Finance and Investment - BSc (Hons)

You will use a number of analysis techniques for challenging traded prices, in order to assess whether investments are appropriately priced. You’ll learn to critically appraise the usefulness of corporate financial statements in light of accounting and investment research. 

Corporate Finance is a rigorous and comprehensive module that is designed to broaden your understanding of the main issues in modern corporate finance.  Corporate Finance is concerned with how businesses raise funds and invest those funds to provide a return to investors. This module aims to equip you with the skills and knowledge required by a   financial manager to make appropriate investment and financing decisions for a business in a global environment. 

Identify, classify and evaluate risk in corporate organisations, while demonstrating an understanding for managing risks associated with cash flows and capital investment decisions. Assessment is delivered via an examination.

You will conduct a 1,500-word report (with accompanying Excel spreadsheets) as you employ knowledge of capital budgeting, cost of capital and other financial concepts. You’ll also demonstrate the use of formulas, function and commands in Excel.

This module will develop your skills in both the preparation of financial statements for single and group companies (in accordance with the IASBs Conceptual Framework for Financial Reporting and relevant International Financial Reporting Standards) and the analysis and understanding of such financial statements.  This module will also help develop your skills in ratio analysis and interpretation.   

The financial crisis of 2008 exposed the failings of the conventional financial system and an alternate was sort. Islamic Finance is a type of financing activities that must comply with Islamic law (Sharia). The concept can also refer to the investments that are permissible under Islamic Law.  The establishment of formal Islamic finance occurred only in the 20th century and the Islamic Finance sector grows at 15% - 25% per year, while Islamic financial institutions oversee over $2trillion. 

In this module, you will study the financial management of entrepreneurial firms (small and medium sized) and venture firms. You will first consider different sources of financing for entrepreneurial firms including bank loans, government funding, angels, venture capital, peer-to-peer financing, on-line banking, and various types of private equity as well as the process of obtaining these sources. It will also include innovative ways of raising funds such as crowdfunding. 

This module will introduce aspects of UK taxation to develop knowledge relating to the tax system applicable to individuals and companies. The module will enable you to develop skills relating to the general principles of taxation, the UK tax framework and regulatory environment. The module will introduce the computational aspects of income tax, national insurance contributions, capital gains tax, inheritance tax in respect of individuals and introduce corporation tax and value added tax for businesses.

This module introduces you to personal investments and wealth management of individuals. You will learn about the wealth management process and be able to develop investment policy statements for individuals given their unique goals, constraints and circumstances. In addition, you will develop a thorough understanding of the different global tax regimes. You will also develop analytical skills in estate planning and risk management of personal investments.   

Macroeconomics is a study of different views on how the economy operates at the national and international level. It analyses how actions of different groups of economic agents (including consumers, firms, workers, governments, and the financial system) interact with each other to shape economic processes and outcomes at the aggregate level. This module offers sound knowledge and understanding of macroeconomic theories, debates, and practices at the intermediate level. It develops your skills to apply different macroeconomic concepts and theories to explain the functioning of the national economy, to analyse the potential effects of various economic events and policies on macroeconomic outcomes for the country as a whole and the different groups of agents in particular, and to analyse and understand trends in macroeconomic data. 

The aim of this module is to provide an understanding of how to apply economic evidence to analyse the opportunities and challenges of sustainable development. You will explore key features of the three pillars of sustainable development – the economy, the society, and the natural environment – and how they are related to each other, using a case study of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals. Based on economic theory and empirical evidence, you will analyse the experiences of development around the world, interpreting them in the context of different theoretical explanations put forward by economists and policy makers. The module equips you with the knowledge and tools required to understand, analyse, and critically discuss the possible pathways to achieving sustainable development, and what implications these different pathways carry for social equity and environmental justice. The module provides you with an in-depth understanding of the key concepts, literature, and debates in development economics to investigate the processes and outcomes of sustainable development.  

This module is designed to provide you with the opportunity to undertake a credit bearing, 40- week Professional Placement as an integral part of your Undergraduate Degree.    The purpose of the Professional Placement is to improve your employability skills which will, through the placement experience, allow you to evidence your professional skills, attitudes and behaviours at the point of entry to the postgraduate job market.  Furthermore, by completing the Professional Placement, you will be able to develop and enhance your understanding of the professional work environment, relevant to your chosen field of study, and reflect critically on your own professional skills development within the workplace. 

This module is designed to encourage you to contextualise current issues and debates in finance by placing them within the historical evolution of finance, and getting you to develop and express your ideas through in-class discussions/debates and coursework essays. This module aims to provide you with an understanding of current issues in finance over time, recent major events, and evolving developments that will shape the future.

You will compare the features of different types of derivative contracts, including forwards, futures, options and swaps. You’ll also assess the functioning of the markets for the different types of derivative contracts, and evaluate the price and value of different types of financial derivatives. Assessment is based on a 3,000-word report.

You will critically appraise the basis of risk/return characteristics of bonds, as well as evaluating the characteristics, risks and behaviour of equities. You will be assessed through an examination.

This module will see you estimate the risk and return of investment in different asset classes for an investment portfolio and utilises the ‘CITY Trading Room’ facility and software. You’ll also assess portfolio performance by measuring investment performance and attribution analysis. Assessment is delivered as a report.

This module will introduce you to the financial system including the banking system, financial markets and institutions. In addition to exploring the characteristics and functions of financial system, you will be provided with analytic framework that uses economic principles to develop systematic understanding about the determinants of interest rate, the role of monetary policy and bank risk management. 

A rise in importance and complexity of international financial management poses a challenge for multinational organizations and those wish to pursue a career in the sector.  This module will provide you an intuitive and real world grasp of the concepts and issues in international finance which includes foreign exchange rate movements, managing exchange rate risks and foreign investment issues faced by of modern companies. A wealth of examples and cases are provided to enable you to see the implications of the subject to business, mostly from a multinational corporation’s perspective. You will be encouraged and supported to undertake case studies and investigate contemporary issues relating to international finance. 

Financial technology (Fintech) integrate technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain and data science into traditional financial services to make them safer, faster and more efficient. It is one of the fastest-growing industries, with companies innovating in almost every area of finance from mobile banking and insurance to cryptocurrency and investment apps, Fintech has broad applications.

This module is adhering to the CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) professional qualification’s requirements on the subject of Alternative Investment. It is designed for the student who wishes to learn widely used alternative investments including hedge funds, private equity, real estate, commodities, infrastructure investment and financial derivatives. The course is introductory in nature and will include in-class case studies. This module can be used as an independent module which will not be built upon modules that are covered in previous semesters but link to other investment-related modules such as portfolio management and financial derivatives.

The aim of this module is to provide insight into the methodological foundations of business research, which will enable you to conduct a substantial piece of disciplinary research. 

The aim of this module is to provide a framework for you to undertake a significant piece of disciplinary-relevant accounting, business or management research. It is founded upon Birmingham City Business School’s teaching and learning philosophy which integrates theory and practice, in this case research practice. A Business Research Project presents a short academic piece of work based, delivered in a “letters” journal article format, which is relevant to your degree programme.