ADMMFI: Microfinance

Module code: ADMMFI

Module provider: School of Agriculture, Policy and Development

Credits: 20

Level: Postgraduate Masters

When you'll be taught: Semester 1

Module convenor: Dr Okiemua Okoror, email: o.okoror@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: Yes

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 19 September 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

The aims of this module are to critically review the rationale and experience of microfinance services for the rural and urban poor, examine the major players in the financial markets, and identify the financial service needs of poor households, and of micro-entrepreneurs (agricultural and non-agricultural). The module assesses proposals for the reform of financial markets and the development of sustainable financial institutions and programmes that may effectively reach the rural and urban poor, and poor women. We also discuss whether microfinance has been successful as a tool to aid the disadvantaged, by studying its proposed impacts. 

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. Understand the range of financial service providers and their relative strengths and weaknesses
2. Discuss the debate concerning the appropriate level of interest rates microfinance providers should set
3. Explain the range of impacts microfinance is said to have
4. Critically evaluate evidence concerning whether these impacts occur in practice

Module content

• Financial inclusion and exclusion 
• Financial institutions and agents in the informal (e.g. money lenders, traders), semi-formal (e.g. MFIs, Cooperatives, Credit Unions) and formal (banks) financial markets, 
• Financial products and services for microfinance 
• Design features of microfinance institutions, individual versus group lending 
• Regulation and replication of microfinance institutions 
• Evaluation and future issues for microfinance. 

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

Lectures and group discussions/presentations 

Study hours

At least 20 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 50% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• 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 three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/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.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Reassessment

Additional costs