Finance & Banking

Statistics (220121) :
Pre-requisite – Applied Math (000124) or Pure Math (000122)

Statistical techniques and surveys play a vital role in every field. This has wide applications. This course intended to provide the students about the knowledge of application of statistics in real time applications. This course covers Describing Data, Different types of Probability, Various Sampling Methods, Different testing of Hypothesis, Correlation and Regression Analysis can be applied in various cases.

Mathematics for Business & Economics. (220112)
Pre-requisite – Applied Math (000124)

The course uses mathematical ideas and models at the micro & macro levels of economics. The students should have the basics of these two subject to understand the application of mathematics into practical problems. It covers topic such as: linear & non linear equations, mathematics for finance, differentiations and the concepts of marginality in economics, integrations, matrices, and linear programming in business and related models. EXCEL and Maple software will be introduced to facilitate applications & understandings.

Introduction to Micro Economics (809211)
Prerequisite: Mathematics for Bus & Eco. (220112)

This course aims at developing the knowledge and skills among the students to analyze the problems that arise due to the law of scarcity. In addition, the functioning of competitive and noncompetitive product markets is studied, as is the performance of the markets for resources. The result should be a greater understanding of how and why consumers, firms and markets function the way they do. The major topics covered in this chapter include the scope and method of economics, the economic problem, scarcity and choice, demand, supply and market equilibrium, demand and supply applications, elasticity, household behavior and consumer choice, the production process, the behavior of profit maximizing firms, short run cost and output decisions, long run costs and output decisions, input demand, the labor and land markets, input demand, the capital market and the investment decision, general equilibrium and the efficiency of perfect competition, monopoly and antitrust policy, monopolistic competition and oligopoly, externalities, public goods, imperfect information, and social choice, income distribution and poverty and public finance, the economics of taxation.

Business Finance (809212)
Prerequisite:Mathematics for Bus. & Econ. (220112)

This course introduces students to the principles of finance and its applications. Topics covered include: time value of money, valuation of financial securities (e.g. bonds and stocks), choice of new projects to undertake (i.e. capital budgeting), determination of appropriate discount rates, and managing a firm’s daily financial activities (i.e. working capital management) etc. This course is both rich in content and fast in pace. Therefore, considerable out of class work is required for each student. Problem solving technique is essential to success in this course.

Introduction to Macroeconomics (320221)
Prerequisite: Introduction to Micro Economics (809211)

This course aims to equip the students with a better under understanding of economics and the modern economy in general. It provides an introduction to Macroeconomic theory as it relates to economic growth, unemployment, inflation etc. The important topics covered in this course include: Introduction to Macroeconomics, measuring national output and national income, long run and short run aggregate expenditure and equilibrium output, the government and fiscal policy, the money demand and supply and the federal reserve system, the interest rate and output, Aggregate demand, exchange rates, fiscal policy and monetary policy, aggregate supply and inflation. This course requires the students to do assignments case studies and quizzes apart from the internal and final examinations.

Money and Banking (809222)
Pre-requisite – Business Finance (809212)

This course tends to provide an overview of the economic principles that underlies the operation of banks, other financial institutions, monetary and the financial sector in the current financial development. And highlight the importance of the financial system component as a whole. However the topics to be studied are: International financial market integration, Foreign exchange markets, and the theory of the portfolio choice, Duration and derivatives, efficient markets International interest parity, Depository Financial institutions, Central banking and monetary policy and the economy. The students have to collect the annual reports of various banks and to undertake financial performance analysis of banks. They also have to complete case studies, assignments and multiple choice quizzes for the successful completion of the course.

Investments (809223)
Prerequisite: -  Business finance (809212)

This course aims to develop necessary skills among the students to carry out investment in a professional way. This course focuses on issues associated with investments and portfolio management. The major topics covered in this course include: Markets and instruments, how securities are traded, risk and risk aversion, capital allocation between risky and risk free assets, optimal risky portfolio, Capital Asset Pricing Model, single index and multifactor model, arbitrage pricing, market efficiency and behavioral finance, bond prices and yield, equity valuation models. The students have to do numerical exercises, stock valuation analysis, assignments and mini projects for the completion of the course.

Intermediate Micro economics (809311)
Pre-requisite – Introduction to Microeconomics (809211)

The main focus is to equip the students with micro analytical tools that enable them conducting economic and business analysis for modern issues related to the behavior of the firm and consumers in the light of the recent development o the micro economic theory. The main topics covered in this course include introduction to micro economics, individual choice, the theory of preference, the demand theory, inter-temporal decision making and capital values, production and cost – one variable input, many variable input, markets for goods and monopoly The students have to undertake micro economic analysis of sample firms based on the theory learned from the course apart from doing chapter end exercises and assignments.

Corporate Finance (809321)
Prerequisite – Business Finance (809212)

This course aims at developing corporate financial, investment and profit allocation decision making skills among the students. The important topics covered in this course include financial environment, time value of money, valuing bonds and stocks, risk and return, Capital asset pricing model, cost of capital, business investment rules, capital budgeting, cash flows, capital budgeting in practice, options, derivatives applications, agency theory, capital market efficiency, managing capital structure, issuing securities and the role of investment banking, long term debt, leasing and other asset-based financing, liquidity management, accounts receivable and inventory management,. accounts receivable and inventory management. The students have to undertake business valuation based exercises, mini cases studies, assignments and mini projects for the successful completion of the course.

Islamic Banking & Finance (809322)
Pre-requisite – Business Finance (809212)

This course is introduced to students to understand the fundamental concepts of the Islamic financial system; its emergence; the underlying principles and concepts on which it is premised; the manner in which Islamic ethics are infused in financial practices and, the financial products and instruments used by banks and institutions in practice. The topics include: Introduction to Islam – Relevant aspects for business, Sharia Law and Sharia Boards: Roles, Responsibility and Membership, Islamic Law of Contracts and Islamic Banking, Murabaha as a Mode of Islamic Finance, Hire Purchase & Installment Accounting, Musharaka as a Mode of Islamic Finance, Ijara as a Mode of Islamic Finance, Istisna’a as a Mode of Islamic Finance, Comparison with the Conventional Banking Equivalent and Takaful: Islamic Insurance.

International Finance (809411)
Pre-requisite – Business Finance (809212)

This is an introductory course in international financial management. It will discuss various aspects of the financial management of multinational enterprises (MNEs), including the foreign exchange market, exchange rate behavior and international parity conditions, foreign exchange risk management, and global debt and equity financing. The international environment within which such management is conducted will also be discussed. Nevertheless, the topics to be studied are globalization and the multinational firm, international Monetary System, balance of payment, the market for foreign exchange, international parity relationships and forecasting foreign exchange rates, International banking and money markets, International bond market, International equity market, future and options on foreign exchange, currency and Interest rate swap and international portfolio investment revision. The students have to refer to various financial news papers and journals to update the current trends in international financial markets. They also have to complete various assignments, case exercises and numerical exercises for the successful completion of the course.

Econometrics (809412)
Pre-requisite Statistics (101212)

This course is intended to teach the business students the basics of econometric methods, which are necessary as statistical and economical tools for identifying, specifying, estimating and analyzing relationships between economic variables. The main topics included in this course include: Nature and types of econometrics, relationship between mathematics, statistics and economics, single – equation regression model, two variable regression analysis, two variable regression model, the problem of estimation, classical normal linear regression model, two variable regression analysis – interval estimation and hypothesis testing, multiple regression analysis – the problem of inference, dummy variable regression model. The completion of this course would help the students to identify, develop and analyze various econometrics models and relate that to economic situations at the micro and macro level. The students have to complete numerical exercises, case studies and mini projects with econometric analysis for the completion of the course.

Financial Markets & Institutions (809421)
Prerequisite: Business Finance (809212)

The objective of the course is to prepare students for today’s dynamic financial environment. The scope comprises diversity of financial instruments and institutions, and the latest developments and issues from the financial arena, domestic as well as international. The topics include: why study financial markets and institutions, overview of the financial system, fundamentals of financial markets, why do interest rates change, how do risk and term structure affects interest rates, are financial markets efficient, why do financial institutions exist?, why do financial crises occur and why are they damaging to the economy?, central banking and conduct of the monetary policy: tools, goals, strategy and tactics, the money markets and the bond markets, the stock markets and the mortgage markets and the foreign exchange market. The students will be familiarized with the method of working of the different types of markets and functioning of various financial institutions.

Finance & Banking Graduation Project (809419)
Pre-requisite – Business Research Methods (803324)

This course provides students with concepts and applications related to conduction and execution of the graduation project. The course consists of selecting a suitable research title topic, preparing of introduction outlining the theme of the study through pertinent literature, preparing need and significance of the study justifying the reasons for embarking on such a study, provide selected pertinent literature to build a theme, development of research model/conceptual motivation – a schematic diagram, development of research questions/objectives/hypotheses pertinent to the selected topic, laying out a detailed proposed methodology including several aspects such as research design, research location, types of data, target respondents, sampling technique/tools used, collection tool/sources of data collection, mode of data collection, use of statistical tools/analyses for the study etc. The students will practically involve in executing the project through collecting pertinent literature for the study, collecting pertinent data to provide results/solutions to the selected problem, analyses of data through statistical tools/other analyses in order to provide pertinent results, use of full referencing techniques pertinent to the study using either Harvard/APA/IEEE methods, preparation of a project report of several chapters such as introduction, review of literature, research methodology, data analyses and interpretation and summary of findings and conclusions. The course provides students with a practical exposure of applying the concepts learnt through different courses in to real life scenario through preparing graduation projects.

Working capital Management (809224)
Pre-requisite – Business Finance (809212)

Working capital is a significant factor in the sustainability and financial viability of any business organization. At the same time, financing working capital can be very costly, so the proper management of working capital is of vital importance. The topics include analysis of solvency, managing inventory, accounts receivables management, credit policy and collections, managing payables and accruals, cash collection systems and short term financial planning.

Management of Financial Institutions (809313)
Prerequisite –Business Finance (809212)

This course focuses on Bank Management and bank management problems. The key topics include: Fundamental forces of changes in banking, Bank organization and regulation, applying bank performance using UBPR, alternative models of bank performance, managing non interest income and expenses, the determinates of interest rate, managing interest rate risk and financial futures and forwards. The students have to complete lot of practical oriented assignments, exercises and case studies based on the concepts discussed in the course. The students have to do chapter end exercises, assignments, bank performance analysis using UBPR and multiple choice quizzes for achieving the learning envisaged in this course.

Intermediate Macroeconomics (809323)
Prerequisite- Introduction to Macroeconomics (809221)

This course presents macroeconomics as a set of policy insights embodied in simple models that policy makers used to reach decisions. It is designed to equip students with the basic macroeconomics models & policy tools. The topics covered in this course are basically related to inflation, unemployment, growth, policies for the short run and the long run, fluctuations, and the nuts & bolts for both monetary and fiscal policies. The students will learn how to answer complicated questions in the way that macroeconomists and policy makers do. The course will be delivered with various methods such as seminars, audio presentations, contemporary case studies, and assignments about specified current macro problems in Omani & the Gulf economies in particular, and the world financial crises and recessions in general.

E-Finance (809415)
Pre-requisite – Business Finance (809212)

This course provides the students the opportunity to develop their first hand investment skills by competing with each others to achieve the greatest gains in stock. Moreover this course provides the students the chance to look at the day-today operations and development of the market place. However the topics to be studied are Electronic Commerce and the Organization of Financial Markets ,Online Revolution, Towards a Digital Marketplace ,Financial Markets in a Nutshell ,The New York Stock Exchange ,Market Liquidity, Electronic Communications Network, Computerized Automated Trading Systems Investors; Upstairs Market; Disinter mediated Markets ,Overseas Financial Markets, Fixed Income Markets, Unconventional Financial Markets, Emerging Technologies for Electronic Markets, Creative Destruction. The students have to complete a web based project in addition to various investment exercise, assignments and case studies for the successful completion of the course.

Business Valuation (809423)
Pre-requisite – Business Finance (809212)

This course aims to develop knowledge and skills among the students to analyze financial information – particularly firms’ financial reports – for making decisions to invest in business and the primary focus is on equity valuation with some attention given to credit analysis and the valuation of debts. The topics include: concepts in business valuation and financial statement analysis such as financial statements and valuation, cash accounting, accrual accounting, discounted cash flow valuation, business activities and financial statements, analysis of the statement of shareholders equity, analysis of the balance sheet and income statement, analysis of the cash flow statement, analysis of profitability and the analysis of growth and sustainable earnings. This course is highly practical oriented and the students will do lot of exercises based on the concepts and carry out case discussions. The students will also prepare a project, on a group basis, in which they will select few companies listed in the Muscat securities market (MSM) and carry out valuation analysis.

Mergers & Acquisitions (809422)
Pre-requisite – Business Finance (809212)

In the modern dynamic business world, mergers and acquisitions have been considered as a method of overcoming unhealthy competition and achieving success. The basic objective of introducing this course is to evolve a broad understanding on mergers and acquisitions (M&A) from the standpoint of a modern chief executive. This course uses both diagnostic framework and real-life applications by introducing principles and techniques of successful mergers, acquisitions, divestitures and leveraged buyouts. The major topics include the Takeover Process, Legal and Regulatory Framework, Accounting for M&As, Deal Structuring, Strategic Processes, Theories of Mergers and Tender Offers, Timing of Merger Activity, Empirical Tests of M&A Performance, Corporate Restructuring and Divestitures and Financial Restructuring.