Modules for course N3BM | MBA/IB
MBA Islamic Banking and Finance

Compulsory Modules

Semester 1

• ASB-4411: International Banking (15)
  • Overview of financial management at modern banks; • Current trends and impacts of foreign banks • Origins and evolution of international banks and markets • Evaluating country risks; • The location decision; • Diversification, risk and value • Syndicated lending; • Financial crises; • Issues in international bank regulation; • Issues in executive compensation
• ASB-4423: Islamic Finance (15)
  The induction of Riba, Gharar and Maysir; Traditional Islamic financial instruments; The role of the capital market; Risk management and Structured Islamic financial products.
• ASB-4431: Organisations and People (15)
  Theories and models of management: classical and contemporary; Organisation structures: strategy, design and function, job design; Organisation cultures: values, ethics, norms of behaviour; Organisation processes: survival, change, growth and development; Organisational learning, and learning organisations; Individual differences: perception, learning, motivation, equality and diversity; Groups and teams in the organisation; Managing relationships: power, control and conflict resolution, communication; Managers as leaders, people developers, coaches; Managing and rewarding performance.

Semester 2

• ASB-4115: Management Research (15)
  • Research methodologies and philosophy: positivism and interpretivism; • Qualitative research methods and the search for meaning; • The process: selecting a research strategy and design; • Data gathering, documentary records, triangulation and mixed methods; • Quantitative research design and methodologies; • Analysis of quantitative data; univariate and multivariate analysis, factor analysis, cluster analysis, and MANOVA.
• ASB-4424: Islamic Banking (15)
  Theoretical foundations of Islamic Banking; Development of the Islamic banking model; Islamic banking products and services; Islamic insurance (Takaful); Challenges facing the Islamic financial development.
• ASB-4428: Islamic Insurance (15)
  Main features of Islamic contracts relating to insurance (Takaful); Comparison of Islamic and conventional insurance business; Islamic insurance operations in different countries; Managerial and corporate governance aspects relating to Islamic insurance firms and role of Sharia board; Management and underwriting policies of Islamic insurance firms; Limits and opportunities for Islamic insurance; Ethical framework under which Islamic insurance is conducted.

60 credits from:

• ASB-4901: MBA Dissertation (60) (Semester 3) Core
  There is no set syllabus. The dissertation encourages students to develop a critical awareness of the professional skills relevant to the strategic management of a variety of business practices. Students choose their research topic, provided that there is suitable and sufficient reading material available, and a member of staff is available to supervise in the chosen area of study.
• ASB-4904: Applied Business Projects (60) (Semester 3) Core
  Students will choose four Applied Business Projects from the list below: • e-Business and Value Chain • Human Resource Management • Financial Services Mis-selling • Investment and Private Banking • Operations Management • Business Planning
• ASB-4910: Finc'l Research & CFA Series (60) (Semester 3) Core
  In the Research Seminar component, the precise content will vary from year to year. This will enable the programme to include staff research specialisms, to reflect current and topical research issues and to adapt to any staffing changes. Indicative content for 2016 (labelling is consistent with the existing ASB4903/4896 module): A1. Corporate governance and executive compensation (Professor John Ashton). C1. Event studies and the measurement of abnormal returns (Dr Gwion Williams). D1. The role of rating agencies in financial markets (Professor Owain ap Gwilym). Each student must attend two of the above research seminars, as follows: MSc Accounting, MSc Accounting and Banking, MSc Accounting and Finance: Seminars A1, C1. MSc/MA Banking and Finance, MSc International Banking, MSc/MA Islamic Banking and Finance, MSc/MA Finance, MSc International Finance, MSc Investment Management, MSc/MA Management and Finance. Seminars C1, D1. MBA Banking and Finance, MBA Finance, MBA Islamic Banking and Finance. Seminars A1, D1. This is applicable to September and January intakes, in both Bangor and London. In the CFA component: Prepare students to undertake a professional exam. Training will cover topics on the CFA Level 1 syllabus. Indicative content for 2016: Ethical and Professional Standards; Quantitative Methods; Economics; Financial Reporting and Analysis; Corporate Finance; Portfolio Management; Equity Investments; Fixed Income Investments; Derivatives; and Alternative Investments.

Optional Modules

30 credits from:

• Please choose 2 from
• ASB-4413: Int'l Strategic Management (15) (Semester 1)
  The concepts of strategic management. The vocabulary of strategy; prescriptive and emergent strategies. Strategy, the organisation and the environment. The core processes: strategic analysis; strategy formulation; strategic choice. Vertical integration; make/buy decision; corporate parenting and internationalisation.
• ASB-4427: Islamic Acc & Fin Reporting (15) (Semester 2)
  Objectives, conceptual framework of Islamic accounting; Islamic Ethics in Accounting; Islamic and conventional Accounting: similarities and differences; Accounting for Islamic financial contracts: Murabaha, Mudaraba, Ijarah and Istisna; Accounting for zakah and provisions/reserves; Accounting for Islamic Mutual Funds, Sukuk and Investments; Accounting for Islamic Insurance (Takaful); Presentation and disclosure for financial statements of Islamic financial institutions.
• ASB-4437: Merger and Acquisition (15) (Semester 2)
  Theory of the firm: "Build vs Buy"; Current issues in the M&A landscape; Motives for M&A; How do mergers work? When do mergers work? Winners and losers; Valuation in the context of an acquisition; Criteria for value-adding acquisitions; Cross-border vs domestic acquisitions.
• ASB-4446: Financial Ethics & Regulation (15) (Semester 1)
  The lecture programme will outline the principle areas of content with specific skills honed within seminars. The lecture programme will be introduced through considering past cases of poor ethical practice in financial services industry to motivate the subsequent studies. The module will then develop to consider moral and normative ethics in a business context, the application of ethical principles within key financial services areas including lending, investment and trading. The lecture programme will then consider the role of individuals, organisations and corporate governance arrangements in financial services decision making, expected professional standards and the evolution of conduct of business regulation internationally within the financial services industry.
• The above optional modules are available to students arriving in September.