BE339-5-SP-CO:
Development Finance and Microcredit
2023/24
Essex Business School
Colchester Campus
Spring
Undergraduate: Level 5
Current
Monday 15 January 2024
Friday 22 March 2024
15
23 June 2023
Requisites for this module
BE300 or IA157
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
This module focuses on the crucial role finance has for economic development with particular reference to emerging countries.
The aims of this module are:
- To provide students with a good knowledge of the nexus of finance and development and the importance of microfinance in particular for emerging and developing countries. In order to fully appreciate the dynamics of these economies, the topics covered include financial liberalisation, a review of the process of financial institution building in developing and emerging market economies and an analysis of their interactions with the global financial system.
- To learn about microfinance theory and practice, including products and services, risk management issues, sustainability and regulation.
By the end of this module, students will be expected to be able to:
- Evaluate critically the role of financial markets, institutions and international bodies in economic development in individual countries and worldwide.
- Appraise the nexus between finance and growth.
- Assess main financial risks in developing and emerging economies.
- Appraise the role of microfinance and microcredit as alternatives to banking and financial markets in emerging/developing countries.
- Demonstrate in-depth knowledge as to why financial systems need regulation and supervision and what is special about financial regulation and supervision in developing countries.
Skills for Your Professional Life (Transferable Skills)
By the end of this module, students will be expected to have developed and improved the following employability-related skills:
- Improve your commercial awareness by investigating the current trends in development finance, especially (but not limited to) recent trends in capital flows and capital controls, evolution of financial deepening, and new challenges for emerging markets.
- Enhance your teamwork-collaboration and written communication skills through a coursework group essay.
- Develop your research skills through the use of the Global Financial Development database of the World Bank.
- Improve knowledge about the formal and informal banking systems and the importance of microfinance.
- Study and analyse the growth and trends in microfinance and its impact on the developed and developing economies.
This module is divided into two parts: Part 1 'finance and growth' and Part 2 'microfinance for economic development'.
This module will be delivered via:
- One 2-hour lecture per week.
- One 1 hour class per fortnight.
- One review session in the summer term.
Students are expected to do the relevant reading outlined in the lecture and class programme. It is strongly recommended that you also do additional reading to supplement the lecture material.
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Demirgu¨c¸-Kunt, A. and Levine, R. (no date)
Financial structure and economic growth: a cross-country comparison of banks, markets, and development. Cambridge, Mass: MIT Press. Available at:
https://essex.alma.exlibrisgroup.com/view/action/uresolver.do?operation=resolveService&package_service_id=4367045190007346&institutionId=7346&customerId=7345.
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Armendariz, B. and Morduch, J. (2010)
The economics of microfinance. 2nd ed. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. Available at:
https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/universityofessex-ebooks/detail.action?docID=3339129.
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Torre, M.L. and Vento, G.A. (2006)
Microfinance. London: Palgrave Macmillan. Available at:
https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/universityofessex-ebooks/detail.action?docID=293493.
The above list is indicative of the essential reading for the course.
The library makes provision for all reading list items, with digital provision where possible, and these resources are shared between students.
Further reading can be obtained from this module's
reading list.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
| Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
| Coursework |
Group Essay |
|
|
| Exam |
Main exam: In-Person, Open Book, 120 minutes during Summer (Main Period)
|
| Exam |
Reassessment Main exam: In-Person, Open Book, 120 minutes during September (Reassessment Period)
|
Exam format definitions
- Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
- In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary,
for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.
Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.
Overall assessment
Reassessment
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Dr Nick Rowe, email: nick.rowe@essex.ac.uk.
Dr Nick Rowe
ebsugcol@essex.ac.uk
Yes
Yes
No
Dr Hf Guo
University of Durham
Assistant Professor in Finance
Available via Moodle
Of 279 hours, 0 (0%) hours available to students:
279 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
0 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s).
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