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International Finance and Business BA (Hons) module details

Core modules

Business Finance

By undertaking this module, students are introduced to the main principles of corporate financial decision-making. Analytically, using normative economic theory as the basic philosophical foundation, students are exposed to the three essential parts of business finance, namely:

  • Financing decisions and their impact on a company's capital structure and methods to optimise the company's gearing levels in terms of the overall cost of capital
  • Corporate investment decisions and the fundamental tools for their analysis
  • The selection of a suitable dividend policy including the underlying theoretical viewponts on the selection and impact of such policies to both shareholders and the firm

Assessment: unseen exam 100%

Contemporary Business Issues

This module is designed to critically evaluate how current issues in both Economics and Politics affect business management and performance. There is a strong initial emphasis upon analysing the causes of major world events and examining the various scenarios that these events confront business managers with. The topics covered would include:

  • The economic effects of commodity/stock markets
  • The Growth and Decline of Economies and the Cyclical Nature of Recession
  • Financial Institutions: The Influence of the Banking Sector on the Economy
  • The Role of Government in Business, e.g. Regulations, Monetary and Fiscal Policies
  • The Fate of the Euro and the European Debt Crisis
  • The advantages and disadvantages of European Union membership

Assessment: presentation 40%, essay 2,000 words 60%

Optional modules

International Accounting and Finance Issues

The module introduces international accounting and international finance to a non-expert audience (there are no prerequisites). The topics this module would touch upon includes the following:

  • It will look at and compare different approaches to developing accounting rules and regulations on the international stage.
  • It will look at current issues such as convergence/harmonisation of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and the problems associated with implementation.
  • It will look at control of global operations and performance evaluation in the context of globalisation.
  • It will look at the role of international financial institutions such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, as well as the impact of globalisation on finance

Assessment: essay 1,800 words 50%, exam 50%

Perspectives on Creative Leadership

This course introduces students to concepts and skills related to leadership. Theory related content combined with experimental teaching methods provides students with an opportunity to increase their understanding of leadership theory, examine how attitudes about themselves and others influence leadership behaviour, and stimulates the development of new skills through demonstration and practice. The focus of the course is on "leadership" the verb rather than "leadership" the noun.

Assessment: theoretical essay 2,000 words 50%, reflective essay 2,000 words 50%

Economics of Financial Markets and the Central Bank

The module specialises in monetary economics,  monetary policy implementation and the central bank systems. The module is designed to provide students with an understanding of the central banks' monetary policy strategy's functioning and the functioning of financial institutions and financial markets from a central bank's perspective. The module will help further understand the linkages between the financial or monetary sector and the real economy, interest rates, inflation.

Assessment: essay 45%, exam 50%, engagement and participation assignments 5%

Liquidity and Financial Risk Management

This module introduces students to the key concepts of liquidity and financial risk management and all the principal methods that assist companies in eliminating such risks. The topics covered would be: Principles of Treasury Management, Liquidity Management, Short-term Financing, Cash Forecasting and Planning, Risk Management, Risks from Exchange Rate Fluctuations, Risks from Interest Rate Movements and Financial Derivative Instruments.

Assessment: simulated assessment centre 45%, unseen exam 70%

Creative Management and Marketing

This module aims to introduce students to 'new ways of seeing' their external and internal business environments through creative perspectives. It uses experiential learning such as cross - cultural negotiations, to encourage students to apply contemporary concepts of managing relationships in global industry networks.

The module uses both creative management and creative marketing philosophies to illuminate the processes behind groundbreaking innovations that transform industries. It also examines new approaches to customer relationship management from a network perspective, such as the growing reliance by organisations on crowdsourcing.

Assessment: report 50%, essay 50%

Managing Change and Innovation

This module looks into how businesses manage change and innovation that is essential for its growth, survival and success. This module offers an integrative view of managing innovation, comprising a variety of perspectives, to provide students with a robust understanding of the innovation process and equip students with the knowledge and skills crucial to increasing their probability of successfully managing innovation in the workplace.

Assessment: essay 50%, exam 50%

Note: All modules are indicative and based on the current academic session. Course information is correct at the time of publication and is subject to review. Exact modules may, therefore, vary for your intake in order to keep content current. If there are changes to your course we will, where reasonable, take steps to inform you as appropriate.