Banking and International Finance

The first year is common across all three of our finance courses, with students from the various disciplines studying together. This provides our students with a strong foundation to financial markets, banking, economics and quantitative methods. You will also gain an understanding of the tools used in applied investment analysis and enhance your mathematical, statistical and computing skills.

In Year 1 Students will take 8 core modules giving a total credit value of 120 credits.

Core modules:

• Banking and financial institutions

  This module looks at key functions of banking firm.  The emphasis is on what differentiates banks from other financial institutions, as well as the information problems inherent in the banking industry.  Participants will understand why financial intermediaries exist and their role/impact on the global economy.

• Business skills

  This module covers communication skills, cognitive skills, IT skills, and social skills. The module aims to provide with an underpinning and understanding of a portfolio of key skills required in the business world to assist participants in their academic study and prepare them for their ensuing professional career.

• Finance and investment

  This module is an introductory course providing participants with a basic understanding of the financial analysis role in decision-making.  More specifically, this module provides a basic level of the core principles of corporate finance, financial markets and investments.

• Introductory financial accounting

  This module focuses on the interpretation and use of financial accounting information as part of the effective operation of a business.  Moreover it looks at the principles that underlie financial accounting, the application of these principles in recording transactions and the preparation of financial statements.

• Macroeconomics

  This module looks at the macro aspects of economics such as market growth/cycles, measurement of aggregate activity, basic demand side models of GDP determination, aggregate demand/supply, money in the economy, the transmission mechanism of monetary policy, fiscal policy and the public sector, balance of payments, FOREX and international trade.

• Mathematics for Finance

  This module provides an introduction to the basic mathematical techniques used in finance to aid decision making, with illustrations to the relevant problems in finance.  It gives you the mathematical foundations that are necessary in your second year Finance and Financial Econometrics courses.

• Microeconomics

  This module looks at the micro aspects of economics such as resource allocation, demand-supply and price, consumer demand, production and costs, oligopoly versus monopoly, as well as the roots of market failure/success.

• Statistics for finance

  This module provides an underpinning and understanding of the basic statistical techniques used in finance to aid decision making. It delivers the statistical foundations necessary for the more advanced finance modules.

The first half of your second year continues to be consistent across all three finance courses. As the year progresses there is an increased focus on developing theoretical knowledge of banking and financial management, finance and economics. You will also study econometrics, which forms the basis of modelling and testing in banking and finance.

Hence, you will gain a good understanding of the relationship between financial theory and empirical testing, and application of this knowledge to the appraisal of the empirical evidence in corporate finance and capital markets. You can choose an additional two elective modules to suit your own interests and aspirations from a wide selection.

In Year 2 Students will take a total of 6 core modules and choose 2 elective modules giving a total credit value of 120 credits.

* At least 30 credits (two modules) attained in years 2 and 3 together must come from electives that are specifically relevant to the BSc in Investment and Financial Risk Management. These modules are marked with an asterisk, and include the Final Year project.

Core modules:

• Bank risk management

  This module introduces the principal sources of financial risk faced by financial intermediaries and the main techniques used to monitor and measure these risks, with special focus on market risk, credit risk and liquidity risk.

• Corporate Finance and Valuation

  This module presents core corporate finance material, including topics such as company valuation and investment appraisal and examining questions including how should a firm set its dividend policy, from which sources should a company raise capital and how should companies decide on their acquisition strategy.

• Derivatives

  The module aims to build on the earlier Introduction to Finance module and applies finance theories and models to derivative securities with the aim of understanding the characteristics of derivatives, the use of derivatives, and their pricing.

• Financial econometrics

  This module aims to introduce participants to the fundamental econometric tools for empirical modelling, accustom them with applying these tools to estimation, statistical inference, and forecasting in financial markets; as well as to develop the necessary skills to critically interpret the results of such analysis.

• International banking

  This module aims to provide you with a theoretical and practical background of the current issues of international banking. In particular, the module covers the evolution, structure and strategic drivers of international banking; international banking markets; the kinds and functions of international banks; products and services of international banks; regulation and emerging trends.

• Intermediate financial accounting 1

  The course aims to develop a wider breadth of accounting knowledge and the ability to understand accounting information in the context of recognised accounting standards and prevailing legal requirements.

Elective modules:

• Asset management

• Company valuation *

• Introduction to business law

• Corporate risk management *

• Intermediate financial accounting 2 *

• Introduction to real estate investment

• Fundementals of management accounting

• Portfolio theory and investment valuation *

• Risk analysis and modelling

• Machine learning for finance

• Economics for business 2

Here, you will develop a knowledge of international finance and economics to an advanced level. You will also select six electives which will extend your knowledge of finance and the applications of mathematical models, enhance understanding of the role of banks in financial markets, or allow you to focus on areas including investment or accounting. As a result, you will be able to demonstrate a good knowledge of the major theoretical tools and theories of finance, and their relevance and application to theoretical and practical problems, their assumptions and weaknesses, and ability to propose alternatives.

In year 3 Students are required to take 3 core modules and 5 elective modules (totaling 120 credits). Students with an average grade of less than 65 must do the Final Year Applied research project alongside two core and five elective modules. Students with an average grade of move than 65 may opt instead to take the Final Year Project alongside two core and four elective modules.

* At least 30 credits (two modules) attained in years 2 and 3 together must come from electives that are specifically relevant to the BSc in Investment and Financial Risk Management. These modules are marked with an asterisk, and include the Final Year project.

Core modules:

• International finance

  This module provides an understanding and appreciation of the complexities of the foreign exchange markets, by highlighting the difficulties of exchange rate modelling and of the limitations of our current knowledge of the subject.

• Monetary economics

  This course provides a thorough understanding of the role of money in the macro-economy, through a number of economic models, with an emphasis on the role of monetary policy in controlling inflation and output is crucial. There will also be discussion of the international monetary system and choices relating to the international financial architecture.

Elective modules:

• Final year project *

• Banking regulation *

• Financial services regulation *

• Fixed income portfolio management *

• Advanced financial accounting: Theory and practice

• Asset liability management

• Mergers and acquisitions

• Bank strategy and management *

• Corporate Restructuring

• Corporate social responsibility

• Emerging markets

• Financial Engineering

• Real estate finance and funding

• Business forecasting

• General insurance

• Strategy for business