Units

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Sample subject outline - Semester 2 2013

Note: Subject outlines often change before the semester begins. Below is a sample outline.

Rationale

This unit focuses on career preparation with a business orientation. Business Plans and Accounting are the basis for decision making in any organisation. It is important for business professionals to have a basic level of knowledge and understanding of business principles including business profiles, business planning, accounting, marketing and human resource management theory and practice, risk and liability.

Aims

The aim of this unit is to provide you with a basic level of business knowledge of business principles including business profiles, business planning and accounting theory and practice through the development of a business plan to develop an understanding of how this data is used to help make decisions in organisations. This will enable you to communicate effectively and manage activities competently within the office environment of a professional urban development practice.

Objectives

On completion of this unit you should be able to demonstrate the following capabilities at an intermediate level:

1. demonstrate your understanding of the nature of business profiles, accounting, marketing and human resources including small business legislations, urban development legislation, industrial relations legislation, workplace health and safety legislation concepts, principles as well as the entities relevant to urban development practice in Queensland and Australia;
2. develop a satisfactory level of competence in basic practical business and accounting skills through the development of a business plan;
3. develop analytical and interpretive skills in the understanding of small business and accounting and be able to critically evaluate business information;
4. be aware of and recognise the role, influence and involvement of government agencies and their interaction with urban development professions, professional bodies and professionals, the role for ethics and ethical decision-making in the urban development environment that goes beyond mere compliance with the law; and
5. develop understanding and apply a range of legal and ethical decision making principles and processes in the urban development business context and communicate these.

Content

The content of this unit includes Business Planning, Business Profiles, Small Business Legislation and Taxation, Financial Plans and Marketing Plans. Other business related topics such as Human Resource Management, Quality Assurance and Law are also covered.

Approaches to Teaching and Learning

Teaching Mode:
Hours per week: 3
Lecture: 2
Tutorial: 1

Learning Approaches:
Learning approaches will cover the following:
- Problem based
- Team based learning
- Self directed learning
- Reflection
- Presentation

Lectures are used to provide a basic understanding of the practical and theoretical issues. While there is no opportunity for lengthy interaction between lecturer and students during each lecture, many students find great value in attending lecture because they are able to see problems being worked rather than being handed a PowerPoint which will be an overview.

Tutorials commence in Week 1
The basic understanding provided in lectures will be developed through the use of tutorial work. To achieve the objectives of the unit it is essential that you complete the assigned tutorial work assigned.

Assessment

QUT's Assessment Policy is located at MOPP C/5.1.

Assessment is formative and summative, with both group work and individual assessment forming the total assessment for the unit.Formative assessment will be provided progressively during tutorial sessions as you develop your business skills and business plan and complete milestones for the completion of the Business Plan.

Assessment name: Quiz/Test
Description: You will be required to respond to a multi choice questions based on the material presented during the lectures and tutorial sessions.
Relates to objectives: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Weight: 30%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Week 9

Assessment name: Professional Plans
Description: Team Business Plan and Oral Presentation (40 MARKS)
You will be required to prepare a 'real' business plan and participate in a multi-media team presentation of your business plan.
(Business Plan 30%, Presentation 10%)
Relates to objectives: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Weight: 40%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Group with Individual Component
Due date: Week 13

Assessment name: Examination (written)
Description: Examination - Essay Questions (60 MARKS)
You will be required to write 2 essays on selected topics relating to content covered through the semester. Questions will relate to ALL content presented in lectures and material covered in tutorials.
Relates to objectives: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Weight: 30%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: End of semester

Academic Honesty

QUT is committed to maintaining high academic standards to protect the value of its qualifications. To assist you in assuring the academic integrity of your assessment you are encouraged to make use of the support materials and services available to help you consider and check your assessment items. Important information about the university's approach to academic integrity of assessment is on your unit Blackboard site.

A breach of academic integrity is regarded as Student Misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties.

Resource materials

Texts:
Birt, Ian (2009) Writing your Plan for Small Business Success 4th edition, Sydney, Pearson Education Australia, NSW.

The Blackboard Site will be used to provide access to lecture materials and additional materials to assist in your understanding of the content and completion of this unit.

Additional Resources:
Qld Office of State Development has a range of materials/ skills/links of key interest to the topics developed is the QLD Smart Skills Online module

Risk assessment statement

You will undertake lectures and/or tutorials in traditional classrooms and lecture theatres. As such there are no extraordinary workplace health and safety issues associated with these components of the unit.

Additional Costs:
There are no additional costs associated with this unit.

Disclaimer - Offer of some units is subject to viability, and information in these Unit Outlines is subject to change prior to commencement of semester.

Last modified: 28-May-2012