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Module Catalogue

IB3M1-15 Fintech

Department
Warwick Business School
Level
Undergraduate Level 3
Module leader
Ruslan Sverchkov
Credit value
15
Module duration
10 weeks
Assessment
Multiple
Study location
University of Warwick main campus, Coventry

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Introductory description

This is an elective module available for WBS and non-WBS students.

The course covers the intersection of finance and technology. Its main aim is to provide a sound foundation across the spectrum of financial concepts driving innovations of the principal intermediation functions (money, payments, capital raising, market aggregation, price discovery, mass distribution) with examples of business models and products (neobanks, robo-advisors, crypto exchanges etc). It will facilitate better understanding of the value propositions, best practices, regulation and technology encountered in fintech start-ups and help structure thinking about new business and partnership opportunities from traditional financial institutional and venture funding perspective.

Module web page

Module aims

The course covers the intersection of finance and technology. Its main aim is to provide a sound foundation across the spectrum of financial concepts driving innovations of the principal intermediation functions (money, payments, capital raising, market aggregation, price discovery, mass distribution) with examples of business models and products (neobanks, robo-advisors, crypto exchanges etc). It will facilitate better understanding of the value propositions, best practices, regulation and technology encountered in fintech start-ups and help structure thinking about new business and partnership opportunities from traditional financial institutional and venture funding perspective.

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.

  • Introduction to FinTech
  • Blockchain and basics of cryptography
  • Bitcoin and other digital currencies
  • Crypto assets and blockchain applications
  • Central bank digital currencies
  • Fundamentals of artificial intelligence
  • Market place lending
  • Quantitative trading, machine learning in trading
  • Regulatory landscape of FinTech

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

  • Understand how Fintech can transform financial services
  • Differentiate traditional assets and crypto-assets
  • Manage innovation in retail and B2B markets
  • Understand the role of Fintech in retail and B2B market
  • Apply the Fintech concepts introduced in this module in new start-ups
  • Integrate traditional financial services with Fintech

Indicative reading list

There are very few textbooks written specifically about FinTech due to being a relatively new topic.

  • Chishti, S., & Barberis, J. (2016). The FinTech book: the financial technology handbook for investors, entrepreneurs and visionaries. John Wiley & Sons.
  • Ferguson, Niall. The ascent of money: A financial history of the world. Penguin, 2008.
  • Popper, Nathaniel. Digital gold: The untold story of Bitcoin. Penguin UK, 2015.
  • Gerard, David. Attack of the 50 foot blockchain: Bitcoin, blockchain, Ethereum & smart contracts. David Gerard, 2017.
  • Sironi, Paolo. FinTech innovation: from robo-advisors to goal based investing and gamification. John Wiley & Sons, 2016.

Subject specific skills

Work with Fintech data and algorithms.
Understand the technology (e.g., Blockchain) within Fintech start-ups.
See the link between the value chains and wider financial networks.

Transferable skills

Develop written and verbal communication and numeracy skills in the formal assessment for the module.

Study time

Type Required
Lectures 10 sessions of 1 hour (13%)
Seminars 9 sessions of 1 hour (12%)
Online learning (independent) 10 sessions of 1 hour (13%)
Private study 48 hours (62%)
Total 77 hours

Private study description

Private study.

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 D2
Weighting Study time Eligible for self-certification
Participation 10% 8 hours No
Online Examination 90% 65 hours No

Exam

~Platforms - AEP

  • Online examination: No Answerbook required
Assessment group R2
Weighting Study time Eligible for self-certification
Online Examination 100% No

Exam

~Platforms - AEP

  • Online examination: No Answerbook required
Feedback on assessment

Feedback provided via my.wbs.

Past exam papers for IB3M1

Pre-requisites

To take this module, you must have passed:

Courses

This module is Optional for:

  • UECA-3 Undergraduate Economics 3 Year Variants
    • Year 3 of L100 Economics
    • Year 3 of L116 Economics and Industrial Organization
  • UECA-4 Undergraduate Economics 4 Year Variants
    • Year 4 of L103 Economics with Study Abroad
    • Year 4 of LM1H Economics, Politics & International Studies with Study Abroad
  • Year 3 of UECA-LM1D Undergraduate Economics, Politics and International Studies
  • Year 3 of UMAA-GL11 Undergraduate Mathematics and Economics

This module is Unusual option for:

  • UPHA-L1CA Undergraduate Economics, Psychology and Philosophy
    • Year 2 of L1CA Economics, Psychology and Philosophy
    • Year 3 of L1CA Economics, Psychology and Philosophy