Unit information: Foundations of Finance and Economics in 2020/21

Unit name	Foundations of Finance and Economics
Unit code	LANG00040
Credit points	20
Level of study	QCA-3
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 4 (weeks 1-24)
Unit director	Mr. Sarda
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	IELTS 5.5 with a minimum of 5.0 in writing and 5.0 in each part of the test
Co-requisites	None
School/department	Centre for Academic Language and Development
Faculty	Faculty of Arts

Description including Unit Aims

This is a 20-credit unit within the International Foundation Programme which aims to provide students with an introduction to finance and economics. The first teaching block will focus on the core concepts of finance and economics while the second teaching block will provide students with an opportunity to explore either finance or economics in more depth.

By the end of teaching block 1, topics covered may include:

• Types of objectives set by firms
• Time value of money and decisions
• Valuation of assets
• Types of market competition
• Supply and demand

For students pursing finance in teaching block 2, topics covered may include:

• Revenues, costs and profits
• The purpose of accounts
• Financial reporting
• Sources of finance

For students pursing economics in teaching block 2, topics covered may include:

• Price discrimination
• Government intervention
• International trade and the global economy
• Economic growth

Intended Learning Outcomes

By the end of the unit, students will be able to:

1. demonstrate an understanding of key financial and economic concepts and issues
2. demonstrate an understanding of concepts and issues related to either macroeconomics or a range of financial topics
3. synthesize appropriate tools and concepts from finance and economics and apply them to current international events

Teaching Information

Students will attend 3 hours of study per week. Learning is facilitated in sessions involving a combination of teacher-led input, combined with practical, workshop-style exercises. On-line delivery of materials through Blackboard VLE.

Assessment Information

Formative assessment:

• Regular worksheets and case studies with feedback provided during weekly seminars
  *Essay (1,000 words) with formative feedback

Summative assessment:

• Essay (1,000 words) (30%) ILOs 1, 2
  *Coursework case study based (70%) ILOs 2, 3

Reading and References

Readings from a range of sources will be used to support and underpin individual activities. However, the following are indicative texts for students wishing for a general reading in the subject:

Edexcel Complete Revision & Practice with Online Edition (CGP A-Level Business, 2019)

A-Level Economics: Year 1 & 2 Complete Revision & Practice (CGP A-Level Economics, 2015)

For more in-depth reading in the subject, students should consult:

Foundations of Finance (Keown, Martin and Petty, 2016)

Foundations of Economics (Gillespie, 2019)