Students
AFIN828 – International Investment and Risk
2017 – S1 Day
General Information
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| Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Convenor
Geoff Loudon
Contact via Email
E4A 230
Friday 10-11am during term. Other times by prior appointment only.
Administration
Angela Chow
Angela Chow
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|---|---|
| Credit points |
Credit points
4
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| Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
ACST603 or AFIN858
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| Corequisites |
Corequisites
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| Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
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| Unit description |
Unit description
This is an advanced-level unit concentrating on various techniques in investment and financial risk management. Topics include the analysis of risk and return, financial derivatives, international bond markets, dependence modelling, banking regulations, managing market, credit, operational risk and economic capital. A strong emphasis is placed upon developing a rigorous analytical skill-base which can then be applied to real-world issues in the financial industry.
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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:
- Develop advanced and integrated understanding of the theory and practice of international investment
- Acquire specialised cognitive and technical skills to independently solve complex problems in financial risk management
- Apply knowledge and skills to demonstrate autonomy, expert judgement, adaptability and responsibility, as appropriate for employment in the finance sector
- Encourage peer learning, peer support and collaborative work in implementing international investment strategy
General Assessment Information
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To provide early feedback, you are to complete a self-assessment online quiz to be released in Week 3. Use this quiz as an indicator of whether you are progressing satisfactorily in the unit. If you are having difficulties, please see the Unit Convenor and consider withdrawing before the census date. Your score on the quiz will not count towards your grade.
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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.
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Assessment criteria for all assessment tasks will be provided on the unit iLearn site.
Assessment Tasks
| Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class Test | 20% | No | 7 April 2017 |
| Case Study | 20% | No | 26 May 2017 11:59pm AEST |
| Final Exam | 60% | No | University examination period |
Class Test
Due: 7 April 2017
Weighting: 20%
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The length of the invigilated, in-class test is one hour, with no separate reading time. Further details will be provided on the unit iLearn website
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No extensions will be granted. Students who do not sit the test 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:
- Develop advanced and integrated understanding of the theory and practice of international investment
- Acquire specialised cognitive and technical skills to independently solve complex problems in financial risk management
- Apply knowledge and skills to demonstrate autonomy, expert judgement, adaptability and responsibility, as appropriate for employment in the finance sector
Case Study
Due: 26 May 2017 11:59pm AEST
Weighting: 20%
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Students complete a major assignment on a topical issue in International Investment and Risk chosen by the convenor. Further details will be provided on the unit iLearn website.
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The project is a group task with 50% of the marks allocated to individual performance.
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The project must be submitted via the unit iLearn website.
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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.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Develop advanced and integrated understanding of the theory and practice of international investment
- Acquire specialised cognitive and technical skills to independently solve complex problems in financial risk management
- Apply knowledge and skills to demonstrate autonomy, expert judgement, adaptability and responsibility, as appropriate for employment in the finance sector
- Encourage peer learning, peer support and collaborative work in implementing international investment strategy
Final Exam
Due: University examination period
Weighting: 60%
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The length of the final exam is 2 hours plus 10 minutes reading time. The exam will cover all topics taught across the entire unit. Further details will be provided on the unit iLearn website.
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You are permitted ONE A4 page of paper containing reference material printed on both sides. The material may be handwritten or typed. The page will not be returned to you at the end of the final examination.
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Non-programmable calculators are allowed, provided that they are not capable of storing text.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Develop advanced and integrated understanding of the theory and practice of international investment
- Acquire specialised cognitive and technical skills to independently solve complex problems in financial risk management
- Apply knowledge and skills to demonstrate autonomy, expert judgement, adaptability and responsibility, as appropriate for employment in the finance sector
Delivery and Resources
Classes
The weekly three hour class time for this unit consists of a two hour seminar and a one hour workshop.
Timetables
All students are required to attend their timetabled classes. The timetable for classes can be found on the University web site http://www.timetables.mq.edu.au/
Recommended Text
- Hull, J. (2015) Risk Management and Financial Institutions, 4th Edition, Wiley. This book can be purchased from the Macquarie University Co-op Bookshop. We may supplement the text with readings from journals and other textbooks as required.
Technology Used and Required
- Internet access
- Access to iLearn
- Software for analysing portfolio risks and returns.
Unit Schedule
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Week |
Topic |
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1 |
International investment |
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2 |
Currency risk and hedging |
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3 |
Practical issues in international investing |
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4 |
Performance evaluation of global portfolios |
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5 |
Modelling volatility |
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6 |
Class test |
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7 |
No class due to Easter holiday |
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Recess |
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8 |
Modelling correlation and copulas |
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9 |
Value-at-Risk, Expected Shortfall and Historic Simulation |
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10 |
Model-building approach to Value-at-Risk and Expected Shortfall |
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11 |
Credit risk |
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12 |
Operational Risk and Economic Capital |
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13 |
Case study: presentations |
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
Assessment Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy_2016.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 (in effect until Dec 4th, 2017): http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html
Special Consideration Policy (in effect from Dec 4th, 2017): https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policies/special-consideration
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.
Supplementary Examination
Further information regarding supplementary exams, including dates, is available here
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
PG - Capable of Professional and Personal Judgment and Initiative
Our postgraduates will demonstrate a high standard of discernment and common sense in their professional and personal judgment. They will have the ability to make informed choices and decisions that reflect both the nature of their professional work and their personal perspectives.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcomes
- Develop advanced and integrated understanding of the theory and practice of international investment
- Acquire specialised cognitive and technical skills to independently solve complex problems in financial risk management
- Apply knowledge and skills to demonstrate autonomy, expert judgement, adaptability and responsibility, as appropriate for employment in the finance sector
- Encourage peer learning, peer support and collaborative work in implementing international investment strategy
Assessment tasks
- Class Test
- Case Study
- Final Exam
PG - Discipline Knowledge and Skills
Our postgraduates will be able to demonstrate a significantly enhanced depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content knowledge in their chosen fields.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcomes
- Develop advanced and integrated understanding of the theory and practice of international investment
- Acquire specialised cognitive and technical skills to independently solve complex problems in financial risk management
- Apply knowledge and skills to demonstrate autonomy, expert judgement, adaptability and responsibility, as appropriate for employment in the finance sector
- Encourage peer learning, peer support and collaborative work in implementing international investment strategy
Assessment tasks
- Class Test
- Case Study
- Final Exam
PG - Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking
Our postgraduates will be capable of utilising and reflecting on prior knowledge and experience, of applying higher level critical thinking skills, and of integrating and synthesising learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments. A characteristic of this form of thinking is the generation of new, professionally oriented knowledge through personal or group-based critique of practice and theory.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcomes
- Develop advanced and integrated understanding of the theory and practice of international investment
- Acquire specialised cognitive and technical skills to independently solve complex problems in financial risk management
- Apply knowledge and skills to demonstrate autonomy, expert judgement, adaptability and responsibility, as appropriate for employment in the finance sector
- Encourage peer learning, peer support and collaborative work in implementing international investment strategy
Assessment tasks
- Class Test
- Case Study
- Final Exam
Changes from Previous Offering
No significant changes.
Research and Practice
- This unit uses research from external sources.
- This unit gives you practice in applying research findings in your assignments.
- This unit gives you opportunities to conduct your own research.