Undergraduate Course: Financial Services Marketing (BUST10033)
Course Outline
| School | Business School |
College | College of Humanities and Social Science |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 3 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | The financial services sector has undergone a dramatic process of change initiated by new competition, sophisticated consumer demand, technological opportunities and regulatory developments. As electronic methods replace people and physical documentary activities, the definitions of financial services too are changing. The course Financial Services Marketing provides an opportunity to examine and make sense of this rapidly evolving sector and critically evaluate the role and power of marketing management in this context. |
| Course description |
This course aims to build knowledge of marketing strategies used in the financial services sector and to advance understanding of real-time challenges in this industry. On completion of the course, students should be able to critically evaluate different marketing initiatives for financial services and to design such strategies at different stages of the marketing process. Students will also have a deeper appreciation of the challenges facing financial services consumers in decision-making. To achieve this, the course guides students through the financial services marketing environment, key elements of the financial services marketing mix, understanding decision-making and managing customer relationships.
Syllabus
Introduction to financial services marketing
The financial services environment: challenges and opportunities
The financial services consumer: making financial decisions
Financial socialization
Financial literacy, capability and inclusion
Trust and financial relationships
The role of technology in financial services distribution and delivery
Pricing and price-based competition
Communication and branding of financial services
Financial services marketing malpractice
Student Learning Experience
Overall, the course aims to provide students not only with in-depth, subject-specific knowledge of the topics covered, but also with enhanced abilities to evaluate marketing in action in the context of financial services and to question, challenge and critique the actions of financial institutions in a mature and reasoned way. The way in which the course is designed and delivered can improve general learning and study skills, in particular the application of acquired knowledge to a real life practical scenario, thus preparing students for work-related learning.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
Students MUST have passed:
Marketing (BUST08004)
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | Years 3 & 4. Business Studies Honours Entry. |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | Visiting students should have at least 3 Business Studies courses (including at least one Marketing course) at grade B or above (or be predicted to obtain this). We will only consider University/College level courses.
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| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2017/18, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: None |
| Course Start |
Semester 1 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 20,
Summative Assessment Hours 2,
Revision Session Hours 2,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
172 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
40 %,
Coursework
60 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Overall assessment will be based upon:
- Continuous assessment 60%
Individual assignment (10%)
Group project (40% report: 10% peer evaluation) (50%)
- Open book exam 40%
Total 100%
The individual assignment accounts for 10% of the final grade. It comprises a short piece of individual written work (maximum 1,500 words excluding references). Details of the individual assignment will be given at the start of the course.
The course project accounts for 50% of the final grade. A maximum of 40/50 marks will be obtained from the group research report grade and a maximum of 10/50 marks will be awarded through a peer evaluation process. Details of the research project will be outlined further at the start of the course.
The open book exam accounts for 40% of the final grade. The exam format is new for this academic year and guidance on expectations will be given at the revision session. The format of the exam will consist of essay questions. Students will be asked to complete two essay questions from a choice of four.
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| Feedback |
Generic and individual feedback on your coursework, together with individual marks, will be available on Learn.
Your examination marks will be posted on Learn (together with generic feedback and examination statistics) as soon as possible after the Board of Examiners' meeting (normally end of January/beginning of February). You will have the opportunity to look at your examination scripts in early February in the UG Office (Room 1.11, Business School, 29 Buccleuch Place). Note that you will not be able to remove any examination scripts from the UG Office as they may be required by the Board of Examiners. |
| Exam Information |
| Exam Diet |
Paper Name |
Hours & Minutes |
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| Main Exam Diet S1 (December) | | 2:00 | |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Understand and critically discuss the differences between services and product marketing.
- Understand and discuss the market environment of financial services.
- Understand and discuss the challenges facing financial consumers in financial decision-making.
- Critically evaluate marketing initiatives for financial services
- Design strategies with respect to:-The product characteristics including new product development, pricing, communication and customer relations, and distribution and channel management.
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Reading List
Financial Services Marketing, Christine Ennew and Nigel Waite, Second Edition, Routledge 2013 (first Edition published by Butterworth Heinemann 2007 will also be sufficient).
OR
Financial Services Marketing, Tina Harrison, Prentice Hall, 2000. |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Cognitive Skills
Students will develop analytical skills such as:
- The ability to apply concepts and theories to real life financial services marketing;
- The ability to critically evaluate financial services marketing activity;
- The ability to appraise financial services marketing strategies and make suggestions for improvement;
- The ability to use introspection as an analytical tool
Subject Specific Skills
Students will gain:
- The ability to understand and evaluate the marketing environment for financial services;
-The ability to recognise and respond to challenges in the marketing of financial services;
- The ability to make recommendations to overcome and avoid specific financial services challenges and threats.
By the end of the course students will be expected to:
- Be able to work individually and in a team;
- Be able to communicate and exchange ideas in oral and written formats
- Be able to analyse visual content and financial services marketing strategies.
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| Keywords | FSM |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Tina Harrison
Tel: (0131 6)50 3820
Email: |
Course secretary | |
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