BANKING AND MONEY - 2021/2

Module code: MAN3124

Module Overview

This module is intended to introduce students to the study of banking and money. The material of the course covers two broader areas. The first encompasses the microeconomic and managerial aspects of banking, such as the bank risk, efficiency, competition and performance. The second area covers the macroeconomic elements of banking instability, the role of banks in the monetary transmission mechanism, the interplay between banks, regulators and policy makers and the role of banks in setting the interest rates.

Module provider

Surrey Business School

Module Leader

BUCHANAN Bonnie (SBS)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 6

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Overall student workload

Independent Learning Hours: 106

Lecture Hours: 11

Tutorial Hours: 11

Module Availability

Semester 2

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

None

Module content

Indicative content includes:


  • Why Study Banking and Money: Basic theoretical issues in financial intermediation.

  • Financial Crises and the Subprime Meltdown

  • Banking and the Management of Financial Institutions

  • Economic Analysis of Financial Regulation

  • Banking Industry: Efficiency, Structure and Competition

  • Central Banking and the Money Supply Process

  • Tools of Monetary Policy

  • The ISLM model

  • The Monetary Transmission Mechanism and the Role of Banks

  •  Presentations of students’ coursework

  •  Presentations of students’ coursework and recapitulation


Assessment pattern

Assessment type Unit of assessment Weighting
Online Scheduled Summative Class Test MID-TEST MCQ 30
Examination EXAM SET DATE AND TIME (120 MIN) 70

Alternative Assessment

Same as above for the exam. For the coursework, an individual assessment that will provide a reduced scope of the team assignment which is aligned with the objectives of the module.

Assessment Strategy

The assessment will be made on the basis of a 2 hour examination and an essay-type group work.

The 2-hour examination (60% of the total mark) will be a standard closed book examination, with material coming directly from the module content. The broader topics for the questions will be covered during the lectures and the tutorials. The problems will be similar to those found at the end of the chapter of the main reading and the answers will be short essays/ simple math.

For the coursework (40% of the total mark), the students will be divided into groups of three students (subject to re-examination based on the final number of students). Each group will be responsible for the delivery of an essay. The essays will be presented in the last two weeks of the course. The topic of the essay must be very specific and the theme must analyse a relationship between 2-3 elements in banking and money. The topic must be agreed between the groups and the lecturer in the first 2-3 weeks of the course. This coursework is essential for third year students of an elective module, so as to gain significant and specialized insights into a topic that is of particular interest to them. In line with the methods of teaching, this would give the students the opportunity to present their findings to the class, which promotes participation and enhances communication skills that are crucial in the field. The essay will be due in the day of the presentation (last two weeks of class).

Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of:


  • A 3,000 assignment completed by a group of students (40% of final grade)

  • A final exam (60% of final grade)



Formative assessment and feedback

Students will receive:


  • Verbal feedback in tutorials and during office hours.

  • Verbal and written feedback on their assignments.

  • Any other feedback where needed.


Module aims

  • To provide an understanding of the role of banks in the modern economies
  • To introduce students to the microfinance aspects of banking theory, such as bank risk, competition and performance
  • To introduce students to the role of banks in the monetary transmission mechanism and to the role of Central Banks
  • To discuss contemporary elements of bank regulation and the role of banks in financial crises

Learning outcomes

Attributes Developed
001 Understand a wide range of topics about the role of banks in the modern economies. KCPT
002 Understand why banks take on risk, why they are “special” firms and why they are regulated so heavily. KCPT
003 Analyse the structural environment within which banks operate and the implications of that for their competitive environment and performance KCPT
004 Analyse case studies on banking crises, types of banking regulation and the interplay between banks and financial markets KCPT
005 Understand central banking theory, as well as to the way banks create money in the economy and affect interest rates KCPT

Attributes Developed

C - Cognitive/analytical

K - Subject knowledge

T - Transferable skills

P - Professional/Practical skills

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to:

The teaching and learning strategy is designed to develop the students’ awareness of all the elements included in the module content. Teaching will be made as interactively as possible in both the lectures and the tutorials.

In particular, the teaching and learning methods include the use of two-hour weekly lectures to illustrate the theory, supported by one-hour tutorials, which will demonstrate the practical application of such theory, take on specific exercises and problem sets and analyse the requirements for the course work. Lecture notes will be made available and regular exercises will be set to test students’ understanding on an on-going basis. The students will be separated into groups of 1-3 people and work together to discuss case studies and problems presented in class. This will enhance class participation and help the students assimilate ideas and develop communication skills.

The learning and teaching methods include:


  • Lectures (2 hours per weekx11 weeks = 22 conduct hours with discussion)

  • Tutorials (1 hour per weekx11 weeks = 11 conduct hours of problem solving and discussion)

  • Heavy in-class interaction to determine the theoretical and empirical relations in banking and money.

  • Assignment in a specific topic from a list given to students that will allow students to demonstrate expertise in a more focused subject


Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: MAN3124

Programmes this module appears in

Programme Semester Classification Qualifying conditions
Business Management BSc (Hons) 2 Optional A weighted aggregate mark of 40% is required to pass the module
Business Management (Dual degree with SII-DUFE) BSc (Hons) 2 Optional A weighted aggregate mark of 40% is required to pass the module
Business Management and French BSc (Hons) 2 Optional A weighted aggregate mark of 40% is required to pass the module
Business Management and Spanish BSc (Hons) 2 Optional A weighted aggregate mark of 40% is required to pass the module
International Business Management BSc (Hons) 2 Optional A weighted aggregate mark of 40% is required to pass the module
Accounting and Finance BSc (Hons) 2 Optional A weighted aggregate mark of 40% is required to pass the module

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2021/2 academic year.