Students

AFIN8099 – Current Issues in Banking and Finance

2022 – Session 2, In person-scheduled-weekday, North Ryde

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit Convenor
Lurion De Mello
lurion.demello@mq.edu.au
Clara Zhou
clara.zhou@mq.edu.au
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
(Admission to MFin and 40cp at 8000 level) or (admission to (MBkgFin or MCom) and 60cp at 8000 level)
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

This unit provides students with the opportunity to integrate and advance their knowledge of banking and finance, with an international and future-focused emphasis. Contemporary topics in banking and finance will be covered, such as bank regulations, Fintech, hedge fund management, risk management, etc.; and students will examine the major challenges and impact brought about by these changes/topics. The unit's research and case-based topics approach will equip students to apply their analytical, critical and interpersonal skills to complex and contemporary real world problems, which in turn will help develop and finesse their communication skills and professional judgment. The unit will showcase several lectures presented by senior industry specialists, giving students the opportunity to connect with their topics in a meaningful way.

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: Apply and evaluate the current trends in the area of financial management, fintech and environmental finance.
  • ULO2: Critically analyse the latest banking and finance regulations and ethical guidelines relevant to the future of the industry.
  • ULO3: Apply and evaluate current tools and techniques used in the finance industry.
  • ULO4: Work as a team in applying financial modelling and spreadsheet techniques in the finance industry.

General Assessment Information

Late submissions of assessments

Late Assessment Submission Penalty (written assessments) 

Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, a 5% penalty (of the total possible mark) will be applied each day a written assessment is not submitted, up until the 7th day (including weekends). After the 7th day, a grade of ‘0’ will be awarded even if the assessment is submitted. Submission time for all written assessments is set at 11.55pm. A 1-hour grace period is provided to students who experience a technical concern.  

For any late submissions of time-sensitive tasks, such as scheduled tests/exams, performance assessments/presentations, and/or scheduled practical assessments/labs, students need to submit an application for Special Consideration.

Other assessment criteria for assessment tasks will be provided on the unit iLearn site. The unit schedule will be avaiable on the ilearn site

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Short Answer Questions 15% No Week 2 and Week 4
Individual Assignment 15% No Week 8
Group Assignment 25% No Week 9
Final Examination 45% No Refer to Examination Timetable

Short Answer Questions

Assessment Type 1: Practice-based task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 10 hours
Due: Week 2 and Week 4
Weighting: 15%

 

Students are required to complete two homework tasks. The first task will be an online quiz worth 5% and the second task will be worth 10%.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Apply and evaluate current tools and techniques used in the finance industry.

Individual Assignment

Assessment Type 1: Report
Indicative Time on Task 2: 10 hours
Due: Week 8
Weighting: 15%

 

Students will do some research and produce a 1,000 words individual report on a topic that is current and relevant to the finance and banking industry. The nature of the question would cover important areas under financial management or fintech or environmental finance.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Apply and evaluate current tools and techniques used in the finance industry.

Group Assignment

Assessment Type 1: Project
Indicative Time on Task 2: 15 hours
Due: Week 9
Weighting: 25%

 

Students will work in groups to complete a task that will require gathering and analysing data from one or more of the subscribed financial databases. They will produce a 1,000 to 1,500 word report worth 20%. The individual contribution will be captured through an additional 1-page summary of the project with a paragraph reflecting the student’s responsibilities in completing the group task. This component will be 5% of the allocated 25%.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Apply and evaluate current tools and techniques used in the finance industry.
  • Work as a team in applying financial modelling and spreadsheet techniques in the finance industry.

Final Examination

Assessment Type 1: Examination
Indicative Time on Task 2: 25 hours
Due: Refer to Examination Timetable
Weighting: 45%

 

A two hour exam will be held during University Examination Period.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Apply and evaluate the current trends in the area of financial management, fintech and environmental finance.
  • Critically analyse the latest banking and finance regulations and ethical guidelines relevant to the future of the industry.
  • Apply and evaluate current tools and techniques used in the finance industry.

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

For Class Delivery Information Please Refer to iLearn

Technology Used and Required

The unit will use an online learning and teaching facility accessed through the following link https://ilearn.mq.edu.au/login/

Students should monitor iLearn content frequently to ensure timely access to announcements, unit material, and assessment information.

To complete the group and individual assignment, students will be required to use Refinitiv Eikon, Microsoft Excel, and Microsoft Word software. You will receive a welcome email from Refinitiv with your login details. If you do not receive such an email please contact the unit convenor Dr. Lurion De Mello on lurion.demello@mq.edu.au by end of Week 2.

Calculators will be allowed in the class tests and the final examination but a clear indication of the steps involved in every calculation must be shown. Non-programmable calculators with no text-retrieval capacity are allowed. Financial calculators are allowed. Calculators that have a full alphabet on the keyboard are not allowed. Graphics calculators are not allowed.

Unit Schedule

Please refer to iLearn.

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:

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

Academic Integrity

At Macquarie, we believe academic integrity – honesty, respect, trust, responsibility, fairness and courage – is at the core of learning, teaching and research. We recognise that meeting the expectations required to complete your assessments can be challenging. So, we offer you a range of resources and services to help you reach your potential, including free online writing and maths support, academic skills development and wellbeing consultations.

Student Support

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

The Writing Centre

The Writing Centre provides resources to develop your English language proficiency, academic writing, and communication skills.

The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources. 

Student Services and Support

Macquarie University offers a range of Student Support Services including:

Student Enquiries

Got a question? Ask us via AskMQ, or contact Service Connect.

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 2022.04 of the Handbook