Students

AFCP6018 – Quantitative and Economic Analysis

2026 – Term 3, Online-scheduled-weekday

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 or GradDipAppFin or MAppFin
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
AFCX6018
Unit description Unit description
This unit provides the important building blocks in microeconomic and quantitative analysis required for advanced study in applied finance. Microeconomic analysis develops tools in demand and supply and critically applies these to the consumer and the firm. It concludes with an analysis of market structure. The second part of the unit develops quantitative skills that are used in finance, including descriptive statistics, probability, statistical inference, correlation and regression analysis. Spreadsheets are extensively used in statistical modelling.

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 mathematical skills to finance based problems.
  • ULO2: Explain and analyse the key concepts, models and theories used in microeconomics as required for applied finance.
  • ULO3: Apply the key concepts, models and theories used in microeconomics to solve a range of finance based problems.
  • ULO4: Analyse data using the key concepts, models and theories used in probability and statistics.
  • ULO5: Demonstrate proficiency in using spreadsheet based statistical modelling to solve a range of finance based problems.

General Assessment Information

The following late penalty clause for written assignments should be inserted in this section.

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: Economics in action 30% No 31/08/2026 Individual No Open
Formal examination 40% No Exam Period Individual No Open
Skills development: Quantitative case analysis 30% No 10/08/2026 Individual No Open

Skills development: Economics in action

Assessment Type 1: Professional task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 25 hours
Due: 31/08/2026
Weighting: 30%
Groupwork/Individual: Individual
Short extension 3: No
AI Approach: Open

The purpose of this assessment is for you to demonstrate applications of concepts from microeconomics in finance and society.

You will analyse some common, current and topical scenarios which will be made available on the unit iLearn page.

Skills in focus:

  • Critical thinking and problem solving
  • Discipline knowledge

Deliverable(s): Report [max 2000 words]

Individual assessment
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Explain and analyse the key concepts, models and theories used in microeconomics as required for applied finance.
  • Apply the key concepts, models and theories used in microeconomics to solve a range of finance based problems.

Formal examination

Assessment Type 1: Examination
Indicative Time on Task 2: 30 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:
  • Apply mathematical skills to finance based problems.
  • Explain and analyse the key concepts, models and theories used in microeconomics as required for applied finance.
  • Apply the key concepts, models and theories used in microeconomics to solve a range of finance based problems.
  • Analyse data using the key concepts, models and theories used in probability and statistics.
  • Demonstrate proficiency in using spreadsheet based statistical modelling to solve a range of finance based problems.

Skills development: Quantitative case analysis

Assessment Type 1: Professional task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 25 hours
Due: 10/08/2026
Weighting: 30%
Groupwork/Individual: Individual
Short extension 3: No
AI Approach: Open

The purpose of this assessment is for you to demonstrate expertise on key quantitative concepts and apply them to financial data and write a report.

You will be required to submit an excel spreadsheet but only the report will be marked which should contain the output from your analysis. You will analyse some common, current and topical scenarios which will be made available on the unit iLearn page.

Skills in focus:

  • Critical thinking and problem solving
  • Discipline knowledge

Deliverable(s): Report

Individual assessment
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Apply mathematical skills to finance based problems.
  • Analyse data using the key concepts, models and theories used in probability and statistics.
  • Demonstrate proficiency in using spreadsheet based statistical modelling to solve a range of finance based problems.

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 page

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.

Unit information based on version 2026.04 of the Handbook