Students

ACCG8144 – Advanced Financial Management

2022 – Session 1, Online-scheduled-weekday

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff
Carl Shen
carl.shen@mq.edu.au
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
ACCG926 or ACCG8126
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

This unit focuses on key aspects of the financial management of an organisation, including the role and responsibility of a senior financial executive and adviser in ensuring accurate reporting and managing and running all financial activities of an organisation. A variety of readings, resources and case studies are used in this unit to develop an understanding of the key issues that a senior financial executive and adviser operating in either the private or public sector will be required to address. Students will apply relevant knowledge and skills, and exercise professional judgement as expected of a senior financial executive and adviser, in taking or recommending decisions relating to the financial management of an organisation.

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: Evaluate and explain the role and responsibilities of a senior financial executive and adviser and the finance function in an organisation.
  • ULO2: Predict the financial and strategic consequences of potential investment and financing decisions and propose justified recommendations that effectively take these factors into account.
  • ULO3: Analyse the financial and strategic impact of a proposed merger, acquisition or corporate re-organisation.
  • ULO4: Apply and evaluate advanced treasury and risk management techniques.
  • ULO5: Evaluate the role of international financial institutions in the financial management of multinationals including the relevance of the economic environment.

General Assessment Information

No extensions will be granted for late submissions. 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 incurs a 20% penalty). This penalty does not apply for cases in which an application for Special Consideration is made and approved. Note: applications for Special Consideration Policy must be made within 5 (five) business days of the due date and time.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Assessed coursework 15% No Weekly
Class Test 15% No Week 7
Written assignment 15% No Week 9
Final Examination 55% No Exam Period

Assessed coursework

Assessment Type 1: Participatory task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 39 hours
Due: Weekly
Weighting: 15%

 

Doing homework exercises and class quizzes form a critical part in the study process, as they serve to reinforce concepts that are covered in class. Students will be assessed based on:

  1. weekly homework submitted online (10%). The homework submissions will be assessed on five (5) occasions without prior notice. Each homework assessment is worth a maximum of 2 marks. Marks are awarded for original effort, completeness and evidence that corrections are made as appropriate.
  2. in-class online weekly quizzes (5%). They will be assessed based on student participation in weekly quizzes commencing Week 2.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Evaluate and explain the role and responsibilities of a senior financial executive and adviser and the finance function in an organisation.
  • Predict the financial and strategic consequences of potential investment and financing decisions and propose justified recommendations that effectively take these factors into account.
  • Analyse the financial and strategic impact of a proposed merger, acquisition or corporate re-organisation.
  • Apply and evaluate advanced treasury and risk management techniques.
  • Evaluate the role of international financial institutions in the financial management of multinationals including the relevance of the economic environment.

Class Test

Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 10 hours
Due: Week 7
Weighting: 15%

 

The online-class test is a diagnostic summative assessment designed to let students demonstrate the knowledge and skills they have attained in the first six sessions.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Evaluate and explain the role and responsibilities of a senior financial executive and adviser and the finance function in an organisation.
  • Predict the financial and strategic consequences of potential investment and financing decisions and propose justified recommendations that effectively take these factors into account.
  • Evaluate the role of international financial institutions in the financial management of multinationals including the relevance of the economic environment.

Written assignment

Assessment Type 1: Case study/analysis
Indicative Time on Task 2: 20 hours
Due: Week 9
Weighting: 15%

The purpose of the professional assignment is to allow students to put financial management concepts into practice in a real life setting and allow students to demonstrate their knowledge on a group and individual basis. The assignment should help students reflect on their learning and link concepts learned in the unit to professional practice. In addition to approximately 1 500 word written assignment (7.5%), there is a group-based presentation (7.5%) based on the assignment in which students are marked individually. This is a formative assessment designed to prepare students for the final exam.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Evaluate and explain the role and responsibilities of a senior financial executive and adviser and the finance function in an organisation.
  • Predict the financial and strategic consequences of potential investment and financing decisions and propose justified recommendations that effectively take these factors into account.
  • Analyse the financial and strategic impact of a proposed merger, acquisition or corporate re-organisation.
  • Apply and evaluate advanced treasury and risk management techniques.
  • Evaluate the role of international financial institutions in the financial management of multinationals including the relevance of the economic environment.

Final Examination

Assessment Type 1: Examination
Indicative Time on Task 2: 20 hours
Due: Exam Period
Weighting: 55%

 

A two-hour online examination will be held during the University examination period. The final exam is a summative assessment designed to let students demonstrate the knowledge and skills they have attained in the previous three assessments.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Evaluate and explain the role and responsibilities of a senior financial executive and adviser and the finance function in an organisation.
  • Predict the financial and strategic consequences of potential investment and financing decisions and propose justified recommendations that effectively take these factors into account.
  • Analyse the financial and strategic impact of a proposed merger, acquisition or corporate re-organisation.
  • Apply and evaluate advanced treasury and risk management techniques.
  • Evaluate the role of international financial institutions in the financial management of multinationals including the relevance of the economic environment.

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:  Students are required to refer to latest edition of Approved Workbook and the Practice and Revision Kit for Advanced Financial Management, published by BPP Learning Media.

Unit Web Page: Students are required to access a computer and the internet at various times in completing this unit, to download course material available on the learning management system (iLearn) and to complete assessment tasks.

Technology Used and Required: Please refer to iLearn.

Delivery Format and Other Details: • http://www.timetables.mq.edu.au/ • Seminar attendance for this unit is compulsory. • Students are required to get involved in seminar discussion.

Unit Schedule

Week Topic
1 Financial strategy: Formulation & Evaluation
2 Discounted cash flow techniques
3 Application of option pricing theory
4 International investment and financing decisions
5 Cost of capital & changing risk, financial and credit risk
6 Valuation for acquisition and mergers
7 Acquisitions: strategic issues, regulation and financing
8 The role of the treasury function
9 Managing currency risk
10 Managing interest rate risk
11 Financial reconstruction and business re-organisation
12 Planning and trading issues for multinationals
13 Revision

 

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