Students

AFAS200 – Principles of Financial Literacy

2016 – S3 External

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff
Nidal Danoun
Tutor
Lydia Liu
Credit points Credit points
3
Prerequisites Prerequisites
24cp
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
This unit develops financial literacy, enabling students to understand what is needed to achieve a lifestyle that is financially sustainable, ethical and responsible. On completion of the unit, students will be able to set financial goals, establish a working budget, understand and distinguish between different investment instruments, understand the key features of superannuation in Australia and understand the implications of common financial contracts and employment structures. These outcomes aim to develop students' research and problem solving skills and develop personal judgement and initiative.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • Understanding the role of financial goals and developing personal financial goals
  • Constructing and maintaining a working budget
  • Assessing, comparing and evaluating common investment, structures and vehicles and debt instruments
  • Understanding the principle of saving and planning for retirement
  • Understanding of the general operation principles of taxation, superannuation, insurance and estate planning

General Assessment Information

Assessment Criteria for all assessment tasks will be provided on the iLearn site. 

 

Feedback Prior Census Date: 

A non-assessable online quiz will be available from 12 to 17 December 2016.  The results from this online quiz provides an indication of whether you have satisfactory understanding of week 1 material of the unit. If you are having difficulties, please arrange to see the Unit Convenor and consider withdrawing before the census date. 

 

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 exam mark) will not be addressed. 

 

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Due
Participation - Weekly tasks 20% Week 2-5
Mid Term Test 20% week 3
Major Assignment 20% Week 5
Final Exam 40% Exam Week

Participation - Weekly tasks

Due: Week 2-5
Weighting: 20%

Student will be required to make four submissions online on the designated topics in Weeks 2-5.

The questions will be based on the weekly materials covered.

Further information ane exact due date will be posted on iLearn.

Extension

No extensions will be granted. Students who have not submitted the task prior to the deadline will be awarded a mark of 0 for the


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Understanding the role of financial goals and developing personal financial goals
  • Constructing and maintaining a working budget
  • Assessing, comparing and evaluating common investment, structures and vehicles and debt instruments
  • Understanding the principle of saving and planning for retirement
  • Understanding of the general operation principles of taxation, superannuation, insurance and estate planning

Mid Term Test

Due: week 3
Weighting: 20%

The mid-term test will be conducted online. Further information will be posted on iLearn.

Extension

No extensions will be granted. Students who have not submitted the task prior to the deadline will be awarded a mark of 0 for the task, except for cases in which an application for disruption of studies is made and approved.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Understanding the role of financial goals and developing personal financial goals
  • Constructing and maintaining a working budget
  • Assessing, comparing and evaluating common investment, structures and vehicles and debt instruments
  • Understanding the principle of saving and planning for retirement
  • Understanding of the general operation principles of taxation, superannuation, insurance and estate planning

Major Assignment

Due: Week 5
Weighting: 20%

The assignment has to be submitted online via Turnitin by  the Week 5 (commencing on 16th of January 2017). Exact date will be advised on iLearn.

No extensions will be granted. There will be a deduction of 10% of the total available marks made from the total awarded mark for each 24 hour period or part thereof that the submission is late (for example, 25 hours late in submission – 20% penalty). This penalty does not apply for cases in which an application for disruption of studies is made and approved. No submission will be accepted after solutions have been posted. The assignment will require you to present a report base on a case study question. Further information will be provided via ilearn during the session.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Understanding the role of financial goals and developing personal financial goals
  • Constructing and maintaining a working budget
  • Assessing, comparing and evaluating common investment, structures and vehicles and debt instruments
  • Understanding the principle of saving and planning for retirement
  • Understanding of the general operation principles of taxation, superannuation, insurance and estate planning

Final Exam

Due: Exam Week
Weighting: 40%

The Final Exam details will be online held in the Exam Week (commencing on 23 January 2017). Further details will be posted on iLearn prior to the exam.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Understanding the role of financial goals and developing personal financial goals
  • Constructing and maintaining a working budget
  • Assessing, comparing and evaluating common investment, structures and vehicles and debt instruments
  • Understanding the principle of saving and planning for retirement
  • Understanding of the general operation principles of taxation, superannuation, insurance and estate planning

Delivery and Resources

Please note: This is an online course and therefore it is the student’s responsibility to have the

technology to access the material and to complete the assigned tasks. No exceptions or

extensions will be granted because of issues with the student’s technology, the student's internet

provider or the student's internet connectivity.

Required and Recommended Texts and/or Materials

Focus on Personal Finance (McGraw-HILL, by Kapour, Dlabay and Hughes)

Further resources:

Readings will be drawn from the online sources including journal articles and students are also

expected to follow web links in the Learning Management System and download materials.

Technology Used and Required

Technology requirements:

. Access to a computer

2. Access to Microsoft Office

3. Access to the Internet

Unit Web Page

Course material is available on the learning management system (iLearn) The web page for this

unit can be found at ilearn.mq.edu.au.

Teaching and Learning Strategy

Students are expected to listen to online lectures and read the material supplied via iLearn.

Unit Schedule

AFAS200 – Weekly Lecture Schedule

Week Topic

Week 1 - commencing from 6 Dec 2016

Personal Finance Basics

Money Management strategy

Setting Goals & Objectives

Week2 - commencing from 12 Dec 2016

Investments – Fundaments

Investment – Shares

 Investment - Bonds

Week 3 - commencing from 2 January 2017

Investment – Managed Investments

Investment – Real estates & Alternatives

Week 4  - commencing from 9 January 2017

Insurance

Superannuation

Week 5 - commencing from 16 January 2017

Taxation

Estate Planning

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central. Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Academic Honesty Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html

New Assessment Policy in effect from Session 2 2016 http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy_2016.html. For more information visit http://students.mq.edu.au/events/2016/07/19/new_assessment_policy_in_place_from_session_2/

Assessment Policy prior to Session 2 2016 http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy.html

Grading Policy prior to Session 2 2016 http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grading/policy.html

Grade Appeal Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html

Complaint Management Procedure for Students and Members of the Public http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/complaint_management/procedure.html​

Disruption to Studies Policy http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html The Disruption to Studies Policy is effective from March 3 2014 and replaces the Special Consideration Policy.

In addition, a number of other policies can be found in the Learning and Teaching Category of Policy Central.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/student_conduct/

Results

Results shown in iLearn, or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au.

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Learning Skills

Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.

Student Services and Support

Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.

Student Enquiries

For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Graduate Capabilities

Capable of Professional and Personal Judgement and Initiative

We want our graduates to have emotional intelligence and sound interpersonal skills and to demonstrate discernment and common sense in their professional and personal judgement. They will exercise initiative as needed. They will be capable of risk assessment, and be able to handle ambiguity and complexity, enabling them to be adaptable in diverse and changing environments.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Understanding the role of financial goals and developing personal financial goals
  • Constructing and maintaining a working budget
  • Assessing, comparing and evaluating common investment, structures and vehicles and debt instruments
  • Understanding the principle of saving and planning for retirement
  • Understanding of the general operation principles of taxation, superannuation, insurance and estate planning

Assessment tasks

  • Participation - Weekly tasks
  • Mid Term Test
  • Major Assignment

Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking

We want our graduates to be capable of reasoning, questioning and analysing, and to integrate and synthesise learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments; to be able to critique constraints, assumptions and limitations; to be able to think independently and systemically in relation to scholarly activity, in the workplace, and in the world. We want them to have a level of scientific and information technology literacy.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Understanding the role of financial goals and developing personal financial goals
  • Constructing and maintaining a working budget
  • Assessing, comparing and evaluating common investment, structures and vehicles and debt instruments
  • Understanding the principle of saving and planning for retirement
  • Understanding of the general operation principles of taxation, superannuation, insurance and estate planning

Assessment tasks

  • Participation - Weekly tasks
  • Mid Term Test
  • Major Assignment
  • Final Exam

Problem Solving and Research Capability

Our graduates should be capable of researching; of analysing, and interpreting and assessing data and information in various forms; of drawing connections across fields of knowledge; and they should be able to relate their knowledge to complex situations at work or in the world, in order to diagnose and solve problems. We want them to have the confidence to take the initiative in doing so, within an awareness of their own limitations.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Understanding the role of financial goals and developing personal financial goals
  • Constructing and maintaining a working budget
  • Assessing, comparing and evaluating common investment, structures and vehicles and debt instruments
  • Understanding the principle of saving and planning for retirement
  • Understanding of the general operation principles of taxation, superannuation, insurance and estate planning

Assessment tasks

  • Participation - Weekly tasks
  • Mid Term Test
  • Major Assignment
  • Final Exam

Effective Communication

We want to develop in our students the ability to communicate and convey their views in forms effective with different audiences. We want our graduates to take with them the capability to read, listen, question, gather and evaluate information resources in a variety of formats, assess, write clearly, speak effectively, and to use visual communication and communication technologies as appropriate.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Understanding the role of financial goals and developing personal financial goals
  • Constructing and maintaining a working budget
  • Assessing, comparing and evaluating common investment, structures and vehicles and debt instruments
  • Understanding the principle of saving and planning for retirement
  • Understanding of the general operation principles of taxation, superannuation, insurance and estate planning

Assessment tasks

  • Participation - Weekly tasks
  • Major Assignment