Research Project (MSc Banking and Finance) (926N1)

45 credits, Level 7 (Masters)

Summer teaching

In this module, you undertake an applied research project.

Specifically, your project involves researching and writing up, in the form of a dissertation, a specific aspect of banking - in a way that would support effective decision-making within an international/national banking context.

As part of this module, you learn research skills and, through reflective practice, you apply those skills to a specific research topic in banking.

For example, you will be able to estimate bank efficiency scores using either non-parametric (DEA) or parametric (SFA) methodology, and then empirically examine the impact of underlying contributing factors, such as Basel III regulation framework, on efficiency.

Towards this goal, you benefit from our new state-of-the-art academic building and the new on-line databases such as Bloomberg and Bankscope.

The aim is for you to critically survey and identify relevant theories and models and then to employ them in banking and finance.

The skills and context aspects of the module will help prepare you for this task, as well as helping you to develop transferable skills.

You may wish - for instance if your studies are sponsored by an organisation - to examine a particular problem/area for your organisation.

Your studies in this module are split into two phases, which include the following topics:

  1. Planning phase (spring term)
    • research problems, issues and controversies in the field of banking and finance
    • planning and designing research
    • literature review
    • methodologies in banking
    • analysis of data
    • empirical estimations
    • implications and conclusions.
  2. Research phase (spring-summer term)
    • individual, self-directed research of your approved topic, leading to the submission of your written research portfolio and research project.

Assessment

100%: Written assessment (Report)

Contact hours and workload

This module is approximately 450 hours of work. This breaks down into about 8 hours of contact time and about 442 hours of independent study. The University may make minor variations to the contact hours for operational reasons, including timetabling requirements.

We regularly review our modules to incorporate student feedback, staff expertise, as well as the latest research and teaching methodology. We’re planning to run these modules in the academic year 2024/25. However, there may be changes to these modules in response to feedback, staff availability, student demand or updates to our curriculum.

We’ll make sure to let you know of any material changes to modules at the earliest opportunity.