Units

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Sample subject outline - Semester 2 2012

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

Rationale

Capital budgeting is an important aspect of a firm's financial management. As capital budgeting concerns the firm's long-lived assets, decisions made in this area are likely to impact upon the firm well into the future and have much to do with its long-term performance.

Aims

The aim of the unit is to prepare students to make, review and assess capital budgeting recommendations and decisions within the context of a firm or public entity.

Objectives

Course Learning Goals (Postgraduate)

The Faculty of Business has established the Assurance of Learning (AOL) Goals to meet contemporary industry needs and standards. Achieving these learning outcomes will assist you to meet the desired graduate outcomes set at QUT - aligned with other internationally renowned business schools. Students will develop the following capabilities relevant to a contemporary global and sustainable business environment:

Have knowledge and skills pertinent to a particular discipline (KS)

1.1 Well-researched knowledge and critical understanding applied to issues at the forefront of a specialised discipline area
1.2 Ability to select and use effectively a range of tools and technologies to locate and/or generate information appropriate to the disciplinary context

Be critical thinkers and effective problem solvers (CTA)

2.1 Apply logical, critical and creative thinking and judgement to generate appropriate solutions to problems in the disciplinary context

Be professional communicators in an intercultural context (PC)

3.1 Ability to create and present professional documents and/or reports using high levels of analysis/synthesis/evaluation for a range of contexts and audiences
3.2 Ability to orally communicate and justify ideas and information, at a professional level, for a variety of contexts and audiences, including peers and discipline specialists

Be able to work effectively in a Team Environment (TW)

4.1 Operate effectively and with flexibility to achieve common goals in collaborative settings, using a range of skills, including leadership, negotiation, reflection, proactivity and support for team members

Have a Social and Ethical Understanding (SEU)

5.1 Apply knowledge of the ethical, social and cultural dimensions relevant to business situations, including appropriate standards or codes of practice, to provide courses of action

Unit Objecitves:
On completing this unit students should be able to:

1. Understand the theoretical approaches to capital budgeting decisions
2. Comprehend the differences between capital budgeting decisions made under certainty and uncertainty
3. Be competent at solving complex real-world capital budgeting problems
4. Have an awareness of future directions and developments in capital budgeting theory and practice

The specific course learning goals and unit objectives that apply to this unit are shown in the assessment section of this unit outline.

Content

In this unit students will examine the issues relating to capital budgeting, pricing, valuation and evaluation.

Approaches to Teaching and Learning

This unit has a formal class contact time in seminars and workshops of approximately three hours per week and in addition an average student should expect to devote a further nine hours per week on self-study and assignments. The nine non-formal hours should be seen as a guide only, and not to be regarded as a restriction on the hours devoted to the unit.

The content in the unit is cumulative. Students need to do the reading before the seminar and keep up to date with the material throughout the course.

The unit content is one which lends itself to group work. Students are encouraged to work in small groups, as they will gain much from discussion, the mix of skills and the range of activities.

In accordance with QUT policy, all units are to be subject to Criterion Referenced Assessment (CRA). The unit coordinator will provide students with further details regarding CRA during the course of the semester during class and on the unit's Blackboard site.

Assessment

Students will receive feedback in various forms throughout the semester which may include:

• Informal: worked examples, such as verbal feedback in class, personal consultation


• Formal: in writing, such as checklists (e.g. criteria sheets), written commentary


• Direct: to individual students, either in written form or in consultation


• Indirect: to the whole class

Assessment name: Exam
Description: Closed book exam comprising questions requiring short-medium length answers
Length/Duration: 2 hour (no perusal)
Formative or Summative: Formative and Summative
Relates to objectives: Unit objectives: 1, 2, 3, 2 and AOL goals: KS (1.1), CTA (2.1), PC (3.1), SEU (5.1)
Weight: 50%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Week 8

Assessment name: Final Exam
Description: Closed book essay.
Length/Duration: 2 hours (no perusal)
Formative or Summative: Formative and Summative
Relates to objectives: Unit objectives: 1, 2, 3, 4 and AOL goals: KS (1.1), CTA (2.1), PC (3.1), SEU (5.1)
Weight: 50%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Central Exam Period

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

Prescribed Text
There is no prescribed text for this unit. Students will be provided with a list of readings, exercises, activities, problems and/or case studies from week to week.

Risk assessment statement

There are no out-of-the-ordinary risks associated with lectures or tutorials in this unit. You should, however, familiarise yourself with evacuation procedures operating in the buildings in which you attend classes and take the time to
view the Emergency video.

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: 01-Jun-2012