FM472      Half Unit
International Finance

This information is for the 2019/20 session.

Teacher responsible

Dr Elisabetta Bertero

Availability

This course is available on the CEMS Exchange, Global MSc in Management, Global MSc in Management (CEMS MiM), Global MSc in Management (MBA Exchange), MBA Exchange, MSc in Accounting and Finance and MSc in Management (1 Year Programme). This course is available with permission as an outside option to students on other programmes where regulations permit.

 

Students on programmes other than the ones listed above are also welcome to request the course on LSE for You (LfY) provided regulations permit. Acceptance on LfY is subject to permission by the course leader obtained by emailing her detailed information on finance and economics courses taken during previous studies as well as the motivation for wanting to take the course.

 

This course is not open to students from the following departments: Economics, Finance, Mathematics, and Statistics.

Pre-requisites

All students interested in this course must attend the first lecture and the first class in early January, during which the required research project is discussed.

Course content

This course examines key issues in international finance, focusing on recent developments and incorporating theoretical, empirical, policy and institutional dimensions. The course uses exchange rates as a unifying theme and considers them from four perspectives: theory, policy, global risk and international investors. The course examines models of exchange rate determination and related empirical evidence. It analyses the choice and coordination of exchange rate regimes, including the European Monetary Union. It examines exchange rates as one of the sources of global financial instability. It considers the risk exposure for investors arising from exchange rate volatility and its hedging with currency instruments. The course also explores the links, in each area, to current developments such as the internationalisation of the Chinese Renminbi, the EMU sovereign debt crisis, the recent financial crisis and global imbalances, forex carry trades and the high volatility of short term exchange rates.

Teaching

20 hours of lectures and 10 hours of seminars in the LT.

Formative coursework

Students are required to undertake a group research project on a given topic in international finance.

Indicative reading

A selection of journal articles; background reading from a textbook such as Keith Pilbeam International Finance (Palgrave, 2013, 4th edition)

Assessment

Exam (80%, duration: 2 hours) in the summer exam period.
Research project (10%) and continuous assessment (10%) in the LT.

Continuous assessment takes the form of class preparation throughout the teaching term and is worth 10%.

Key facts

Department: Finance

Total students 2018/19: 43

Average class size 2018/19: 9

Controlled access 2018/19: No

Value: Half Unit

Guidelines for interpreting course guide information

Personal development skills