Programming and Databases

Using advanced features of MS-Excel: Pivot-Tables, Scenario-Analysis, Conditional formatting, Advanced diagrams; General Programming structures: Declaration - Input - Processing - Output, Branches, Loops, Data types; Visual Basic for Application in MS-Excel: Objects, Sheets, Cells; Basics of Databases, Queries and Basics of SQL: Relational databases: Primary/foreign key; Queries: Criteria, Operators, Aggregate Functions; Introduction to MS-Access; Basic Skills in statistical software (e.g. R, SPSS, SAS or Minitab)

Mode of delivery

face to face

Type

compulsory

Recommended or required reading and other learning resources/tools

Jackson, M., Staunton, M., 2001, Advanced Modelling in Finance using Excel and VBA, John Wiley & Sons; Ulrich, L., Cook, K., 2018, Access 2018 for Dummies, Wiley Publishing; Alexander, M., 2018, Excel VBA Programming for Dummies, 5th edition, Wiley Publishing

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

Interactive work in computer labs, discussion of exercises and examples.

Assessment methods and criteria

This course is based on continuous assessment (30%) and a final project to be uploaded on the Moodle platform (70%). The continuous assessment consists of active participation in class (15%) and three home assignments to be uploaded on the Moodle platform before the respective deadlines (15%).

Prerequisites and co-requisites

Meet the admission requirements for this master’s programme

Infos

Degree programme

Quantitative Asset and Risk Management (Master)

Cycle

Master

ECTS Credits

4.00

Language of instruction

English

Curriculum

Part-Time

Academic year

2023

Semester

1 WS

Incoming

Yes

Learning outcome

After the successful completion of the course students are able to apply advanced features of Microsoft-Excel to analyse data efficiently. In addition, they demonstrate basic programming knowledge (definition of variables, assignment of values to variables, if-statements, for- and while-loops, logical operators, functions, variable scope, arrays, objects, collections, error handling and documentation techniques) in Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) which enables them to develop their own computer functions and programs. Furthermore, they are able to use Structure Query Language (SQL) elements for storing, manipulating and retrieving data in databases. Additionally, the students are able to operate statistical software other than MS-Excel (e.g. R, SPSS, SAS or Minitab) which is advantageous when dealing with large data-sets or complex algorithms.

Course code

0613-09-07-BB-EN-04