the UK and Europe.
With a longstanding reputation for excellence in both teaching and research, we offer various undergraduate, postgraduate and executive programmes.
Our research and teaching span the full range of financial sub-fields, including:
- corporate finance
- asset pricing theory
- risk management
- empirical analysis of capital markets
- behavioural finance
- portfolio analysis
- derivatives pricing
- microstructure
- financial econometrics.
We're also closely associated with two leading research groups at LSE – the Financial Markets Group and Systemic Risk Centre, which host seminars, conferences and public lectures by renowned academics and practitioners.
Our research is regularly published in leading academic journals globally. Faculty members work closely with national and international institutions, such as the Bank of England and the World Bank, informing policy at the highest levels.
The department was ranked the top place to study finance in the Good University Guide 2024.
Learn more about our programmes and research.
Why LSE
University of the Year 2025 and 1st in the UK
Times and The Sunday Times - Good University Guide 20251st in London for the 13th year running
The Complete University Guide - University League Tables 20256th In the world
QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024Carbon Neutral In 2021, LSE became the first Carbon Neutral verified university in the UK
Your application
Overview
We consider each application carefully, taking into account all the details you’ve included on your UCAS form, such as:
- academic achievement, including predicted and achieved grades (also see specific information about this programme in the "entry requirements" above)
- subjects and subject combinations (also see specific information about this programme in the "entry requirements" above)
- your personal statement
- your teacher’s reference
- educational circumstances
You may also have to provide evidence of your English proficiency, although this is not needed at the application stage. See our English language requirements page.
Who attends
We’re looking for students who demonstrate:
- strong analytical skills and a high level of numeracy
- an ability to apply logic, follow complex lines of reasoning and identify trends
- the ability to think independently
- a creative and flexible approach to problem-solving
- time-management skills and resilience (to thrive under pressure)
- great communication skills
- intellectual curiosity
- self-motivation and a willingness to work hard.
Fees and funding
The table of fees shows the latest tuition fees for all programmes.
You're charged a fee for each year of your programme. Your tuition fee covers registration and examination fees payable to the School, lectures, classes and individual supervision, lectures given at other colleges under intercollegiate arrangements and, under current arrangements, membership of the Students' Union. It doesn't cover living costs or travel or fieldwork.
Home
Home student fee per each year of your programme
This is the 2025/26 tuition fee. The home student undergraduate fee may rise in line with inflation in subsequent years.
Overseas
Overseas student fee per each year of your programme
This is the 2025/26 fee for each year of your programme. The overseas tuition fee will remain at the same amount for each subsequent year of your full-time study regardless of the length of your programme. This information applies to new overseas undergraduate entrants starting their studies from 2025/26 onwards.
Learning and assessment
How you learn
How you're assessed
Formative coursework
All taught courses include formative coursework, which is not assessed. This helps prepare you for summative assessment. We use a range of formative assessment methods, such as essays, case studies, reports, quizzes and mock exams. Feedback on coursework is an essential part of the learning experience. Class teachers mark formative coursework and feedback is given within two weeks – provided the work is submitted on time.
Summative assessment
This assessment counts towards your final course mark and the degree award.
Summative assessment usually involves written examinations at the end of each academic year. To progress through the degree, you’ll need to pass the appropriate examinations.
Assessment on individual courses can change from year to year. Details on the current formative coursework and summative assessment for each course are given in the relevant course guide.
You’ll receive feedback on any summative coursework as part of individual course assessments (except on final submitted dissertations). This feedback is generally provided before the examination period.
Graduate destinations
Overview
Graduates from this programme will be well prepared for careers in investment banking, sales, trading and research, investment management, management consultancy, start-ups and other professional careers in the City, as well as further academic study.
Further information on graduate destinations for this programme
Median salary of our undergraduate students 15 months after graduating:
Top 4 sectors our students work in:
Career support
From CV workshops through to careers fairs, LSE offers lots of information and support to help you make that all-important step from education into work.
Many of the UK’s top employers give careers presentations at the School during the year and there are numerous workshops covering topics such as job hunting, managing interviews, writing a cover letter and using LinkedIn.
See LSE Careers for further details.
Discover Uni
Every undergraduate programme of more than one year duration will have Discover Uni data. The data allows you to compare information about individual programmes at different higher education institutions.
Programmes offered by different institutions with similar names can vary quite significantly. We recommend researching the programmes you're interested in and taking into account the programme structure, teaching and assessment methods, and support services available.