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FIN1320D

Academic Year 2026/2027

​Introduction to Finance (FIN1320D)

Subject:
Finance
College:
Business
School:
Business
Level:
1 (Introductory)
Credits:
5
Module Coordinator:
John Kelly
Trimester:
Autumn
Mode of Delivery:
Blended
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

Finance plays an important role in the overall health of the economy. Both businesses and individuals are confronted with financing and investing decisions on a regular basis. For example, organisations must decide what investments to make and how these investments should be financed. Organisations need to be able to identify and quantify the risks they run. The financial toolkit helps you to answer these questions.

We will cover valuation principles for financial assets (shares and bonds), investment decisions and the foundations of risk and return.

This module will give you a firm foundaiotn for the 3rd finacen module and other finance areas.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of this module, students will have a good understanding of:
1) How firms work
2) The importance of corporate governance
3) The Investment Decision
4) Valuation of Shares and Bonds
5) Project Evaluation (capital budgeting)
6) The relationship between risk & return

Indicative Module Content:

1) Time value of money
2) Links to accounting
3) Valuation of Bonds (debt)
4) Valuation of Shares
5) Project Evaluation
6 )Risk & Return
7) WACC - calcualtion & Use

UNESCO highlights a set of key competencies that support individuals in their development and support society in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UCD has adapted these competencies and is combining them with others to form a general framework of learning competencies. This module will help you develop the competencies below to the levels specified. 
Learning Competency Additional Information Level

Collaboration

The ability to learn from others; to understand and respect the needs, perspectives and actions of others (empathy); to understand, relate to and be sensitive to others (empathic leadership); to deal with conflicts in a group; and to facilitate collaborative and participatory problem solving. Not addressed

Critical Thinking

The ability to question norms, practices and opinions; to reflect on one’s own values, perceptions and actions. Advanced Beginner

Systems Thinking

The ability to recognize and understand relationships; to analyse complex systems; to think of how systems are embedded within different domains and different scales; and to deal with uncertainty. Novice

Strategic

The ability to collectively develop and implement innovative actions that further sustainability at the local level and further afield. Novice

Integrated Problem Solving

The overarching ability to apply different problem-solving frameworks to complex sustainability problems and develop viable, inclusive and equitable solution options that promote sustainable development, integrating the competencies in this list. Novice

Self-awareness

The ability to reflect on one’s own role in the local community and (global) society; to continually evaluate and further motivate one’s actions; and to deal with one’s feelings and desires. Advanced Beginner

Normative

The ability to understand and reflect on the norms and values that underlie one’s actions; and to negotiate values, principles, goals, and targets, in a context of conflicts of interest and trade-offs, uncertain knowledge and contradictions. Novice

Anticipatory

The ability to understand and evaluate multiple scenarios for the future – possible, probable and desirable; to create one’s own visions for the future; to apply the precautionary principle; to assess the consequences of actions; and to deal with risks and changes. Advanced Beginner

Digital Literacy and Judgement

The ability to access, evaluate, create and communicate information in digital environments; to engage critically, ethically and responsibly with digital technologies and digital information; to understand their opportunities, limitations, risks and impact on individual’s digital identities; and to exercise informed judgement in digital participation and decision-making. Not addressed

AI Literacy & Agency

The ability to understand, critically evaluate and responsibly engage with artificial intelligence; to recognise how AI systems are shaped by human values; to assess their ethical, social and environmental implications; and to exercise human judgement, agency and accountability in AI-related contexts. Not addressed

Wellbeing

Wellbeing is having the resources and skills to meet life's challenges, including attributes such as personal development skills, resilience, stress management, strengths, lifestyle skills, nutrition, physical activity, sleep, alcohol/substance use, academic skills, time management, goal setting, interpersonal skills, group work, communication. Novice

The United Nations identified seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as core to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and UCD contributes in general to SDG 4 Quality Education. Further SDGs explored within this module if relevant are listed below. A scale of 1 - 5 indicates the extent to which the SDG is covered.


 

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

14

Specified Learning Activities

25

Autonomous Student Learning

86

Total

125


Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
Lectures and tutorials will be held as per the schedule and students will get to apply theories learned in the module on a real-life company. There will in-semester assessment to promote student learning. There will also be an end of semester exam.

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade Component repeat (in-module) Offered
Exam (In-person): 2 hour exam End of trimester
Duration:
2 hr(s)
Graded No
45
No
Quizzes/Short Exercises: in class quizzes Week 8 Graded No
25
No
Reflective Assignment: An assignment to encourage you to use your finance toolkit in your work and in your other modules. Week 11 Graded No
30
No

As part of UCD's student support, under the Additional Consideration policy, extensions may be available for the following assessments in the module: Assignment (including essay/poster), Portfolio, Reflective Assignment, Report(s), and Individual Project.


Carry forward of passed components
No
 

Resit In Terminal Exam
Spring No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Group/class feedback, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

General feedback is provided to students on all their submitted assessment components

Principles of Corporate Finance by Brealey, Richard; Myers, Stewart; Allen, Franklin, McGraw Hill Education
10th Edition (2020).
The book has just gone to an eleventh edition (2023). The 10th edition is more readily accessable so the module will be based on the 10th edition. Any edition of the book will work as your guide.

Name Role
Ms Fiona Hickey Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Dr Orna O'Brien Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Dr Vassilios Papavassiliou Tutor

Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
Autumn Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 1 Fri 09:00 - 10:50
Autumn Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 5, 9 Fri 09:00 - 12:50
Autumn Online Learning Offering 1 Week(s) - 6 Thurs 19:00 - 20:50
Autumn Online Learning Offering 1 Week(s) - 3 Wed 19:00 - 21:00