BUSINESS FINANCE - 2025/6

Module Overview

The prime motivator in business activity is sustainable profitability for shareholders' wealth maximization. It follows that all managers are likely to perform better towards that goal if they understand the mechanisms for achieving sustainable profit by acting in the interest of stakeholders. This module is designed to give students the necessary basic background in finance to enable them to be effective business managers. It covers the fundamental principles of corporate finance and investment in bonds, stocks, and projects, along with day-to-day working capital management.

Module provider

Surrey Business School

Module Leader

HAN Liang (SII DUFE)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 5

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

Module Availability

Semester 1

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

None

Module content

Indicative content includes:

• The importance of Corporate Finance within a business and the role of the Corporate Treasurer.


• Corporate Financial Goals -including not-for-profit entities and sustainability goals.


• Financial Analysis and Planning – including performance against stakeholder goals and planning for growth.


• Time Value of Money – discounted cash flow valuation for multiple periods and compounding over period of less than a year including application to investment and financing sources.


• Asset Valuation – valuing bonds and equities


• Capital Investment Appraisal- using tools such as average accounting return, net present value, internal rate of return, payback, discounted payback and profitability index.


• Working Capital Management and Cash Models - including operating cycle and the management of cash, inventories, accounts payable and accounts receivable.

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

Not applicable

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy: 

There are two summative assessments for this module: a class test and an end of semester examination.

Class test
The class test will comprise multiple choice questions and/or questions requiring short written answers.  

Examination
The exam paper will include scenario questions.  Questions may contain several parts (part (a), part (b) etc).

Assessment questions
Assessments will include both quantitative and qualitative questions.
Quantitative questions are designed to assess numerical, application of knowledge and analytical skills.
Qualitative questions will assess application of knowledge, synthesis, creative thinking and problem-solving skills.

Formative assessment and feedback
Formative assessments such as a sample class test and exam paper will be available to support students in preparation for summative assessments and to provide ongoing feedback.  Such feedback will help students identify their strengths and weaknesses and help develop revision plans for the summative assessments.  Students are also expected to engage with other feedback provided during seminars and feedback and advice hours throughout the semester.

Module aims

• Provide an understanding of the principles of financial management and an appreciation of the role of the finance function in the commercial life of a business
• Provide techniques for use in evaluating the financial needs of a business and in financial planning
• Evaluate and compare different investment opportunities and sources of short and long-term finance

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy:

The learning and teaching strategy is based on a hybrid teaching model, incorporating elements of both live and on-demand learning.

On-demand learning is designed for students to explore the topics in their own time and includes a range of guided learning activities.  Guided learning activities may include pre-recorded videos, practice questions & solutions, quizzes, discussion forum and links to further reading.

Live learning allows students to explore and engage in discussions on the topics, including current developments in the financial markets, and also to practise more complex questions and receive answers and feedback to queries from their tutor.

This learning and teaching strategy provides students with the opportunity to acquire knowledge and to understand the relevant theory in the context of current developments in the financial markets and develop effective solutions for decision making in the context of case study scenarios.

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: MAN2208

Other information

None

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 2025/6 academic year.