BACHELOR’S DEGREE IN BANKING & FINANCE (BSBF)

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499 Undergraduate Project Guidelines

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs):

A. Knowledge and Understanding

A1. Concepts and Theories:
Critical awareness of the major theoretical tools and theories of banking and finance, and their relevance and application to theoretical and practical problems, their assumptions and weaknesses, and ability to propose alternatives.

A2. Contemporary Trends, Problems and Research:
A critical understanding of the principal theories, principles and concepts.
Knowledge and understanding of the ways in which the banking and finance discipline developed, including a range of established techniques of enquiries or research methodologies.

A3. Professional Responsibility & Ethics:
Demonstrate adherence to and knowledge of the professional, regulatory and legal responsibilities of a financial practitioner in the field of Banking and Finance. Assimilate best practices involved in the management of financial institutions.

B. Subject-specific skills

B1. Problem Solving Skills:
Use a wide range of the principal quantitative and qualitative techniques to solve problems related to banking and finance subjects.

B2. Modeling and Design:

Use variance skills and practices which are specialized and advanced at the forefront of the subject of
banking and finance.
Execute a defined project of research, investigation and identify / assess the relevant outcomes

B3. Applications of Methods and Tools:
Conduct statistical and numerical analysis and use statistical packages to present and analyse data effectively.

C. Critical-Thinking Skills

C1. Analytic Skills:
Record and analyse complex financial and banking information, critically evaluate arguments and evidence using specific banking and finance tools, and draw reasoned conclusions.

C2. Synthetic:
Draw reasoned conclusions, be they theoretical or empirical, based on evidence drawn from financial evaluations (especially where the latter are conflictual or incomplete)

C3. Creative:
Undertake critical reflection to foster independent learning and demonstrate the ability to use self-reflection as a platform to improve performance by developing and adopting new strategies which meet specified goals in the context of theories of finance and risk management.

D. General and Transferable Skills (other skills relevant to employability and personal development)

D1. Communications Skills:
Develop communication skills, including the ability to present quantitative and qualitative information together with analysis, arguments, commentary orally as well as in written form and in a style appropriate to different intended audiences.

D2. Teamwork and leadership:
Develop experience of working effectively and efficiently with a group as a leader or as a member.

D3. Organizational and Developmental Skills:
Develop a capacity for independent and self-managed learning, as well as a programme of original research into banking or finance topics.

D4. Ethics and Social Responsibility:
Demonstrate the ability to use academic, enterprise and employability skills in both scholarly and work – based environments; assuming social responsibility in employment and conducting international and local businesses according to ethical and moral norms.

The BSBF program consists of 134 credits (45 courses) in which university requirements account for 24 credits, college requirements 24 credits and major courses 78 (of which six credits are elective with the major and the rest, 72 credits, are prescribed) in addition to 6 free electives. To complete the BSBF degree, the students registered for a research preparatory course (BFRM 498) and a final project (BANK/FINC 499) involving undertaking a major research project. The BSBF programme prepares students for careers in commercial and investment banking in particular and, in general, to become financial professionals in finance/treasury departments in corporations and governmental organisations. In the academic year 2009-2010 based on the market requirements and the feedback of the academic staff and students, the programme had been revised adding more quantitative coursework both college-wide (STAT 202) and adding niche required banking courses, like Islamic banking, programme-wide (BANK 330). Some new electives were introduced to cover “hot-topic” areas regionally (FINC 328 Real Estate Finance) and globally (FINC 427 Derivative Securities). In 2012-2013, the research component of all programmes including BSBF, was strengthened by the inclusion of a research methods course designed specifically for business research (BFRM 498) which became a prerequisite for all 499 undergraduate projects in business. In addition, a course on business ethics (ETHC 391) and Human Rights Principles (HUMR 101) were included in the curriculum of all undergraduate business programmes from term 2 of 2013-2014.

The programme of banking and Finance received confidence in its evaluation by the Quality Assurance Authority (Bahrain) in 2013-2014, and was successfully listed and approved by the National Qualification Framework (Bahrain) 2014-2015.

AIMS

The overall aim of the programme is to foster students’ knowledge and understanding in the field of Banking and Finance in a way that enhances their skills and competences when analysing and participating in interdisciplinary courses at a high academic level, within an international context that augment graduates with an extensive range of conceptual and practical skills in a professional and globalised contexts.

OBJECTIVES

In order to achieve this overall aim, the BSBF programme is designed to achieve the following specific aims:

To develop students’ knowledge and critical understanding of theories, concepts and research findings relating to the multidisciplinary fields of banking and Finance
To develop students’ professional competence in analysing, understanding and managing interdisciplinary issues and in communicating effectively.
To augment students with a range of skills, values and creative abilities that is suitable for performing managerial roles effectively within the banking and financial services sectors.
To develop students’ research skills through instruction in research methods, opportunities to undertake individual and group research projects in the fields of banking and finance.
To prepare highly qualified and motivated students in our BSBF degree programme to become effective managers and leaders of financial institutions.
To develop students into responsible and socially aware business professionals or managers.
To prepare students to enter postgraduate study in banking and finance or related disciplines.
To develop students’ with specialised professional skills in selected areas of banking and finance according to their interests and career aspirations.

This program achieved full confidence by QQA

Career Opportunities

Financial Analysts
Financial Examiners
Personal Financial Advisors/Planner/Consultant
Financial Managers
Financial Services Sales Agent
Credit Authorisers
Auditors
Credit Analysts
Treasurer/Controllers
Bookkeepers
Tax Examiners
Tax Collectors
Actuaries
Economists
Loan Officers
Cost Estimators
Bankers
Budget Analyst
Underwriter
Personal Financial Advisors
Purchasing Agents/Buyers
Administrative Service Managers Real Estate Brokers and Agents
Insurance Sales Agents
Investment Broker

Qualification: Bachelors in Banking & Finance
Type: Undergraduate
Duration: 4 years
Qualification name: Banking & Finance
College: College of Business & Finance
Language of offering: English

TEACHING:

The department faculty diversifies their teaching styles to minimize the lecture-based approach and to push students to take initiative in and responsibility for their own learning.
The following teaching methods are widely practiced: Lectures, class discussions, in class problem sets, internship and guest speakers.

ASSESSMENT METHODS:

Students are assessed through a combination of examinations and assessed course work. Assessments, which are both formative and summative, may take the form of essays, project reports, portfolios, presentations, group work, Problem sets, graded homework, , in lab exercises, Case studies, and exams (closed or open books).

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Bachelor’s Degree fees

The estimated duration for completion of a Bachelors Degree at Ahlia University is 4 years. This is structured around 134 credit-hours covering 45 courses.

The duration of study for each course is fifteen weeks, covering approximately 45 study hours.

Application Fee	BD 20
Registration Fee	BD 200
Placement Tests Fee (if applicable)	BD 40
Orientation Courses (if applicable)	BD 1200
First Year Courses – 12 courses (BD 300 Per Course)	BD 3,500
Second Year Courses – 11 courses (BD 330 Per Course)	BD 3,630
Third Year Courses – 11 courses (BD 360 Per Course)	BD 3,960
Fourth Year Courses – 11 courses (BD 390 Per Course)	BD 4,290
TOTAL	BD 16,840