Portfolio Theory and Financial Applications

2024/2025

Content, progress and pedagogy of the module

This module provides an in-depth study of investment portfolios: the theory behind them, construction techniques, and real-world applications. The students acquire knowledge and skills regarding the opportunities and limitations of portfolio theory that are useful in a professional advisory role or portfolio management role.

The purpose of this module is for the students to gain knowledge, skills, and competencies at an advanced level such that they can discuss and analyse central concepts, methods, models, tools and problems within the subject area. The students apply relevant software and search digital databases when working with the content of the module. Part of the teaching material is digital.

The lectures contain theoretical discussions as well as discussions of common applications and examples. In the exercise sessions, the students are exposed to practical problems that they solve by applying the theories that have been presented in the lectures.

Learning objectives

Knowledge

The objective is that the student after the module possesses the necessary knowledge on:

  • and insight in the theories, concepts, models, and methods within the subject area.
  • the principles and tools of portfolio theory, portfolio risk, and how to implement theory and methods on real data.
  • central aspects within the theories, models, and methods within the subject area; and in addition, the student should demonstrate an understanding of relevance, reliability and validity about these.

Skills

The objective is that the student after the module possesses the necessary skills in:

  • engaging in professional discussions and advices on how to construct portfolios with different risk characteristics.
  • analysing and assessing results with respect to their validity, relevance, and limitations with the purpose of deducing a basis for a decision and conclusion regarding a particular financial problem based on the conducted analyses and calculations.
  • applying and integrating the skills and knowledge in companies, financial institutions, in advisory roles, or the finance profession in general.

Competences

The objective is that the student after the module possesses the necessary competences in:

  • identifying theoretical and practical financial problems of the companies or financial institutions, and choose and put in place relevant solutions such that the ability to analyse, derive, weigh and judge the different alternative actions is clearly demonstrated.
  • reflecting upon the theoretical frame of reference and apply this to analyse and solve financial problems.
  • creating and analysing portfolios of financial securities and in assessing the risk of the constructed portfolio.

Exam

Exams

Name of examPortfolio Theory and Financial Applications
Type of exam
Written exam
Individual examination.
ECTS5
Assessment7-point grading scale
Type of gradingInternal examination
Criteria of assessmentThe criteria of assessment are stated in the Examination Policies and Procedures

Facts about the module

Danish titlePorteføljeteori og dens anvendelser
Module codeKAFIN20222
Module typeCourse
Duration1 semester
SemesterAutumn
ECTS5
Language of instructionEnglish
Location of the lectureCampus Aalborg
Responsible for the module

Organisation

Study BoardStudy Board of Economics and Business Administration
DepartmentAalborg University Business School
FacultyFaculty of Social Sciences and Humanities