THE UNIVERSITY of EDINBURGH

DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2024/2025

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DRPS : Course Catalogue : Business School : Business Studies

Undergraduate Course: Research Methods in Finance 1 (BUST08049)

Course Outline
SchoolBusiness School CollegeCollege of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 8 (Year 2 Undergraduate) AvailabilityNot available to visiting students
SCQF Credits20 ECTS Credits10
SummaryThe course is only open to Year 2 students in the following degree programmes:
MA Accounting and Finance
MA Finance and Business

This course introduces students to an array of topics in probability and statistics that are applied to problems in finance. Combined with Research Methods in Finance 2, it provides students with the skill set required to conduct quantitative empirical research in Finance.
Course description This course introduces students to an array of topics in probability and statistics that are applied to problems in finance.

Outline Content

- Basic data analysis, measures of location and spread, graphical representation of data, multivariate variables and distributions.
- Probability theory, discrete and continuous probability distributions, joint and conditional probability.
- Point estimators, confidence interval, hypothesis testing.
- Regression analysis, estimates and diagnostics for multivariate linear regression analysis, designing and building a multivariate linear regression model.

Student Learning Experience

You will learn by engaging with assigned readings/video recordings and solving small weekly exercises. You are expected to actively participate in class by completing your assigned works before class time, asking/answering questions, and engaging in class discussions. The individual assignment allows you to use knowledge and experience gained from engagement with class materials on real-world financial data.
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Students MUST have passed: Introduction to Financial Markets (BUST08029) AND Global Challenges for Business (BUST08035) AND The Business of Edinburgh (BUST08036)
Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Students MUST NOT also be taking Business Research Methods I: Introduction to Data Analysis (BUST08033)
Other requirements None
Course Delivery Information
Academic year 2024/25, Not available to visiting students (SS1) Quota:  None
Course Start Semester 1
Timetable Timetable
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) Total Hours: 200 ( Lecture Hours 20, Feedback/Feedforward Hours 2, Formative Assessment Hours 2, Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 172 )
Assessment (Further Info) Written Exam 80 %, Coursework 20 %, Practical Exam 0 %
Additional Information (Assessment) 80% Written Exam (Individual) - 2 hours

20% Coursework (Individual) - weekly in weeks 5-9
Feedback Formative: Feedback is provided throughout the course.

Summative: Feedback is provided on assessments within agreed deadlines.
Exam Information
Exam Diet Paper Name Hours & Minutes
Main Exam Diet S1 (December)BUST08049 RMF1 Exam2:120
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  1. Understand and explain basic concepts in statistics and econometrics.
  2. Use a statistical software and statistical techniques to analyse financial data
  3. Understand and critically discuss results from statistical analyses, including the limitations of the statistical techniques employed.
Reading List
Rachev, S. T., Hochstotter, M., Fabozzi, F. J., and Focardi, S. M. (2010). Probability and Statistics for Finance. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-0-470-40093-7 (cloth); 978-0-470-90630-9 (ebk); 978-0-470-90631-6 (ebk); 978-0-470-90632-3 (ebk)
Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills Communication, ICT, and Numeracy Skills

After completing this course, students should be able to:

Convey meaning and message through a wide range of communication tools, including digital technology and social media; to understand how to use these tools to communicate in ways that sustain positive and responsible relationships.

Critically evaluate and present digital and other sources, research methods, data and information; discern their limitations, accuracy, validity, reliability and suitability; and apply responsibly in a wide variety of organisational contexts.

Cognitive Skills

After completing this course, students should be able to:

Be self-motivated; curious; show initiative; set, achieve and surpass goals; as well as demonstrating adaptability, capable of handling complexity and ambiguity, with a willingness to learn; as well as being able to
demonstrate the use digital and other tools to carry out tasks effectively, productively, and with attention to quality.

Knowledge and Understanding

After completing this course, students should be able to:

Demonstrate a thorough knowledge and understanding of contemporary organisational disciplines; comprehend the role of business within the contemporary world; and critically evaluate and synthesise primary
and secondary research and sources of evidence in order to make, and present, well informed and transparent organisation-related decisions, which have a positive global impact.

Identify, define and analyse theoretical and applied business and management problems, and develop approaches, informed by an understanding of appropriate quantitative and/or qualitative techniques, to explore
and solve them responsibly.
KeywordsNot entered
Contacts
Course organiserMs Sylvia Zhang
Tel:
Email: Ren.Zhang@ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMiss Emma Allison
Tel:
Email: ealliso2@ed.ac.uk
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