Students

AFIN310 – Issues in Applied Finance

2019 – S1 Evening

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit Convenor
Abhay Singh
Contact via afin310@mq.edu.au
E4A 220
Wednesday 10.30-11.30am (please make prior appointment)
Teaching Assistant
TBA
Contact via afin310@mq.edu.au
N/A
None: Queries via email only
Credit points Credit points
3
Prerequisites Prerequisites
3cp in ACST or AFIN units at 300 level
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
The lectures in this unit are presented by leading practitioners working in equity research, financial planning, property development, investment banking and venture capital to name a few. The aim of this unit is to gain an understanding of how theory and practice mesh in the real world of financial markets. Previous topics covered include: legal issues surrounding financial services and financial products; equity valuation; venture capital; managing market risk; mergers and acquisitions; funds management; credit risk modelling; global portfolio management; project finance and modelling it in MS Excel with speakers come from renowned firms such as DLA Piper, Precept Investment and Actuaries, MaCap Advisors (Macquarie Bank), Westpac Institutional Bank, and John Laing. The assessments in the unit are written in conjunction with the practitioners and predominantly individual and group project based. They are also assessed by the practitioner and then moderated by the unit convenor.

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:

  • Understand the practical applications of theories and techniques in finance and in particular to be aware of the assumptions for the theories and their limitations in practice.
  • Understand and evaluate the real world business applications of financial concepts like financial modelling, equity valuation, financial markets and trading.
  • Apply Financial analysis and modelling skills relevant to the financial service sector industry and learn to report your findings and recommendations.
  • Learn the financial planning process in Australia and the duty of care required from a financial planner. Students are made aware of the latest regulation impacting the financial planning industry in Australia.
  • Develop a good understanding of recent developments in financial service sector.

General Assessment Information

  • 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 criteria for all assessment tasks will be provided on the unit iLearn site.   

 

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Early Diagnostic Online Quiz 0% No Week 3
Assignment 30% No 11:59pm, 12th April 2019
In-Class Test 30% No 29th April 2019
Final Exam 40% No Check Timetable

Early Diagnostic Online Quiz

Due: Week 3
Weighting: 0%

 

Task Description: 

The online quiz will consist of 5 to 10 multiple choice questions and will be available on ilearn in week 3.  It will remain open for this week only. It will be based on material covered in the first 2 weeks. There is no time limit to complete this quiz. Please use this online quiz as an indicator of whether you are progressing satisfactorily in the unit.  If you are having difficulties, please see the unit convenor or consider withdrawing from the subject before the census date. 

Type of Collaboration:

Individual

Submission: 

via iLearn

Format:

Online Multiple Choice

Length:

0.5 hour

Inherent Task Requirements:

Refer to iLearn

Late Submission:

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 special consideration is made and approved.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Understand the practical applications of theories and techniques in finance and in particular to be aware of the assumptions for the theories and their limitations in practice.

Assignment

Due: 11:59pm, 12th April 2019
Weighting: 30%

Task Description: 

The assignment will be based on first six weeks of the unit covering topics like Financial Equity Analysis and Financial Modelling etc. An assignment document with further details along with a marking guide will be uploaded on the ilearn site.

Type of Collaboration:

Individual

Submission: 

via iLearn and Turnitin on iLearn

Format:

Refer to iLearn

Length:

Refer to iLearn

Inherent Task Requirements:

Refer to iLearn

Late Submission:

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 special consideration is made and approved. No submission will be accepted after solutions have been posted.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Understand the practical applications of theories and techniques in finance and in particular to be aware of the assumptions for the theories and their limitations in practice.
  • Understand and evaluate the real world business applications of financial concepts like financial modelling, equity valuation, financial markets and trading.
  • Apply Financial analysis and modelling skills relevant to the financial service sector industry and learn to report your findings and recommendations.
  • Develop a good understanding of recent developments in financial service sector.

In-Class Test

Due: 29th April 2019
Weighting: 30%

Task Description: 

The in-class test will be based on material covered in the first six weeks of the course. It will be held at the lecture venue starting at 6:30pm sharp. The in-class test will be closed book where you are not permitted to bring any reference material.

Type of Collaboration:

Individual

Submission: 

In-class

Format:

Refer to iLearn

Length:

1.5 hours

Inherent Task Requirements:

Refer to iLearn

Late Submission:

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 special consideration is made and approved.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Understand the practical applications of theories and techniques in finance and in particular to be aware of the assumptions for the theories and their limitations in practice.
  • Understand and evaluate the real world business applications of financial concepts like financial modelling, equity valuation, financial markets and trading.
  • Learn the financial planning process in Australia and the duty of care required from a financial planner. Students are made aware of the latest regulation impacting the financial planning industry in Australia.
  • Develop a good understanding of recent developments in financial service sector.

Final Exam

Due: Check Timetable
Weighting: 40%

Task Description: 

The final exam will be based on topics covered during week-7 to week-13 The final exam will be closed book where you are not permitted to bring any reference material.

Type of Collaboration:

Individual

Submission: 

Refer to iLearn

Format:

Refer to iLearn

Length:

2 hours

Inherent Task Requirements:

Refer to iLearn

Late Submission:

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 special consideration is made and approved.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Understand the practical applications of theories and techniques in finance and in particular to be aware of the assumptions for the theories and their limitations in practice.
  • Understand and evaluate the real world business applications of financial concepts like financial modelling, equity valuation, financial markets and trading.
  • Learn the financial planning process in Australia and the duty of care required from a financial planner. Students are made aware of the latest regulation impacting the financial planning industry in Australia.
  • Develop a good understanding of recent developments in financial service sector.

Delivery and Resources

Classes 

Lecture: See timetable https://timetables.mq.edu.au/2018/

The campus map is downloadable from the following link http://www.ofm.mq.edu.au/maps_campus.html

Classes in AFIN310 are composed of a three-hour lecture delivered by industry practitioners. Unit materials are learnt by attending lectures and through independent learning. The lectures provide a general overview of the topics highlighting some concepts and techniques. Students are strongly advised to study any additional reading material furnished by the unit convenor, the guest lecturers and further explore all relevant concepts.

Students should attend a three-hour lecture every week.  Lecture slides will sometimes be available before the lecture on iLearn and in some instances after the lecture. The notes get distributed at the discretion of the guest lecturer.

Students should attend all the lectures as the lecture recordings will not be provided for this unit. Students who are unable to attend classes should consider to enrol in the next session

Prizes

The Financial Services Institute of Australasia, FINSIA, has kindly sponsored a prize of $500 for the most outstanding student in AFIN310.

Required and Recommended Texts and Materials

There are no required or recommended texts for AFIN310. Notes for each of the lectures will be made available in iLearn. If required, additional readings will also be provided either via iLearn and eReserve.

Please note that you will be needed to complete the following module from the CFA website and upload the completion report to ilearn.

http://www.cfainstitute.org/learning/products/onlinelearning/Pages/61587.aspx?WPID=BrowseProducts 

Technology Used and Required

iLearn is an online program available at https://ilearn.mq.edu.au/login/MQ/ through which students will be able to access resources such as lecture notes to assist them throughout the semester. The discussion forum environment will be extensively used to allow students to interact with each other.

Unit Web Page

Course material is available on the learning management system at http://ilearn.mq.edu.au

You are strongly encouraged to visit the website regularly and use it as a resource centre to assist with your learning.

If you are unable to access the internet site because you are not aware of or have forgotten your username and password, please contact the IT helpdesk. All information is available at http://informatics.mq.edu.au/help/

With regards to assistance in using iLearn, please visit the following link.

http://www.mq.edu.au/iLearn/student_info/index.htm

You can follow the tabs on the left, i.e., “Getting Started” and “Access iLearn.”

Please remember to logout when you have finished using iLearn. Failure to do so could result in unauthorised access to your iLearn account.

Learning and Teaching Activities

The teaching strategy in AFIN310 recognises that students learn independently and assume responsibility for the learning process and with academic integrity.

Students are expected to participate in the unit by attending lectures, reading the provided material and thoroughly revising the lecture notes. You are also supposed to use the full suite of research databases available from the library including reference to journal articles and industry reports.

What we aim to achieve in AFIN310 is deep (as opposed to the surface) learning. Thus, learning is interpreted as making sense or abstracting meaning. Learning involves relating parts of the subject matter to each other and the real world. Further education is understood as comprehending the world by understanding and reinterpreting knowledge.

This unit also gives you the opportunity to go beyond your discipline and exposes you to different areas of finance, including discussion of the latest financial regulation from ASIC and other bodies that will become essential when starting your career in the workforce.

Unit Schedule

Please consult the ilearn site for the schedule.

Learning and Teaching Activities

Lectures

Lectures – Large group learning (3 hours for each teaching week) Lectures are intended to provide an overview of conceptual frameworks and issues in applied finance that are critical to the core themes of the unit.

Independent learning

Independent learning – learning by doing (about 6 hours each teaching week and 9 hours each week during the 2-week mid-semester recess) AFIN310 relies heavily on independent learning where students read the relevant material, attend lectures, revise the lecture notes, participate in iLearn discussion forums and extend themselves by doing additional reading and research using the library online databases and data sources. Additionally students are expected to keep themselves abreast by reading key financial newspapers and referring to Factiva and Business Source Premier available online via the library databases. Students should also be able to work through the MS Excel help built into the program and seek online help from other websites directed from the MS Excel help search. Students should be able to demonstrate the comprehension of the assignment questions by being consistent in responding to the either exact or similar questions to the assignments in the final examination.

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Undergraduate students seeking more policy resources can visit the Student Policy Gateway (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/student-policy-gateway). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

If you would like to see all the policies relevant to Learning and Teaching visit Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/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/study/getting-started/student-conduct​

Results

Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) 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 or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Supplementary Exam

Further information regarding supplementary exams, including dates, is available here http://www.businessandeconomics.mq.edu.au/current_students/undergraduate/how_do_i/special_consideration

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

If you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@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 outcome

  • Understand and evaluate the real world business applications of financial concepts like financial modelling, equity valuation, financial markets and trading.

Discipline Specific Knowledge and Skills

Our graduates will take with them the intellectual development, depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content in their chosen fields to make them competent and confident in their subject or profession. They will be able to demonstrate, where relevant, professional technical competence and meet professional standards. They will be able to articulate the structure of knowledge of their discipline, be able to adapt discipline-specific knowledge to novel situations, and be able to contribute from their discipline to inter-disciplinary solutions to problems.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Understand the practical applications of theories and techniques in finance and in particular to be aware of the assumptions for the theories and their limitations in practice.
  • Understand and evaluate the real world business applications of financial concepts like financial modelling, equity valuation, financial markets and trading.
  • Learn the financial planning process in Australia and the duty of care required from a financial planner. Students are made aware of the latest regulation impacting the financial planning industry in Australia.
  • Develop a good understanding of recent developments in financial service sector.

Assessment tasks

  • Early Diagnostic Online Quiz
  • In-Class Test
  • Final Exam

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

  • Understand and evaluate the real world business applications of financial concepts like financial modelling, equity valuation, financial markets and trading.
  • Apply Financial analysis and modelling skills relevant to the financial service sector industry and learn to report your findings and recommendations.

Assessment tasks

  • 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

  • Understand the practical applications of theories and techniques in finance and in particular to be aware of the assumptions for the theories and their limitations in practice.
  • Understand and evaluate the real world business applications of financial concepts like financial modelling, equity valuation, financial markets and trading.
  • Apply Financial analysis and modelling skills relevant to the financial service sector industry and learn to report your findings and recommendations.
  • Learn the financial planning process in Australia and the duty of care required from a financial planner. Students are made aware of the latest regulation impacting the financial planning industry in Australia.
  • Develop a good understanding of recent developments in financial service sector.

Assessment tasks

  • Assignment
  • In-Class Test
  • 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

  • Understand and evaluate the real world business applications of financial concepts like financial modelling, equity valuation, financial markets and trading.
  • Apply Financial analysis and modelling skills relevant to the financial service sector industry and learn to report your findings and recommendations.

Assessment task

  • Assignment

Engaged and Ethical Local and Global citizens

As local citizens our graduates will be aware of indigenous perspectives and of the nation's historical context. They will be engaged with the challenges of contemporary society and with knowledge and ideas. We want our graduates to have respect for diversity, to be open-minded, sensitive to others and inclusive, and to be open to other cultures and perspectives: they should have a level of cultural literacy. Our graduates should be aware of disadvantage and social justice, and be willing to participate to help create a wiser and better society.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Understand the practical applications of theories and techniques in finance and in particular to be aware of the assumptions for the theories and their limitations in practice.
  • Understand and evaluate the real world business applications of financial concepts like financial modelling, equity valuation, financial markets and trading.
  • Apply Financial analysis and modelling skills relevant to the financial service sector industry and learn to report your findings and recommendations.
  • Learn the financial planning process in Australia and the duty of care required from a financial planner. Students are made aware of the latest regulation impacting the financial planning industry in Australia.
  • Develop a good understanding of recent developments in financial service sector.

Assessment tasks

  • Assignment
  • In-Class Test

Socially and Environmentally Active and Responsible

We want our graduates to be aware of and have respect for self and others; to be able to work with others as a leader and a team player; to have a sense of connectedness with others and country; and to have a sense of mutual obligation. Our graduates should be informed and active participants in moving society towards sustainability.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Learn the financial planning process in Australia and the duty of care required from a financial planner. Students are made aware of the latest regulation impacting the financial planning industry in Australia.
  • Develop a good understanding of recent developments in financial service sector.

Assessment task

  • Assignment

Changes from Previous Offering

There will be one assignment worth 30% and it will be an individual task. 

Research and Practice

This unit gives the students the opportunity to work individually and as a group on various assignments and projects delivered by industry professionals.  Studens are required to source information from resources usually referred to by industry professionals.  Specifically students are guided to industry reports published by third parties and regulatory bodies that support the finance services and banking industry.  It also exposes students in identifying key data sources used by the industry in writing various stock/share recommendation and company valuation reports. This unit gives you opportunities to conduct your own research based on skills obtained from using MS Excel and from exposure to different financial products. Being at the forefront of the legal environment gives one the chance to remain vigilant when giving advice to clients. One can also apply valuations techniques in their personal investment decisions which might enhance the performance of their assets. Please note however that under no circumstances is neither Macquarie University nor the lecturer liable for any losses suffered from the application of investment techniques learnt in this subject.

Changes since First Published

Date Description
12/02/2019 Update of graduate capabilities.