University Centre Leeds launches new FinTech degree

University Centre Leeds is preparing to launch a brand new degree to help learners thrive in the booming FinTech sector.

Set to start this September, the BSc (Hons) Financial Technology course is a three-year programme that blends the core principles of finance and accounting with cutting-edge training in programming, data analysis, and software development.

The move is designed to help students gain the technical expertise and practical experience that employers demand, and by doing so open up career paths into a variety of roles in banking, financial services, start-ups, and more.

A pathway for more students into a flourishing sector

FinTech is one of the fastest-growing global sectors and a key part of West Yorkshire’s flourishing Financial and Professional Services (FPS) industry. In 2024 the University Centre’s parent organisation, Luminate Education Group, teamed up with the West Yorkshire Consortium of Colleges and Whitecap Consulting to produce a report to identify ways that colleges could support the sector.

The resulting FPS Skills Blueprint highlighted that while West Yorkshire institutions offer over 280 courses in professional services, college graduates remain underrepresented in FPS recruitment pipelines. 

That is something that Becky Fores, Dean of Higher Education at University Centre Leeds, is determined to help tackle through the new course – which should provide a vital next step for students.

She said: 

“Driven by the growth of financial services in the region, Leeds is fast becoming a FinTech hub.

“Our new Financial Technology course will bridge the gap between computing and financial services, supporting students’ next steps by embedding key regulatory knowledge within the programme and therefore aiding the transition into employment in this vibrant sector.”

Partnership work is key

She added that innovative partnerships, like the one that has been forged between  Luminate Education Group and FinTech North, are helping to strengthen employer engagement, better align provision with market needs, and highlight FinTech as a key growth area.

The BSc (Hons) Financial Technology course has been designed to give learners a deeper understanding of financial markets and to develop their proficiency in emerging technologies, while working – in purpose-built computer suites – with cutting-edge platforms and software.

University Centre Leeds’ work includes both delivering higher education courses and training and supporting the work of Luminate Education Group’s further education (FE) colleges in Leeds, Harrogate and Keighley. 

Luminate Education Group is a collective of Yorkshire-based education providers that consists of University Centre Leeds plus: Leeds City College, Leeds Sixth Form College, Pudsey Sixth Form College, Keighley College, Harrogate College and Leeds Conservatoire.

The organisation has around 30,000 students and more than 2,000 members of staff.