Financial Computing BSc (Hons)

Many areas of Computer Science rely on formal analytic techniques and this module presents a basic grounding in a number of these topics focusing on their role and application to computational issues. Among the topics reviewed are Linear Algebra (with particular attention to Matrix Theory); Statistical aspects; Introductory calculus including the concepts of limits, continuity, basic differentiation and integration formulae; properties of Complex Numbers. If time allows a very brief overview of the principles of Information Theory will be included. The overriding aim of this module is to present the methods discussed in the context of practical Computer Science, and as such the emphasis will be on instilling confidence in applying techniques and not on providing rigorous supporting justifications of their validity.

This module will provide students with an all rounded appraisal of what is expected from a computing professional in the current digital society. Students will be introduced to social, legal and ethical aspects on computing and will develop employability skills. As a way to blend both theory and practice, students will be equipped with concepts and techniques for designing digital systems tailored to the needs of the user.​

ACFI101 aims to develop a sound understanding of the fundamental principles and techniques of financial accounting. The context and purpose of financial statements is introduced, after which students are introduced to the techniques of recording financial transactions, adjusting financial records and preparing basic financial statements. Successful students will possess a sound base of knowledge for progression towards studying financial reporting in greater depth in the second and final years: the preparation of complex financial statements in conformity with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), both for single entities and groups of companies, and for entities undertaking a wide range of accounting transactions. This module is delivered by means of lectures and tutorials, supported by online self-study question material.

The aim of this module is to introduce students to the nature and purpose of management accounting and to establish a solid foundation in its fundamental techniques. The module will explore and apply a range of basic techniques to produce information that aids management decision making. The techniques covered include cost volume profit analysis, budgeting and investment appraisal. Throughout the module the techniques studied will be applied to contemporary issues in the commercial world.

This module introduces students to fundamental concepts in finance. The course aims to provide a firm foundation for the students to build on later on in the second and third years of their programmes, by covering basic logical and rational analytical tools that underpin financial decisions. The course covers topics such as the structure of firms and time value of money. Building on these notions, we then discuss the valuation of simple securities such as bonds and equities. The course also introduces students to project appraisal techniques.

The intention of COMP122 is to introduce students to the concepts and methodology of object-oriented programming using the Java programming language. Topics covered include hierarchical structures, polymorphism, collections and iterators, exception handling, and graphical user interface design. Basic concepts of software design methodology, testing, and version control are also included in the module. It is normally expected that students have prior programming experience.

The module acquaints the student with a foundation in neo-classical microeconomics. The module equips students with the knowledge and mathematical tools to approach fundamental problems in microeconomic analysis. Students are introduced to the importance of theoretical models and their role. The module is supported by a customized textbook. Students who engage fully with this course will receive a solid foundation in microeconomics, which forms the foundation of all future courses in microeconomics and related subjects.

The module provides an introduction to procedural programming using current language platforms. The module incorporates program design, problem solving, the importance of maintainable, robust software and testing as well as introducing procedural language main programming constructs. Students gain practical experience with program design, programming and testing during weekly laboratory sessions.

This module is for students that already have some programming skills. Students will learn about the two main programming paradigms: imperative programming and functional programming. Since most introductory programming courses teach imperative programming, this module will focus on the functional paradigm. Students will learn how to program in Haskell, a popular functional programming language. They will learn how to formulate programs in a functional way, and the common techniques and idioms that are used to solve problems in functional programming.

The last few decades has seen a huge transformation in finance, where
human traders have been increasingly replaced by algorithms. The aims of COMP226 are to:

– Provide an understanding of financial markets at the level of individual trades;
– Provide an overview of computer-based trading applications;
– Introduce key issues with the use of market data;
– Develop a practical understanding of the development of algorithmic trading strategies.

The module aims to introduce students to the modern theory of finance and financial management. Theoretical concepts like the net present value, decision making under uncertainty, dividend valuation, bond pricing, portfolio theory, asset pricing, futures and options are introduced. In all cases numerical examples, using real market data, will be used to make theory come to life.

This module introduces students to the problems arising from databases, including concurrency in databases, information security considerations and how they are solved; the integration of heterogeneous sources of information and the use of semi-structured data; non-relational databases and the economic factors involved in their selection and to techniques for analysing large amounts of data, the security issues and commercial factors involved with them.

Software development skills form a fundamental part of the professional expertise of a Computer Scientist. Often the development is a team activity. The module provides the students with the unique opportunity to complete a sizeable software development project working as part of team.

This module develops students’ knowledge from first year study by introducing more complex accounting standards which enables them to prepare complete single entity financial statements or extracts thereof. The module introduces accounting concepts and ethical issues and begins to develop students critical thinking in this area.

This module seeks to provide students with an understanding of the role of securities markets in the global economy. This will be achieved through a presentation of their basic mechanisms and technical features, an explanation of the valuation of certain financial assets and an assessment of the operational and allocative efficiency of the markets. The module will be delivered via weekly small group face to face sessions and through weekly online lectures delivered asynchronously. Students will be directed to various media resources relevant to their day to day following and awareness of the activities of the global financial markets.

This module deals with the issues associated with the analysis, design, implementation and testing of significant computing systems (that is, systems that are too large to be designed and developed by a single person).

This module aims to increase students’ knowledge of financial accounting theory and its relevance to accounting practice. The module examines market for accounting information; processes and effects of regulating financial reporting; the incentives which drive managers’ choices of alternative accounting policies; unregulated financial reporting with specific focus on environmental, social and governance (ESG) reporting, capital markets’ response to accounting information; the critical perspectives of accounting and also considers a number of other important issues in financial reporting. Upon successful completion of this module, students should develop a good understanding of the role of financial accounting theory and its importance for accounting practice and reporting.

Business strategies and behaviour are part and parcel of dynamic interactions between a wide range of actors in the world economy. This module aims at producing the basic knowledge and skills for understanding that interaction, taking into consideration firms but clearly examining also other types of actors such as states, international organisations, labour and social movements. It does so by asking three sets of interrelated questions. Firstly, why do businesses internationalise their operations? What, and in relation to whom, can they gain from doing so? Secondly, how do transnational corporations operate across borders? How do these operations contribute to patterns of international development? Are these patterns smooth and harmonious (simple globalisation) or uneven? Thirdly, what is the current (and future) context in which transnational enterprise takes place? Recently, the 2007-09 global economic and financial crisis, the 4th Industrial Revolution, the climate change crisis and the global health crisis have transformed the dynamics of the world economy in a number of ways, and the module aims at enhancing knowledge of this new context of business. The module will also consider key phenomena ranging from the role of the BRIC economies in the future international economic order to gender. Throughout the module, we will consider political (power) and ethical issues, as they are fundamental to understanding the world economy, past, present and future.

This module covers the theory and practice of the application of tools to the software development lifecyle

COMP284 `Scripting Languages’ is one of several technical skills/employability skills modules offered in the second semester of the second year of study. It addresses both the demand by employers and the desire of students that students should encounter a range of programming languages during their studies and should be able to use these programming languages productively. Scripting languages have gained enormously in their popularity with the expansion and development of the world wide wide and world wide web technologies as they are now the predominant languages used in the development of web applications. The module will cover two scripting languages, namely, JavaScript and PHP. At the end of the module students should be able to develop applications, both web-based and computer-based, in them.

The module on Financial Risk Management covers both the internal aspects of financial institutions and the external factors that affect the investment arena and modern financial markets in general. The degree provides an in-depth understanding of the theoretical foundations that underpin modern investment and risk management techniques. The course has a strong practical dimension so you can acquire a sound knowledge of how to apply these techniques to equity and credit markets as well as investment strategies in general.

This module is an introduction to the area of algorithmic game theory, which is a novel area in the intersection of economics and computer science. It provides tools for dealing with and analysing problems related to applications motivated by the Internet. Examples involve various Internet auctions and e-commerce systems, like, Google’s sponsored search, Ebay auctions, recommendation systems, etc.

The module provides students with a fundamental understanding of the core theoretical and empirical aspects involved in corporate finance (such as bond/stock valuation, capital structure, dividend policy and leasing contracts). The module will be delivered both in lectures and tutorials.

In this module we introduce and study games that have some underlying network structure or that appear in auctions. A focus will be on scheduling and routing, as well as on the computational aspects in the design of mechanisms and auctions.

This module is the final module of a stream of 4 that cover financial reporting. This module therefore develops students understanding of financial reporting to a very high level by building upon the knowledge and skills gained in earlier financial reporting modules by covering more detailed and complex accounting standards. It will also develop an understanding of financial statement analysis using financial reporting and business strategy skills developed in this and earlier modules. Ethical and professional issues in financial reporting will also be considered.

Technology and especially the Internet is an essential tool for the modern business providing important connections to their customers and suppliers. However, it isn’t simply a case of deploying these technologies and hoping for benefit, you need to appreciate the possibilities they open up and align these possibilities to your organisational strategy. This module will open up the world of technology and its impact on business. The first half of the module will introduce the kind of technologies you are likely to meet in business and how they are being used currently. The module will then go on to explore concrete examples of e-business to examine how the student may exploit this opportunity in the future.

This module is designed to build upon the knowledge and skills gained in earlier financial reporting modules by covering the preparation of group financial statements including associates and joint ventures. It will also develop an understanding of group accounting principles and issues arising from group accounting including fair values, intangibles and impairment. The module also addresses other key accounting standards including those relating to leases, borrowing costs and related parties. The module should enable students to prepare complete single entity and consolidated financial statements, and extracts from those financial statements, covering a wide range of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).Students will also be required to explain accounting and reporting concepts and ethical issues, and the application of IFRS to specified single entity or group scenarios.

This module gives students an up-to-date coverage of global strategy and hands-on experience putting theory into practice. It sets new approaches such as institutional analysis alongside more traditional approaches based in economics and management. It also gives considerable attention to competition in and from emerging economies. At the end of the module, students are able to critically analyse the challenges and opportunities that a multinational enterprise (MNE) faces and the context in which these organizations make decisions. Assessment is through an individual report submitted at the end of the module.

Multi-agent systems have emerged as one of the most important areas of research and development in information technology in the 1990s. A multi-agent system is one composed of multiple interacting software components known as agents, which are typically capable of co-operating to solve problems that are beyond the abilities of any individual member. Multi-agent systems are important primarily because they have been found to have very wide applicability, in areas as diverse as industrial process control and electronic commerce. This module will begin by introducing the student to the notion of an agent, and will lead them to an understanding of what an agent is, how they can be constructed, and how agents can be made to co-operate effectively with one another to solve problems.

This module is an indepth tour over optimisation methods applied for various optimisation models. These methods are extensively used in both academic and industrial practices.​

The overall aim of this module is to introduce students to a range of advanced, near-research level topics in contemporary software engineering. The actual choice of topics will depend upon the interests of the lecturer and the topics current in the software engineering research literature at that time. The course will introduce issues from a problem (user-driven) perspective and a technology-driven perspective where users have new categories of software problems that they need to be solved, and where technology producers create technologies that present new opportunities for software products. It will be expected that students will read articles in the software engineering research literature, and will discuss these articles in a seminar-style forum.