Copyright © jobs.ac.uk 1998 - 2025
Copyright © jobs.ac.uk 1998 - 2025
FI 355 INTERNATIONAL FINANCE
PROGRAM(S):
London - Study London
London - Theater Studies
London - Health Practice & Policy
DISCIPLINE(S): Finance
TERMS OFFERED: Fall, Spring
CREDITS: 3
LANGUAGE OF INSTRUCTION: English
PREREQUISITES: None
DESCRIPTION:
A study of ‘international’ finance is essential given the high degree of integration and globalisation of the world economy. Further liberalisation of international trade, investment and rapid advances in telecommunication and transportation technologies will ensure the continuation of this process. The material covered in this course introduces the students to the international monetary system and balance of payments, the foreign exchange market, international capital markets and institutions, management of foreign exchange and political risks, financial management of the multinational firm, and covers recent developments in international capital markets and the world economy. Students will examine the barriers to international capital flows and study the various financial techniques developed to overcome these barriers. The focus of the course is ‘global’ in nature and closely follows current developments on the world economic stage. It places a strong emphasis on ‘connecting the dots’ between theory and practice and requires the students to develop an understanding of current international financial and economic events.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
The students will gain a broad understanding of the key issues in international finance and their relationship with the globalised world economy. Students will be able to identify the appropriate theoretical discussions and to evaluate their applications in the ‘real world.’ The required coursework involves a deeper study into any one of the theoretical topics covered in the course and researching into relevant current global financial or economic events. This case study will enable the students to demonstrate their ability to evaluate and analyse current topics in international finance in the context of the relevant theoretical material.
METHOD OF PRESENTATION:
The course is presented in a seminar format and involves a combination of lectures, class discussions and student presentations. Current global events in international finance are integrated into the weekly discussions. Students will work on a case study, which integrates any one of the theoretical topics covered in this course with recent events in international finance. The background research and evaluation of data in the context of the underlying theory will enable the students to develop a better understanding of the selected topic.
REQUIRED WORK AND FORM OF ASSESSMENT:
Details of Assessment:
International Finance Research Paper Guidelines
The final research paper will be due in the last class in Week 12. The word limit for this essay is 3,500 words (+/- 10%). This word count does not include your bibliography and appendices (if any).
For your course project, please select any one of the topics that we will be covering in this course. Bear in mind that these topics/chapters are rather broad and you will need to narrow down your research topic significantly. You should identify a small aspect of the theoretical discussion that interests you and focus sharply on it. In other words, you should not be providing a general overview of the chapter(s).
The next step is to identify a case study that fits your selected topic and gather data related to the surrounding events. The course outline provides you ample guidance on sources of such data. (Please do not start with a case study and then try to find the theoretical basis for it. This will not be efficient.)
The final step will be to provide a thorough analysis. How does the case study fit into the theoretical discussion? Are the facts consistent with the theory? Explain why (or why not). What lessons did you learn from this project? This analysis will carry the highest weight for this assignment.
To obtain an A grade, the submission will have to meet ALL three requirements: (1) theoretical discussion; (2) good presentation of case study supported by high quality evidence; and (3) thorough analysis. Any submissions that do not meet all the criteria will be downgraded.
You will provide 2-3 status updates during my office hours through the term on the progress you have made to date on your projects. This will enable me to provide you with the necessary guidance and feedback. It is important that you come well prepared for these status updates.
Determination of Overall Course Grade
The overall assessment for this module is based on a combination of quantitative/ objective forms (midterm and final examinations consisting of quantitative problems and/or multiple-choice questions) and qualitative output (the final research paper project and class participation. The midterm and final marks are not synonymous with your grade. The aggregate marks for the course are calculated by weighting the midterm at 20%; finals at 30%; research paper at 40%; class participation at 10%. These aggregate scores are then adjusted on a uniform basis across all students to map to the Marking Scheme as stated in the IES Abroad Academic Policy Guidelines.
CONTENT:
(The weekly content may be updated as the course progresses. These updates will be posted on Moodle)
Week 1: Introduction to International Finance
Week 2: International Monetary System & Balance of Payments (Ch. 2 & 3)
Week 3: Foreign Exchange Market & Exchange Rate Determination – part 1 (Ch. 4 & 5)
Week 4: Foreign Exchange Markets & Exchange Rate Determination – part 2 (Ch. 4 & 5)
Week 5: International Capital Markets & Institutions Part 1 & Project Update I (Ch. 7, 8, 9)
Week 6: International Capital Markets & Institutions Part 2 & Mid-term Test (Ch. 8 & 9)
Note: There will be no class next week due to the midterm exams & break.
Week 7: International Portfolio Investment (Ch. 11)
Week 8: Financial Management of Multinational Firm – part 1 & Project Update II (Ch. 12, 13 & 14)
By this stage, all research should have been completed and the students should have begun writing up their first drafts.
Week 9: Financial Management of Multinational Firm – part 2 (Ch. 15 & 18)
Week 10: International Trade & Taxation (Ch. 19, 20, 21)
Week 11: Current Topics & Review Session
Week 12: Coursework Submission Deadline & Review Session
Final Exams will be held in Week 13 – IES Abroad Administration will announce the exam dates.
REQUIRED READINGS:
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:
Additional readings will be posted on a weekly basis on Moodle and will consist of relevant topical articles from journals and newspapers. Students are expected to review this material weekly to prepare for class discussions.
Further, students have access to EBSCO, an online journal archive. Login credentials can be obtained through the IES London Academic Programmes Manager.
To access EBSCO host: http://search.ebscohost.com/ Training Tutorials: http://support.ebscohost.com/training/tutorials.php
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