Why study a fintech degree?

As new technologies emerge, they provide new opportunities in the finance industry. “The internet of things provides the possibility to build new integrated products, machine learning helps us to manage big data, and blockchain technologies allow us to develop decentralised finance solutions.” That’s according to Professor Emilio Barucci, director of the International Master in Fintech, Finance and Digital Innovation at POLIMI Graduate School of Management.  

Dr Tzouvanas added: “As the sector evolves and new graduates become more in demand, those with a degree in fintech will be the first to hold a qualification in the specific knowledge and skills needed. 

“They’ll gain a competitive advantage to progress into top positions. Plus, for those who constantly want to expand their knowledge, the fintech industry evolves so rapidly that it needs graduates who are ready for new challenges. In today’s competitive job market, specialised skills like those learned within a fintech degree are key to a successful career.” 

For Dr Cathcart, it’s that flexibility and openness to trying new things that creates a “highly rewarding working atmosphere for those looking for a highly varied role. The innovative nature of fintech provides a huge opportunity for graduates to enjoy lifelong learning and challenge the norms and disrupt the traditional set up of the finance industry." 

At the University of Sussex Business School, the MSc Fintech, Risk and Investment Analysis offers hard skills including programming, analysing big data, understanding machine learning techniques and comprehending financial instruments like cryptocurrencies and financial derivatives. That’s alongside softer skills like critical thinking.  

Dr Tzouvanas said: “As fintech is a complex field, students should be able to think critically and provide innovative solutions.” 

Dr Lara Cathcart said of the MSc Financial Technology at Imperial College London, “We provide graduates with a huge breadth of skills that are highly sought after by leading employers. The immersive learning syllabus means that students learn how to code in Python and use software such as Bloomberg.  

“Hands on experience with data analysis in the classroom is crucial to draw insightful conclusions from raw data, to forecast present and future trends. 

“Technical skills are important for every fintech profession, but graduates must also have good communication skills to collaborate, and flexibility to navigate and solve un-precedented obstacles. A degree in Financial Technology provides students with a practical application of these skills, through group projects and class-room activities.”   

The main thing, according to Professor Barucci, is that "students should be able to understand the main drivers of the technological revolution in finance. They should be able to manage the revolution both from a methodological and technological point of view, as well as commercially.” 

Career opportunities in fintech continue to evolve. It’s likely new careers will emerge in the coming years that don’t exist now and it’s a field that’s well-suited to entrepreneurial ventures.  

“Graduates who can read a balance sheet and understand how financial market work and at the same time can code and are quite technical are very much in demand by employers,” said Dr Cathcart.  

When undertaking a job search on LinkedIn using ‘fintech’ as a key word, Dr Tzouvanas found over 25,000 roles in the UK alone. “New graduates can search for roles such as junior investment analysts, junior fintech associates, fraud analysts, junior business analysts, fintech consultants and fintech data scientists. 

“More senior professionals can be recruited to top management positions such as AI investment director, financial director, head of finance, senior modelling analysts, senior fintech analysis, fintech manager, or a CFO in fintech firms.”