Units

---

Sample subject outline - 5 Week Teaching Period - 5 2013

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

Rationale

The efficient operation of the financial function within the business firm or other organisation is a critical element for the success of that entity. Financial Managers must understand the operation of financial markets and how these markets impinge on the operation of their organisation. They must know how to properly value cash flows and other assets, and understand the fundamentals of asset diversification, risk and return, and the cost of capital.

Aims

The mission of the MBA and associated programs is to provide world class, graduate business education and stimulating real world learning opportunities to develop current and future business leaders and managers to confidently lead in complex environments.

The aim of this particular unit is to help managers develop a basic understanding of the national and international financial environment, from a personal and business perspective.

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.

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 Objectives

On completing this unit, you will be able to:

1. Demonstrate an understanding of Australian and International financial environments and the role of the financial manager (KS1.1 (MBA 1); CTA2.1 (MBA4)).
2. Demonstrate the ability to apply the principles related to the time value of money in financial calculations KS1.1 (MBA 1)).
3. Demonstrate the ability to evaluate investment proposals (CTA 2.1 (MBA 4)).
4. Demonstrate an understanding of the role of risk and return and diversification in financial investments (KS1.1 MBA 1).

Content

The content of the unit has been designed to develop and enhance general, transferable skills and competencies in the presentation and analysis of financial data. As the skills and techniques developed are widely used in the international business environment, this unit is 'international' in focus.

In keeping with QUT's commitment to the internationalisation of its programs, the content of this unit is not exclusively Australian, but draws on a number of case studies from the region and from around the world. While the prescribed text is written by Australians it uses many international examples. The conceptual framework of finance presented in the text and course materials is applicable to the international dimension.

The topics covered in this unit have been selected so as to provide students with a broad grasp of the financial environment in which they will operate. The topics explored include:

· Introduct to Finance
· Capital Markets
· Time Value of Money
· Sources of Short Term Debt
· Valuation and Financial Markets
· Sources of Equity
· Capital Budgeting - Project Evaluation
· Sources of Long Term Debt
· Capital Budgeting - NPV
· Risk and Return, Diversification, CAPM

Approaches to Teaching and Learning

This unit adopts a blended learning approach and as such, includes a variety of teaching and learning approaches.

Three hour face-to-face class sessions are supplemented by a textbook and a range of online materials that are designed to support and extend learning prior to, during and after class sessions. Online materials are available in the unit Blackboard site. Given the importance of the unit Blackboard site to the teaching and learning strategy used in this unit, a computer and tablet device with internet access is strongly recommended for all students.

The principal purpose of the lectures and readings is to build upon key concepts that were introduced through the Preparation for Class activities and readings. Class sessions will be divided between lectures and problem solving individually and in small groups. The purpose of the case study work, experiential learning tasks and all assessment tasks is to help the student develop their understanding of the concepts and enable them to be applied within a range of business contexts.

There is an expectation that the student will participate in class sessions, to take advantage of the opportunity to discuss important issues with their instructor and their peers in an informal environment. These sessions also provide students with an opportunity to hone important generic skills that are in high demand in the business.

It is expected that students have completed all Preparation for Class activities and readings identified in the unit Blackboard site prior to coming to class to be able to maximise the learning opportunities of the class sessions.

A variety of learning activities designed to engage students in their learning will be incorporated into the lectures/workshops. Such learning activities may include short lectures, class discussions, debates, role plays, group work, guest speakers, student presentations, simulations, case study analysis, videos, readings, wikis, media/current events reports, web searches, etc.


There is a commitment to critical inquiry and intellectual debate in regard to the material covered. Students are encouraged to relate the theories and research discussed to situations known to them and will be encouraged to share their experiences relating to the topics explored in this unit with the class to enrich the overall learning experience of all students.

Expanding the awareness of Australian management policies and practices into intercultural and international perspectives is fostered within this unit. Typically, students enrolling in this unit have extremely varied backgrounds. There is diversity of professional background and socio-cultural background. Students are reminded that this is to their advantage and they have much to learn from one another. To this end, students are strongly encouraged to be sensitive to cultural, gender-related and international issues.

Students are expected to read the financial press (eg Business pages of the Australian or Sydney Morning Herald, Financial Review, and Business Review Weekly) and think about how the material covered in the unit relates to topical issues.

Assessment

A further Guide to the Assessment Items is available from the unit Blackboard Site: http://blackboard.qut.edu.au

At the end of the teaching period the Faculty Academic Board determines student grades. The Unit Coordinators provide the detailed assessment results to the Board, working through the relevant school. These results are advisory in nature and do not necessarily constitute the final grades awarded by the Board. In its decisions the Board compares results both within units and programs, using as a guide a set of standard distribution criteria. These criteria enable the Board to systematically compare student performance, but are not applied in a prescriptive fashion.
Assessment items are both formative [f] and summative [s]. Formative assessment is intended to help the learner develop methodologies and knowledge through a process of feedback. Summative assessment is based on outcomes, measuring how the student is performing in terms of knowledge, skills, attitudes and understanding. GSZ413 has two assessment items.Students will receive a variety of feedback throughout this unit.
Informally, feedback will be given verbally in class through class discussions and during the debriefing of learning activities.
Direct feedback will be available to those students who request a private or group consultation session with the lecturer.
Formal feedback will be received on both formative and summative assessment tasks through a Criterion Reference Assessment sheet which will also include written feedback on the assessment task. The Criterion Reference Assessment Sheet will be available in the unit Blackboard site at the commencement of the unit. Students will receive feedback on their formative assessment task prior to their summative assessment task being submitted.

Assessment name: Assignments
Description: There will be five of these relatively brief assignmentscovering the learning from weeks 1 - 5. These assignments willtypically require the interpretation and/or financial calculations, with no more than a few pages of written work to be submitted. These have been designed to test the work done each week.
Topic: Course Material Modules 1-5 respectively
Description/Length: 2-4 pages
Relates to objectives: 1, 2, 3, 4 and AoL Goals: KS (1.1), CTA (2.1)
Weight: 40%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Weekly

Assessment name: Final Exam
Description: Open book, open laptop, closed internet final examination covering course material from Modules 1 to 6.
Description/Length: 2 hrs + 10 minutes perusal
Relates to objectives: 1, 2, 3, 4 and AoL Goals: KS (1.1), CTA (2.1)
Weight: 60%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: After Module 6

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

Required Text:

Peirson, Brown, Easton, Howard, and Pinder, Business Finance, 11th edition, McGraw-Hill, 2012.

Reference Texts:

Ross, S.A., Thompson, S.C., Christensen, M.J., Westerfield, R.W., and B.D. Jordan, Fundamentals of Corporate Finance, 4th Edition, McGraw Hill, 2007. [RTCWJ]

Bishop, HR., Faff, RW., Oliver, B., and Twite, GJ,. Corporate Finance, Fifth Edition, Prentice Hall, 2004. [BFOT]

Brealey, R., Myers S, Partington G., and Robinson D, Principles of Corporate Finance, McGraw Hill, 2000. [BMPR]

Calculator:
Students need to have a calculator for this course, preferably a non-programmable financial calculator.

Risk assessment statement

There are no out of the ordinary risks associated with 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: 16-Jan-2013