FM477 Half Unit
International Finance A
This information is for the 2025/26 session.
Course Convenor
Dr Liliana Varela
Availability
This course is available on the MSc in Finance (full-time), MSc in Finance (full-time) (Work Placement Pathway), MSc in Finance (part-time), MSc in Finance and Economics, MSc in Finance and Economics (Work Placement Pathway), MSc in Finance and Private Equity, MSc in Finance and Private Equity (Work Placement Pathway) and MSc in Finance and Risk. This course is not available as an outside option to students on other programmes. This course uses controlled access as part of the course selection process.
All students on a programme listed under the Course Availability will be given a place. This course is closed to outside students and does not permit auditing students.
Please contact finance.teachingmanager@lse.ac.uk with any queries.
This course is not capped, any eligible student that requests a place will be given one.
This course does not permit auditing students.
Requisites
Co-requisites:
Either before taking this course, or in the same year as this course, students must complete:
FM436
or
FM403
or
((FM422 or FM422E) and (FM423 or FM423E))
Course content
Following an introduction to the exchange rate market, the course will focus on key elements of international financial management, international risk exposure, hedging via FX derivatives (forwards, futures, options, and swap contracts), managing transaction and economic exposure, international portfolio investment. The course will next focus on exchange rate determination and forecasting, the international monetary system, balance of payments, crises in open economies and current issues of the global economy. Relevant concepts will be illustrated throughout via topical business and country cases.
Teaching
30 hours of seminars in the Winter Term.
The course will be taught in an interactive Harvard-style three-hour lecture block integrating lectures and classes.
Formative assessment
Weekly problem sets covering both theoretical methods and practical applications.
Indicative reading
Detailed course readings, cases, and slides will be distributed at the start of the course. Illustrative texts include: International Financial Management by C. S. Eun and B. G. Resnick, McGraw-Hill Education; 8th edition (2018), International Financial Management by G. Bekaert and R. Hodrick, Cambridge University Press; 3rd edition (2017) and Maurice Obstfeld and Kenneth Rogoff, Foundations of International Macroeconomics, The MIT Press (1996).
Assessment
Continuous assessment (100%)
Key facts
Department: Finance
Course Study Period: Winter Term
Unit value: Half unit
FHEQ Level: Level 7
CEFR Level: Null
Total students 2024/25: 97
Average class size 2024/25: 97
Controlled access 2024/25: YesCourse selection videos
Some departments have produced short videos to introduce their courses. Please refer to the course selection videos index page for further information.
Personal development skills
- Leadership
- Self-management
- Team working
- Problem solving
- Application of information skills
- Communication
- Application of numeracy skills
- Commercial awareness
- Specialist skills