Study-Unit Description

Study-Unit Description


CODE BKF1243

 
TITLE Foundations of Banking, Finance and Investments

 
UM LEVEL 01 - Year 1 in Modular Undergraduate Course

 
MQF LEVEL 5

 
ECTS CREDITS 4

 
DEPARTMENT Banking, Finance and Investments

 
DESCRIPTION This study-unit is an introductory study-unit that will offer a taster to students choosing the Banking & Finance major into what are the areas covered by this major. This is equivalent to a foundation course providing students with the first principles and major basic concepts that will enable them to understand the rest of the study-units covered in all the BCom course in Banking & Finance.

This study-unit will provide an introduction to all the major areas studied in Banking & Finance, i.e. Banking, Investments, Compliance, Finance Theory, Prevention of Money Laundering, Crypto currencies, Funds, Hedge-Funds, Investment banking, Trading Strategies, Financial Derivatives, International Finance, Corporate Finance, Prevention of Financial Fraud, Financial Regulation, and Analysis of Financial Data.

Study-Unit Aims:

anking, investments and finance providing a good blend of theory and practice. It is structured over fourteen lectures of two hours each, which will be held during the second semester of year 1 of every academic year, i.e. immediately when the students start their major in Banking & Finance. By offering this credit, the Banking and Finance Department of the University of Malta is confident that its graduates will be well equipped to learn the fundamental principles in Banking & Finance and understand better the rest of the study-units offered in this major.

This study-unit is unique as it is designed for students who would like to pursue a career in financial services. This study-unit provides detailed knowledge together with practical skills in order that students are able to undertake their studies in Banking & Finance more efficiently and effectively and to be job ready for part-time work once they embark on their profession. By drawing upon international best practice, it helps prepare individuals to adapt to the external environment

Learning Outcomes:

1. Knowledge & Understanding:

By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:

- Identify the major areas of study falling under the Banking & Finance major;
- Describe the basic functions of banks, investment firms, stockbrokers and main regulatory agencies regulating the financial sector;
- Describe the basic rules and regulations regarding financial services;
- List the main financial markets and main type of financial instruments and describe how these are traded;
- Understand and list basic terminology related to the financial sector;
- List and understand founding theories regulating the financial sector I.

2. Skills:

By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:

- Search and identify financial data using the internet and specialised websites/financial databases (available on UOM campus);
- Read and understand financial press, financial reports and financial data;
- Interpret basic financial information, such as share prices, analyst reports, stock market reports;
- Interpret and implement basic rules and regulations regarding the financial sector;
- Identify and reproduce basic trading strategies.

Main Text/s and any supplementary readings:

Basic Finance: An Introduction to Financial Institutions, Investments, and Management 11th Edition by Herbert B. Mayo (Author) (available at UOM library).

-An Introduction to Global Financial Markets 8th Edition by Stephen Valdez (Author), Philip Molyneux (Author) (available at UOM library).

-Introduction to Finance: Markets, Investments, and Financial Management 17th Edition by Ronald W. Melicher (Author), Edgar A. Norton (Author).

-Additional papers and material will be provided by respective lecturers.

 
STUDY-UNIT TYPE Lecture

 
METHOD OF ASSESSMENT
Assessment Component/s Assessment Due Sept. Asst Session Weighting
Assignment SEM2 Yes 20%
Examination (2 Hours) SEM2 Yes 80%

 
LECTURER/S Robert M. Suban

 

 
The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints.
Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice.
It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2023/4. It may be subject to change in subsequent years.

https://www.um.edu.mt/course/studyunit