Durham University
Programme and Module Handbook
This is an archived handbook for a previous year. The current undergraduate and postgraduate handbooks can be viewed using the links above.

Undergraduate Handbook 2012-2013 (archived)

Module ECOS2011: CORPORATE FINANCE

Department: Business School (Economics and Finance) [Queen's Campus, Stockton]

ECOS2011: CORPORATE FINANCE

TypeLevelCreditsAvailabilityModule CapLocation
Tied 2 20 Available in 2012/2013 None. Queen's Campus Stockton

Tied To

Pre-requisites

  • Foundations of Finance

Corequisites

  • None.

Excluded Combinations

  • None.

Aims

  • To develop knowledge and understanding of key issues in Corporate Finance by building on the skills gained in level 1
  • To provide students with a good grounding for undertaking a dissertation in the finance field
  • To offer students the opportunity to develop some key skills.

Content

  • The following is indicative of the types of area to be covered:
  • An introduction to Financial Economics and Financial Markets: An introduction to finance and organisational goals.
  • The financial objectives of the corporation, the principle-agent relationship.
  • Investment Decision Making under Conditions of Certainty.
  • Investment decisions in practice.
  • Dealing with risk and Uncertainty: Measuring risk.
  • Diversifiable and non-diversifiable risk.
  • The Capital Asset Pricing Model.
  • Is Beta dead?
  • The capital structure decision.
  • The dividend decision.
  • Option pricing theory.
  • Mergers.

Learning Outcomes

Subject-specific Knowledge
  • Have knowledge and understanding of essential principles of Corporate Finance
Subject-specific Skills
  • Be able to use principles of Corporate Finance to analyse financial issues
Key Skills
  • Written Communication - through summative assessment.
  • Planning, Organisation and Time Management - e.g. by preparing for examinations.
  • Problem Solving and Analysis - e.g. by applying the necessary analytical and quantitative skills, as well as the ability to manipulate concepts in corporate finance, in undertaking assessed work.
  • Numeracy - e.g. by applying core mathematical and statistical skills to answer a range of class and examination questions.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

  • Teaching is by lectures and tutorials. Learning takes place through attendance at lectures, preparation for and participation in tutorial classes, and private study. Formative assessment is by means of one piece of written work. Summative assessment is by means of a written examination.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

ActivityNumberFrequencyDurationTotal HoursAttendance Monitored
Lectures 22 1 per week 1 hour 22
Tutorials 8 Fortnightly 1 hour 8 Yes
Preparation and Reading 170
Total 200

Summative Assessment

ComponentComponent WeightingElementLength/DurationElement WeightingResit Opportunity
Examination 100% One written examination 2 hours 15 mins 100%

Formative Assessment

One piece of written work of not more than 1500 words.


Students who do not attend monitored activities shown under Teaching Methods and Learning Hours, or who fail to complete the summative or formative assessment(s) specified above, may be subject to the Academic Progress procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University.