Course Catalogue

Banking Theory and Practice ACCFIN4091

  • Academic Session: 2026-27
  • School: Adam Smith Business School
  • Credits: 20
  • Level: Level 4 (SCQF level 10)
  • Typically Offered: Semester 1
  • Available to Visiting Students: Yes
  • Collaborative Online International Learning: No
  • Curriculum For Life: No

Short Description

This course introduces conventional and burgeoning theories in banking and discusses practical topics in bank risk management. The course equips the students with knowledge to analyse the roles of financial institutions in the economy and skills to apply the theories into practice as well as to evaluate policy implications. 

Timetable

Lecture/workshop (2 hours x 10 weeks)

Tutorials (1 hour x 4 weeks)

Requirements of Entry

Normally a grade D3 or above in Finance 2 or equivalent.

Excluded Courses

None

Co-requisites

None

Assessment

1. Oral assessment & presentation; Individual; 10 minutes plus Q&A; 40%; ILOs 1, 3-6.

2. Degree exam: in-person; Individual; 120 minutes; 60%; ILOs 1-5.

Main Assessment In: December

Course Aims


The aims of this course are to:

■ Equip students with the analytical skills to critically assess banking from both a policymaker's perspective and a banker's perspective.

■ Critically appraise the key features of the banking industry and its roles in the economy, in terms of financial intermediation, credit supply, monetary policy transmission.

■ Evaluate different categories of risk of banks, including bank run, credit risk, liquidity risk and Interest rate risk, theoretically and empirically.

■ Comprehend the implications of recent policies and regulations implemented by central banks, regulators, and governments.

Intended Learning Outcomes of Course

By the end of this course students will be able to:

 

1. Develop a critical understanding of key economic/banking concepts, contemporary theories to solve problems in banking.

 

2. Critically appraise the principal features of banking industry, and the implications on different stakeholders and the economy to formulate recommendations and strategies in response to challenges.

 

3. Apply empirical analytical and numeracy skills to critically evaluate different categories of risk faced with individual banks and the banking industry based on banks' financial statements.

 

4. Critically examine banking industry and regulatory oversights according to facts, academic literature and statistics summarising the recent empirical developments across the domestic and international banking systems.

 

5. Independently evaluate arguments, academic articles, and evidence in the field of banking and related disciplines.

 

6. Produce and orally present analysis on relevant banking topics for effective communication to the intended audience(s).

Minimum Requirement for Award of Credits

No exceptions