(Bristol) EFIM10029: Financial Markets, Institutions and Instruments

This unit is an essential, must-pass foundation for any aspiring finance professional in the BSc Finance program. As your first encounter with finance, it lays the groundwork for everything that follows by introducing the key forces that drive financial systems and their role in the real economy. By exploring both the historical evolution and practical, institutional aspects of finance, this course gives you a unique, big-picture perspective that helps you understand not only how the financial sector operates but why it matters. Topics like financial intermediaries, market structures, and the relationship between finance and economic growth provide essential context for specialized studies in later units. This knowledge will be invaluable in helping you analyse real-world financial challenges and prepare for more advanced, focused studies, giving you a solid framework from which to build your expertise. Engaging and insightful, this unit is the cornerstone of a successful finance education.

Upon completing this unit, you will be able to:

1. Demonstrate a clear understanding of the structure, participants, and functions of the financial system.
2. Analyse the evolution of financial institutions and recognize their role in modern markets and economies.
3. Explain finance's dual role as both a business discipline and a social science, enabling better contextual understanding.
4. Apply foundational knowledge to evaluate real-world financial scenarios, enhancing skills essential for employability and effective problem-solving in finance.
5. Effectively communicate ideas relating to 1., 2., 3., and 4. in writing.