LWMTBL-International Banking and Finance Law

Module Provider: School of Law
Number of credits: 20 [10 ECTS credits]
Level:7
Terms in which taught: Autumn term module
Pre-requisites:
Non-modular pre-requisites: Registered for a postgraduate programme in Law or selected MA programmes or with permission of the Director of PGT Studies in Law.
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded:
Current from: 2023/4

Module Convenor: Dr Andrea Miglionico
Email: a.miglionico@reading.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:

The course reviews the major issues in international banking and financial law. It therefore examines the main aspects of banking and finance law such as capital adequacy, international securities, derivative markets and loan agreements. It also aims to provide a strong working overview of the major themes and core questions that academics and policymakers view as the core challenges to the existing international financial architecture and to efforts at reform.

Aims:

The course reviews the major issues in international banking and financial law. It therefore examines the main aspects of banking and finance law such as capital adequacy, international securities, derivative markets and loan agreements. It also aims to provide a strong working overview of the major themes and core questions that academics and policymakers view as the core challenges to the existing international financial architecture and to efforts at reform.

Assessable learning outcomes:

On successful completion of the module, students should be able to demonstrate:

1. the ability to define and analyse the core challenges and responses in key areas of international banking law;


2. the ability to identify and critically assess banking regulation and many other important issues in financial law related to risk; 


3. the ability to identify and critically assess the corporate governance related dimension of the recent crisis and many critical international banking law reform initiatives; and,


4. the ability to critically assess the capital adequacy rules and Basel III, as well as the nature, development, and resolution of financial crises.

Additional outcomes:

The module will encourage the development of:

1. high-level writing skills through close and critical analysis of both primary and secondary source material;


2. high-level theoretical and contextual knowledge to practical problems that face people working in the field; and,


3. a sophisticated appreciation of the inter-play between law and finance

Outline content:

The module takes an interdisciplinary approach in exploring how the international financial crisis developed, and what are the core aspects involved in its history and its ongoing resolution. It focuses on key issues every week that require students to understand core areas of international banking law such as capital adequacy, risk management and supervision, regulation of structured finance and hedge funds, as well as bond and other financial law related issues. Students learn how the rules and regulations interplay with markets and government to create a complex international financial and banking regulatory scheme.

1. Banking systems, banking supervision;


2. How banks are regulated: capital adequacy requirements;


3. How banks are governed: structures and corporate governance;


4. Activities of banks: payment systems, provision of finance;


5. European and global financial crises;


6. Loans;


7. Loan documentation;


8. Bonds and securitisation;


9. Derivatives and hedge funds;


10. Financial stability and Global reform proposals

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:

Teaching in this module is designed to provide students with a range of resources on which they can draw in their learning. The main elements are:

• teaching will consist of 10 x 2-hour lectures


• a list of required and recommended readings, with notes and questions that will be used to guide class discussion and reflection


• assessed work that will be used to develop students' skills and knowledge


• optional non-ass essed work that will be used to develop students’ skills and knowledge

Contact hours:

	Autumn	Spring	Summer
Seminars	20
Guided independent study:	180
Total hours by term	200
Total hours for module	200

Summative Assessment Methods:

Method	Percentage
Written assignment including essay	100

Summative assessment- Examinations:

Summative assessment- Coursework and in-class tests:
1 assessed essay of 15 pages (formatted in accordance with the School of Law’s Assessed Work Rules)

Formative assessment methods:
One formative assessment task which is an important component of students’ progress towards the learning outcomes of the module.

Penalties for late submission:

The below information applies to students on taught programmes except those on Postgraduate Flexible programmes. Penalties for late submission, and the associated procedures, which apply to Postgraduate Flexible programmes are specified in the policy “Penalties for late submission for Postgraduate Flexible programmes”, which can be found here: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/cqsd-old-site-documents/penaltiesforlatesubmissionpgflexible.pdf
The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of five working days;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than five working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/cqsd-old-site-documents/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf
You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Assessment requirements for a pass:
50% overall

Reassessment arrangements:
See School of Law PGT programme handbook

Additional Costs (specified where applicable):

1) Required text books: 

2) Specialist equipment or materials: 

3) Specialist clothing, footwear or headgear: 

4) Printing and binding: 

5) Computers and devices with a particular specification: 

6) Travel, accommodation and subsistence: 

Last updated: 30 March 2023