FINANCE 383 : Banking and Financial Institutions
Business and Economics
2025 Semester Two (1255) (15 POINTS)
Course Prescription
Course Overview
This course serves as a bridge for students planning to pursue honours studies and/or careers in central banking and financial services. It focusses on developing critical insights into current financial market developments, including new or emerging trends and technologies and their implications for the banking industry. Active student participation is expected, as the course involves interactive class discussions on real-world events affecting financial markets and institutions. Students are expected to review lecture slides, readings, and notes before class. Lectures are structured to stimulate critical thinking on both the course content and broader industry trends, with guest speakers from the financial sector providing insights that bridge theory and practice. This course challenges traditional views on financial concepts and their applications, particularly in the context of Artificial Intelligence and Big Data Analytics. Students will be encouraged to analyse and articulate their perspectives, moving beyond superficial interpretations. For those who fully commit to the course, it promises a highly rewarding experience. You can expect lively debates, active in-class participation, and an engaging learning environment, that previous students have thoroughly enjoyed. We look forward to your insights and contributions!
Capabilities Developed in this Course
| Capability 2: | Sustainability |
| Capability 3: | Knowledge and Practice |
| Capability 4: | Critical Thinking |
| Capability 6: | Communication |
| Capability 7: | Collaboration |
| Capability 8: | Ethics and Professionalism |
Learning Outcomes
- Explain the functions and services of modern banks and other financial institutions. (Capability 3)
- Discuss the new and emerging technologies and trends in banking, as well as related sustainability challenges. (Capability 2 and 3)
- Analyse critically how banks manage different types of risk and justify the selection of appropriate resolution mechanisms to mitigate banking failures and financial crises. (Capability 4)
- Evaluate the functions of central banks, the role of monetary and macro prudential policies, and the importance of banking supervision and regulation. (Capability 2 and 3)
- Apply teamwork and self-management strategies to produce a group presentation and reflect on the process. (Capability 6.1, 7 and 8)
Assessments
| Assessment Type | Percentage | Classification |
|---|---|---|
| Test 1 | 20% | Individual Test |
| Test 2 | 25% | Individual Test |
| Test 3 | 20% | Individual Test |
| Group Assignment | 15% | Group Coursework |
| Quizzes | 10% | Individual Coursework |
| Workshops | 10% | Individual Coursework |
| 6 types | 100% |
| Assessment Type | Learning Outcome Addressed | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | ||||||
| Test 1 | ||||||||||
| Test 2 | ||||||||||
| Test 3 | ||||||||||
| Group Assignment | ||||||||||
| Quizzes | ||||||||||
| Workshops | ||||||||||
Workload Expectations
This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.
For this course, on average, you can expect three hours of lectures, a one hour tutorial, three hours of reading and thinking about the content and three hours of work on the quizzes, test preparation and/or the assignment. It will vary across individual students and across time although workload is not expected to be above normal for a level 3 undergraduate paper. It is important to attend lectures and tutorials, and actively participate in discussion.
Delivery Mode
Campus Experience
This course is designed to encourage and develop independent student thinking. Class sessions will incorporate a variety of interactive content including discussion, exercises and guest lecturers.
Assessments will be designed to test your understanding of and ability to apply information and concepts. This means you should expect the assessments to include applications and situations not directly covered in class or in the textbook.
Attendance is expected at scheduled activities including tests, workshops and tutorials to complete components of the course. Lecture slides and notes, case studies and other associated materials will be available before lectures. Workshops are in class group discussions on selected topics. The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.
Learning Resources
Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).
Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.
Student Feedback
At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.
Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.
Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.
Students feedback is always welcome as this helps us to improve the course.
Please note that the delivery mode and structure for this course may differ from other stage 3 courses and aim to incentivise independent student thinking. See the delivery mode section for more information.
Academic Integrity
The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework, tests and examinations as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against electronic source material using computerised detection mechanisms. Upon reasonable request, students may be required to provide an electronic version of their work for computerised review.
Class Representatives
Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.
Inclusive Learning
All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.
Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz
Special Circumstances
If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.
If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.
This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.
Learning Continuity
In the event of an unexpected disruption we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and your assessment is fair, and not compromised. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the University Website for information about how to proceed.
Student Charter and Responsibilities
The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.
Disclaimer
Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.
In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.