Master of Business Administration in Banking and Finance (Awarded by Bangor University, UK)

Course details

The Bangor Business School aims to build on our long-established expertise in the area of postgraduate training in banking and finance by offering a one-year MBA Banking and Finance, which aims to develop participants' academic and managerial skills in these areas. An important objective is to provide relevant analytical training to familiarise participants with the latest strategic, managerial and industrial developments in the financial services industry.

The MBA Banking and Finance course provides a coherent analytical framework for the study of banking and financial developments from a management perspective. The emphasis throughout the programme is on the application of contemporary, financial, managerial and strategic developments that affect real-world decision-making in the global financial industry.

We recognise that a thorough understanding of recent developments in banking and financial firm strategies, financial management, risk management, international financial markets, marketing strategies and performance evaluation are essential requirements for all those involved in financial sector activities.

Methods of Assessment

Student’s knowledge and understanding of each module are assessed through either examinations or assignments

Course Outline

Organisations and People (15 credits)

Upon successful completion of this module, students are expected to be able to:

• Critically evaluate management and organisational theory and practice;
• Relate management theory to personal experience of a working environment;
• Distinguish between types of organisational structure, culture and job design;
• Appreciate the human resourcing aspects of managing and leading people;
• Critically assess the management processes involved in managing in an increasingly complex, global, changing environment.

Marketing Strategy (15 credits)

Upon successful completion of this module, students are expected to be able to:

• Demonstrate basic understanding and knowledge of concepts of marketing;
• Appreciate the wide-ranging applications in which marketing applies and the adjustments required;
• Analyse specific situations and propose appropriate marketing strategies;
• Evaluate the challenges of implementing effective strategies.

International Strategic Management (15 credits)

Upon successful completion of this module, students are expected to be able to:

• Use the terminology of strategic management in an organisational context;
• Distinguish between and understand the relationship of strategic and operational management;
• View strategy as a continuing managerial process and appreciate the dangers of drift;
• Identify and cite the key theorists and concepts;
• Understand the dynamics of strategic decision making and implementation and the significance of culture and cultural change.

Management Research (15 credits)

Upon successful completion of this module, students are expected to be able to:

• Demonstrate an awareness of the historical development of both quantitative and qualitative approaches to research in management;
• Explain how a researcher’s philosophical position may influence the choice of research methods;
• Critically evaluate the shift towards qualitative and interpretive research in management;
• Compare, contrast and critically evaluate alternative research strategies and designs;
• Demonstrate the capability to employ the most appropriate method of analysis to any specific business or management research agenda.

Bank Financial Management (15 credits)

Upon successful completion of this module, students are expected to be able to:

• Appreciate the nature, strategic context and managerial functions of practical financial management in banks and similar financial service firms;
• Understand how bank financial management contributes towards meeting a bank?s strategic and related objectives;
• Apply the skills and practical competences needed for high-level financial management in banking;
• Understand contemporary problems and issues that bear on bank financial management;
• Develop a suitable analytical framework from the bank financial management corpus to be capable of addressing new and contemporary issues.

International Banking (15 credits)

Upon successful completion of this module, students are expected to be able to:

• Explain why banks operate across national boundaries, the nature of their presence in foreign banking markets, and identify the characteristics of international financial centres;
• Understand the expansion of international banking markets and identify where efficiency gains reside;
• Discuss the issues associated with, and methods used by banks to lend to multinational companies including syndicated lending and the measurement and monitoring of international credit risk;
• Appraise the causes of major international financial crises and appraise the policy responses of multi-lateral financial institutions;
• Comprehend the issues relating to the regulation and supervision of international banks.

Financial Institutions Strategic Management (15 credits)

Upon successful completion of this module, students are expected to be able to:

• Critically evaluate the rationale for banks and banking business;
• Analyse the important determinants of bank performance and efficiency;
• Demonstrate awareness of the dynamic aspects of banking business, such as bank growth and innovation;
• Critically evaluate theoretical and empirical evidence on the principal determinants of bank behaviour and performance

International Financial Management (15 credits)

Upon successful completion of this module, students are expected to be able to:

• Evaluate the impact of interest rates and inflation rates on exchange rates and the usefulness of the parity relationships;
• Assess transaction and economic currency exposures and their management using external (derivatives and money markets) and internal techniques;
• Evaluate the implications of the globalisation of financial markets for the financial management of multinational companies;
• Analyse the factors that influence the evaluation and implementation of international investment projects;
• Evaluate the impact of taxation issues on MNCs, and demonstrate how internal techniques are used to position profits and manage liquidity and risk.

Applied Business Projects (60 credits)

Students will have to do four Applied Business Projects as listed below

• e-Business and Value Chain;
• Human Resource Management;
• International Business;
• Investment and Private Banking.

On completing the module, students are expected to be able to:

• Understand the impact of electronic business to individuals, organisations, communities and nations and to develop an understanding of the business models available;
• Appreciate electronic business from all elements of the supply chain and the issues involved in developing an e-Business strategy;
• Provide an integrated analysis of people management, developing the conceptual, strategic and practical skills necessary for managers in complex, global organisational contexts;
• Demonstrate the ability to analyse the conditions in the international environment that drive trade between nations and the issues facing companies and governments;
• Provide insights into the behaviour of consumers, workers and managers in multinational enterprises (MNEs), small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and the public sector;
• Provide insights into the behaviour of consumers, workers and managers in multinational enterprises (MNEs), small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and the public sector;
• Develop a critical awareness of the changing business characteristics of the Private Banking, Wealth Management and Investment Banking Sector.