UNIVERSITY of Bradfordschool of Social and International Studiesdivision of Economicsba

UNIVERSITY OF BRADFORDSchool of Social and International StudiesDivision of EconomicsBA Global Trade and Finance

Awarding and teaching institution: / University of Bradford
Final award: / BA (Hons)
[Framework for Higher Education Qualifications level 3]
Programme title: / Global Trade and Finance
Programme accredited by: / University of Bradford
Duration: / 1 year top up
UCAS code: / L161
Subject benchmark statement: / Economics
Date produced: / March 2011
Last updated :

Introduction

This progression degree (‘one-year top-up’ degree) comprises of 120 credits at level 3. It is designed to build on your previous study of economics, trade and finance related topics in order to provide you with the ability to analyse the wider economic context within which business operates. You will study alongside other students from the Division of Economics

The Division of Economics operates within the School of Social and International Studies, where teaching staff have research interests in the fields of trade, economic integration, macroeconomic policy, finance, individual behaviour and social economics, and these are reflected in developments in the curriculum. Degrees courses within the Division of Economics have an emphasis on transferable skills in addition to subject knowledge and aim to be relevant to contemporary life, occupations and events.

The Division offers eleven undergraduate economics degree courses in addition to the one described here, focused on economics in general; economics and its application to particular fields in the areas of business, finance or international trade; and a range of degrees that combine economics with other social sciences or marketing.

All courses comprising the Undergraduate Economics Programme in the Division of Economics provide a structured approach to the discipline of economics that is informed by the Quality Assessment Agency for Higher Education (QAAHE) Benchmarking Statement in Economics with respect to the aims of the degree programme, subject knowledge and understanding, together with subject-specific skills including numeracy and quantitative skills. Each course offers a choice of complementary options taught in the Division of Economics, in other divisions within the School of Social and International Studies, and appropriate subjects taught in other Schools.

Programme Aims

The programme is intended to:

Build on your previous study of economics, trade and finance related topics;
Extend and apply your knowledge of individual and firm behaviour; and
Provide you with an appreciation and understanding of the wider international economic context that shapes trade and finance decision making and developments in government policy that impact on the regulatory environment.

The BA Global Trade and Finance degree has been developed to complement the other undergraduate courses offered by the Division by providing a route to develop the skills and knowledge of graduates from advanced diploma programmes. You will share modules with students in the final or penultimate year of our other economics degree courses.

Programme Learning Outcomes

When you have completed the programme you will be able to:

Understand the theories and concepts of economics as they apply to international trade, finance and the international monetary system.
Apply discipline skills including abstraction of essential features of complex systems; analysis, deduction and induction applied to assumption-based models;
Quantify and design data and organise them effectively; and frame parameters in problems.
Use your developed skills in critical thinking, independent and group study experience, analytical skills and IT;
Develop simplifying frameworks for studying the real world;
Effectively communicate with fluency in speech and writing.

Curriculum

You will study 120 credits of modules which includes a compulsory (C) 40 credit project, a further 70 credits of compulsory modules and a 10 credit option module (O).

The curriculum has been devised to allow you to extend and complement the skills and knowledge you have gained during your previous studies. At the beginning of the year, you will be given help to choose the most appropriate option module, taking into account how your previous education and/or experience meet the demands of the modules, your career aspirations and personal preference.

Notes for the curriculum

You will study 120 credits during the year.
If you wish, you may choose a 10 credit module offered at level 2.

Stage 1

Module Code / Module Title / Type / Credits / Level / Study period
ID-3111M / Research and Study Skills / C / 10 / 3 / SEM1
ID-xxxxL / Trade, Regionalism and Globalisation / C / 20 / 3 / SEM1 and SEM 2
ID-4253M / Financial Economics / C / 10 / 3 / SEM1
ID-4208M / International Monetary Economics / C / 10 / 3 / SEM2
ID-4254L / The Economics and Finance of Business / C / 20 / 3 / SEM1 and SEM 2
ID-xxxxQ / Global Trade and Finance Project / C / 40 / 3 / SEM1 and SEM2
ID-3109M / Integrated Strategic Human Resource Management / O / 10 / 3 / SEM2
ID-4219M / Economics of Labour / O / 10 / 3 / SEM2
ID-4117M / Environmental Economics / O / 10 / 2 / SEM2
ID-4113M / Industrial Organisation / O / 10 / 2 / SEM2

The curriculum may change, subject to the University's course approval, monitoring and review procedures.

Teaching and Assessment Strategies

The strategy for learning within the Division is to enable you to achieve your optimum level of competence and understanding in order to be well prepared, and feel confident, to progress to higher levels of skill, knowledge, learning and experience. While lectures are the main teaching method, a wide variety of other learning activities take place including: lectures with notes and supplementary reading; exercises; projects; workshops; independent study and group work. Different assessment methods are employed to match the learning outcomes of each course unit, and to achieve an overall balance between methods (e.g. essays and other written work, oral presentations, problem solving exercises and group work). You may be asked to undertake classroom and mid-semester tests to provide feedback on student attendance and progress.

The project is a substantial piece of work that gives you the opportunity not only to draw together your existing strands of learning and experience but also to increase your specialist subject knowledge and to demonstrate your ability to undertake independent study. During the course, you will acquire skills that will be useful not only for the study of economics, but in whatever profession you choose to follow. These will be taught, practised and assessed.

Assessment Regulations

This Programme conforms to the standard University Assessment Regulations which are available at the following link:

Admission Requirements

You will normally hold one of the following:

A Higher National Diploma (HND) with a merit, merit, distinction profile or equivalent award with an equivalent grade profile from a recognised university or institution of higher education, which includes introductory and intermediate study of economics. For holders of SQA HND awards the equivalent profile is an overall pass with grades A,A,B (the award to include study of introductory and intermediate economics).
A Diploma of Higher Education or equivalent in Economics or Business (or related subjects), achieved as a principal qualification from a recognised university or institution of higher education and which includes introductory and intermediate study of economics, where the grade profile is equivalent to that stated above for HND award holders.

AND

English GCSE grade C or above; GCSE mathematics grade C or above (or equivalent).

If you are an international student (non-UK) you will need to show competence in English to a high level, for example, IELTS with overall band score of 6.0 or equivalent.

Learning Resources

The JB Priestley Library on the city campus and our specialist libraries in the School of Health and the School of Management provide a wide range of printed and electronic resources to support your studies. We offer quiet study space if you want to work on your own, and group study areas for the times when you need to discuss work with fellow students. Subject librarians for each School provide training sessions and individual guidance in finding the information you need for your assignment, and will help you organise your references properly.

Student PC clusters can be found in all our libraries and elsewhere on the campus. Many of these are open 24/7. You can also use the University's wireless network to access the internet from your own laptop. Most of our online journals are available on the internet (both on and off campus), and you can also access your University email account, personal information and course-related materials this way.

Staff are on hand during the daytime to help you if you get stuck, and there is a 24/7 IT helpline available.

The Division of Economics supplements the IT resources available on campus with its own computer cluster for teaching and individual study. The University Library is a designated European Documentation Centre with a comprehensive coverage of EU information.

Student Support and Guidance

Course Team

Support for you personally and in your course of study, will be provided both by the University and the Course Team. You will be allocated a personal tutor who is someone with whom you will be able to talk about any academic or personal concerns. The School will ensure that there is someone available with whom you feel comfortable to help and support you. You will be provided with a comprehensive series of handbooks that you can consult on a range of learning issues and your course tutors will be available to consult on subject specific queries.

The Hub, Student Support Centre

The Hub, Student Support Centre provides a central reception where students can receive information, advice and guidance on a whole range of topics about their life at University. The Hub is located in the Richmond Building adjacent to the Atrium.

The teams located within The Hub:

Accommodation
Admissions
Education Liaison
Enquiries
Student Administration and Support
Bursaries and Financial Support
Finance and Credit Control Group
Payzone
Records and Tuition Fees
International Office
Customer Service Team

+44 1274 232233

Students’ Union

We value the feedback provided by students and collaborate with the Students’ Union, through a system of course representatives and formal staff student liaison committees, so that any issues you wish to raise are addressed rapidly.

The Students’ Union and the University of Bradford work in partnership to provide confidential counselling and welfare services where you can get help with any aspect of your personal or academic life. Student Financial and Information Services (based in the Hub) will provide you with information about a diverse range of issues such as council tax, personal safety and tourist information. International Students can access a range of additional advice and support services through the Student’s Union.

Careers and Employability

The University is committed to helping students develop and enhance employability and this is an integral part of many programmes. Specialist support is available throughout the course from Career Development Services including help to find part time work while studying, placements, vacation work and graduate vacancies. Students are encouraged to access this support at an early stage and to use the extensive resources on the web site

Discussing options with specialist advisers helps to clarify plans through exploring options and refining skills of job-hunting. In most of programmes there is direct input by Career Development Advisers into the curriculum or through specially arranged workshops. These may take place as early as year 1, or may be achieved through a customised Career and Personal Development module in year 2 or 3 which is developed in close cooperation with the academic department. An annual First Destination Survey leads to compilation of a report on the outcomes of all programmes and to the development of an annually updated Traffic Light Analysis of Employability which is used as a performance indicator.

Graduates with training in economics are increasingly in demand for their analytical and problem solving skills as much for their knowledge of economic principles and applications. Our graduates pursue a range of careers in the fields on finance, insurance, general management, government and education. Many will also go on to further postgraduate study at Masters level to study economics in greater depth or to complement their first degree with a specialist business degree. See for more information about the skills acquired by economics graduates and the types of careers pursued.

In choosing this degree course you will be able to combine practical, business knowledge with a broader understanding of the wider economic environment. This will allow you to present a wide range of skills to potential employers, or indeed provide a solid basis for further postgraduate study in the fields of economics, business or the social sciences.

Learner Development Unit (LDU)

The Learner Development Unit provides support in all aspects of academic, maths, numeracy and interpersonal skills. A programme of interactive workshops is delivered during both semesters which complements individual support available from Advisers and the wide range of interactive online materials available from the LDU website.

Disability

Disabled students will find a supportive environment at Bradford where we are committed to ensuring that all aspects of student life are accessible to everyone. The Disability Service can help by providing equipment and advice to help you get the most out of your time at Bradford and is a place where you can discuss any concerns you may have about adjustments that you may need, whether these relate to study, personal care or other issues. For more information contact the Disability Service by phoning: 01274 233739 or via email:

University policies and initiatives

Ecoversity:

The University of Bradford, and the School of Social and International Studies (SSIS), are committed to the principles of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) set out in UNESCO’s definition (see ), which include: interdisciplinarity; value-driven; critical thinking and problem solving; participatory decision-making; and applied learning which is relevant and culturally appropriate to local and other contexts.

In your programme you will find these principles underlie the teaching learning and assessment strategies. ESD is integrated within the programme’s aim of allowing you the opportunity to develop critical thinking and problem solving skills and appreciation of the interplay between the international economic environment and business. This programme will provide you with a critical undertanding of the complexity and interconnectedness of the global economic environment and the scope for, and limits to, sustainable development.

In addition there are modules in which the themes and issues of ESD are particularly exemplified, such as:

Research and Study Skills, which will develop your critical and analytical abilities and provide you with the tools to undertake independent, scholarly research in order to improve understanding of the world around us.
International Trade, in which you will gain understanding of the role of trade in the development of economies and, through discussion, you will be able to critically evaluate contemporary developments in trade policy across the world.

We are also committed in SSIS to giving you opportunities to engage in debates about the meaning and future of Sustainable Development, as well as in the practice of ESD, for example, through volunteering on and off campus, by taking action in a series of activities as a School.

Further Information:

For further information, please check the University prospectus or contact Admissions.

The Admissions Office
The University of Bradford
Richmond Road
Bradford, BD7 1DP
UK / The Admissions Office
School of Social and International Studies
The University of Bradford
Pemberton Building
Richmond Road
Bradford, BD7 1DP
UK
+44 (0)1274 233054
/ +44 (0)1274 235717 / 3981

The contents of this programme specification may change, subject to the University's regulations and course approval, monitoring and review procedures.