IUK | Department of Finance and Fintech

Department of Finance and Fintech

About Department

Finance and Financial Technology is an emerging field providing the opportunity to develop a cutting edge and industry-relevant qualification that is fully aligned to Kuwait's commitment to be an international financial and economic hub. This program is unique in Kuwait and the GCC region and comes at an excellent timing as Kuwait, and other countries are promoting FinTech hubs and using the 'sandboxing' model, which is a closed testing environment where software innovation is tested before being fully deployed in the market. The program will fill a major skill and competency gap for Kuwaiti nationals who are attracted to careers as entrepreneurs or ecosystem enablers . Today, FinTech takes many forms, from smart contracts to smart payments and lending apps. It exists in a data-dense ecosystem that presents a range of information challenges. The proposed program will expose our students to cutting-edge models and methods of Data Science that will enable them to use data to predict, manage, and influence customers' behaviors in the world of FinTech and finance.


Department Mission

The mission of the Finance and FinTech program is to provide an innovative educational environment to equip our students with knowledge, tools and skills demanded by the industry and prepare them to play key roles in the information industry.

Faculty Members

Department Programs

B.BA. Finance and Fintech

  • Program's Mission and Objectives

The mission of the Finance and FinTech program is to provide an innovative educational environment to prepare our students to be key players in the information industry and well-equipped with tools, knowledge, and skills that are needed in the industry.

The Program aims to prepare graduates to meet the challenges of the contemporary labor market and prepare them to be future leaders in the sector, focusing on achieving the following objectives:

  • To provide modern curricula in the specialization of finance and FinTech in an effective educational framework.
  • To provide bachelor's students in finance and FinTech with the necessary knowledge regarding financial institutions and the challenges they face and address them.
  • To provide bachelor's students in finance and FinTech with the necessary skills for the requirements of the workforce, as well as decision-making skills.
  • To strengthen students' abilities and connect them to the labor market through practical applications and relevant professional certificates.
  • To provide a high-quality learning environment and invest in educational technology.

 

  • Program Educational Objectives

The Finance and FinTech Degree provides students with a solid foundation that will enable them to effectively perform key tasks and roles in the Finance and Fintech industry. The primary program educational objective is to provide the Finance and FinTech industry with proficient and well-rounded individuals who will demonstrate they are:

  • Knowledgeable and skillful
  • Entrepreneurial
  • Innovative and creative thinkers
  • Effective collaborators
  • Responsible citizens

Within 5 to 7 years of graduation, the students from the Finance and FinTech Degree program will be able to:

  1. Demonstrate expertise in dealing with contemporary Finance and FinTech operations, systems, and issues
  2. Function effectively with colleagues, industry professionals, and government entities to creatively, ethically, and competently influence the Finance and FinTech landscape.
  3. Recommend strategic solutions to Finance and FinTech concerns and act as a member of the leadership team to implement these solutions.
  4. Choose to engage with continuous professional development and lifelong learning to remain current both in the Finance and FinTech field as well as in the business and social environment.
  5. Function as a mid-level manager in the Banking industry or as an entrepreneur contributing to the development of strategies and policies.
  6. Rule on FinTech and ethical matters in consultation with the national regulatory bodies.
  • Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)

Immediately upon Graduation, Graduates will be able to:

  1. Contrast the functions, roles, and products of Finance and financial intermediaries, both within Kuwait and internationally.
  2. Analyze the value of high-yielding functions, products, and services along the delivery value chain of performance and profitability.
  3. Demonstrate fluency in Data Science programs/models and be able to recommend technological solutions to such problems as imperfect or asymmetric data.
  4. Interpret data to predict manage, and influence the behaviors of customers, and to identify trends and opportunities in financial services.
  5. Interpret the rights, duties and compliance requirements of financial intermediaries and their customers, and apply ethical principles in unregulated areas.
  6. Model high levels of customer service, communication, etiquette, initiative, and creativity.
  • Graduation Requirements: B.BA. Finance & Fintech

Students must complete 126 credits of courses to obtain the Bachelor of Business Administration (B.BA.) in Finance and FinTech. These requirements are explained in the previous sections and summarized as follows:

  1. University Core Courses (General Education)             42 credit hours
  2. College of Business Administration requirements            36 credit hours
  3. Major Requirements (compulsory + elective) 42 credit hours
    • Compulsory courses: 24 credits
    • Major elective courses: 18 credits
  4. D. Practical Component 6 credit hours

Course code Course Title Credit Hours PRE-requisite CO-requisite
FINT 240 Financial Institutions 3 FINT 232  
FINT 300 Strategic Financial Decision Making 3 FINT 232  
FINT 310 Principles of Corporate Finance 3 FINT 240  
FINT 320 Islamic banking and finance 3 FINT 240  
FINT 350 Financial Risk Management 3 FINT 300  
FINT 360 FinTech in Retail Payment Systems 3 FINT 232  
FINT 430 Financial Innovation: Markets and Technologies 3 Senior standing  
FINT 450 Financing Innovations 3 FINT 310  
TOTAL 24    
Course code Course Title Credit Hours PRE-requisite CO-requisite
FINT 365 Computers Application for Finance 3 INFS 290  
FINT 370 Credit Rating 3 FINT 310  
FINT 380 Portfolio Management 3 FINT 310  
FINT 400 Innovations in Trade Finance 3 Senior standing  
FINT 410 Personal Finance &Wealth Planning 3 Senior standing  
FINT 480 Derivatives and Risk 3 FINT 380  
FINT 401 Islamic banking and finance II 3 FINT 320  
FINT 420 Investment Analysis 3 FINT 310,FINT 300  
FINT 450 Contemporary Topics in finance 3 Senior standing  
TOTAL 18