Module Directory

This module provides a good grasp of both the basics (the structure and environment of banking) and selected aspects of the applied economics of the modern banking firm.

The topics covered include competition, bank efficiency, regulation, mergers & acquisitions, shadow banking, bank failures and recent developments of FinTech innovation in banking.

The aims of this module are: 

• To understand market structure and competition


• To understand relationship banking


• To understand mergers and acquisitions, banks’ objectives, efficiency in banking


• To understand the regulation of the banking sector and the rationale for it


• To understand the banking crises and international financial architecture


• To understand the financial technology innovation.

By the end of this module, students will be expected to be able to:

1. Appraise the role of banks in a modern society.


2. Evaluate critically the empirical evidence related to the industrial structure of banking and efficiency.


3. Understand the role of bank-borrower relationships and their influence on bank strategy, orientation and specialization.


4. Evaluate the strategies of modern banks in terms of consolidation and mergers & acquisitions.


5. Understand the role and functions of central banks.


6. Understand why banks need regulation and assess the current regulatory banking frameworks.


7. Understand how recent financial technology innovations have affected the banking sector.

Skills for Your Professional Life Skills for Your Professional Life (Transferable Skills)

By the end of the module, students should be able to: 

1. Conduct an independent search and review of specialized academic literature on banking, identify and evaluate relevant information.


2. Develop, use and understand relevant quantitative models and interpret quantitative results.


3. Effectively communicate ideas and provide sound arguments in both written form and orally using academic style of communication.


4. Improve data analytical skills using databases, internet and other information technologies to retrieve, analyse and communicate information.


5. Effectively manage time, be autonomous in learning and develop positive student-staff relationships.


6. Increase awareness of recent developments in the banking sector.

Students are supposed to be familiar with basic concepts from an intermediate undergraduate course in topics with an analytical and/or quantitative emphasis such as (corporate) finance, microeconomics, macroeconomics or/and econometrics.

This module will be delivered via:

• One 2-hour lecture per week.

Students are expected to do relevant reading and preparation before the lecture. It is also strongly recommended that you do additional reading to supplement the lecture material.