Durham University
Programme and Module Handbook

Undergraduate Programme and Module Handbook 2024-2025

Module FINN2097: Banking

Department: Finance

FINN2097: Banking

Type Tied Level 2 Credits 10 Availability Available in 2024/2025 Module Cap Location Durham
Tied to N307
Tied to N306
Tied to N305
Tied to N304
Tied to N302
Tied to NN43

Prerequisites

  • Foundations of Finance (FINN1011)

Corequisites

  • None

Excluded Combination of Modules

  • None

Aims

  • This module introduces students to key concepts in banking and the purpose of banks as financial intermediaries. Students will learn frameworks and obtain skills needed to understand and critically evaluate core concepts in banking.

Content

  • Are banks really special?
  • Bank Risk
  • Bank Crisis, Regulation and Supervision
  • Climate Change and Banking
  • Ethical Banking

Learning Outcomes

Subject-specific Knowledge:
  • By the end of this module students should:
  • Have a critical understanding of the role of banks in the financial system and their business models.
  • Understand the motivation behind bank regulation and risk measurement.
  • Be able to discuss in an informed way new developments in banking and their implications for traditional banking.
  • Be familiar with contemporary issues in banking.
Subject-specific Skills:
  • Ability to explain and critically evaluate the purpose of banks in an economy.
  • Practical assessment of Profit driven business models and their impact on the financial sector.
  • Argue the case for and against the need and the specifics of regulation and policy around bank stability.
Key Skills:
  • Students will have the opportunity to develop the following key skills:
  • Problem Solving and Analysis - by applying the necessary analytical and quantitative skills, as well as the ability to demonstrate understanding and manipulate core concepts in banking and finance, in undertaking seminar work.
  • Interpersonal and Written Communication – communication ideas in exams and seminar discussions.
  • Planning and Organisation and Time Management - by revising relevant material and preparing for the examination.
  • Computer Literacy - by accessing and downloading teaching material from Learn Ultra, undertaking bibliographical search and information retrieval for seminars and assignments.

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

  • Teaching is by workshop sessions utlising a flipped classroom approach. Learning takes place through attendance at workshops, preparation for and participation in group activities in the workshops and private study through provided material (e.g. reading, recorded videos).
  • Regular formative assessments guide students in the development of their knowledge and skills. They also support students’ continuous engagement in learning throughout the module.
  • Summative assessment is by means of an individual coursework on banking.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Activity Number Frequency Duration Total/Hours
Workshops 5 Fortnightly 2 hr 10
Preparation and Reading 90
Total 100

Summative Assessment

Component: Assignment/Coursework Component Weighting: 100%
Element Length / duration Element Weighting Resit Opportunity
One written individual coursework assignment 1500 words 100% One written individual coursework assignment (1500 words)

Formative Assessment:

Group work/presentations and individual short in-class assignments.


Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University