Grading Policy: assessment in this unit is informed by the MQ Grading Policy.

Standardised Numerical Grade (SNG): a Standardised Numerical Grade (SNG) gives you an indication of how you have performed within the band for your descriptive grade. The SNG is not a mark, and you may not be able to work it out based on your raw examination and other assessment marks.  Nor are you able to determine whether you are 'only one mark away' from a higher grade.

Rubric: the Case Study will be assessed against criterion and performance standards set out in a marking Rubric, which will be provided to project teams as a resource appended to the case study.   

'Double Pass' Rule: to be eligible to pass this unit, a pass is required in the Final Examination.

Disruption to Study: if your disruption to study is deemed 'Serious and Unavoidable', and thus meets the criteria for Special Consideration set out in the Disruption to Studies Policy, you will receive an additional opportunity to demonstrate that you have met the learning outcomes for this assessment task. Otherwise, there will be no provision of an additional assessment task. For information, including results of disruption e.g. 'preparation affected' or 'examination performance affected', please refer to the Disruption to Studies Policy Outcomes and Supporting Evidence.

Viewing 'Within Session' Assessment Task Marks: it is the responsibility of students to view their marks for each 'within session' assessment on iLearn within 20 working days of posting.  If there are any discrepancies, students must contact the unit convenor immediately.  Failure to do so will mean that queries received after the release of final results regarding assessment marks (not including the Final Examination mark) will not be addressed.

Delivery

Mode: 1 weekly class (3 hours). Attendance is not compulsory. However, in our experience, regular weekly in-class participation can contribute to your overall performance. In-class participation includes discussion on weekly lecture topics, and short presentations of assigned homework. Lecturers will note your in-class participation, so attend only the class in which you are enrolled. Please note that students enrolled in any one class have priority access to venue seating on a first-come-first serve basis.       

Workload: estimated to about 150 hours in total (or 12 hours per week, on the average) for a post-graduate unit with 4 credit points. The workload includes weekly pre-lecture reading, in-class participation, weekly homework, preparation for assessment tasks, attempts at 'take home' assessment tasks including case study project work during the 2 week mid-semester non-teaching period. Please note that your personal workload may vary from the estimated workload.

Weekly Preparation: in-class participation is expected from everyone. Therefore, come well prepared to class. 

• Pre-lecture reading: we expect that in preparation for in-class participation you will attempt pre-lecture reading of chapters in the textbook, lecture slides, plus any additional occasional material including practitioner journal and financial press articles.

• Homework: we expect that in preparation for in-class participation you will attempt assigned CQ's and Q&P's homework. 

We strongly recommend that you seek to develop a thorough understanding of the Week 1 and Week 2 lecture topics and homework, as a good grasp of these first principles are essential in developing a working knowledge and understanding of the subsequently more complex concepts and techniques. 

'Homework': will be discussed and presented during in-class time in the week following the topic lecture (e.g. the Week 2 topic will be discussed and presented in Week 3). Please note that homework will not be collected for marking. It is your responsibility to check homework using the Q&P's suggested answers and solutions guides that will be issued weekly on Friday's in AFIN858-iLearn (but not until Q&P's have been discussed during in-class time). Contingent on how in-class activity unfolds,  the full set of Q&P's may be not be discussed during in-class time. It is your responsibility to make sure to work through the full set of Q&P's during out-of-class time. Suggested answers to CQ's will only be discussed during in-class time. Make sure to ask your class lecturer if anything regarding homework seems unclear.

Resources

Textbook: Ross, S., Bianchi, R., Christensen, M., Drew, M., Westerfield, R. and B. Jordan. 2014. Fundamentals of Corporate Finance (6th ed.) N.Ryde, NSW, Australia: McGraw-Hill Education. ISBN 9781743079485 (this ISBN includes Connect). Weekly readings and homework are set from this textbook.

Connect: a publisher provided, operated and supported 'on-line' learning resource. It is enclosed (or 'wrapped') with the required textbook, if you purchase it through the on-campus Co-Op Bookshop. Instructions on accessing Connect, and its features, will be available in AFIN858-iLearn. Contact the publisher directly for assistance with your technical and content enquiries. 

We strongly recommend that you purchase a copy (or electronic copy) of the textbook, especially as only a few copies of the textbook will be available but on a restricted access basis at the University Library 'Closed Reserve'.

Recommended References: can include recent editions of e.g.:

• Tannous, Brown, Kopp & Zima. Mathematics of Finance. McGraw-Hill.

• Petty, Scott, Martin, Burrow, Martin & Nguyen. Financial Mathematics. Pearson.

• Peirson, Brown, Easton, Howard & Pinder. Business Finance. McGraw-Hill.

• Brealey, Myers, & Marcus. Fundamentals of Corporate Finance. McGraw-Hill.

Please note that you are not required to purchase these reference titles.

Technologies Used and Required: you will need a calculator (non-programmable, either scientific or financial, without text capability) to successfully attempt homework, in-class work, and assessment tasks. Moreover, you will require access and skills to operate a computer and software including: 'word processing'; 'spreadsheet'; and 'internet browsers'.  In addition, you will need skills to conduct searches for information in the MQ Library 'catalogues', MQ Library 'databases', and MQ Periodicals 'on-line'. Lastly, you will need skills to use 'iLearn', and attempt quizzes on-line in 'AFIN858-iLearn'.

AFIN858-iLearn: make sure to visit the unit pages at least every few days, especially the 'Announcements' section, so that you have timely access to important information and unit material including general announcements, assessment information and results, and suggested answers and solutions to assigned weekly Q&P's.

^#Refer to the weekly lecture note cover page for detailed topic description.  Indicative and subject to change, to be confirmed every two weeks in AFIN858-iLearn.

*CQ refers to 'Concept Question' e.g. Ch. 1. CQ 1.3 (p. 12), and so on weekly.  Discussed during in-class time in the week following the topic lecture (e.g. the Week 2 CQ's will be discussed in Week 3).  Indicative and subject to change, to be confirmed every two weeks in AFIN858-iLearn.

**Q&P refers to 'Questions and Problems' e.g. Ch. 2 Q&P 2.21 (p. 60), and so on weekly.  Discussed during in-class time in the week following the topic lecture (e.g. the Week 2 Q&P's will be discussed in Week 3).  Indicative and subject to change, to be confirmed every two weeks in AFIN858-iLearn.

^Week 7 is followed by a 2 week non-teaching period.  For Macquarie University policy regarding work during the non-teaching period, refer to the heading 'Delivery and Resources' section 'Workload'.

^^Week 9 Monday (5 October) is a public holiday.  Information regarding availability and venue of alternative classes (where applicable) will be issued in AFIN858-iLearn 'Announcements'.

No change in substance from previous offering.

The Case Study requires (a) analysis of a typical proposal in a workplace context (including preparation of a supporting Excel spreadsheet), (b) collaborative evaluation of the corporate finance implications of the proposal, and (c) writing of a brief research based report ('Board Paper') addressed to a Company Board of Directors.  Board Papers and supporting Excel spreadsheets are assessed on a group-only basis against criterion and performance standards set out in a marking Rubric, provided to groups as a resource appended to the Case.