IB9AV-15 Digital Finance, Blockchain & Cryptocurrencies
Introductory description
This module will delve into the use and impact of digital technologies in the world of finance. Digital technologies and innovations are helping to introduce new and innovative products and services to consumers, new players and business models, and altering the landscape of financial markets.
Module aims
The principle aims of the module are:
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To provide the students with practical and theoretical understanding of how financial services industry has been transformed through the adoption and use of digital innovation and information technologies.
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Familiarise students with the key technical, procedural, and business aspects of relevant financial technologies and FinTech innovations.
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Provide students with the right mix of technical and business skills to manage IT change in a highy complex and distributed but also competitive setting in finance.
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Explain to students how recent developments in fintech, paytech, regtech, and insuretech (e.g. open banking, blockchain and shared ledger technologies, cryptocurrencies, artificial intelligence, security, etc.) will affect the future of finance.
Outline syllabus
This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.
Our focus is on how digital innovations and information technologies are transforming the provision of financial services. This will include
- The future of money and Payment systems
- Blockchain and cryptocurrencies
- Artificial Intelligence AI in Finance and its impact
- Digital Lending, crowdfunding , crowdinvesting and wealth management
- Governance and regulation of technology in financial services
- New industry models such as insuretech.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the module, students should be able to:
- Demonstrate an in depth understanding of the scope of Financial Services and Digitalization impact.
- Demonstrate an in depth understanding of new fintech business models and their transformations.
- Demonstrate an in depth understanding of the impact of governance and regulation on investment strategies and customer adoption.
- Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of current and future technologies emerging in finance such as quantum computing and encrypton models
- Critically evaluate strength and barriers of using cryptocurrencies, blockchain and decentralised ledger technology and AI in finance.
- Critically analyse classical finance and new fintech models for comparison
Indicative reading list
Reading lists can be found in Talis
Subject specific skills
Evaluate cyproassets and cryptocurrency strategies and use cases
Evaluate Blockchain and descentralized ledger technology strategies and use cases
Evaluate Artificial intelligence in Finance strategies and use cases
Assess information systems and IT Strategy implications for Inside Financial Services institutes and outside as a user corporation of FinTech Products and Services
Transferable skills
Written comms skills.
Oral comms skills.
Working with others.
Problem solving.
Information technology.
Independent learning.
Study time
| Type | Required |
|---|---|
| Lectures | 10 sessions of 1 hour (7%) |
| Other activity | 20 hours (13%) |
| Private study | 48 hours (32%) |
| Assessment | 72 hours (48%) |
| Total | 150 hours |
Private study description
Private study to include preparation for lectures.
Other activity description
These 20 hours represent 10 x 2 hr face to face workshops.
Costs
No further costs have been identified for this module.
You do not need to pass all assessment components to pass the module.
Assessment group A3
| Weighting | Study time | Eligible for self-certification | |
|---|---|---|---|
Assessment component |
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| Individual assignment | 70% | 50 hours | Yes (extension) |
Reassessment component is the same |
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Assessment component |
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| Group case presentations | 30% | 22 hours | No |
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Group case presentations - 20 mins plus Q and A |
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Reassessment component |
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| Individual essay | Yes (extension) | ||
Feedback on assessment
Standard course feedback sheet on each marked assignment or through myWBS plus feedback given to students after case discussion sessions.
Courses
This module is Optional for:
- Year 1 of TIBS-G5N4 Postgraduate Taught Management of Information Systems and Digital Innovation