Students

AFCP8104 – Contemporary Issues in Applied Finance

2026 – Term 1, Online-scheduled-weekday

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff
Brendon Harper
brendon.harper@mq.edu.au
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
(AFCP8101 or AFCP8004) and (AFCP8102 or AFCP8003) and (AFCP8103 or AFCP8005)
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

This unit examines a range of topical real-world issues in applied finance. The issues will depend on current financial and economic market conditions. Potential areas of interest are to be drawn from the fields of investment management, the financial system, corporate financial strategy and risk management. The focus will be on current and likely future conditions, and will seek to combine underlying theory, research skills and a strong practical emphasis. Personal communication, negotiation and collaborative skills will be further developed. This Capstone unit will be undertaken towards the end of the program of study.

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: Synthesise knowledge of advance finance theories, models and concepts and recent research issues and apply it to a practical research-based project in applied finance.
  • ULO2: Design and execute a major project that solves a current business challenge in applied finance, in a practical and well-justified manner.
  • ULO3: Effectively communicate complex information, decisions and recommendations to a professional audience.
  • ULO4: Reflect on skills and knowledge gained and recognise common preconceptions and assumptions within the finance profession.

General Assessment Information

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 apply for Special Consideration.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due Groupwork/Individual Short Extension
Professional Practice: Presentation 20% No 08/03/2026 Individual No
Professional Practice: Reflective Writing 30% No 21/02/2026 Individual No
Professional Practice: Research Report 50% No 21/03/2026 Individual No

Professional Practice: Presentation

Assessment Type 1: Presentation task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 10 hours
Due: 08/03/2026
Weighting: 20%
Groupwork/Individual: Individual
Short extension: No

The purpose of this assessment is for you to develop the ability to present complex concepts to senior audiences in a manner that is informative and persuasive.

This is to be a management-style presentation which covers: - Topic/issue being considered, including clearly stating the requirement of the audience; and - Key findings and conclusions/recommendations. A summary of the key research material should be incorporated as appropriate.

Each presentation will conclude with questions relating to the presentation. Responses to questions will be part of this assessment.

Skills in focus: - Work Readiness - Communication and Presentation - Discipline Knowledge - Critical Thinking

Deliverable: 5-minute prepared management style presentation, followed by impromptu Q&A (5-10min) Individual assessment
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Synthesise knowledge of advance finance theories, models and concepts and recent research issues and apply it to a practical research-based project in applied finance.
  • Design and execute a major project that solves a current business challenge in applied finance, in a practical and well-justified manner.
  • Effectively communicate complex information, decisions and recommendations to a professional audience.

Professional Practice: Reflective Writing

Assessment Type 1: Reflection task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 20 hours
Due: 21/02/2026
Weighting: 30%
Groupwork/Individual: Individual
Short extension: No

The purpose of this assessment is for you to develop the ability to reflect on skills, attributes and presumptions of yourself and others, including the finance industry more broadly.

You will conduct a self-reflection considering: - skills and knowledge gained in this unit and the Master of Applied Finance more broadly, including but not limited to biases, persuasion and negotiation, for example how you use persuasion and how you respond to others use of persuasive techniques; and - biases, preconceptions and assumptions present in yourself and the finance profession more broadly, their potential sources, how they impact you and how you can reduce their negative impacts.

Skills in focus: - Work Readiness - Discipline Knowledge - Critical Thinking - Self-reflection

Deliverable: Self-reflection [3-4 pages, excluding any tables, appendices and bibliographies]

Individual assessment
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Synthesise knowledge of advance finance theories, models and concepts and recent research issues and apply it to a practical research-based project in applied finance.
  • Effectively communicate complex information, decisions and recommendations to a professional audience.
  • Reflect on skills and knowledge gained and recognise common preconceptions and assumptions within the finance profession.

Professional Practice: Research Report

Assessment Type 1: Professional task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 50 hours
Due: 21/03/2026
Weighting: 50%
Groupwork/Individual: Individual
Short extension: No

The purpose of this assessment is for you to develop the ability to present complex concepts to senior audiences in a manner that is informative and persuasive.

This is to be a management-style research paper which covers: - Topic/issue being considered, including clearly stating the requirement of the audience; and - Key findings and conclusions/recommendations. A summary of the key research material should be incorporated as appropriate.

Skills in focus: - Work Readiness - Discipline Knowledge - Critical Thinking - Research and Critical Analysis - Written communication

Deliverable: Management style report [5,000 words, excluding any tables, appendices and bibliographies]

Individual assessment
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Synthesise knowledge of advance finance theories, models and concepts and recent research issues and apply it to a practical research-based project in applied finance.
  • Design and execute a major project that solves a current business challenge in applied finance, in a practical and well-justified manner.
  • Effectively communicate complex information, decisions and recommendations to a professional audience.

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

Please see iLearn.

Unit Schedule

Unit Schedule: Term 1 2026
Topic Week Session Time
Phase One: Unit overview and foundations in research
   Introduction & Course Expectations 1 Tuesday 13-Jan-26 6:30 - 8pm
   Research Fundamentals & Business Challenge Selection 2 Tuesday 20-Jan-26 6:30 - 8pm
Phase Two: Building self-awareness while developing industry relevant skills
   Understanding Biases & Custom GPTs 3 Tuesday 27-Jan-26 6:30 - 8pm
   Persuasion & Influencing Senior Audiences 4 Tuesday 3-Feb-26 6:30 - 8pm
   Negotiation Theory & Preparation 5 Tuesday 10-Feb-26 6:30 - 8pm
   Skills Development & Negotiation Exercise Saturday 14-Feb-26 10am - 3pm
Sunday 15-Feb-26 10am - 3pm
Phase Three: Refining communication and research skills
   Presentation Skills & Storytelling in Finance  6 Tuesday 17-Feb-26 6:30 - 8pm
   Writing to and Connecting with Senior Audiences 7 Tuesday 24-Feb-26 6:30 - 8pm
   (No seminar: presentation practice) 8 Tuesday 3-Mar-26  
   Presentation Refinement & Delivery (AT2) Saturday 7-Mar-26 10am - 3pm
Sunday 8-Mar-26 10am - 3pm
   Refining Research 9 Tuesday 10-Mar-26 6:30 - 8pm
   Final Reflections 10 Tuesday 17-Mar-26 6:30 - 8pm

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/

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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. 

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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