Bachelor of Banking and Finance
Department of Banking and Finance
Develops technically competent and ethically grounded finance professionals, integrating conventional and Islamic banking theory with supervised practice in banks and financial institutions and embedded quantitative, digital and regulatory competencies.
Degree Awarded
Bachelor of Banking and Finance
Duration
5 Years (10 Semesters)
Total Credit Hours
204 Credit Hours
Total Courses
72 Courses
Language of Instruction
English
Campus Location
Mogadishu, Somalia
Overview
Somalia's financial system was dismantled by more than two decades of conflict, and its reconstruction depends on a supply of finance professionals able to operate a modern, well-governed banking sector. Since the re-establishment of the Central Bank of Somalia and the licensing of commercial banks, the sector has grown faster than the supply of qualified personnel. The Bachelor of Banking and Finance provides a strong foundation in financial management, banking theory and quantitative methods, while building applied competence through progressive, hands-on banking practicals — combining conventional banking theory with Islamic finance because the Somali market is overwhelmingly Shari'ah-compliant in practice.
Background and Rationale
Banks, mobile money operators, microfinance institutions and Takaful providers report persistent difficulty recruiting staff with formal training in credit analysis, risk management, regulatory compliance and Shari'ah-compliant product design. At the same time, the sector is expanding rapidly: new commercial banks, mobile money platforms, and correspondent-banking arrangements all compete for the same small pool of trained banking staff. A dedicated strand examines Islamic financial systems and Usul al-Fiqh directly, and further courses examine electronic and digital banking, correspondent banking, and Takaful and insurance, drawing on Somali and regional case material — mobile money adoption, correspondent-banking access challenges, and remittance flows.
Vision & Mission
To be the leading centre in Somalia for banking and finance education, producing graduates who shape a sound, inclusive and Shari'ah-compliant financial system for the Horn of Africa.
The Bachelor of Banking and Finance programme develops technically competent and ethically grounded finance professionals for Somalia's rebuilding financial sector. It integrates conventional and Islamic banking theory with supervised practice in banks and financial institutions, embeds quantitative, digital and regulatory competencies throughout the curriculum, and conducts applied research that informs financial-sector policy and practice in Somalia and the wider region.
Objectives & Learning Outcomes
- 1Provide Rigorous Theoretical Grounding — provide a rigorous grounding in the theory, institutions and regulation of banking and financial markets.
- 2Develop Practical Banking Competence — develop practical competence in credit appraisal, risk management and core banking operations through supervised workplace practice.
- 3Establish Islamic Finance Fluency — establish fluency in both conventional and Islamic financial instruments and their Shari'ah basis.
- 4Build Quantitative Capability — build quantitative, econometric and financial-modelling capability sufficient for professional analysis and for postgraduate study.
- 5Instil Professional Ethics — instil professional ethics, regulatory compliance and social responsibility as habits of practice.
- 6Generate Applied Research — generate applied research that supports the development of Somalia's financial sector.
- 1Explain the structure, functions and regulation of conventional and Islamic banking systems and their role in economic development.
- 2Apply financial management, investment appraisal and credit-analysis techniques to evaluate financing and lending decisions under uncertainty.
- 3Analyse financial statements, market data and macroeconomic indicators using appropriate statistical and econometric methods.
- 4Evaluate credit, market, liquidity and operational risk, and recommend mitigation measures consistent with prudential regulation.
- 5Operate core banking, payment and financial-modelling systems to execute and reconcile standard front- and back-office transactions.
- 6Appraise the Shari'ah basis of Islamic financial contracts and assess products for compliance.
- 7Communicate financial analysis and recommendations clearly, in writing and orally, to specialist and non-specialist audiences.
- 8Demonstrate professional ethics, regulatory compliance and social responsibility in banking practice.
Programme Duration
- Total duration: five (5) academic years, comprising ten (10) semesters, each sixteen (16) teaching weeks in length.
- Programme phases: Foundation Year (Semesters I–II, 44 credit hours) followed by the Degree Phase (Semesters III–X, 160 credit hours). A student must pass all 44 Foundation Year credit hours before registering for any Semester V course.
- Course load: minimum full-time load of 15 credit hours; a normal load of 18–21 credit hours; a maximum of 22 credit hours in the Foundation Year or 21 credit hours in the Degree Phase.
- Academic load: 72 courses and 204 credit hours in total, distributed across the ten semesters as prescribed in the Study Plan.
- Credit-hour equivalence: one (1) credit hour equals sixteen (16) contact hours of instruction per semester, together with the independent study needed to meet the course's learning outcomes.
Admission & Graduation Requirements
Entry Criteria
- Somali Secondary School Certificate or a recognised equivalent, with a minimum aggregate of 60%.
- Satisfactory performance on the English and mathematics placement tests, sat by all admitted students before Semester I registration.
Required Documents
- Original secondary school certificate and one certified copy.
- Four passport-size photographs, white background.
- Letter of good conduct from the applicant's secondary school.
- Transfer applicants may apply for credit transfer of up to 50% of the Foundation Year, assessed course by course against SIU learning outcomes.
- Complete all 72 required courses, totalling 204 credit hours, across ten semesters.
- Achieve a minimum grade of D (50%) in every course.
- Achieve a cumulative CGPA of at least 2.00 on a 4.00 scale.
- Complete all prescribed Skills, Professional Practice and Internship requirements, with a satisfactory supervisor report for each.
- Successfully complete and defend Graduation Project I and II.
- Pass the comprehensive exit examination assessing programme-level mastery of knowledge, skills and professional values.
- Clear all financial and library obligations.
Career Opportunities
Banking Officer — in retail, commercial or Islamic banking operations.
Credit Analyst — appraising and managing loan and credit portfolios.
Risk and Compliance Officer — in commercial banks and regulatory bodies.
Investment and Portfolio Analyst — in banks, asset managers and financial institutions.
Digital Banking Specialist — in mobile money and financial-technology providers.
Takaful and Insurance Officer — in Islamic insurance and conventional insurance providers.
Regulatory Officer — with the Central Bank of Somalia and financial-sector regulators.
Entrepreneur — founding and managing a financial-services venture.
Delivery & Assessment
- Lectures for core concept delivery across all taught courses.
- Tutorials and problem classes for quantitative and technical courses.
- Seminars and discussion forums for theory, policy and ethics courses.
- Computer laboratory sessions for software, modelling and data-analysis courses.
- Case study analysis in applied and specialisation courses.
- Group projects and presentations, assessed within coursework.
- Industry visits, at least one per academic year.
- Practitioner-delivered sessions in specialisation courses.
- Supervised professional internships.
- Supervised research for the Graduation Project.
| Assessment Component | Weighting |
|---|---|
| Coursework (quizzes, assignments, reports, presentations, group projects, practical exercises) | 40% |
| Midterm Examination | 20% |
| Final Examination | 40% |
| Total | 100% |
Practical Training
The Bachelor of Banking and Finance programme places significant emphasis on hands-on, supervised practical training that complements classroom instruction throughout the five years of study.
- Progressive Banking Skills Strand — a dedicated Skills course runs in most semesters of the degree phase, progressing from customer-service and office skills through applied Excel and digital banking to employability preparation.
- Cash Office Practice — Internship I — supervised practice in cash-handling and reconciliation procedures in a bank or simulated bank setting.
- Bank Teller Skills — Internship II — supervised practice in live or simulated teller operations, applying transaction-processing and customer-service skills.
- Credit Appraisal Practice — Internship III — supervised practice in credit-analysis and loan-appraisal procedures in a bank or financial institution.
- Internship and Placement Programme — a further supervised professional placement applying banking and finance skills developed across the programme.
- Industry Visits — at least one organised industry or institutional visit per academic year.
- Graduation Project I and II — the capstone research project in Year 5 requires each student to design, conduct and defend an original piece of banking or finance research.
Faculty and Learning Facilities
- Classrooms — equipped with projection and presentation facilities.
- Computer Laboratory — specialised software for business, financial and statistical analysis, and digital-banking platform simulation, with high-speed connectivity.
- Library — a print collection in banking, finance and economics, with access to online databases and journals.
- Learning Management System — SIU Online and the student portal for materials, submission and communication.
- Academic Staff — qualified lecturers with relevant postgraduate qualifications, and practitioner lecturers for specialisation courses.
- Student Support — academic advising, careers guidance, and internship placement services.
- Community Engagement — facilities for workshops, seminars, employer events, and outreach.
Contact Information
Faculty of Business and Economics, Somali International University (SIU)