Imperial College Business School Summer School Programme
Course Content Outline - Finance
Course title: Finance
Academic Director: Dr. Katja Ahoniemi, Assistant Professor of Finance
Category: Finance
Code: GFSSC
Direct contact hours: 66 direct hours of contact time (lectures and classes)
Academic level: Advanced and equivalent to a final year undergraduate course
Suggested credit level: 3 - 4 US credits / 7 ECTS’s*
*A student’s home institution will determine how much credit is awarded.
Entry requirement: A level maths or equivalent
Course Aims
This course will provide an overview of the concepts in finance, together with a thorough
examination of the key elements of today’s financial markets. Taught by Imperial’s leading
finance faculty as well as practitioners, it will provide you with the ability to put the latest
academic thinking and business strategies into practice.
Topics covered
Financial markets and instruments
Interest rates and fixed income
Asset pricing
Corporate finance
Forecasting and scenario analysis
Venture capital and private equity
Derivative instruments
Asset Management
Hedge funds
Regulation and financial crises
Behavioural finance
Course Objectives
Knowledge
Comprehensive understanding of financial instruments such as bonds, equities, etc.
Valuing risky cash flows
Bond yields
Portfolio selection
Capital Asset Pricing Model(CAPM)
Capital structure and payout policy
Financial statement analysis and equity valuation
Venture capital and private equity
Introduction to derivative instruments
Asset management industry and hedge funds
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Dr. Katja Ahoniemi, Academic Course Director
10 March 2014
Challenges faced by financial regulators
Background to recent financial crises
Introduction to behavioural finance
Skills
Development of critical reasoning skills
Understanding of global finance in a practical context
Ability to utilise financial techniques to analyse issues in finance
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course students will be able to:
Demonstrate knowledge of fundamental finance theories and models and their use and
context in real financial markets
Understand the financial decisions of corporations
Analyse economic and financial data and evaluate investment decisions
Understand the principles of equity and bond valuation
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Dr. Katja Ahoniemi, Academic Course Director
10 March 2014
Teaching Schedule
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Lecture
5 x 3 hour
5 x 3 hour
4 x 3 hour
Tutorial
5 x 2 hour
5 x 2 hour
2 x 2 hour
Examination
1 x 2 hour
In addition to the above, students are expected to complete over 30 hours of private study and
exam preparation work.
Teaching Methods
The course will be delivered by a mix of face-to-face lectures and classes. Lecture content and
class material will be made available through an interactive online teaching and learning hub –
The Summer School Hub.
Each lecture will be followed by a supporting class which will use case studies, structured
discussions and in-class exercises to demonstrate the application of concepts delivered in faceto-face lectures.
In addition there will be a guest speaker programme with presentations from high profile financial
institutions to put the course material into a practical context.
Assessment
1 Final individual exam (100%, multiple choice format)
Imperial College London will issue a transcript record of attendance and assessment
performance.
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Dr. Katja Ahoniemi, Academic Course Director
10 March 2014
Course Structure
Week 1
30 June 2014
Foundations of Finance and Asset Pricing
Lecture
1
Introduction to financial markets and financial
instruments
2
Interest rates and fixed income valuation
3
Quantitative methods
4
Diversification and portfolio choice
5
Modelling asset returns
Week 2
7 July 2014
Asset Pricing and Corporate Finance
Lecture
6
7
8
Return predictability in practice
Corporate investment decisions and raising
capital
Equity valuation, venture capital, and private
equity
9
Capital structure and payout policy
10
Currency and commodity markets
Week 3
14 July 2014
Lecture
Class
Structured discussions
and in-class exercises
Structured discussions
and in-class exercises
In-class exercises and
guest speaker
Structured discussions
and in-class exercises
Structured discussions
and in-class exercises
Advanced Topics in Finance
11
Risk management and derivative instruments
12
Hedge funds and the asset management
industry
13
Regulation and financial crises
14
Behavioural finance
Examination
Class
Structured discussions
and in-class exercises
Structured discussions
and in-class exercises
Structured discussions
and in-class exercises
In-class exercises and
guest speaker
Structured discussions
and in-class exercises
Class
Structured discussions
and in-class exercises
In-class exercises and
guest speaker
Social programme
activity
NO CLASS
2 hour individual examination (closed book)
Selected Academic Sources
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Dr. Katja Ahoniemi, Academic Course Director
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The following are ‘author’ references which are starting points for reading. Course tutors will
supply official course reading lists.
Key Foundation Texts
Bodie, Z., Kane, A. and Marcus, A.: Investments and Portfolio Management, Global
Edition (2011).
Berk, J. and DeMarzo, P.: Corporate Finance, Global Edition (2013).
Media Sources – essential weekly reading
Times / FT / Economist – all have online versions
Pastoral Support
A full welcome and orientation programme will be provided at the beginning of the programme.
The Business School will provide dedicated pastoral care. The Imperial College Students Union
will also welcome and engage with the Summer School Students.
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Dr. Katja Ahoniemi, Academic Course Director
10 March 2014