Finance and Investment

Given the constant changes in business environments, how can financial accounting help managers create budgets, improve efficiency and develop short- and long-term strategies to stay competitive?

You'll study the core principles, concepts and policies in financial accounting and examine the necessary adjustments that underpin the preparation of final financial statements of sole traders, partnerships and limited liability companies.

You'll also gain practical experience with key accounting tools used by industry to prepare, analyse, and interpret financial statements, preparing you for the rest of your degree.

With the increasing complexity of financial securities and investment strategies in the financial market, quantitative skills are essential for people working in the Big Four accounting firms, global banks and hedge funds.

You’ll develop a broad understanding of basic mathematical and statistical concepts, from probability distributions to basic calculus, and develop analytical skills that are vital for accountants and financial professionals.

You’ll gain quantitative skills and practical skills in Excel to help you progress in your studies.

Business Economics explores the constantly evolving economic world within which actuaries work, providing context and developing economic insights that can inform real-world business decisions.

You'll be equipped with the knowledge and tools needed to understand the workings of competitive markets, and the interaction of consumers and suppliers, using a variety of models and examples to investigate decision-making in the economy. The practical roles of money, capital and labour, and the involvement of government in influencing the big-picture of the economy, will be tied to the interests of business, with a strong foundation of economic theory underpinning real-world examples and illustrations. Theories are challenged, economic conventions are interrogated, and different viewpoints are considered to ensure a practical and relevant understanding of economic issues.

The module is designed to satisfy the standards of subject CB2 of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries examinations for exemption purposes.

Finance is at the centre of everyone's decisions. In a world of tricky economic conditions and volatile financial markets, how can companies and investors apply the main principles of finance when undertaking investment and funding decisions?

You'll gain the knowledge and skills needed to evaluate various financial decisions, such as raising capital in financial markets or from financial institutions, investing in real assets or financial assets, and selling and trading securities.

You'll become proficient in using the Bloomberg terminal to gain a better understanding of financial market operations and you'll learn how companies and investors use this information and the main principles of finance to take funding and investment decisions to deliver profits and sustainable growth.

One of the elements of decision making involves performing and interpreting statistical analysis. This module dives into the world of descriptive and inferential statistics, probability distributions, and hypothesis testing, all through the lens of financial applications.

Explore the dynamic realm of basic time-series analysis and risk assessment techniques that will become the bedrock of your financial skills. You'll learn to not just to interpret data but to make it tell the story of how market participants are behaving.

Practitioners in accounting and finance fields currently face many challenges around environmental, social, and governance (ESG) decisions. Ethical conduct is essential to maintaining the integrity of financial information, promoting investors' confidence and upholding the standards of the profession.

Your professional ethics will determine how you behave when doing your job and help you act responsibility. You will examine codes of conduct issued by several professional organisations (ACCA, ICAEW, CFA, etc) and explore various factors influencing professional judgement in accounting and finance decisions.

You will also develop the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate ethical dilemmas and make sound ethical decisions in your professional career.

Finance is at the centre of everyone's decisions. In a world of tricky economic conditions and volatile financial markets, how can companies and investors apply the main principles of finance when undertaking investment and funding decisions?

You'll gain the knowledge and skills needed to evaluate various financial decisions, such as raising capital in financial markets or from financial institutions, investing in real assets or financial assets, and selling and trading securities.

You'll become proficient in using the Bloomberg terminal to gain a better understanding of financial market operations and you'll learn how companies and investors use this information and the main principles of finance to take funding and investment decisions to deliver profits and sustainable growth.

Almost all listed companies in the European Union and the United Kingdom have to prepare financial statements that comply with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRSs). With a thorough understanding of how financial statements are prepared under IFRSs, managers of mid-sized companies will have the skills needed to identify trends and potential threats, and actively track their financial performance in real-time.

In this module you’ll develop the knowledge and skills to understand and apply IFRSs. You’ll also learn the theoretical framework for preparing and analysing financial statements. Learning how to apply IFRSs will give you the necessary skills to become a successful accounting and finance professional.

Corporate finance is concerned with the way companies can efficiently manage financial resources. Managers are concerned about provision of resources (capital funding decisions) and allocation of scarce resources (investment decisions). What factors do they consider when deciding how to fund their operations and where to invest?

In this module, you’ll examine the underlying financial economic theories and concepts that help managers to run sustainable businesses. You’ll develop analytical and problem-solving skills to advise managers on investment opportunities, capital structure decisions, dividend policies, and merger and acquisitions activities.

The world of fixed-income markets is becoming increasingly complex. Debt instruments have various payoff structures and fixed-income derivatives products are becoming extremely important in managing multiple financial risks. We'll explore a range of fixed-income securities, and explore in great detail their characteristics, as well as the main players and their roles in the debt markets.

You'll learn various analytical techniques to price these instruments, to construct a range of important yield curves used in the valuation of financial assets. You’ll sharpen your quantitative skills, which will considerably increase your employability within various financial sectors. These include investment banks, pension funds and any other financial institution that deals with the pricing of old and new financial instruments.

Data-driven analysis is at the heart of the financial industry. In this financial econometrics module, you’ll develop a robust grasp of the fundamental econometric tools commonly used in empirical finance. You’ll explore these tools for modelling, analysing, and forecasting financial data and examine the practical applications of industry-standard software such as E-views.

You’ll also develop the critical ability to evaluate the application of econometrics within the empirical finance literature. By the time you complete the module, you’ll be empowered to contribute meaningfully to data-driven decision-making in the financial sector- which is a vital first step towards an exciting and successful career.

Effectively assessing and managing risk is essential for corporate survival and growth. The risk management module provides a comprehensive overview of effective oversight and value generation principles, focusing on financial risk dynamics.

You’ll rigorously examine advancements in risk governance, regulatory frameworks, and industry risk management practices, focusing on in-depth evaluations of financial risk. You’ll gain a detailed understanding of financial risk types through real-world examples and emerge with specialised insights into managing these financial risks in a professional context.

The module empowers you to explain complex risk management concepts, think critically in uncertain situations, and systematically approach risk-related problems.

In an ever-changing financial world offering a wide variety of investment opportunities, investors and portfolio managers face the challenging task of identifying securities and allocating assets optimally to earn risk-adjusted returns. This module addresses these issues by covering various contemporary asset pricing and security valuation models, as well as modern portfolio construction techniques.

You’ll build on your knowledge of market and industry analysis and use real-world securities market data to construct optimal portfolios. You’ll also use a range of methods to evaluate their performance.

This module will present you with the opportunity to explore current issues in financial markets including responsible, ethical, and sustainable investing. It will prepare you for a variety of roles in the investment industry such as financial analysis, investment advice, and portfolio management.

At the crossroads of technology and finance, a new language of success is being written in code. By learning how to program with Python, you are not just learning the syntax of a powerful programming language, you are unlocking the potential to innovate in the world of finance. You’ll learn to implement forecasting techniques on market trends, construct robust investment portfolios, and simulate economic scenarios with the precision and logic that only Python can provide. 

This module is designed for the bold, the curious, and future finance leaders who are ready to embrace the digital revolution. The module is not just about grasping theories. It is about applying knowledge to real-world challenges. 

The module equips you with the skills to drive financial dialogue. It will enable you to redefine the boundaries of finance, with Python as your tool and innovation as your goal. Do not just calculate the future. Code it.

What are derivatives markets and how do they work? We will delve into the intricacies of these fascinating securities and markets, equipping you with the knowledge and skills required to make sound financial decisions.

You will learn about primary derivative securities and how they are used for hedging, arbitrage, and investment purposes. You’ll use market data from diverse underlying financial and physical assets such as stocks, currencies, bonds, and commodities in pricing, trading, and valuing derivatives. By the time you complete this module, you’ll be equipped with the skills, knowledge and confidence you need to launch careers in investment, treasuries, and risk management.

The world of fixed-income markets is becoming increasingly complex. Debt instruments have various payoff structures and fixed-income derivatives products are becoming extremely important in managing multiple financial risks. We'll explore a range of fixed-income securities, and explore in great detail their characteristics, as well as the main players and their roles in the debt markets.

You'll learn various analytical techniques to price these instruments, to construct a range of important yield curves used in the valuation of financial assets. You’ll sharpen your quantitative skills, which will considerably increase your employability within various financial sectors. These include investment banks, pension funds and any other financial institution that deals with the pricing of old and new financial instruments.

Effectively assessing and managing risk is essential for corporate survival and growth. The risk management module provides a comprehensive overview of effective oversight and value generation principles, focusing on financial risk dynamics.

You’ll rigorously examine advancements in risk governance, regulatory frameworks, and industry risk management practices, focusing on in-depth evaluations of financial risk. You’ll gain a detailed understanding of financial risk types through real-world examples and emerge with specialised insights into managing these financial risks in a professional context.

The module empowers you to explain complex risk management concepts, think critically in uncertain situations, and systematically approach risk-related problems.

In today's business context there is a wealth of data available. Many businesses currently struggle to transform that data into useable information that they can use to make meaningful decisions. We'll learn to extract insights from historical data through interactive visual analytics, communicating complex information effectively and gain hands-on experience in using data to drive positive change in business, environment and society.

We'll also explore advanced techniques for pattern recognition and forecasting, providing the ability to foresee future outcomes and trends. We'll explore real-world case studies from diverse industries, offering a deep understanding of how data analytics is integral to sectors like supply chain management, marketing, healthcare and finance.

By the end of this module, you'll be equipped with the skills and knowledge to transform data into actionable insights and predictions, making an impact on any organisation that you work at.

More businesses are incorporating sustainability as a core corporate strategy. Sustainability issues are becoming increasingly important to customers and investors. Navigate through ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) regulation and industry initiatives which are designed to improve transparency and accountability, encourage companies to adopt sustainable practices and protect investors from greenwashing. You will gain analytical skills that will help you integrate sustainability into financial decisions taken by both corporate managers and professional investors.

For centuries taxation has been an important fact of national life. Without tax it would be impossible to pay for the country's defence services, its health, welfare and social services, it schools and universitites and its transport systems. In addition , taxaion is a means for government to influence our everyday activites. In this module you will be introduced to how the taxation system operates in the UK, providing a core knowledge of the underlying principles and major technical areas of taxation as they impact the activities of individuals and businesses. Through case studies, practical examples and discussions, you will gain a core understanding of the various UK taxes. We will explore the areas of tax compliance, reporiting obligations and develop effective tax planning strategies. In this module, you will gain a deeper appreciation of how taxation impacts on every area of our personal and business lives.

Apply your learning, experience, skills and curiosity to varied contemporary accounting and finance issues. Under the guidance of academics, alumni and businesses, you'll be given the autonomy to select, investigate, report on and defend a contemporary accounting and finance problem or topic leading to the development of a business case or dissertation.

Gain a comprehensive understanding of the rapidly evolving financial technology landscape. You'll delve into the core concepts and emerging trends in the fintech industry, equipping you with the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate this dynamic field. You'll explore contemporary market developments, evaluate challenges and opportunities and immerse students in the innovative world of fintech. Topics may include but are not limited to: decentralized finance, disruptors in the industry, blockchain, cryptocurrencies and cybersecurity. Students will gain a comprehensive understanding of fintech, making them the prime candidates for roles in financial innovation-driven companies.

Banks are both the backbone of a healthy economy and a potential source of instability. We'll explore the essential role banks play in the global financial system, understand the diverse risks that banks encounter, analyse methods for measuring bank performance and explore bank regulation in an international context. By studying recent financial crises, students will also be able to assess the link between the banking sector and the real economy. We'll also look at to how contemporary banking trends, such as sustainability initiatives and new financial technologies, shape the banking sector's future, equipping you with the essential theoretical and practical knowledge to engage professionally with the banking sector.

Do you have what it takes to be a management consultant? Do you have the skills to be able to respond to the real-world problems that businesses are facing today? On this module, we'll work with real businesses who want the help of groups of KBS students to solve the challenges that they currently face.  Through a series of workshops you'll come to understand the consultancy process and develop key consultancy skills as you master the art of responding effectively to a brief from a business. Working in a group of your peers, you'll bring different skillsets from your studies to bear on solving business problems like designing a marketing strategy, advising on recruitment processes, or support meaningful performance management and financial evaluation etc. Put a capstone on your studies with a project that has real world impact.

Making decisions is crucial for managers and businesses, as they shape our lives and impact outcomes at work. However, making smart decisions in the face of complexity and uncertainty can be challenging. How can data support our decisions in such uncertain contexts? Together we'll explore various quantitative and graphical methods that help identify, represent, and evaluate different possibile options and make optimal decisions. These tools will equip you to make sound decisions in uncertain situations, enabling you to influence and lead effectively. By the end of the module, you'll have a deep understanding of informed decision-making methodologies. You'll learn how to analyze problems, identify potential solutions, and evaluate outcomes in uncertain conditions.

Explore numerous types of alternative assets and the investment strategies behind them. You’ll learn about the innovative forms of investments such as start-ups, venture capital (VCs), and leveraged buyouts (LBOs), which often discussed in everyday financial news. While alternative assets are a subset of an existing asset class, they are rather different and hence their understanding would benefit both strategic and tactical asset allocations conducted by either dividual or institutional investors in their pursuit of portfolio diversification. Providing you with both qualitative and technical analyses within a broader portfolio management context, this module will expand your knowledge beyond traditional assets investing and hence expose you to the possibility of new exciting career pathways such as hedge funds and private equity firms.