Master of Business Administration – Finance MBA

Course Content

• Course Details

  Studying our MBA Finance pathway will support your career progression by developing your critical thinking and research skills and enhancing your business knowledge and understanding.

  You will learn to think laterally, challenge convention and offer informed solutions to business issues. You will gain valuable skills that will set you apart from colleagues, allowing you to progress to your full career potential.

  MBA Finance pathway equips you with the knowledge and critical understanding of contemporary themes relevant to managing successful businesses and prepares learners to become future entrepreneurs, business owners, and/or managers and leaders through critical engagement with the dynamic and disruptive international business environment that prioritise sustainability and ethical standards.

  The MBA finance pathway includes a variety of finance related modules that are designed to improve technical and sophisticated understanding of financial matters such as corporate financing and risk management as well as investing and trading in global markets. The MBA finance pathway emphasises the global dimensions of financial markets and sustainable business environment enriched by the recent academic research and is informed by real-world examples and recent trends in financial markets such as digital finance and cryptocurrency.

  Industry Work Placement Option

  You can elect to participate in a Work Placement – completing the modules ‘Career Futures: Employability Skills’ and ‘Work-Based Project’. The year in industry will develop your real-world experience and you will undertake an applied research project that identifies and provides a response to an industry-specific problem.

  Your placement will last between six and 12 months, must be appropriate to your level of study and should also be paid. We will support you in finding and securing a suitable placement opportunity, however it must be noted that placements are highly competitive and there is no guarantee of a placement offer being made by an employer.

  Whilst on placement you will attend two full-day workshops held at the University, and complete a work-based project on the organisation in which you are working.

  Modules

  The below modules are for the MBA Finance Non-Placement route. To see the modules for the Placement route, please see the MBA Finance (Placement route) Award Map.

  Please note the modules shown here relate to the academic year 24/25. The modules relating to the academic year 25/26 will be available from June 2025.

  • Stage 1
    • Practical Data Analysis for Business (20 Credits)
      Module code: BSOM101

      Status: Compulsory
      The purpose of this module is to enable learners to effectively utilise secondary data to inform organisational proposals and decisions. Learners will be equipped with the skills required to acquire, manage, analyse and apply qualitative and quantitative secondary data sets in a business management context.
    • Major Project (Standard) (40 Credits)
      Module code: FINM081

      Status: Compulsory
      he purpose of this module is to enable learners to devise an original research project associated with topics and themes from the MBA programme. The module provides opportunities for learners to identify, select and analyse secondary data in novel and innovative ways for applied research in business and management contexts.
    • Financial Markets and Financial Technology (20 Credits)
      Module code: FINM900

      Status: Compulsory
      This module develops learners? critical understanding of financial systems and markets. Learners examine traditional finance theories and explore recent development in financial technologies to devise trading strategies and construct portfolios to suit investor preferences and risk appetite.
    • Financing and Investment Decisions for Business (20 Credits)
      Module code: FINM901

      Status: Compulsory
      This module explores the theories, knowledge, and financial tools entrepreneurs and managers need to start, grow and manage successful businesses. The module also enables learners to evaluate sources of finance and appraise approaches for managing and investing financial resources for long term growth and sustainability for a variety of businesses.
    • Sustainable Financial and Management Reporting (20 Credits)
      Module code: FINM902

      Status: Compulsory
      This module equips learners to prepare financial statements and analyse key performance indicators to support decision making process. Learners apply managerial accounting principles in business communications and solving problems. This module enables learners to understand the link between CSR, environmental reporting and financial practices.
    • People Development and Leadership (20 Credits)
      Module code: HRMM093

      Status: Compulsory
      This module will enable learners to critically evaluate and develop strategic people development and leadership skills. Application of these skills will enable learners to understand individual/collective behavioural dynamics and its influence on organisational goals. Learners will have the opportunity to develop self-reflection through reflective practice and models of professional development.
    • Academic and Digital Skills for Professionals (20 Credits)
      Module code: HRMM094

      Status: Compulsory
      This module equips learners with skills and confidence to successfully navigate the demands of both master?s level study and future careers in the digital era. Through reflection, learners will analyse and critique previous experiences, situating these in the context of relevant academic literature and real-life case studies.
    • Strategy and Decision Making (20 Credits)
      Module code: STRM095

      Status: Compulsory
      This module equips learners with applied knowledge of strategic management and economic principles that underpin decision-making in organisations. Learners will analyse how the dynamic business environment influences organisational strategy formulation, and how sustained competitive advantage and growth are achieved through astute decision-making.

  *Only applicable to students studying MBA full-time on campus, directly through The University of Northampton. Also, subject to a satisfactory CMI inspection.

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• FAQs

  Will I be required to attend the teaching sessions in person?

  Most modules will have an in-classroom (i.e. in-person) three-hour weekly session across thirteen weeks. However, in a few modules, you will also have the opportunity to attend some of the teaching/support sessions online.

  How will I be assessed?

  The assessment strategies in this programme allow you to acquire up-to-date and relevant knowledge and skills to help you stand out professionally. You may complete some assessments individually, while others may require you to complete a specific task as part of a group. The assessment types in this programme vary between a Time-constrained Test (to be completed in 1.5 hour), Video Presentation, in-classroom Presentation, Personal Reflection, Case Analysis Report, Business Plan, Portfolio, Time-constrained Report (to be completed in 72 hours), among others.

  Will I be able to transfer between programmes/pathways after I complete my face-to-face enrolment?

  There is a short window of opportunity, at the start of your programme, to transfer between programmes/pathways. We deal with transfer requests on a case-by-case basis; some requests are easier to accommodate than others. You must discuss your transfer requests with the programme team very early in the programme (preferably during the induction week). For any transfer-related enquiries, please contact MBAsupport@northampton.ac.uk.

  Will I have access to professional resources during my studies?

  In addition to academic resources (e.g. books and journal articles), we also provide you with a wide range of professional resources (e.g. professional courses) such as LinkedIn Learning, CMI, ILX, and Bloomberg for Education, just to mention a few.

  What support will I be provided with to find and secure a work placement?

  If you enrol on the Placement pathway, you will study a module called HRMM072 Career Futures: Employability Skills. This module provides the foundation of the skills you need to enter the UK labour market and apply for suitable roles. The intranet site for this module has a wealth of information, including links to various websites where suitable roles are advertised, and roles are advertised directly on the site too. There is a placement-specific FAQs document on the site too.

  However, you cannot rely on this module alone for support: you must seek advice and support from the Student Futures team, in particular the Career Development Consultants (CDCs) and the interactive information and activities within the Student Futures Portal. We will not be able to provide you with a placement role, but we can direct you to the places where you can find support, and offer you the opportunities to learn the skills you need to enter the UK labour market.

  Depending on when you start, there is a Careers Fair that includes Placement Providers, where you can come to campus and speak with potential employers. The event is an excellent opportunity to practice your networking skills and make a good first impression with real employers.

  Additionally, part of your programme includes guest speakers in the Weekly Support Sessions, and these can be great opportunities to ask questions and get tips on applying for placement roles successfully.

  Who to contact for more information?

  For further information regarding the programme, please contact the MBA team on MBAsupport@northampton.ac.uk.

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