Course Description Document
Course Title International Financial Markets (2024-25)
Course Code 8533
Award Title Master of Science (MSc)
Awarding Body University of Southampton
Teaching Institution University of Southampton
Regulated by Office for Students
Accreditation Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
(AACSB)
Regulations The Regulations of the University can be found on the University's
Governance Webpages:
https://www.southampton.ac.uk/about/governance/regulations-
policies
Location of study Southampton
Length of the course 12 Months
Tuition Fees Fees for students can be located by the student fees page.
https://www.southampton.ac.uk/studentservices/money-matters/
student-fees/index.page
Course Overview
This MSc in International Financial Markets (IFM) offers a coherent theoretical framework with an
international dimension for the various subject areas, providing a practical application of financial
techniques in a real-world setting. The main emphasis is on equity, bonds, foreign exchange and their
various derivatives markets. The last financial and banking crisis exposed the vulnerability of the financial
markets and financial risk management. The programme examines effective strategies for managing
portfolios of these assets and also the interaction between the market-determined prices of these
instruments and the financial management of a firm. The last financial crisis has put extra importance on
this programme.
Your contact hours will vary depending on your module/option choices. Full information about contact
hours is provided in individual module profiles.
The programme is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB),
which is an internationally recognised award of excellence in business education.
Aims of the Course
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The International Financial Markets programme aims to:
•develop your existing skills by advanced study in the areas of financial markets, with particular emphasis
on the international dimension;
•provide an appropriate theoretical framework to analyse and understand contemporary problems in
international financial markets;
•improve the practical application of financial techniques in a real-world setting based on a theoretical
framework;
•develop your ability to undertake rigorous, independent research.
Course Structure
The tables below provide a list of the modules that make up your course.
Each module is worth a specified number of credits: you can take a combination of core and compulsory
modules enabling you to cover key subject knowledge. Some courses have option modules which enable
you to develop your own interests.
Your programme requires a certain number of credits. The number of option modules you can take
depends on the number of core and compulsory modules and this is also influenced by the requirements
of the regulatory requirements for professionally accredited courses. Some courses also have pre and co-
requisites, and these are included in individual module information.
Your learning will be led by the latest research, and modules can change periodically to reflect
developments in the discipline. You can always find the most up-to-date information about your modules
and who is teaching them via the information on our webpages and, post enrolment, via the Faculty hub.
If we have insufficient numbers of students interested in an option module, it may not be offered. If an
option module will not be run, we will advise you as soon as possible and help you choose an alternative
module.
The core and compulsory modules available on your course are as follows:
Part I
Typical course content
The International Financial Markets programme covers the state-of-the-art knowledge in relation to
financial markets. Modules draw on backgrounds in economics and psychology. Many modules have
applied mathematical content as is relevant for tasks like valuation and risk management. Other
modules involve learning computer skills. There is an emphasis on real-world practitioner relevance of
academic knowledge. Option modules give students the opportunity to select sub-topics relevant to their
own interests.
Information about pre and co-requisites is included in individual module profiles.
Part I Compulsory Semester 1
Code Module Title ECT Type
S
MANG6022 Corporate Finance 1 7.5 Compulsory
MANG6142 Portfolio Theory and Asset Pricing 7.5 Compulsory
2
Part I Compulsory Semester 2
Code Module Title ECT Type
S
MANG6023 Corporate Finance 2 7.5 Compulsory
MANG6020 Financial Risk Management 7.5 Compulsory
Part I Core
Code Module Title ECT Type
S
MANG6547 Banking, Finance and Risk Dissertation 30 Core
Part I Core Semester 1
Code Module Title ECT Type
S
MANG6221 Stock Market Analysis 7.5 Core
Part I Core Semester 2
Code Module Title ECT Type
S
MANG6222 Fixed Income Securities Analysis 7.5 Core
Part I Optional Semester 1
Please select 1 module (7.5ECTS/15CATS):
Code Module Title ECT Type
S
MANG6239 Behavioural Finance 7.5 Optional
MANG6562 Executive Compensation 7.5 Optional
MANG6021 International Finance 7.5 Optional
MANG6575 Sustainable Finance 7.5 Optional
Part I Optional Semester 2
Code Module Title ECT Type
S
MANG6576 Computational Finance 7.5 Optional
MANG6018 Derivative Securities Analysis 7.5 Optional
MANG6008 Quantitative Research in Finance 7.5 Optional
Learning and Teaching
Your overall workload consists of class contact hours, independent learning, and assessment activity, with
each ECTS credit taken equivalent to 20 hours of student effort. While your actual contact hours may
depend on the option modules you select, the information available on our webpages give an indication of
how much time you will need to allocate to different activities.
When not attending lectures, seminars and other timetabled sessions you will be expected to continue
learning independently through self-study. Typically, this will involve reading journal articles and books,
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working on individual and group projects, undertaking research in the library, preparing coursework
assignments and presentations, and for other types of assessments and examinations.
Full information about contact hours is provided in individual module information.
How we'll assess you
Your course provides you with opportunities to test your understanding of the subject informally before
you complete the formal assessments that count towards your module mark. Each module normally
contains at least one piece of practice or formative assessment for which you receive feedback.
Formative assessments are developmental, and any results do not count towards your module mark, but
they are an important part of your learning.
Summative assessments usually take place at the end of each module, although some may have interim
assessments throughout. Assessment methods might include written examinations and a range of
coursework assessments such as essays, reports, portfolios, performance, presentations and projects for
example. The marks from summative assessments count towards your module mark.
The information available on our website gives an indication of the assessment methods used on your
course.
Staff involved in delivering the different elements of the
course
You will be taught by an experienced teaching team whose expertise and knowledge are closely matched
to the content of the modules on your course. The team includes senior academics, professional
practitioners with industry experience, demonstrators and technical officers.
Postgraduate research students who have undertaken appropriate training may also contribute to the
teaching of seminars if their research specialism is directly related to the topic of the module and may
also be involved in practical classes, project work and field trips. All contributions will be carried out
under the supervision of the module leader.
Fees
What your fees pay for
Your tuition fees pay for the full cost of tuition and standard exams.
Extra costs you may experience
Accommodation and living costs, such as travel and food, are not included in your tuition fees. There may
also be extra costs for retake and professional exams.
Depending on the nature of your course, you may be able to choose modules which may have additional
costs, such as field studies, travel overseas or industrial placements which will change the overall cost of
your course. Details of these costs can be found in module information.
Please also ensure you read the section on additional costs in the Fees, Charges and Expenses
Regulations.
The following course-related costs are not included in your fees:
Type Details
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Calculators Where a calculator is required, all Casio Calculators are allowed but they
must be Non-Programmable, Scientific models. More information is
available in the Examination Regulations
https://www.southampton.ac.uk/studentadmin/assessment/assess-
overview/exam-regulations.page
Stationery You will be expected to provide your own day-to-day stationery items, e.g.
pens, pencils, notebooks, etc. Any specialist stationery items that you may
need will be specified in the relevant module profile.
Textbooks Where a module specifies essential texts, the Library will identify the
optimal option(s) to support the module via the course Reading List. This
may include e-books (ideally with unlimited concurrent usage) or a
digitised chapter extract, supported by a limited number of print books
(where available). You may request that the Library purchases additional
print copies via 'suggest a book', borrow an additional copy via our inter-
library-loans service or you may prefer to buy your own copies for high
demand titles.
Printing In most cases, written coursework such as essays and projects are
submitted online. However it may be necessary to submit a hard copy of
some projects, business projects and dissertations. The costs of printing a
hard copy for submission of such work will be your responsibility. You will
also have to cover the cost of photocopying.
https://www.southampton.ac.uk/isolutions/students/printing.
Hardware The University provides publicly available workstations with software and
some are available via iSolutions, but otherwise you will need to purchase.
For more information please click on the following link
https://www.southampton...ons/students/index.page
Bursaries, scholarships and other funding
We award scholarships and grants for travel, academic excellence, or to students from underrepresented
backgrounds.
You may be able to get a University of Southampton bursary to help with your living costs.
If you are a care leaver or estranged from your parents, you may be able to get a specific bursary.
You may be able to get a scholarship or grant that's linked to your chosen subject area.
Financial Support
The Student Services Centre offers support and advice regarding student finances. You may be able to
access our Student Support fund and other sources of financial support during your course. You can find
more information about financial support via our webpages:
https://www.southampton.ac.uk/studentservices/money-matters/student-support-fund/index.page
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Academic support
The Student Support Hub is your first point of contact when it comes to seeking support. The team will
answer your questions or concerns about your wellbeing, fees and funding, accommodation and
visas. The team will help make sure you receive the support you need, guiding you to further support
services where required. You can find more information about student support via our webpages:
https://www.southampton.ac.uk/studentservices/index.page
One of the most important people you will meet while you are a student at Southampton is your Personal
Academic Tutor, who will be allocated to you for your arrival at the University and who is normally a
member of academic staff in your own or a closely related subject area. Your Personal Academic Tutor will
offer one-to-one support and advice throughout your time at Southampton and will support you in your
studies or with other issues you may have. You can find out more via our webpages:
https://www.southampton.ac.uk/studentadmin/academic-support-guidance/personal-tutor.page
Disclaimer
As a research-led University, we undertake a continuous review of our courses to ensure quality
enhancement and to manage our resources. As a result, this course may be revised during a student's
period of registration; however, any revision will be balanced against the requirement that the student
should receive the educational service expected. Please read our Disclaimer to see why, when and how
changes may be made to a student's course.
