Students

AFCP8101 – Financial System, Participants and Instruments

2026 – Term 2, Online-scheduled-weekday

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff
Slava Platkov
slava.platkov@mq.edu.au
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Admission to Master of Applied Finance or Graduate Diploma of Applied Finance
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

This unit assesses the structure, instruments and participants in the Financial System. It covers the theory and practical application of financial instruments including debt, equity, hybrids and derivatives. It also articulates the roles and objectives of participants in the system, social contracts and regulation.

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 concepts and models used by various financial market participants and apply relevant concepts and models to meet participants needs and actual business situations.
  • ULO2: Assess financial products and instruments and construct sound and justifiable solutions that meet the requirements of financial market participants.
  • ULO3: Develop solutions for financing issues using appropriate models and financial data sources.

General Assessment Information

Late Submission Penalties  (written assessments) 

If you submit your assessment late, 5% of the total possible marks will be deducted for each day (including weekends), up to 7 days. Submissions more than 7 days late will receive a mark of 0.

Example 1 (out of 100):

If you score 85/100 but submit 20 hours late, you will lose 5 marks and receive 80/100.

Example 2 (out of 30):

If you score 27/30 but submit 20 hours late, you will lose 1.5 marks and receive 25.5/30.

Extensions

Automatic short extension: Some assessments are eligible for automatic short extension. You can only apply for an automatic short extension before the due date. Special Consideration: If you need more time due to serious issues and for any assessments that are not eligible for Short Extension, you must apply for Special Consideration. Need help? Review the Special Consideration page for further details:  https://students.mq.edu.au/study/assessment-exams/special-consideration’

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due Groupwork/Individual Short Extension AI Approach
Skills development: Knowledge quiz 25% No Refer to Assessment Tasks on iLearn Individual No Open
Professional practice: Financial market product analysis 35% No 24/05/2026 Individual No Open
Formal examination 40% No Exam period Individual No Open

Skills development: Knowledge quiz

Assessment Type 1: Problem-based task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 20 hours
Due: Refer to Assessment Tasks on iLearn
Weighting: 25%
Groupwork/Individual: Individual
Short extension 3: No
AI Approach: Open

The purpose of this assessment is for you to demonstrate a critical understanding of financial market mechanics and participants and how they interact with each other. You will cover key finance concepts and their application in practice.

You will solve a set of multiple choice questions at a pre-specified time and important information will be made available on the unit iLearn page.

Skills in focus:

  • Critical thinking and problem solving
  • Discipline knowledge

Deliverable(s): Online quiz

Individual assessment
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Evaluate concepts and models used by various financial market participants and apply relevant concepts and models to meet participants needs and actual business situations.
  • Assess financial products and instruments and construct sound and justifiable solutions that meet the requirements of financial market participants.
  • Develop solutions for financing issues using appropriate models and financial data sources.

Professional practice: Financial market product analysis

Assessment Type 1: Professional task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 25 hours
Due: 24/05/2026
Weighting: 35%
Groupwork/Individual: Individual
Short extension 3: No
AI Approach: Open

The purpose of this assessment is to develop your expertise in analysing the structure, instruments, and stakeholder perspectives behind a successful financial market product.

You will critically analyse structure and instruments required to deliver this product into the market.

Skills in focus:

  • Digital skills
  • Discipline knowledge
  • Communication skills
  • Critical thinking and problem solving

Deliverable(s): Written report [max 2000 words]

Individual assessment
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Assess financial products and instruments and construct sound and justifiable solutions that meet the requirements of financial market participants.
  • Develop solutions for financing issues using appropriate models and financial data sources.

Formal examination

Assessment Type 1: Examination
Indicative Time on Task 2: 35 hours
Due: Exam period
Weighting: 40%
Groupwork/Individual: Individual
Short extension 3: No
AI Approach: Open

The purpose of this assessment is for you to demonstrate the expertise you have gained in this unit.

You will participate in a 2-hour exam held during the University Examination period.

Important information about the exam will be made available on the unit iLearn page. You should also review the MQ Exams website for general tips. 

Deliverable(s): Formal exam

Individual assessment
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Evaluate concepts and models used by various financial market participants and apply relevant concepts and models to meet participants needs and actual business situations.
  • Assess financial products and instruments and construct sound and justifiable solutions that meet the requirements of financial market participants.
  • Develop solutions for financing issues using appropriate models and financial data sources.

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
  • Academic Success 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.

3 An automatic short extension is available for some assessments. Apply through the Service Connect Portal.

Delivery and Resources

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 connect.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/

Academic Success

Academic Success 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 the Service Connect Portal, 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.

Changes since First Published

Date Description
21/03/2026 change to the general assessment information as requested

Unit information based on version 2026.04 of the Handbook