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Derivatives and risk management

The global financial crisis of 2007-08 brought into sharp focus the need for sound risk management practices in all organisations. Yet, despite the lessons said to have been learnt by this crisis we have recently seen further bank failures in the US and the rescue of the banking giant Credit Suisse by the Swiss authorities. Seemingly there is still more that needs to be done to get organisations to understand and manage risks properly.

In this module you&/postgraduate/modules/b819/39;ll examine the financial and non-financial risks faced by organisations, first by considering the nature of each risk and how exposure to that risk can be measured. This is important since management attention and risk management resources should focus on those risks that are both likely to arise and are potentially costly – perhaps fatal – to organisations. You&/postgraduate/modules/b819/39;ll study various risk management techniques used to mitigate unwanted risk exposures. These methods include &/postgraduate/modules/b819/39;hedging&/postgraduate/modules/b819/39; techniques and the use of derivatives.

In addition to financial theory, you&/postgraduate/modules/b819/39;ll look at real cases encompassing both failures and successes in different aspects of risk management. You&/postgraduate/modules/b819/39;ll also look at risk management across a number of organisations.

Vocational relevance

Employment opportunities in the field of risk management have grown in recent years, partly in response to the litany of reported risk management failings. This module will be of particular interest to you if you&/postgraduate/modules/b819/39;re working, or planning to work, in an organisation in the financial sector or in the finance division of a company or public sector/not-for-profit organisation.

The subject matter of the module is, though, designed to be useful for managers and prospective managers whose immediate responsibilities are outside the domain of risk management. Given the growing catalogue of risk management failures in all sectors – and the growing emphasis being placed on effective risk management by all organisations – the content provides knowledge and skills that all effective managers should possess.

Qualifications

B819 is an option module in our:

Excluded combinations

Sometimes you will not be able to count a module towards a qualification if you have already taken another module with similar content. To check any excluded combinations relating to this module, visit our excluded combination finder or before registering.

Module

Module code
B819
Credits

Credits

  • Credits measure the student workload required for the successful completion of a module or qualification.
  • One credit represents about 10 hours of study over the duration of the course.
  • You are awarded credits after you have successfully completed a module.
  • For example, if you study a 60-credit module and successfully pass it, you will be awarded 60 credits.
30
Study level
Across the UK, there are two parallel frameworks for higher education qualifications, the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications in England, Northern Ireland and Wales (FHEQ) and the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF). These define a hierarchy of levels and describe the achievement expected at each level. The information provided shows how OU postgraduate modules correspond to these frameworks.
OU Postgraduate
SCQF 11
FHEQ 7
Study method
Distance learning
Module cost
See Module registration
Entry requirements

Find out more about entry requirements.

Module details Entry requirements Module registration Study materials
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What you will study

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You will learn

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Teaching and assessment

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Support from your tutor

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Assessment

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Professional recognition

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Residential School

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Course work includes

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Course satisfaction survey

See the results for this course.

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Future availability

Derivatives and risk management starts once a year – in May. This page describes the module that will start in May 2026. We expect it to start for the last time in May 2031.

Regulations

As a student of 快猫视频, you should be aware of the content of the academic regulations which are available on our website.

Entry requirements

All entrants must hold a BA/BSc degree awarded by a recognised university or equivalent.

Various higher education and professional qualifications are considered equivalent to a degree. If you hold a qualification that you believe is an equivalent level to a UK degree, you should contact us. 快猫视频 Business School Masters Programme Committee is responsible for judging whether applicants&/postgraduate/modules/b819/39; qualifications meet the requirements for admission.

You will also need an appropriate facility in English language, sufficient to be able to work effectively at postgraduate level; generally, this means capability equivalent to an International English Language Test System (IELTS) score of 6.5. To assess your English language skills in relation to your proposed studies you can visit the IELTS website. If you think either of these possibilities may apply to you, please speak to an adviser.

It is strongly recommended that you are comfortable with the use of numerical methods and use of spreadsheets. If you are unsure about these skills, we suggest you familiarise yourself with illustrative numerical skills and methods prior to studying.

If you have any doubt about the suitability of the course, please

Preparatory work

No preparatory work is required, although you may want to assess your maths skills using the for the MSc in Finance if you have not already done so prior to your earlier studies.

Register

Start End England fee Register
02 May 2026 Oct 2026 拢1960.00

Registration closes 16/04/26 (places subject to availability)
This module is expected to start for the last time in May 2031.

Future availability

Derivatives and risk management starts once a year – in May. This page describes the module that will start in May 2026. We expect it to start for the last time in May 2031.

Additional costs

Study costs

There may be extra costs on top of the tuition fee, such as set books, a computer and internet access.

Ways to pay for this module

We know there’s a lot to think about when choosing to study, not least how much it’s going to cost and how you can pay.

That’s why we keep our fees as low as possible and offer a range of flexible payment and funding options, including a postgraduate loan, if you study this module as part of an eligible qualification. To find out more, see Fees and funding.

Study materials

What&/postgraduate/modules/b819/39;s included

You will have access to a module website with an extensive variety of specially written resources for this module. This includes:

  • audio and video content
  • case studies
  • published articles
  • a week-by-week study planner
  • online tutorial access
  • access to 快猫视频 library.

You will also be provided with a module book which contains CFA readings relevant to each unit.

Computing requirements

  • Primary device – A desktop or laptop computer. It’s possible to access some materials on a mobile phone, tablet or Chromebook; however, they will not be suitable as your primary device.
  • Peripheral device – Headphones/earphones with a built-in microphone for online tutorials.
  • Our OU Study app operates on supported versions of Android and iOS.
  • Operating systems – Windows 11 or latest supported macOS. Microsoft will no longer support Windows 10 as of 14 October 2025.
  • Internet access – Broadband or mobile connection.
  • Browser – Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge are recommended. Mozilla Firefox and Safari may be suitable.

If you have a disability

This module is delivered online, and time spent using a computer and the internet will therefore be extensive. Some online material may not be available or fully accessible using a screen reader (mathematical and scientific materials may be particularly difficult to read in this way).

If you’re using printed materials as part of reasonable adjustments to support your studies, note that printed versions of online materials are unavailable for this module.

To find out more about what kind of support and adjustments might be available, contact us or visit our .

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