Unit Guide

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff	Unit convenor and teaching staff Geoff Brianton geoff.brianton@mq.edu.au
Credit points	Credit points 10
Prerequisites	Prerequisites Admission to GradCertFin (OUA)
Corequisites	Corequisites
Co-badged status	Co-badged status AFCX6017
Unit description	Unit description The unit provides an understanding of the finance industry and its integral role in the modern economy. The focus is on a high level, fully integrated overview of the major participants, their roles, interactions and the purpose they endeavour to fill for all stakeholders in the economy. The key structures of the finance system are examined, and how they usually work and sometimes do not work. Case studies of actual events and participants will be used to provide a sense of the application of finance in the real world - what actually happens as well as what should happen.

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 assess the functions of the financial system in modern economies.
ULO2: Critically examine participants and their markets in the finance industry.
ULO3: Apply knowledge and skills to assess contemporary case studies in applied finance.
ULO4: Demonstrate effective communication to diverse audiences across different industry sectors.

General Assessment Information

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.

Assessment Tasks

Name	Weighting	Hurdle	Due
Short Exercises	15%	No	see assessment guide
Assignment	25%	No	see assessment guide
Online Quizzes	10%	No	see assessment guide
Online Participation	15%	No	see assessment guide
Final Case Study	35%	No	see assessment guide

Short Exercises

Assessment Type ¹: Case study/analysis
Indicative Time on Task ²: 10 hours
Due: see assessment guide
Weighting: 15%

Short analytical tasks on financial system topics involving modelling and/or case study analysis.

On successful completion you will be able to:

Identify and assess the functions of the financial system in modern economies.
Critically examine participants and their markets in the finance industry.

Assignment

Assessment Type ¹: Case study/analysis
Indicative Time on Task ²: 15 hours
Due: see assessment guide
Weighting: 25%

Analysis of an individual case study topic and presentation of conclusions via a paper of up to 2,500 words.

On successful completion you will be able to:

Identify and assess the functions of the financial system in modern economies.
Critically examine participants and their markets in the finance industry.
Apply knowledge and skills to assess contemporary case studies in applied finance.
Demonstrate effective communication to diverse audiences across different industry sectors.

Online Quizzes

Assessment Type ¹: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task ²: 3 hours
Due: see assessment guide
Weighting: 10%

A number of short online topic quizzes.

On successful completion you will be able to:

Identify and assess the functions of the financial system in modern economies.
Critically examine participants and their markets in the finance industry.

Online Participation

Assessment Type ¹: Participatory task
Indicative Time on Task ²: 32 hours
Due: see assessment guide
Weighting: 15%

Participation in online discussion forums.

On successful completion you will be able to:

Identify and assess the functions of the financial system in modern economies.
Apply knowledge and skills to assess contemporary case studies in applied finance.

Final Case Study

Assessment Type ¹: Case study/analysis
Indicative Time on Task ²: 15 hours
Due: see assessment guide
Weighting: 35%

Using a topical case study, analyse and interpret information for presentation to a varied audience.

On successful completion you will be able to:

Identify and assess the functions of the financial system in modern economies.
Critically examine participants and their markets in the finance industry.
Apply knowledge and skills to assess contemporary case studies in applied finance.
Demonstrate effective communication to diverse audiences across different industry sectors.

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

Required Text	There is no required text. All readings are available in iLearn or accessible via iLearn.
Additional Readings	Additional readings are included in iLearn. Students should assume these readings are examinable unless otherwise advised.
Unit Web Page	The web page for this unit can be found at: https://ilearn.mq.edu.au/login/
Technology Used and Required	Students are required to have access to a personal computer and familiarise themselves with iLearn (https://ilearn.mq.edu.au/login/). iLearn will be used to post lecture slides, assessment details, student grades and as a means of communication between staff members and students. This is where you will find forums, downloadable resources and links to important pages. The forums allow you to communicate with other students and lecturer(s) and may provide supplementary material. You are requested to post your questions on the forums at least 24 hours prior to the assignment submission date or the examination date. Questions posted after that time may not be answered. Please try to not leave your questions to the last few days. Important Notice: It is important that you familiarise yourself with the unit’s iLearn site. All students should check iLearn regularly and look for updates and distribution of materials related to the unit or assessments and participate in forum discussions.
Delivery Format and Other Details	The timetable for classes can be found on the University web site at: http://www.timetables.mq.edu.au/
Recommended readings	Recommended readings are provided via the links on the iLearn Unit page

Unit Schedule

The Unit Schedule is available in iLearn, together with details of required readings and activities.

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:

IT Support
Accessibility and disability support with study
Mental health support
Safety support to respond to bullying, harassment, sexual harassment and sexual assault
Social support including information about finances, tenancy and legal issues

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 2022.02 of the Handbook