Students
ECON2035 – The Economics of Financial Institutions
2021 – Session 2, Special circumstances
Session 2 Learning and Teaching Update
The decision has been made to conduct study online for the remainder of Session 2 for all units WITHOUT mandatory on-campus learning activities. Exams for Session 2 will also be online where possible to do so.
This is due to the extension of the lockdown orders and to provide certainty around arrangements for the remainder of Session 2. We hope to return to campus beyond Session 2 as soon as it is safe and appropriate to do so.
Some classes/teaching activities cannot be moved online and must be taught on campus. You should already know if you are in one of these classes/teaching activities and your unit convenor will provide you with more information via iLearn. If you want to confirm, see the list of units with mandatory on-campus classes/teaching activities.
Visit the MQ COVID-19 information page for more detail.
General Information
Download as PDF
| Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Unit Convenor and Lecturer
Ha Vu
Contact via ha.vu@mq.edu.au
4 Eastern Road, room 426, ext: 8499
Check ilearn for the update
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|---|---|
| Credit points |
Credit points
10
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| Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
50cp at 1000 level or above including ECON110 or ECON111 or ECON1020
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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 unit provides an overview of the Australian and global financial systems and the management of financial institutions. Topics may include: the objectives and performance of financial institutions; risks and their controls; asset and liability management; credit evaluation; capital adequacy and regulations; informal money lenders and microfinance institutions; and shadow banking. The unit pays particular attention to the events and circumstances that, in recent times, have caused great difficulties in the financial sector, as well as the lessons learnt as a consequence. |
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:
- ULO1: Identify and describe aspects in the operation and management of banks, and other types of financial institutions.
- ULO2: Identify, define and analyse problems associated with financial markets and recommend creative solutions within real-world constraints.
- ULO3: Demonstrate a capacity to work independently, including the ability to research, form challenging and coherent arguments, and write short-discussion pieces.
Assessment Tasks
| Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weekly Online Discussion | 20% | No | Weekly starting Week 2 |
| Online Test 1 | 30% | No | Week 7 Tuesday 7 September 2021 |
| Final Examination (online) | 50% | No | University Examination Period |
Weekly Online Discussion
Assessment Type 1: Participatory task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 30 hours
Due: Weekly starting Week 2
Weighting: 20%
Every week, students are required to post their response to the discussion question in iLearn.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Identify and describe aspects in the operation and management of banks, and other types of financial institutions.
- Identify, define and analyse problems associated with financial markets and recommend creative solutions within real-world constraints.
- Demonstrate a capacity to work independently, including the ability to research, form challenging and coherent arguments, and write short-discussion pieces.
Online Test 1
Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 3 hours
Due: Week 7 Tuesday 7 September 2021
Weighting: 30%
A one-hour test will be held in week 7.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Identify and describe aspects in the operation and management of banks, and other types of financial institutions.
- Identify, define and analyse problems associated with financial markets and recommend creative solutions within real-world constraints.
Final Examination (online)
Assessment Type 1: Examination
Indicative Time on Task 2: 50 hours
Due: University Examination Period
Weighting: 50%
A two-hour online examination (open book) will be held during the University Examination period.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Identify and describe aspects in the operation and management of banks, and other types of financial institutions.
- Demonstrate a capacity to work independently, including the ability to research, form challenging and coherent arguments, and write short-discussion pieces.
1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:
- the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
- the Writing Centre for academic skills support.
2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation
Delivery and Resources
Each week, there will be a pre-recorded lecture posted on the unit iLearn page, along with the lecture slides.
Starting in Week 2, there will be one-hour tutorial class (via zoom) on Tuesday 11am-12 to discuss questions regarding the lecture topics.
All materials for the unit, such as pre-recording lectures, lecture notes, readings, and discussion questions will be available to students on the unit iLearn site at http://ilearn.mq.edu.au. Students are strongly encouraged to check the unit iLearn page weekly for announcements as well as the unit schedule, additional readings, assessment information, and discussion questions.
There is no prescribed textbook for Econ2035. You are highly recommended to check ilearn regularly for the updates of readings posted.
Recommended Texts and/or Materials
(i) Kidwell, D. et al. 2019, Financial Markets, Institutions and Money (4th edn), Australian Edition, John Wiley & Sons Australia.
(ii) Madura, J. 2018, Financial Markets and Institutions (12th edn), Cengage Learning,
(iii) Calomiris and Haber, 2014, Fragile by Design - The political origins of banking crises and scarce credit
Other useful resources:
www.wsj.com
www.ft.com
www.bloomberg.com
www.theeconomist.com
www.rba.gov.au
www.bis.org
Technology Used and Required
iLearn; i-Lecture
Unit Schedule
Throughout the session, we will be looking at the following 10 topics:
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1 |
An Overview of Financial Institutions, Risks and Regulations |
|
2 |
The Theoretical Rationale of Financial Institutions |
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3 |
Liabilities Management |
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4 |
Credit risk Management |
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5 |
Securities Portfolio Management |
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6 |
Interest Rate Risk Management |
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7 |
Liquidity Management |
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8 |
Capital Management |
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9 |
Financial Institutions in Less Developed countries |
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10 |
Managing Financial Crises |
Policies and Procedures
Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:
- Academic Appeals Policy
- Academic Integrity Policy
- Academic Progression Policy
- Assessment Policy
- Fitness to Practice Procedure
- Grade Appeal Policy
- Complaint Management Procedure for Students and Members of the Public
- Special Consideration Policy
Students seeking more policy resources can visit Student Policies (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/policies). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.
To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.
Student Code of Conduct
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/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
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 help you improve your marks and take control of your study.
The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources.
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.
Unit information based on version 2021.02 of the Handbook