AF6038 - Investment Management

You will learn through lectures (12 hours), workshops (24 hours), tutor led (82 hours) and independent study (82 hours). The lectures will provide you with a theoretical underpinning of the module content, supported by weekly workshops in the NBS trading room which will give you an opportunity to practice the various techniques learnt, allowing you to build up a proficiency of portfolio management. You will learn the theoretical concepts through activities in Microsoft-Excel using real world financial data. There will be additional exercises housed on the module’s e-learning portal that will permit you to undertake further practice independently. A supported reading list that provides you with an opportunity to learn how the various theories and techniques are applied. Your directed study will support the work you have undertaken in the contact sessions. In addition, you will be set a selection of exercises to complete through tutor-led directed study. To aid with self-assessment of the progress, the solutions or examples to these exercises will be made available to you on the e-learning portal. Independent learning time is set aside for learning activities, self-identified by you, to gain a deeper and broader knowledge of the subject. You may complete the review exercises, work with the electronic support tools (such as recordings of IT applications), review past assessment answers or undertake further reading. The problem-solving nature of the workshops enables you to receive tutor feedback continuously.

You will be supported by a teaching and learning plan (TLP) that outlines the pattern and content of formal sessions, tutor-directed study and independent reading. Support will be provided to you by your tutors. The IT workshop-based sessions provide a more individualised basis for academic support. Your lectures will be recorded and uploaded to the e-learning portal which you will be able to access to consolidate your knowledge and develop understanding. Your module is supported by an e-learning portal, which houses lecture materials, IT workshop exercises and data files, alongside assessment details and various support facilities such as recorded trading software guides, certain lectures and IT applications, alongside other electronic support facilities. You will be provided with a wide-ranging electronic reading list that comprises of various academic reports, conference papers, video links and journal articles that showcase the theory and application of various techniques presented in the module. Your module assessment consists of construction and management of a portfolio of financial assets, mainly equities, that will commence in week three and finish in your last week of teaching. This will encourage your active participation in the learning process throughout the semester. Trading software functions related to portfolio creation, management and evaluation will be taught alongside.

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. The reading list for this module can be found at: http://readinglists.northumbria.ac.uk
(Reading List service online guide for academic staff this containing contact details for the Reading List team – http://library.northumbria.ac.uk/readinglists)

Knowledge & Understanding (KU):

• Critically evaluate theories and techniques and their application to construct, rebalance and evaluate an investment portfolio of equities (MLO1).
• Critically assess through discussion and analysis both rational and irrational parts of decision making in investment management of equities (MLO2).

Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities (IPSA):

• Evidence skills in the handling of stock market data and the corresponding findings of its analysis and modelling for progression to more advanced contexts (MLO3).

Personal Values Attributes (PVA):

• Demonstrate innovation and critical thinking in the application of concepts and theories to various case scenarios and data sets (MLO4).

Formative Assessment:
Formative assessment will take place through group work, assignment discussion and reflection, discussion board activity on the e-learning platform, case study activity, and theory/practice related discussions. The module assessment consists of several inter-related tasks which will be distributed throughout your teaching semester. Your work on these tasks (teaching week 3-10) will provide you with further chance to practice the various areas of asset allocation, portfolio management, rebalancing as well as reflecting on your decision using behavioural finance theory and knowledge of biases. Criteria will be provided to enable participants to understand what is expected of them and how they will be assessed on their performance. Formative feedback will be provided throughout the module, particularly in relation to workshop tasks. Students should, however, be aware that formative feedback can and will occur in any communication with the academic tutor.

Summative Assessment:
This module is assessed by one element:
• Individual written assignment of 3,000 words (100%). It requires weekly management and review of a portfolio of financial securities (for 10 weeks from teaching weeks 3 to 12).
Assessment covers MLO1, MLO2, MLO3, MLO4.

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The Investment Management module will equip you to understand and apply the theories and techniques of managing investment in financial assets more effectively. Using the financial software in the NBS trading room and Microsoft Excel, you’ll learn important skills in asset allocation, portfolio diversification and asset pricing, while also building understanding of behavioural biases in investment decisions. You’ll reflect on and evaluate your own behaviours as an investor and develop a range of strategies for moving yourself to a new level of performance. During the module, you’ll invest in a number of real-world financial assets and then crystallise your reflections and strategies in a report you’ll submit as part of your assessment. The module reflects themes of rational and behavioural finance which you’ll discuss through content drawn from specialised finance journals and everyday finance news.