Cass Business School
City University London
Student Exchange Programme
Report
Morten Fylkesnes
Fall 2011
I GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
1. Describe the school and its surroundings – very short
Cass Business School is located at Bunhill Row, inside the “square mile” of the City of
London. Its facilities are modern and up to date on both IT (Bloomberg terminals and
Reuters Datastream) and learning resources. City University, where undergraduates have
their campus and lectures are located 20 minutes northwest, in Northampton Sq, this
campus has more characteristics of a university and is also much bigger.
2. Current faculty divisions and special areas.
Faculty of Actuarial Science and Insurance
• Pensions
• Social insurance
• Life insurance
• General insurance
• Health insurance and long term care
• Mortality and morbidity
• Reliability, Maintenance and related topics
• Dependability of Computer Based Systems
Faculty of Finance
• Financial Markets
• Regulation and Finance
• Money and Banking
• Investment and Risk Management
• Econometric Analysis
• Shipping and Transportation
• Real Estate Finance
Faculty of Management
• Strategy
• Innovation and Entrepreneurship
• Human Resource Management
• Governance and Pay
• E-Business
• Knowledge Management
• Professional Services
3. Number of students - graduate and undergraduate – number of exchange students
City is one of the most international universities in the UK with more than 21,000 students
from over 160 countries and staff from over 50 countries. 14 000 are undergraduate
students, and 7000 are graduate students. There are 3000 students at Cass Business
School, whereof 1300 are undergraduates. Number of exchange students, approx. 90.
One other from Norway (HiO).
4. Study structure
In all modules (“fag”) there will be (at least) one group coursework counting for 10-30 %
of the final grade. Lecture notes (syllabus) are handed out at in August and lecturers
follow these slides with some alterations and always end the semester with a revision.
Reading list is on a per lecture basis and serves as extra material, which is not part of the
exam curriculum. It is expected by the students to study and explore the syllabus on their
own and difficulties will be dealt with upon request in lectures or at lecturers’ office hours.
II PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Information before you left
 When did you receive the information package from the University?
Letter of Acceptance received 6 May with pre-departure guide and pre arrival information.
 Any difficulties?
No. The Exchange Coordinators are happy to answer questions and also help with
accommodation suggestions.
Visa Procedure and travel experiences
 What problems, if any did you encounter?
None.
 Does the visa cost anything?
No.(As a Norwegian, you do not need a visa to study in the UK).
 How did you order your ticket – any problems?
Booked my flight online, to Stansted Airport and then the express train to Liverpool St
Station where I took a cab to my accommodation. From Heathrow (SAS), you can access
London by tube and from Gatwick (Norwegian) there is also an express and local train.
Academic Calendar
 Arrival date – introductory week
I arrived on the 14 August, since I was doing an internship beforehand. Introductory
Week, week 38, 39.
 First day of the semester?
26 September
 Last day of classes?
9 December
 Examination period?
Alternative exams commencing the week of 5 of December, regular exams are in
January.

Any special events?
Many useful networking and professional events hosted by Cass throughout the
semester. Firms also visit campus for recruiting and informal networking events.
Reception
 How was the reception at the school?
Welcome reception by the Exchange coordinators with practical and academic
information. Everyone received a Cass backpack with flyers, prospectus, tube and local
map.
 Was the administration and faculty well prepared for your arrival?
Yes, we had our own registration day with information and tutoring on web portal.
 Did the school’s students participate in the reception of the exchange students?
There were three Cass undergraduates that did a campus tour followed by a pub visit
with us the first week. Later on we all got assigned a buddy.
Housing
 Did you have housing at your disposal or did you have to find your own housing?
As an exchange student only staying for 4 months you are not prioritized for the most popular
student halls, which are occupied by full time students. However, one can of course apply and
in case there are spare rooms they are happy to accommodate. Some City University
accomodations: Finsbury & Heyworth Halls (320 single rooms), Peartree Court (142 single
rooms in shared flats), Liberty Court (294 single rooms in shared flats) and Walter Sickert Hall
(200 single rooms with private bathroom).

What support did you receive from the school in locating housing?
The Exchange Office provided tips and useful links for both student halls and private
apartment adverts. They also helped with acceptance letters and recommendations.

Any special issues or good ideas for prospective students?
Often the accommodation website will not provide information about short-term stays(less
than 40/52-weeks) and you will have to call them to be able to apply or get information. If
you are unable to get any accommodation before you arrive, a lot of students stay their
first week at a hostel and arrange for private flat viewings (visning).
Costs
 Describe the most important expenses such as rent, books, food, etc.
Accommodation is more expensive than in Oslo and is on a per week basis. Books are
also quite expensive and you are better of reading the relevant chapters in the library.
Food and groceries are relative cheap, eating out is also affordable. An oystercard for the
tube is also recommendable. A Barclays city cycle subscription is also highly advisable,
as these are fast and convenient to get around with.
The International Office
Is there an international office?
The International Office is located at the City University Main Campus, Northampton
Square, Drysdale building, top floor.
Who is responsible for incoming exchange students?
 Carly Tyson – Study Abroad Officer. She is your main contact both pre-arrival and
during your stay in London.
How does the international office function?
The International Office functions very well. They help you with everything you may need
during your stay in London.
Do you receive all relevant information?
Yes. The international office will send you all the information you need during the semester.
Exchange promotion
 What kind of activity did you take part in to promote exchange to Norway at your
exchange university?
One exchange fair at Northampton Square campus.
Social Activities
 How is your relationship with other students?
You usually meet other full time students in lectures and are easily acquainted through
coursework and studying. However, full time students already know each other for almost
3 years and usually hang out together.
 How is the relationship among the exchange students?
For this semester there was created a Facebook group where everyone was invited
through emails and a name-list by the first week. People posted trip suggestions and
announced weekend plans. This is invaluable. Together you are in a new city and are all
in the same boat and these are the guys you end up hanging out and do lots of fun
together with. Be sure to get acquainted with some people as soon as possible!
 Is there a student organization, and if so, are the exchange students part of it?
There exists a Student Union for City students, but the exchange students are not really
on their agenda. However, everyone is more than welcome on events. For Norwegian
students in the UK there are e.g. the ANSA organization and also YMCA that can be
useful if you want to meet other Norwegians.
 Are there any special activities and gatherings for exchange students?
Hosted by Cass, there were two or three social activities, also the full-time buddies
arranged a party once.
 How do you like it at the school?
Cass Business School is the 4th ranked Business School in the UK and you should have
high expectations to both the lecturers and modules. The School is the business branch
of City University and throughout a business school, located in the financial hub of
Europe, the City. You will meet students that are highly motivated and with high
ambitions. Cass is also one of the most diversify and you will meet a lot of cultures and
fellow students from other countries. Nevertheless, there are a lot of Nordics there as
well!
Culture and Language
 Do you have any language problems with the faculty or other students?
No, as there are language requirements to be admitted, the students are usually fluent or
can at least communicate in English.
 How are the possibilities to experience the country and the culture?
Excellent. There are even two modules that gives you the possibility to experience
London and get credits for this. These are, “Historical London” and “Performing Arts”.
Cultural and Social Effects from the Exchange Experience
 How do you think the exchange experience will affect you from a cultural and
social point of view?
As you will get acquainted and introduced to people from all over the world, you will
realize how different we all are. In my experience, I learned a lot about customs and
interactions in both social and professional settings. This is both fun and a good
experience when networking with new people.
 How do you think the exchange experience influences your future career
possibilities?
The exchange programme has been highly beneficial for my professional experience.
First of all you learn to speak and write fluently in English. This gives you a great edge
when applying for jobs and can do interviews without struggling with words. Moreover,
you get familiar with customs and how to behave in a professional setting. And finally,
networking possibilities in London is invaluable in the finance sector.
III ACADEMIC INFORMATION
The Teaching situation
 In which language are the courses taught? Any problems?
English. No problems, a business dictionary can be useful sometimes.
 How would you evaluate the level of study in relationship to the level at BI?
The modules are somewhat more advanced than the ones I had at BI. They are more
specialized and aimed at providing you with a skillset that can be applicable in your
professional life later on.
 Is the teaching primarily practical or theoretical?
40/60 mix in favor of theoretical. All modules includes some kind of coursework which is
due in the middle of the term. This is usually a practical case where you have to do your
own research and explore the topic outside the syllabus.
 Are the professors using cases, group work or lectures (or a mix)?
All three!
 How is the workload compared to that at BI?
There are two heavy workloads, the coursework and the exams. Depending on the
module and lecturer this can be as much or more than what I was used to at BI.
 How is the relationship between faculty and students?
Good. All lecturers have office hours and also welcome questions during lectures.
 What is the relationship between the students in the classroom?
Same as in BI, friendly.
Required Literature
 Is the literature in English?
Yes.
 How do you estimate the level of the literature?
The compulsory reading material is the booklet given by the lecturer in the beginning of
the semester. If a certain topic is difficult or you do not fully comprehend a subject, a
reading list is provided to each lecture so that you can go through a more detailed
explanation on your own.
 Is the literature used for detailed knowledge or a broad overview?
Detailed knowledge. The lecturer usually gives us an overview on a subject and refers to
reading material for derivations.
 Is exam based on the literature or on the lectures?
Lecturenotes.
Exams
 What types of exams were you given?
Alternative exams for exchange students. Written.
 What knowledge level was required to pass the exams?
Grades are on a 0-100 scale and 40% is required to pass and 70% is a first class (A),
Grades are not distributed evenly. All my lecturers said that we would be fine if we were
familiar with all of the concepts in the booklet.
Other
 Do students have easy access to the library and it’s resources?
Yes, we do. On City campus there are a lot of computers and also computer labs,
however during the daytime these are almost always occupied, so either be in early or
late. At Cass you have a better chance at getting a free spot.
 How is the access to the computers?
Easily, login username and password is the same as with your student email.

How is IT used in the teaching or as a distributor of information?
The web portals is called “Moodle” and some lecturers use it more than others (i.e. not at
all). Grades are distributed here as well. Essential and important information is given by
email. As Cass student you have eight Bloomberg Terminals available at the Bunhill Row
campus, and you can also to the training program. It is expected that you are familiar with
Microsoft Excel and all coursework should be word-processed. For my Technical Analysis
coursework we also used the Metastock software, which we were given a tutorial in
beforehand.
FR2202 Financial Econometrics
Prereq’s: Basic statistics. Exam: Written (70%). Comments: Technical and study on my own
with reference material was essential. If you manage to get in a group with someone that has
had more statistics than BI offer, you should be fine. Coursework: Regression analysis of
stock returns (30%).
FR3100 Fixed Income Portfolio Management
Prereq’s: None. Exam: Written (70%). Comments: Technical but practical. Coursework (30%)
was a group assignment creating a 18 bond portfolio for a client and perform different studies
and analysis on the yield curve and duration.
FR3102 Asset-Liability Management
Prereq’s: None. Exam: Written (70%). Comments: Highly relevant subject today with a
excellent lecturer. Not technical but highlight concept understandings. Coursework (30%) was
a study of the secondary banking crisis in the UK in the early 70s.
FR3110 Technical Analysis
Prereq’s: None: Exam: Written (70%). Comments: Fun and peculiar module. If and only if you
find trading interesting this is highly recommendable. Coursework (30%) is developing and
backtesting of trading strategy.
Any other experiences:
If you want a career in trading, investment banking or inside finance a semester in London is
invaluable. For this semester I was also awarded the Norwegian Business Scholar by the
Bridge Ward Club in cooperation with the Embassy and BI. This helped me get an internship
in the City, which was also a priceless experience.
Names and e-mails:
I am happy to answer further questions or provide more detailed information per email, at the
following address: mfylkesnes@gmail.com
Morten Fylkesnes,
December 2011