Undergraduate 

Accounting & Statistics BSc

Introduction to Finance, Investments and Institutions ACCFIN1016

  • Academic Session: 2025-26
  • School: Adam Smith Business School
  • Credits: 20
  • Level: Level 1 (SCQF level 7)
  • Typically Offered: Semester 1
  • Available to Visiting Students: Yes
  • Collaborative Online International Learning: No
  • Curriculum For Life: No

Short Description

This is an introductory course that assumes no prior knowledge of finance or accounting. This course is specifically designed to familiarise students with essentials of financial management and investment and introduce them to how financial markets work.

Timetable

Lectures: 10 x 2 hours of Lectures

Tutorials: 7 x 1 hour Tutorial

Tutorials can be selected on MyCampus

Excluded Courses

Finance 1: ACCFIN1003

Foundations of Finance: ACCFIN1018

Co-requisites

None

Assessment

ILO

Assessment

Weighting

Word Length/Duration

1, 2, 4

Group Report

25%

2,000

3, 4, 5

Degree Exam

75%

2 hours

Main Assessment In: December

Are reassessment opportunities available for all summative assessments? No

Reassessments are normally available for all courses, except those which contribute to the Honours classification. For non-Honours courses, students are offered reassessment in all or any of the components of assessment if the satisfactory (threshold) grade for the overall course is not achieved at the first attempt. This is normally grade D3 for undergraduate students and grade C3 for postgraduate students. Exceptionally it may not be possible to offer reassessment of some coursework items, in which case the mark achieved at the first attempt will be counted towards the final course grade. Any such exceptions for this course are described below. The group report will not have a reassessment.

Course Aims

This course aims to provide an introduction to the basic concepts and terminologies in financial management and investments and to provide a deeper understanding on how financial markets work. It aims to cover theory and principles which are essential to taking better and informed financial and investment decisions within the dynamic business environment.

Intended Learning Outcomes of Course

On the successful completion of this course, students should be able to:

1) Explain both theoretical and practical roles of financial management in any business corporation.

2) Assess firms' financial health using various quantitative and qualitative techniques and analysis.

3) Recognise the importance of the timing of cash flows in decision-making.

4) Critically analyse various investment appraisal techniques available to financial managers for making better investment decisions.

5) Explain how various financial markets work and what are the different types of financial market instruments available to financial managers.

Minimum Requirement for Award of Credits

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.