Academic Handbook Course Descriptors and Programme Specifications

LBUSI5109 Investments Course Descriptor subject to approval

Last modified on November 19th, 2024 at 11:25 am

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Discipline Business and Project Management
UK Credit 15
US Credit 4
FHEQ Level 5
Core Attributes None
Prerequisites Financial Management or equivalent
Corequisites None

Course Overview

This course offers the financial theory and quantitative tools necessary for understanding how stock, bond, and option prices are determined, and how financial assets are used for investment decisions. Topics covered include modelling the relation between risk and return, optimal portfolio selection based on mean variance analysis, asset pricing models, money management, practical asset allocation, and more. We will analyze equities, fixed income securities (bonds), and derivative securities.

The aim is to provide students with a lasting conceptual framework for thinking about investment decisions. At the same time, the course will discuss alternative philosophies of investing, and relate the material to current financial news and to problems relevant to practitioners.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:

Knowledge and Understanding

K1b Determine key ratios to critically assess a business entity’s financial health.
K2b Calculate asset prices using different models and quantitative techniques.
K3b Apply and evaluate concepts such as risk and return and diversification to real-world situations, and prepare sensible recommendations in a given scenario.

Subject Specific Skills

S1b Construct strategies for building or managing investment portfolios under varying circumstances.

Transferable and Professional Skills

T1b Communicate ideas effectively in a style and form appropriate to Finance, with coherently organised ideas and appropriate academic references.
T2b Demonstrate a sound technical proficiency in written English and skill in selecting vocabulary so as to communicate effectively to specialist and non-specialist audiences.

Teaching and Learning

Teaching and learning strategies for this course will include: 

A minimum of 36 contact hours, typically to include interactive group teaching, co-curriculars, individual meetings, in-class presentations and exams.

Course information and supplementary materials are available on the University’s Virtual Learning Environment (VLE).

Students will receive individualised developmental feedback on their work for this course.

Students are required to attend and participate in all the formal and timetabled sessions for this course. Students are also expected to manage their directed learning and independent study in support of the course.

Assessment

Both formative and summative assessment are used as part of this course, with purely formative opportunities typically embedded within interactive teaching sessions, office hours, and/or the VLE.

Summative

AE Assessment Activity Weighting (%) Duration Length
1 Examination 40% 60 minutes N/A
2 Written Assignment 60% N/A 1500 words

Further information can be found in the Course Syllabus.

Feedback

Students will receive formative and summative feedback in a variety of ways, written (e.g. marked up on assignments, through email or the VLE) or oral (e.g. as part of interactive teaching sessions or in office hours). 

Indicative Reading

Note: Comprehensive and current reading lists for courses are produced annually in the Course Syllabus or other documentation provided to students; the indicative reading list provided below is used as part of the approval/modification process only.

Books

The core textbook is:

  • Bodie, Kane, and Marcus, Investments, 12th Edition, McGraw Hill Irwin

Journals

  • Financial Markets, Institutions and Instruments
  • Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money
  • Journal of Alternative Investments
  • Journal of Property Investment and Finance
  • Journal of Sustainable Finance and Investment

Electronic Resources

  • The Financial Times
  • The Wall Street Journal
  • The Economist
  • Bloomberg News

Indicative Topics

Students will study the following topics:

  • Risk and return
  • Diversification
  • Asset pricing
  • Debt and equity markets
  • Options markets

Version History

Title: LBUSI5109 Investments Course Descriptor

Approved by: Academic Board

Location: academic-handbook/programme-specifications-and-handbooks/
Version Number Date Approved Date Published Owner Proposed Next Review Date Modification (As per AQF4) & Category Number
1.0 October 2024 November 2024 Dr Sanjay Bhowmick October 2029