Finance with Banking BSc (Hons)

The module will equip students with a basic grasp of the underlying principles and concepts of personal and corporate finance, capital markets and risk management.

Key indicative topics covered are:

1. Introduction to Finance
2. Time Value of Money (TVM)
3. Financial Statements and Analysis
4. Basics of Investment
5. Corporate Finance Fundamentals
6. Financial Markets and Institutions
7. Personal Finance
8. Introduction to Risk Management
9. Behavioural Finance (Optional but Emerging)
10. Global Finance and Economic Concepts

The aim of this module is to provide the appropriate foundation in economic theory to enable accounting & finance students to understand the environment within which business functions. Its focus is on the economic decision-making by individuals and businesses. Students are also taught to consider the impact of government policies and actions on businesses and to look beyond national policies to the influence of wider economic and political groupings of states. These aims are summarised below:-

1. To enable students to acquire an understanding of the conceptual underpinning of business economics.
2. To identify and apply economic concepts and methods to the exploration of business issues.
3. To develop and undertake business economic analysis, incorporating macroeconomic issues.

By the end of studying this module, students should be able to achieve the following learning outcomes:-

1. To identify and understand key micro-economic concepts and methods used in business.
2. To evaluate the factors determining the successful operation of a market economy and economic decision-making by companies and individuals.
3. To understand key concepts of macro-economic theory.
4. To understand and evaluate global economic policies and business activities.

Indictive Contents are:

• Market system & competitive process - demand & supply / price elasticity / pricing / government intervention / market structures / perfect competition / monopoly.• Economic profit and accounting profit/ agency theory.
• Consumer behaviour/output and costs.
• Macroeconomic concepts - national income circular flow of model / trade cycle / public finance / government policy / balance of payments / exchange rate policies / globalisation and economic development/Trade organisations.

This module is part-accredited by CIMA. It will equips students with essential skills to analyse, interpret, and present data effectively in professional settings. It focuses on developing numerical literacy, critical thinking, and problem-solving abilities, enabling students to address workplace challenges with evidence-based decisions in organisations. 

Core areas of interest covered include basic statistical analysis, investment decisions, financial reasoning, application of numerical tools, data presentation and interpretation, personal management scheduling, professional writing development plans, career awareness and action planning in real-world scenarios.

The module also emphasizes effective communication using essays, reports and quantitative information and fosters ethical considerations in professional environment. By bridging theoretical knowledge and practical applications, it prepares students for informed, data-driven contributions in diverse business and organizational contexts.

This module seeks to equip students with the underlying principles and concepts of finance and accounting. It also develops students' understanding of the methods of financial reporting and performance analysis used in business. Furthermore, it introduces students to the process of using financial information to assist in managerial decision making within the business environment.

By the end of studying this module, students should be able to achieve the following learning outcomes:-

1. Examine financial information to assess business performance,
2. Understand and apply accounting and financial information to assist managerial decision making.
3. Evaluate and apply accounting and financial concepts to business reporting.
4. Deploy accounting and financial knowledge and related numerical calculations to "real world" business issues.

Indictive contents are as follows:-

• Preparation of simple financial statements-Income statements, Balance Sheets and Cash Flow statements.
• Financial Adjustments-depreciation, accruals and prepayments.
• Accounting conventions including rules and standards.
• Analysis and interpretation of financial statements-profitability, liquidity, working capital, capital gearing and investment ratios.
• Budgets-cash v profit, budgetary planning & control.
• Product costing-including absorption costing and activity based costing.
• Decision making analysis including cost-volume profit analysis, breakeven analysis and contribution costing.
• Investment appraisal-including payback (PB), accounting rate of return (ARR),net present value (NPV) and internal rate of return (IRR).

The module explores a number of key themes to introduce students to the concepts of people management and organisations and supports students to develop core skills for managing people and working in teams.  

• The development of management and organisations as subjects - changing theories of management and leadership perspectives.
• People in organisations – indicative content: motivation, culture, personality, identity, how people work in groups and effective teamworking, learning in an organisational context.
• Managing people in organisations - indicative content: organisation and job design, talent management, goal setting, communication, perception and the psychological contract, job satisfaction, stress.
• Skills for managing people in teams and organisations - indicative content: team formation, team working and leading, managing performance, giving feedback, managing conflict.

Chinese: Intermediate Language Development (20 Credits) Option

This module is designed for students who have completed GCSE in Chinese or equivalent. You will further develop your grammar, vocabulary and learning conventions for spelling and pronunciation. You will work with written and recorded texts on a range of cultural, personal and social topics and will develop oral and written communication skills at an intermediate level.

French: Communication in Practice (20 Credits) Option

This module is designed for students that have completed A-Level or equivalent in French. You will further develop your grammar, vocabulary and expression and apply these to real world situations. You will work with written and recorded texts on a range of cultural, personal and social topics and will develop your oral and written communication skills at Post-A level.

French: Intermediate Language Development (20 Credits) Option

This module is designed for students who have completed GCSE or equivalent in French. You will further develop your grammar, vocabulary and learning conventions for spelling and pronunciation. You will work with written and recorded texts on a range of cultural, personal and social topics and will develop oral and written communication skills at an intermediate level.

German: Communication in Practice (20 Credits) Option

This module enables students with A-Level German or equivalent to further develop their grammar, vocabulary and expression and apply these to real world situations. You will work with written and recorded texts on a range of cultural, personal and social topics and will develop your oral and written communication skills at Post-A level.

Spanish: Communication in Practice (20 Credits) Option

This module is designed for students that have completed a A-Level or equivalent in Spanish. You will further develop your grammar, vocabulary and expression and apply these to real world situations. You will work with written and recorded texts on a range of cultural, personal and social topics and will develop oral and written communication skills at Post-A level.

Spanish: Intermediate Language Development (20 Credits) Option

This module is designed for students that have completed GCSE or equivalent in Spanish. You will further develop your grammar, vocabulary and learning conventions for spelling and pronunciation. You will work with written and recorded texts on a range of cultural, personal and social topics and will develop oral and written communication skills at an intermediate level.

Subsidiary Language for Beginners (20 Credits) Option

This module provides the opportunity to study a new language from scratch and introduces you to basic grammar, vocabulary and cultural contexts. You will apply the language to practical situations using both oral and written skills. 

This module seeks to: 

1. Provide students with an analytical framework for understanding complex global financial markets
2. Explore the key drivers of financial market activity (in debt, equity and FX markets)
3. Analyse available risk management strategies for market participants.  
4. Understand the role of central banks and other market regulators. 

It will cover topics such as, but not limited to:

1. The importance of financial markets in the economy through the efficient allocation of capital 
2. Financial intermediation and the evaluation of key driving factors shaping the financial markets
3. Critical evaluation of risk management strategies (liquidity, interest rate and credit risk) within financial institutions and the effect these have on profitability
4. Monetary policy, and the links to economics and financial markets. 
5. Regulation of financial markets and institutions and management of financial crises.

This module will enable students to develop the knowledge and skills expected of a financial manager, relating to issues affecting investment, financing and dividend policy decisions. Core areas of the syllabus include:

• Financial management function
• Financial management environment
• Working capital management
• Investment appraisal
• Business finance
• Cost of capital
• Business valuations

This module seeks to develop knowledge and understanding of the banking sector in the UK by guiding students through the history of banking, banking technology evolution, key services and products banks offer, and the key functions of the bank that would support the delivery of these services. It seeks to provide the foundations as to how banks make money and how the banking sector is regulated in an ever changing economic context, espousing on the role of the key regulators, adaptation of banking structure to allow for monitoring and control, demonstrate the importance bank's compliance and consequences of non-compliance.

The topics cover will be, but not limited to:

• History of the banking sector
• How banks are structured
• Banking services offered to customers and clients
• The Trust Concept - How Banks make money and other functions of banking
• Governance and supervision of banks
• The role of the FCA (Financial Conduct Authority) and how it monitors conduct
• Liquidity and capital adequacy; role of the Bank of England and how the PRA (Prudential Regulation Authority) keeps banking safe
• The role of the FOS (Financial Ombudsman Service) in finance dispute resolution
• Structure of banks to ensure compliance, and the importance of accounting and data
• Regulatory developments and trends

This module provides a structured, university-level work placement for 4, 5 or 7 weeks as one continuous block / period with a placement provider (i.e. a local employer from the private, public, or charitable sector). It is designed to enhance your professional skills in a real-world job setting.  

The placement can either be organised by you or with support from university staff.  

All work placements within this module must be university-level; this means:  

• Undertaking high-skilled work commensurate with level 5 study (e.g. report writing, attending meetings, delivering presentations, producing spreadsheets, writing content on webpages, social media, marketing services/products etc)  

• Physically placed (albeit part of it can be hybrid) within an employer setting in one continuous block / period for 5 weeks for a minimum of 140-147 hours over the course of the entire work placement 

• Where applicable, your existing part-time employer can be approached/used as the placement provider, if the high-skilled work criterion above is fulfilled for the full duration of the placement.   

• All quality assurances/agreements provided by the University are adhered to, by you and the employer.  

The work placement context may not necessarily, reflect your degree discipline per se, but rather, it will give you an enriched experience to enhance your professional skills in a real-world job setting. 

This module will provide the experiential process for students with respect to careers in finance. This module aims to enhance students’ prospects of gaining graduate level employment, which will enable them to:-

• Enhance their work readiness and employability prospects through identifying relevant transferable skills for their chosen career path,
• Clearly articulate their career plans and take steps to prepare for their first graduate role,
• Take responsibility for their own learning and acquisition of workplace employability skills,
• Articulate, in writing, their employability skills.

Choose one of the following:

1. Professional Placement (40 Credits) Optional
2. Term abroad (40 Credits) Optional
3. One of the following Language options

Advanced Language Development and Global Sustainability (40 Credits) Optional

The module will provide the opportunity to further develop your language skills, building on your previous learning at advanced level. The second half of the module includes a placement abroad or, alternatively, a project on a sustainability issue in a target language country. The first half of the module will prepare you for placements abroad where appropriate as well as a deeper understanding of sustainability in target language contexts. 

Developing Intercultural Literacy and Cross-Cultural Skills (40 Credits) Optional

• The multiple facets of global citizenship
• Ethical engagement and practice
• The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
• Cross-cultural issues and sensitivity
• Intercultural communication
• Culture shock
• Cultural adjustment
• Self- assessment of needs: identification of the range of transferable skills, competencies and attitudes employees need and employers expect graduates to possess-with a strong focus on understanding the intercultural competencies (ICC) needed to live and work abroad.
• Critical analysis/evaluation of individual requirements in relation to culture/cultural adjustment/culture shock/visas/medical.
• Critical analysis/evaluation of skills already acquired in relation to key skills related to ICC.
• Devising strategies to improve one’s own prospects of working abroad in the future.
• Devising an action plan to address gaps in transferable skills based on organisational analysis and sector opportunities.

Experiential Overseas Learning (40 Credits) Optional

Preparation for Experiential Overseas Learning will take place at the University of Chester during level 5 and will include:  

• The multiple facets of Global citizenship
• Ethical engagement and practice
• Cross-cultural issues and sensitivity
• Intercultural communication
• Theories, models and strategies of learning

Theories and models Intercultural competence

• Theories and models of Integration and Multiculturalism
• Critical thinking skills and models of Reflection
• Experiential learning models
• Self-directed experiential learning

Personal and placement-related skills

• Enhanced independence
• Improved command of multicultural behaviour
• Increased knowledge and confidence in their individual facets of personal identity
• Effective time management and organisational skills
• Project management – working away from University and independent study
• Self-management and personal development
• Team building and team work

Part B: Overseas

Students will engage in experiential learning activities overseas for at least 150 hours 

Post Beginner Language Development and Global Cultures (40 Credits) Optional

The module will provide the opportunity to further develop your language skills, building on your previous learning at beginner level. The first half of the module includes intensive taught sessions in interactive workshop mode which will prepare you for placements abroad or self-directed language development. The second half of the module includes a placement abroad or, alternatively, a project on a cultural issue in a target language country. 

Upper Intermediate Language Development and Global Employability (40 Credits) Optional

The module will provide the opportunity to further develop your language skills, building on your previous learning at intermediate level. The first half of the module includes intensive taught sessions in interactive workshop mode which will prepare you for placements abroad or self-directed language development. The second half of the module includes an placement abroad or, alternatively, a project on a business or tourism issue in a target language country. 

Or you can choose ONE of the following:

• University Placement Year Optional
• Subject Placement Year Optional
• International University Placement Year Optional

This module is going to focus on primary, secondary and mixed data and how using data analysis can support decision making. It will equip students with essential skills to analyse, interpret, and present data effectively in professional settings. Equip students with the relevant practical skills through the application of advanced Ms Excel techniques and SPSS usage, to analyse variables to address decisions. Provide students with the critical skills required to collect and analyse data; and its presentation by means of relevant methods. 

Data - databases (such as FAME, Yahoo Finance and Investing.com), types of financial data with emphasis on big data, ethics in data handling, annual reports and other source. Data in SPSS - Entering data into SPSS, measuring and setting variables. 

Data mining - Data Visualisation Techniques in Excel-creation of dashboards using pivot tables, lookups and logical statements, use financial ratios to conduct performance analysis of companies with data on available databases.

Data Collection - Exploring techniques and tools for primary data collection and methods to analyse for understanding and presentation. Transferring and exporting collected data into Excel and SPSS for data analysis. 

Financial Statistics in Excel - use the 'Analysis ToolPak' -  and SPSS, descriptive statistics (mean, median, mode, standard deviation and variance), Anova (single factor, 'with and without' replication), correlations, regressions, T-Test, and Excel solver (for linear programming).

Financial Markets - market sensitivity (beta estimation), portfolio diversification (variance and covariance matrix), market reaction to announcement (event study-single and multiple events), market efficiency (use time series models such auto-regression and moving average concepts).

The module aims to develop students' ability to apply financial models and related advanced analytical techniques to inform business decisions and to evaluate possible decision outcomes in a competitive business environment.

This module seek to provide a critical and extensive knowledge and understanding of the business and corporate banking environment, enabling the student to synthesise issues through the application of principles and techniques and to make informed professional judgements.

This module will include topics such as, but not limited to:

• Critical examination of the environment in which the bank's business and corporate customers operate.
• Analysis of the finance function of business and corporate customers including strategy and liquidity management.
• Appraisal of financing structure and evaluation of suitable finance options.
• Critical analysis and evaluation of investment projects.
• Interest rate and currency exposure management.
• Critical analysis of corporate banking customer financial plans.
• Appraisal of customer relationships.

This module seeks:

• To provide the foundations of knowledge to understand the role of investment and wealth management companies 
• To understand the key services and products that are offered and how there is an increased focused on sustainability in the investment market
• To assess the effectiveness of the portfolio management techniques and approaches that are taken with portfolios

The topic to be covered are as follows, but not limited to:

• The role of Investment Banking in the global economy 
• The main investment banking activities
• Wealth Management 
• ESG investing
• Fund management 
• Alternative investments
• Performance evaluation techniques
• Risk and portfolio design

The aim of this module is to examine strategic finance issues faced by multinational companies from an international perspective. It focuses on how these companies operate within the global financial environment. Students will learn to identify and analyze the various forms and sources of business risks that multinational companies encounter.

Specifically, the module aims to:

1. To enable students to critically evaluate the international financial environment of a multinational corporation, including financial institutions, financial markets and exchange rate systems.

2. To critically examine and evaluate the principal concepts in the theory and practice of international financial management.

3. To analyse, apply and evaluate financial strategies through application of relevant analytical tools to examine and assess major issues and developments in international financial management.

4. To provide a critical understanding of the principles of risk exposures and the management of its international financial operations

On successful completion of this module students should be able to:

1. Analyse the environment in which international financial management is undertaken and discuss the structure of a MNC.

2. Critically assess the operations of the currency and derivatives markets and theories of exchange rate determination.

3. Define, assess and apply techniques and methods to evaluate and manage exposures and risks deriving from international business.

4. Apply the principal concepts, theories and appropriate tools in international financial management and reflect upon contemporary thinking to analyse and evaluate the international financial strategies of organisations, capital structure and financing of MNCs.

5. Assess a wide body of empirical research literature on contemporary issues relating to international financial management and critically appraise it. 

This module should be advantageous for graduates seeking employment in any industry. For Non project managers to develop knowledge of the concepts, processes, tools and competencies for managing projects and be able to apply these in real life situations in any industry and job role. Module should enable students to acquire up to date knowledge on Project Management in a modern workplace, specifically looking at what makes projects successful and why they fail.

This is a dissertation module for Finance students. The prerequisite will be  Data Analysis for Decision Making. 

The module is designed to enable students to develop and apply business research and analytical skills that will enhance their employability and rapid progression to management positions in the workplace. It requires them to: 

• Undertake a research project that is 'scoped and framed' within a required degree programme of study.
• Design and conduct appropriate in-depth research in an elected area of study.
• Acquire, consolidate and apply theoretical knowledge, methodologies, and research approaches in a ‘real world’ environment.
• Develop and utilise skills in critical investigation; analysis and synthesis of evidence; reflection and autonomous learning.

This is a self-directed module which enables and empowers students to initiate and develop their own project concept appropriate to their discipline of study.

Students within their final year of studies are very focussed on their ultimate work aspirations, and this module aids them to gain 'graduate trajectory' and enable them to better move into their chosen profession / industry as seamlessly as possible upon graduation.  

After the initial lectures setting out the style and scope of the module and opportunities, students decide on the content of their project and assessment (co-creation), and pitch this to staff by way of an initial project proposal.

Students then receive tutorial support and supervision throughout the year and agree the form that their final assessment will take. Students are encouraged to work with other stakeholders (internally or externally) where appropriate in the developing the project or work.