| Unit name | Financial Markets, Institutions and Instruments |
|---|---|
| Unit code | EFIM10029 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | C/4 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Dr. Pratobevera |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
N/A |
| School/department | School of Accounting and Finance - Business School |
| Faculty | Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
Why is this unit important?
This unit is an essential, must-pass foundation for any aspiring finance professional in the BSc Finance program. As your first encounter with finance, it lays the groundwork for everything that follows by introducing the key forces that drive financial systems and their role in the real economy. By exploring both the historical evolution and practical, institutional aspects of finance, this course gives you a unique, big-picture perspective that helps you understand not only how the financial sector operates but why it matters. Topics like financial intermediaries, market structures, and the relationship between finance and economic growth provide essential context for specialized studies in later units. This knowledge will be invaluable in helping you analyse real-world financial challenges and prepare for more advanced, focused studies, giving you a solid framework from which to build your expertise. Engaging and insightful, this unit is the cornerstone of a successful finance education.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study
As the first finance class in the BSc Finance program, this unit is designed to provide a comprehensive foundation for all subsequent studies. It introduces core competencies that are essential for understanding more specialized topics you will encounter in later years. The course integrates both institutional and historical perspectives, offering a contextual framework that supports and complements advanced units within the program. As a must-pass course, it ensures that every student in the finance program has a solid grounding in financial markets, intermediaries, and the overall financial system, setting the stage for a deeper dive into complex finance topics.
An overview of content
This unit introduces both theoretical and applied finance. You will explore key financial institutions like banks and mutual funds, and how different financial systems function. You'll study equity and bond markets, along with the impact of information asymmetries, transaction costs, and regulation. The unit also covers financial history, including events like the 2007-09 Financial Crisis, and the role of finance in economic growth. This provides a broad foundation for more specialized finance topics in later units.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit
By the end of this unit, you will have a strong understanding of how the financial system works, including how institutions interact and how historical events shape modern markets. You will develop critical thinking and analytical skills, enabling you to evaluate financial issues and apply your knowledge to real-world scenarios. This will prepare you for more advanced finance topics and help you think strategically in your career.
Learning Outcomes
Upon completing this unit, you will be able to:
Teaching will be delivered through a combination of synchronous and asynchronous activities including lectures, tutorials, readings, multiple-choice quizzes, and other online learning opportunities.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
100% 2.5-hour written exam. It covers all learning outcomes.
When assessment does not go to plan
Students that are required to take a reassessment, will be assessed with another 2.5-hour written exam with similar structure.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. EFIM10029).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The assessment methods listed in this unit specification are designed to enable students to demonstrate the named learning outcomes (LOs). Where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, schools will make reasonable adjustments to support a student to demonstrate the LO by an alternative method or with additional resources.
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
