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

Risk management is an essential part of management in an organisation. It involves the skills from a number of discipline areas and requires those involved in managing risk to have a thorough understanding of the organisational and managerial structure of an organisation and the risks to which it might be exposed.

Aims

This Unit aims to provide a thorough understanding of how a risk management program adds value to an organisation. As an integral part of the management process, risk management underpins the approaches taken in a wide variety of discipline areas whether their primary focus be health care, occupational health and safety or management generally. The principles of risk management underpin many of the concepts that you will explore as part of your course.

Objectives

On successful completion of this unit students should be able to:
1. Identify the way in which risk management can add value to the organisation and the ways in which poorly managed risks can have adverse effects on an organisation,
2. Describe the risk management process as it might be applied to an organisation,
3. Identify and analyse the factors which must be considered to establish the risk management context of an organisation,
4. Describe and critique the tools available in developing a risk management program for an organisation, and
5. Develop and justify the risk management process appropriate for a particular organisation.

Content

This unit will be available in external mode. Material in this unit will include an introduction to the history of risk management, its strategic position within the global context, the business organisation (its structure, accountability and financial structure). You will be introduced to the risks to which the organisation may be exposed, including ; operational risk, the legal environment and system (including the legal framework of an organisation as relevant to risk management), basic economics (including production/costs, pricing, and supply/demand).
A broad introduction to the impact of the local and international political and economic environment on the organisation will be discussed.
The content of AS/NZS ISO 31000: 2009 will be investigated and you will be introduced to the risk management process as it would be applied to a variety of organisations of different structures, size and purpose. The unit will review the nature of risk, the need for risk assessment, the nature of exposures (including property, environmental, personnel, product, administration and financial liability), and risk communication.
Specific skill and graduate capabilities you will develop include:
· knowledge and skills pertinent to risk management
· critical, creative and analytical thinking, and effective problem-solving
· effective communication in a variety of contexts and modes
· the capacity for life-long learning
the ability to work independently and collaboratively.

Approaches to Teaching and Learning

This unit is offered in external mode. There will be interactive lecture online. Lecture Notes and voice recordings for the unit will be available on Blackboard and issues raised from these readings will also be discussed during the interactive lectures and online forums.

Assessment

There are two assessment items. The first assessment is a formative and summative assessment based on an essay about emerging risks. This assessment is worth 40%.
The second assessment item is designed to integrate all aspects of the unit. This report which identifies and discusses the management of the key risks of an organisation or part of an organisation with which you are familiar. This assessment is worth 60%.Assessment will be spaced throughout the semester to provide the opportunity for feedback on your learning at key points. You will be provided with feedback on your essays and presentation. In addition to the feedback provided in response to each of the assessment items, further feedback will occur in the online discussion forums organised around each of the topics covered in the unit.

Assessment name: Emerging Risk Essay
Description: Write a 1500 word essay on an emerging risk that faces businesses today.
Submit to: Assignment Minder. Assessment page presentation: A4 sheets, stapled together with the Assignment Minder submission form at the front.
Students should follow the guidelines set out in QUT cite|write, available as a printable PDF from www.citewrite.qut.edu.au
Relates to objectives: 1,3
Weight: 40%
Internal or external: External
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: 16 August 2012

Assessment name: Report on Risk Management
Description: You will be required to complete a report of 3000 words which identifies and discusses the management of the key risks of an organisation or part of an organisation with which you are familiar.
Submit to: Assignment Minder. Assessment page presentation: A4 sheets, stapled together with the Assignment Minder submission form at the front.
Students should follow the guidelines set out in QUT cite|write, available as a printable PDF from www.citewrite.qut.edu.au
Relates to objectives: 1-5
Weight: 60%
Internal or external: External
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: 11 October 2012

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

Recommended Text Books
Frame, J. D. (2003). Managing Risk in Organisations: A Guide for Managers. Jossey Bass: San Francisco.
Australia/ New Zealand Standard AS/NZS ISO 31000:2009 Risk management: Principles and guidelines, Sydney: Standards Australia. (This Standard may be viewed on the QUT Library website.)

Risk assessment statement

Assessment for this unit will involve a workplace based assignment. You should be aware of, and abide by, the health and safety requirements of the workplace and you are expected to undergo any induction or other training provided in the workplace for employees or visitors to the workplace as appropriate. In addition, substantial computer-based work will be required. You should refer to the guidelines for safe work at VDUs contained in the School of Public Health Guidelines to Students.

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: 07-Aug-2012