Banking and International Finance, BSc (Hons)

Course summary

The BSc (Hons) Banking and International Finance degree is delivered by Bayes Business School (formerly Cass), one of Europe’s leading business schools. Part of City, University of London, Bayes is ranked amongst the top 6 business schools in the UK*.On this highly flexible course, you’ll focus on the global banking industry. You’ll benefit from academic rigour and a strong emphasis on practical, vocation learning in an international context.As a vocational course, it is tailor-made for your ambition to go straight into a job in banking after you graduate. Whether your interest is domestic or international, this well-balanced course has been designed to propel you to the top of the industry. We offer a wide variety of specialisations: central banking, managerial finance, commercial and retail banking, financial analysis, operations, or strategy.The degree benefits from world-class faculty at Bayes who conduct research into topics including financial intermediation and international finance. The same faculty members also actively consult for global banks and regulators around the world. These are the lecturers who will be teaching you so you will benefit from their first-hand knowledge and business experience.Upon completion of the degree, you will be able to understand the different business models of financial institutions, including global banks, new challengers and fintech companies. You will also appreciate the risks to which these institutions are exposed, how to evaluate and manage them and the main regulations with which they must comply. This knowledge places students in an excellent position to pursue a career in banking or in a consulting firm working with financial institutions.All Bayes undergraduate students will also choose from a range of professional experience modules so that when you graduate you are equipped with the knowledge and experience to make you an attractive candidate to employers. You will also take a career-focused module suitable for your chosen course to help you prepare for entering the job market.A key part of this degree is the opportunity to gain professional work experience or a period of study abroad. Students are eligible to apply for a one-year paid work placement which takes places during the third year of a four-year sandwich degree course. Students enjoy a wide range of opportunities in business areas such as corporate finance, operations, sales and trading, prime brokerage and hedge funds.Students can also apply to spend a term (or one year) studying abroad at a range of prestigious partner universities including the University of Virginia and Bocconi University, Italy. Studying abroad enables students to expand their international network of contacts, to develop a wider perspective in the world of global finance and to enhance their career prospects.The BSc (Hons) Banking and International Finance degree is taught alongside the BSc (Hons) Finance and BSc (Hons) Investment and Financial Risk Management. Students can switch between degrees at any time during the first one-and-a-half years of the course (subject to availability of places).*Financial Times European Business School Ranking 2022

Modules

The first year provides students with a strong foundation in all of the core areas of finance. Within these modules there is afocus on developing an understanding of relevant tools and then applying them to solving practical problems encountered bythose working in the finance industry.Year oneCore modules:

• Banking and financial institutions

• Business skills

• Finance and investment

• Introductory financial accounting

• Macroeconomics

• Mathematics for finance

• Microeconomics

• Statistics for finance.

In year 2 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.Core modules:

• Bank risk management

• Corporate finance and valuation

• Derivatives

• Financial econometrics

• International banking

• Intermediate financial accounting 1.

Year 2 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

In your final year you will develop a knowledge of international finance and economics to an advanced level. 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.Core modules:

• International finance

• Monetary economics

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

Modules are subject to change.

Assessment method

You will be assessed using a variety of methods, depending on module choices including:

• Coursework

• Unseen written examinations, taking place at the end of each term (or at the end of a year, if a module is taught over two terms)

• Class tests

• Online quizzes and tests, using the Virtual Learning Environment

• Presentation

• Group projects, individual projects.

Percentage of the course assessed by courseworkThe balance of assessment by examination, practical examination and assessment by coursework will to some extent depend on the optional modules you choose. The approximate percentage of the course assessment, is as follows:Year 170% written, 30% courseworkYear 270% written, 30% courseworkYear 361% written, 39% coursework.

Professional bodies

Professionally accredited courses provide industry-wide recognition of the quality of your qualification.

• Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales
• Public Finance and Accountancy, Chartered Institute of
• Chartered Insurance Institute
• Chartered Institute of Management Accountants
• Association of Chartered Certified Accountants

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The first year provides students with a strong foundation in all of the core areas of finance. Within these modules there is a focus on developing an understanding of relevant tools and then applying them to solving practical problems encountered by those working in the finance industry. Year one Core modules:

• Banking and financial institutions

• Business skills

• Finance and investment

• Introductory financial accounting

• Macroeconomics

• Mathematics for finance

• Microeconomics

• Statistics for finance.

In year 2 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. Core modules:

• Bank risk management

• Corporate finance and valuation

• Derivatives

• Financial econometrics

• International banking

• Intermediate financial accounting 1.

Year 2 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

In your final year you will develop a knowledge of international finance and economics to an advanced level. 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. Core modules:

• International finance

• Monetary economics

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

Modules are subject to change.