MSc Strategic FinTech (Bahrain)
ApplyKey facts
- Start date: April
- Accreditation: triple-accredited business school AACSB, EQUIS & AMBA
- Application deadline: April
- Study mode and duration: Part-time over 2 years
Study in: Manama, Bahrain
Study with us
- MSc Strategic FinTech is an executive masters programme for managers seeking to build their knowledge, skills and confidence in leading and managing financial technologies as a strategic resource/ interest
- FinTech is a topic of high strategic importance across organisations within and outside the banking and financial services industries
- whilst dealing with a technical business subject, this degree is intended to deliver a set of coherent managerial-level learnings. It will be delivered through a student-centric, flexible and modern format, integrating the latest theory, practice and implementation approaches
- the programme will address recurring themes of how to manage and lead effectively. These will be explored in the context of digital disruption, digital economy, and the digital transformation of banking and finance industries, processes, applications and products & services
Why this course?
The MSc Strategic FinTech is the only specialist FinTech Masters programme pitched at the executive level.
The course aims to equip middle to senior managers with the skills and knowledge to understand and exploit FinTech as a strategic resource and/or manage the consequences of FinTech-related disruption to organisations and industries.
The MSc is delivered in partnership with the Bahrain Institute of Banking and Finance, who will operate from a new state-of-the-art building in FinTech Bay.
The course features:
- a strategy and leadership-level focus on the topic
- an executive style and format
- work-based learning and customisable project options
The possibility of completing the programme with a business start-up project is also seen as a unique, high-value offering in the Bahraini market.
The Strategic FinTech Masters will be delivered through a student-centric, flexible and modern format. It will integrate the latest theory, practice and implementation approaches.
The programme will address recurring themes of how to manage and lead effectively in a context of digital disruption, digital economy, and the digital transformation of banking and finance industries, processes, applications and products & services.
Participants will acquire deep insights into emerging technologies impacting on financial industries, and how to interpret, strategise, invest, innovate, drive change & lead people effectively in this dynamic context.
Term 1
Exploring the Future of FinTech (20 credits)
This class runs through the first three terms of the programme.
Through expert speakers, cases, examples and industrial visits, exploring the trends and future directions of FinTech (technological, commercial, regulatory etc.), identifying organisational and managerial implications
Leading Digital Transformation in a Finance Context (20 credits)
How to lead people and teams in the change and innovation efforts required to implement digital transformation in a finance context (industrial, organisational, functional).
Mastering Evolving Digital Technologies (20 credits)
Aim to achieve digital literacy in topics such as:
- cloud
- Software as a service (SaaS)
- big data
- analytics
- machine learning
- robotics
- artificial intelligence
- Internet of things
- blockchain
- cybersecurity
Term 2
Exploring the Future of FinTech (20 credits)
This class runs through the first three terms of the programme.
Through expert speakers, cases, examples and industrial visits, exploring the trends and future directions of FinTech (technological, commercial, regulatory etc.), identifying organisational and managerial implications
Global Developments in FinTech (20 credits)
Examining institutional level change; global and regional examples, Macroeconomics and implications for organisations; cover off finance fundamentals, and the scope of FinTech developments; potential, risks and ethics of digital disruption in a finance context.
Transforming Customer Experience through Financial Technologies (20 credits)
Developing marketing insights and user experience design based on creative applications of financial technologies; maximising upside of fintech.
Term 3
Exploring the Future of FinTech (20 credits)
This class runs through the first three terms of the programme.
Through expert speakers, cases, examples and industrial visits, exploring the trends and future directions of FinTech (technological, commercial, regulatory etc.), identifying organisational and managerial implications
Economic & Regulatory Policies for Fintech (20 credits)
- Exploration of economic policies and regulatory frameworks relating to fintech in different global jurisdictions
- Building an understanding of effective organisational responses
- Examining the ethics of fintech at an industrial/institutional level
Fintech Strategy & Business Model Innovation (20 credits)
A combination of scenarios, analysis and formulation methods for developing and testing strategies for fintech-led business model innovation & entrepreneurship in the fintech space.
Term 4
Capstone FinTech Experience
Choice of thesis, practical project, or business start-up.
Customised conclusion to your studies
Option A - Management Research Thesis
Adopting a "traditional" masters project conclusion, complete a Fintech-related project scope for a piece of original management research. Include implications for practice. Assessment based on a thesis output.
Option B - Consultancy/ Implementation Project (intrapreneurship)
Scope and lead a significant Fintech project leading to operational costs improvement, enhanced customer experience or transformed business model within an existing organisation (not necessarily the student's own organisation). Assessment based on a project report and final client presentation.
Option C - Business start-up (entrepreneurship)
With support, develop and establish a Fintech or Fintech-related business. This can be in collaboration with others. Assessment based on relevant business artifacts (business plan, marketing and finance projects, short and long term strategies, etc.).
Learning & teaching
Each class will be delivered in a 'flipped' format, with online learning material organised in a structured, session-based format in the virtual learning environment. This will include foundational material, providing an optional means for students to develop their essential understanding of concepts required to succeed in the class.
The main class activities will again be organised by session, in which the class facilitator leads students through a schedule of activities such as case discussions, group working/ mini-projects, forced debates, panel discussions and guest speakers, and possibly external visits. Depending on the Covid-related circumstances, live activities may be delivered in person, in a digital environment, or a combination of the two.
In parallel to live sessions, a 'digital twin' will be available - staffed by a tutor - which captures outcomes of the live session and/or offers online, asynchronous alternatives. This will provide flexibility and contingency for both staff and students.
Guest lectures
The programme has a high level of practitioner engagement including guest speakers relevant to particular modules. Specifically, the module ‘Exploring the Future of FinTech’ will feature expert speakers, cases, examples and industrial visits. It will also explore the trends and future directions of FinTech (such as technological, commercial, regulatory), identifying organisational and managerial implications.
Assessment
Within each module, students will have an option of an individual assessment or a work-based learning assessment, according to their preference or situation.
Students with high experience in a module’s content can therefore push their capabilities whilst delivering organisational outputs of high value.
Students with less opportunity or experience for application can undertake more of a classical approach without penalty.
Triple-accredited business school
Entry requirements
| Academic requirements | Minimum second class honours degree, or overseas equivalent, in accounting, economics, business studies or a subject area with a strong quantitative bias. No prior knowledge of finance required. |
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| English language requirements | Students whose first language is not English must have a minimum of 6.5 IELTS score, with no individual score lower than 5.5. Get more information about the English language requirements for studying at Strathclyde. |
Fees & funding
Fees may be subject to updates to maintain accuracy. Tuition fees will be notified in your offer letter.
All fees are in £ sterling, unless otherwise stated, and may be subject to revision.
Annual revision of fees
Students on programmes of study of more than one year (or studying standalone modules) should be aware that tuition fees are revised annually and may increase in subsequent years of study. Annual increases will generally reflect UK inflation rates and increases to programme delivery costs.
| MSc fees | For details on fees and instalment payments throughout study, please call +973 1781 5555/6338. |
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Careers
The MSc Strategic FinTech is a post-experience degree for students that have accrued adequate pre-course experience from a wide diversity of industry backgrounds, job roles, locations and nationalities. The students may come with a range of career goals which will include promotion within their current company and industry, a move to a different company and/or industry and starting their own company, as well as complete change of career and a significant geographical move. The MSc Strategic FinTech enables all these transitions and equips graduates to pursue a variety of leadership careers in the FinTech sector.
Through individual classes, students will have the option to develop and demonstrate their skills with their current employer or potential employers through the work-based learning assessment option. The flipped approach and long and thin "future of FinTech" module will also create multiple engagement opportunities for students' professional network development. And the capstone experience will enable students to demonstrate consultancy skills or create new employment options for themselves through business start-up.
Careers service
Strathclyde has a dedicated Careers Service that enables students and graduates from diverse backgrounds to develop the personal skills, aptitudes and experience required to make appropriate career decisions throughout their lives. The Careers Service provides a quality, comprehensive careers education, information, guidance and job search consultancy for students, appropriate to their needs during their course and after graduation.
Contact us
Elvin Joseph
Director - Business Development (GCC)
Telephone: +973 1781 6338
Email: elvin.joseph@strath.ac.uk
Apply
For information and guidance on the application process, take a look at our How to Apply web page.
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