FHEQ Level 7

Assessed summative assignment

FINANCIAL MARKETS, INSTITUTIONS &

INSTRUMENTS (7FMI)

For courses of study commencing September 2018

Deadline: Midday Monday 5 November 2018.

Please Note: Your script will not be marked anonymously but will be subject to a process of
internal moderation.

The London Institute of Banking & Finance, Higher Education

4-9 Burgate Lane
Canterbury
Kent
CT1 2XJ
UK

The London Institute of Banking & Finance is a registered charity, incorporated by Royal Charter.
Assessed summative assignment
Write a 2,000-word essay exploring the following:

(a) Outline and assess the traditional role and functions of the
banking sector in a free market economy. (50 marks)

(b) Critically analyse the changes in the way in which the banking
sector operated in the lead up to the 2008/9 financial crisis and
the consequences thereof. (50 marks)

(Total – 100 marks)

Word count: Maximum 2,000 words including quotations and in-text citations.

Guidance:
 In Part (a) you should focus on the roles of banks in the economy and the effects
of the services that they provide.
 In Part (b) you should consider the changes that led to the bubble and bust of
2008/9 and the changes to the sector since that period.
 Your essay must be supported by both academic sources and business
evidence. Include real-life examples from the global financial services industry to
illustrate your points.

Purpose / rationale
One of the principal aims of this module is to equip students with an understanding of
the competing business models in the financial services sector. This individual
assignment gives you an opportunity to demonstrate your understanding of these
concepts and models with a focus on the banking sector.
This assignment particularly addresses module learning outcomes A1, A2, A4, A6.

Submission notes
Please refer to the MSc Programme Handbook for details of how to submit
coursework, penalties for late submission, referencing conventions, etc.

1. This is an individual coursework assignment.

2. Word limit: You must write no more than 2,000 words for this assignment. This
word limit excludes any relevant appendices, diagrams and references. A short
contextualising profile of any institutions you have included as examples may also
be included as an appendix to allow you to focus within the body of your
assignment on your critical analysis and evaluation. The word count includes all
in-text references, headings, footnotes and endnotes. You are required to mark a
word count on your finished script. There is no minimum length for your
assignment; however, you are unlikely to be able to present a fully rounded
argument in much less than around 1,800 words.
3. Succinctness in business writing is a virtue. Make your point and move on. Undue
use of appendices to harbour excess wordage may also be penalised.
4. You should ensure you have clearly indicated any contributions of others –
including fellow students and lecturers – to your work.

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Marking criteria
Assessments will be marked with reference to the generic postgraduate Grade
Classification Descriptors (see MSc Programme Handbook). For this assignment,
marks will be allocated according to the following criteria:

 Knowledge and understanding

Analysis should stem from the underlying frameworks. You should compare /
contrast the specific nature of financial services markets and the structures of
institutions therein.
 Professional, ethical, and regulatory framework
It is important to recognise appropriate professional, ethical, and regulatory
frameworks, and identify relevant current issues.
 Critical analysis and independent thought
You should extend the theory you have read and explore empirical
evidence which may support the contentions you make.
Independent thought can be shown not only from the analysis used but also from
the way in which conclusions are drawn from the evidence researched.
 Methods of investigation and use of literature
This assignment requires a good standard of investigation of official reports,
academic papers and the financial press. The skill in performing the literature
search, and accessing and citing key references, will highlight better
submissions.
Support for your arguments will come primarily from the financial press and
academic literature, as these concepts are the subject of much interest from
economists. This is clearly related to the methods of investigation element and it
is essential that you look at theoretical frameworks as well as empirical evidence.
 Presentation
There should be evidence of effective presentation, structure, and editing.

Guidance materials

The following resources are available to assist you with your assignment preparation.
They can all be found through your course website:

 Guide to referencing – Note: It is important that you familiarise yourself with all
elements of this guidance;
 Module specification;
 Student handbook;
 Guidance for how to approach your assignment – in the study skills area;
 Submission information; and
 Understanding your similarity report.

If you need any help accessing any resources, please contact

knowledgebank@libf.ac.uk

KnowledgeBank, your e-library, is a collection of resources available to students and

is accessible through https://my.libf.ac.uk

You should use this e-library to find additional books, journal articles and other
information to support your studies. To begin your search:

 log in to https://kb.libf.ac.uk with your LIBF number and password;

 select ‘Library Resources’ from the link on the home page.

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