Description
This qualification is only available until 31 December 2017.
To claim this qualification, you must complete the required 240 credits by this date.
If you have any questions about your eligibility for this qualification, please contact the Centre for Qualifications and Ceremonies on +44 (0)1908 653003 or by email.
With global financial markets and personal finances making the headlines daily, there’s never been a more exciting time to study finance and develop a successful career. The Foundation Degree in Financial Services is a nationally recognised qualification, designed in conjunction with employers, and endorsed by the National Skills Academy for Financial Services, to be directly relevant to your work and career progression. It is particularly suitable if you are already working within the financial sector or looking to take up a career in this area. You'll learn about concepts such as risk and uncertainty, portfolio management and investment techniques; and about the impact of economics, ethics and diversity on financial decision-making. You’ll develop an understanding of business organisations and functions – such as marketing and accounting – and how these contribute to organisational success in the financial services industry. You’ll also develop the skills to engage in lifelong learning and become a reflective practitioner in the financial services industry.
The modules within this foundation degree have been designed to allow you to study in a flexible manner through distance and work-based learning. Your study will be underpinned by tutor support and a wide range of supplementary resources, including online activities, enabling you to adapt your learning patterns to work within your own constraints.
The programme of study for this foundation degree is also offered as the Diploma of Higher Education in Financial Services (E54). The Diploma of Higher Education might be of particular interest to those living and working in Scotland.
Planning your studies
Whether or not you’re new to study with the OU we recommend that you start with a module at Level 1 and that you complete your Level 1 study before going on to Level 2.
If you already have relevant professional and industry-specific qualifications, from organisations like the CII and ifs , you can count these towards both Levels 1 and 2 of this foundation degree. See Credit for previous study elsewhere below for further information.
Alternatively, two modules offer you the chance to develop and upgrade your pre-HE professional study in less than the normal time it takes to complete an OU module. You can study Management practice (B123), if you have an appropriate qualification in business or management at level 3 in the National Qualifications Framework (NQF). Or if you have an appropriate level 3 NQF qualification in finance, you can study Development of financial practice (DB124). Both of these modules will allow you to build up further credit points in less than the usual study time.
Alongside your compulsory studies at Level 1, you can choose options that suit your particular professional or personal interest. In addition to Development of financial practice (DB124), your choice includes management, accounting, business studies and introductory mathematics. At Level 2 you will study modules in personal investment, business organisation and financial accounting.
You should note that the University’s unique study rule applies to this qualification. This means that you must include at least 80 credits from OU modules that have not been counted in any other OU qualification that has previously been awarded to you. Before being awarded any intermediate qualifications, we advise you to check that you’ll have sufficient new credits to qualify for your foundation degree.
Also you should note that modules cease to be countable towards this qualification ten years after their final presentation.
Career relevance and employability
This qualification is particularly relevant in preparing you for work or advancing your career in the financial services industry. You might already be working (or aiming to work) in a customer-facing role as a team leader, manager or supervisor; or in an operations or administrative role in any size of financial business. If you already have a professional finance qualification, we may be able to give you credit for this study to count towards this foundation degree course.
The Foundation Degree in Financial Services will develop your skills in writing and critical thinking; analysis and evaluation; ICT; presentation and numeracy. You’ll also explore the context for your work in the financial services industry, learning the skills of successful practice in this sector, and how to use these in your current and future working contexts.
Careers and Employability Services have more information on how OU study can improve your employability.
Modules
For this 240-credit foundation degree you require:
70 credits from the following compulsory modules:
Level 1 compulsory modules |
Credits |
Next start |
- The discontinued module BU130
|
30 |
|
- You and your money: personal finance in context (DB123)
|
30 |
|
- The discontinued module BD131
|
10 |
|
And 30 credits from the following optional modules:
Level 1 optional modules |
Credits |
Next start |
- Fundamentals of accounting (B124)
|
30 |
|
- Management practice (B123)
|
30 |
|
Or, subject to the rules about excluded combinations, the discontinued modules B120, B121, LB160
And 20 credits from the following optional modules:
Level 1 optional modules |
Credits |
Next start |
- Discovering mathematics (MU123)*
|
30 |
|
- Introduction to bookkeeping and accounting (B190)
|
10 |
|
Or, subject to the rules about excluded combinations, the discontinued modules DB124, MU120, TU120, Y159, Y162, Y165, Y166, Y179**, Y182**, Y186**
*of which only 20 credits count in this category
**of which only 10 credits count in this category
And 120 credits from the following compulsory modules:
Level 2 compulsory modules |
Credits |
Next start |
- Business organisations and their environments (B201)
|
60 |
|
- Financial accounting (B291)
|
30 |
|
- Personal investment in an uncertain world (DB23)
|
30 |
|
Learning outcomes
The learning outcomes of this qualification are described in four areas:
- Knowledge and understanding
- Cognitive skills
- Practical and professional skills
- Key skills
Read more detailed information about the learning outcomes, and how they are acquired through teaching, learning and assessment methods.
Credit for previous study elsewhere
If you have already completed some successful study at higher education level at another institution we may be able to give you credit for this study that you can count towards this Open University qualification. You can find out more on our Credit Transfer site. If you make a successful claim for transferred credit it may affect your choice of modules so you are advised to investigate this option as soon as possible.
On completion
On successful completion of the required number and type of modules you will be awarded a Foundation Degree in Financial Services and will be entitled to use the letters FD (Open) after your name. You will have the opportunity to attend a degree ceremony to collect your award certificate.
Regulations
As a student of The Open University, you should be aware of the content of the qualification-specific regulations below and the academic regulations that are available on our Student Policies and Regulations website.
How to register
If you want to study for this qualification, read the description and check you meet any specific requirements (for example, some of
our qualifications, require you to be working in a particular environment, or be sponsored by your employer). Then select the
module you wish to study first and ensure it is suitable for you before following the registration procedure for that module.
During the registration procedure you will be asked to declare which qualification you are studying towards.
See a full list of modules available for this qualification