FIN8203 Strategic Investments

Staffing

Examiner: Frank Elston
Moderator: Taiji Watanabe

Requisites

Pre-requisite: FIN8202

Other requisites

Students are required to have access to a personal computer, e-mail capabilities and Internet access to UConnect. Current details of computer requirements can be found at http://www.usq.edu.au/ict/students/standards/default.htm.

Rationale

In business and investment, risk has traditionally been interpreted in a negative way. Traditional investments focus on risk minimisation either by eliminating risk or reducing risk exposure. However, in recent years, many companies have found traditional investments are too narrow and constrain their activities. They have realised that what is needed is a calculated risk taking. This course provides an opportunity to learn how to exploit risk and investigate alternative investment strategies.

Synopsis

This course introduces the student to contemporary financial investment theory, analysis, and practice. Students should gain an understanding of major investment instruments such as debt and equity securities and company funds. Students also will have an appreciation for making strategic investment decisions with the consideration of risk. The course structure helps the student to build up mathematical literacy sufficient to understand investments.

Objectives

Topics

Text and materials required to be purchased or accessed

Reference materials

Student workload requirements

Assessment details

Important assessment information

1. Attendance requirements:
   If you are an international student in Australia, you are advised to attend all classes at your campus. For all other students, there are no attendance requirements for this course. However, it is the students' responsibility to study all material provided to them or required to be accessed by them to maximise their chance of meeting the objectives of the course and to be informed of course-related activities and administration.
   
   
2. Requirements for students to complete each assessment item satisfactorily:
   To satisfactorily complete an individual assessment item a student must achieve at least 50% of the marks. (Depending upon the requirements in Statement 4 below, students may not have to satisfactorily complete each assessment item to receive a passing grade in this course.)
   
   
3. Penalties for late submission of required work:
   If students submit assignments after the due date without prior approval of the examiner, then a penalty of 5% of the total marks gained by the student for the assignment may apply for each working day late up to ten working days at which time a mark of zero may be recorded. Once feedback or marks are announced, late submission of assignments for assessment purpose will be only accepted by the course examiner's discretion, and if accepted, the above penalty will apply.
   
   
4. Requirements for student to be awarded a passing grade in the course:
   To be assured of receiving a passing grade a student must achieve at least 50% of the total weighted marks available for the course.
   
   
5. Method used to combine assessment results to attain final grade:
   The final grades for students will be assigned on the basis of the aggregate of the weighted marks obtained for each of the summative assessment items in the course.
   
   
6. Examination information:
   This is a restricted examination. The only material that candidates are allowed to use in this examination are: (i) writing and drawing instruments; (ii) translation dictionaries - students whose first language is not English, may take an appropriate unmarked paper-based translation dictionary into the examination room. Dictionaries with any handwritten notes will not be permitted. Translation dictionaries will be subject to perusal and, if found to contain annotations or markings that could give the candidate an unfair advantage, may be removed from the candidate's possession until the appropriate disciplinary action is completed.
   
   
7. Examination period when Deferred/Supplementary examinations will be held:
   Any Deferred or Supplementary examinations for this course will be held during the next examination period.
   
   
8. University Student Policies:
   Students should read the USQ policies: Definitions, Assessment and Student Academic Misconduct to avoid actions which might contravene University policies and practices. These policies can be found at http://policy.usq.edu.au/portal/custom/search/category/usq_document_policy_type/Student.1.html.
   
   

Assessment notes

1. Referencing in assignments: Harvard (AGPS) is the referencing system required in this course. Students should use Harvard (AGPS) style in their assignments to format details of the information sources they have cited in their work. The Harvard (AGPS) style to be used is defined by the USQ Library's referencing guide at http://www.usq.edu.au/library/help/referencing/default.htm.
   
   
2. Course weightings: Course weightings of topics should not be interpreted as applying to the number of marks allocated to questions testing those topics in an examination paper. The examination may test material already tested in assignments.
   
   

Other requirements

1. Computer, e-mail and Internet access: Students are required to have access to a personal computer, e-mail capabilities and Internet access to UConnect. Current details of computer requirements can be found at http://www.usq.edu.au/ict/students/standards/default.htm.