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MN50695: Understanding finance

[Page last updated: 15 October 2020]

Follow this link for further information on academic years Academic Year: 2020/1
Further information on owning departmentsOwning Department/School: School of Management
Further information on credits Credits: 6      [equivalent to 12 CATS credits]
Further information on notional study hours Notional Study Hours: 120
Further information on unit levels Level: Masters UG & PG (FHEQ level 7)
Further information on teaching periods Period:
Modular (no specific semester)
Further information on unit assessment Assessment Summary: CW 100%
Further information on unit assessment Assessment Detail:
  • Coursework (CW 100%)
Further information on supplementary assessment Supplementary Assessment:
Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations)
Further information on requisites Requisites:
Description: Aims:
The aim of this unit is to equip students with sufficient knowledge of finance to support the general management function and to appreciate how specialist activities in these areas can contribute to the attainment of financial and business strategies and objectives.

Learning Outcomes:
At the end of this unit students should be able to:
* explain where finance activities fit into a business and how they can contribute to the attainment of the company's financial and business strategies and objectives;
* describe the components of an annual report and explain their respective purposes in terms of their contribution to corporate accountability

Skills:
Intellectual Skills
* a systematic understanding of organisations, the internal and external context in which they operate and how they can be effectively managed (T/A);
* the ability to acquire and analyse data, information and situations; to evaluate relevance and validity, and to synthesise it in the context of topical business problems (F);
* a conceptual understanding of theoretical concepts and frameworks that enables the student to meaningfully link theory and practice and the ability to critically appraise both theory and practice (T/A).
* the uses and limitations of quantitative methods for providing information and evaluating options in an uncertain business environment (T & A);
* the ability to integrate the knowledge of a variety of functional and theoretical areas through application to organisational problems (T, F, A),
* the ability to acquire and analyse data and information, to evaluate its relevance and validity, and to synthesise it in the context of topical business problems (T,F,A);
Professional Practical Skills
* apply practical decision-making methods and tools at both tactical and strategic levels (T/A);
* operate effectively both independently as well as within teams and assume leadership roles where appropriate (F).
Transferable/Key Skills
* an openness and capacity to continue learning with the ability to reflect on earlier knowledge and practice and integrate the new with past experience and effectively apply it to the present situations (F);
* ability to recognise ethical corporate/social responsibility issues and to manage in light of these issues (T/A).
Personal/Interpersonal
* the facility to communicate including presenting and marketing themselves and their ideas; preparation and production of effective business plans and reports (T/F/A).

Content:
The role of the Finance Department
The Annual Report and other sources of financial information
Capital markets
The financing decision
The investment decision
The dividend decision
Mergers and acquisitions.
Further information on programme availabilityProgramme availability:

MN50695 is Compulsory on the following programmes:

School of Management

Notes:

  • This unit catalogue is applicable for the 2020/21 academic year only. Students continuing their studies into 2021/22 and beyond should not assume that this unit will be available in future years in the format displayed here for 2020/21.
  • Programmes and units are subject to change in accordance with normal University procedures.
  • Availability of units will be subject to constraints such as staff availability, minimum and maximum group sizes, and timetabling factors as well as a student's ability to meet any pre-requisite rules.
  • Find out more about these and other important University terms and conditions here.