CQUniversity Unit Profile
FINC19011 Business Finance
Business Finance
All details in this unit profile for FINC19011 have been officially approved by CQUniversity and represent a learning partnership between the University and you (our student).
The information will not be changed unless absolutely necessary and any change will be clearly indicated by an approved correction included in the profile.
General Information

Overview

This unit covers the basic concepts, tools and techniques that financial managers use in the contemporary business context. You will learn about the principle functions of financial managers, the different business structures, and capital markets and financial securities. You will also examine the valuation of investments and portfolio, project evaluation, the cost of capital, market efficiency, risk management, basics of foreign exchange and international financial market, and dividend policy. Completion of the unit will raise your awareness on how businesses and corporate organisations decide on short and long term investment decisions, and the global and domestic economic and contextual factors which influence these decisions.

Details

Career Level: Undergraduate
Unit Level: Level 2
Credit Points: 6
Student Contribution Band: 10
Fraction of Full-Time Student Load: 0.125

Pre-requisites or Co-requisites

ECON11026 or ECON11030 or STAT11048 or MGMT11169  

Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).

Offerings For Term 2 - 2024

Brisbane
Melbourne
Online
Rockhampton
Sydney

Attendance Requirements

All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).

Class and Assessment Overview

Recommended Student Time Commitment

Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.

Class Timetable

Bundaberg, Cairns, Emerald, Gladstone, Mackay, Rockhampton, Townsville
Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney

Assessment Overview

1. Practical and Written Assessment
Weighting: 30%
2. Online Quiz(zes)
Weighting: 10%
3. Online Test
Weighting: 60%

Assessment Grading

This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of 'pass' in order to pass the unit. If any 'pass/fail' tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully ('pass' grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the 'assessment task' section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University's Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.

Previous Student Feedback

Feedback, Recommendations and Responses

Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.

Feedback from Student & Self

Feedback

Can add more examples with difficulties similar to the final test.

Recommendation

Introduce more final test-like questions in study materials.

Feedback from Student & Self

Feedback

Can reduce content amount in some weeks.

Recommendation

Reduction of some content or more streamlining of the content is to be explored while maintaining the same quality and standards.

Unit Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
  1. Identify and explain the critical problems corporate financial managers encounter and solve
  2. Apply finance theories and synthesise related information for corporate valuations, capital structure analysis, financial decision making, and dividend policy formulation
  3. Analyse and form investment decisions using sound capital budgeting techniques
  4. Analyse risk and return for financial decision making
  5. Explain the valuation of financial securities (bonds, shares etc.) and the role of efficient markets.
Alignment of Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Graduate Attributes
N/A Level
Introductory Level
Intermediate Level
Graduate Level
Professional Level
Advanced Level

Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes

Assessment Tasks Learning Outcomes
1 2 3 4 5
1 - Practical and Written Assessment - 30%
2 - Online Quiz(zes) - 10%
3 - Online Test - 60%

Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes

Graduate Attributes Learning Outcomes
1 2 3 4 5
1 - Communication
2 - Problem Solving
3 - Critical Thinking
4 - Information Literacy
5 - Team Work
6 - Information Technology Competence
7 - Cross Cultural Competence
8 - Ethical practice
9 - Social Innovation
10 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures
Textbooks and Resources

Textbooks

Prescribed

Fundamentals of Corporate Finance

4th edition (2020)
Authors: Parrino, Kidwell, Au Yong, Dempsey, Morkel-Kingsbury, Ekanayake, James & Murray
John Wiley and Sons
Milton Milton , QLD , Australia
ISBN: 9780730382577
Binding: Other

IT Resources

You will need access to the following IT resources:
  • CQUniversity Student Email
  • Internet
  • Unit Website (Moodle)
  • Different online resources indicated on Moodle.
  • MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) or compatible software
Referencing Style

All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: American Psychological Association 7th Edition (APA 7th edition)

For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.

Teaching Contacts
Garrick Small Unit Coordinator
g.small@cqu.edu.au
Schedule
Week 1: Introduction to Finance and Time Value of Money [TVM] Begin Date: 08 Jul 2024

Module/Topic

  • Legal forms of business
  • Role of financial managers
  • Business ethics
  • Other introductory issues
  • Time value of money

Chapter

Ch 1 & part of Ch 5 

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 2: Cash Flow and Valuation Begin Date: 15 Jul 2024

Module/Topic

  • Time value of money (contd.)
  • Multiple cash flows
  • Annuity and perpetuity 

Chapter

part of Ch 5 & part of Ch 6

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 3: Risk and Return Begin Date: 22 Jul 2024

Module/Topic

  • Concepts of risk and return for an asset
  • Concepts of risk and return for a portfolio
  • Diversification
  • Systematic & unsystemtic risks

Chapter

part of Ch 7

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 4: Bond Valuation and Loans Begin Date: 29 Jul 2024

Module/Topic

  • Concepts of debt securities
  • Term loans and loan amortisation 
  • Bonds and different types of bonds
  • Yield to maturity, realised yield, and effective annual yield
  • Bond theorems

Chapter

part of Ch 6 & Ch 8 

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 5: Share and Portfolio Valuation, and Risk Begin Date: 05 Aug 2024

Module/Topic

  • Concepts of equity securities
  • Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) for asset and portfolio evaluation 
  • Share valuation issues and models
  • Secondary market
  • Ordinary shares and preference shares

Chapter

part of Ch 7 & Ch 9 & Extra resources on Moodle

Events and Submissions/Topic

Vacation Week Begin Date: 12 Aug 2024

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 6: Capital Budgeting Basics & Capital Budgeting for Foreign Investment Begin Date: 19 Aug 2024

Module/Topic

  • Project valuation and capital budgeting concepts
  • Various capital budgeting measures and their relative strengths and weaknesses
  • Capital rationing
  • Capital budgeting for a foreign investment and relevant foreign currency concepts  

Chapter

Ch 10 & Extra resources on Moodle

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 7: Advanced Issues in Capital Budgeting Begin Date: 26 Aug 2024

Module/Topic

  • Estimation of cash flows for capital budgeting and relevant issues
  • Capital budgeting for projects with different lives
  • Risk estimations in capital budgeting 
  • Various approaches for risk analysis
  • Advanced details on capital rationing 

Chapter

Ch 11 & Ch 12

Events and Submissions/Topic

Assessment 1 is due in Week 7 Friday


Knowledge and Valuation Assessment Due: Week 7 Friday (30 Aug 2024) 11:59 pm AEST
Week 8: Cost of Capital Begin Date: 02 Sep 2024

Module/Topic

  • Concepts of cost of capital 
  • Weighted average cost of capital (WACC): its use and limitations

Chapter

Ch 13

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 9: Raising Capital Begin Date: 09 Sep 2024

Module/Topic

  • Funding sources for businesses and startups  
  • Concepts concerning Initial Public Offering 

Chapter

Ch 15

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 10: Capital Structure Policy Begin Date: 16 Sep 2024

Module/Topic

  • Implications of capital structure decisions
  • M&M propositions
  • Trade-off theory and pecking order theory 

Chapter

Ch 16

Events and Submissions/Topic

Assessment 2 (Online quiz) opens on Week 10 Friday 9 AM AEST

Week 11: Dividend Policy & Contemporary Issues Begin Date: 23 Sep 2024

Module/Topic

  • Dividends and relevant concepts
  • Dividend policies and implications
  • Share buyback, bonus shares, split shares, and other relevant concepts
  • Contemporary finance issues

Chapter

Ch 17 & Extra resources

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 12: Revision Begin Date: 30 Sep 2024

Module/Topic

No new topic

Chapter

All concepts covered

Events and Submissions/Topic

Assessment 2 (Online quiz) closes on Week 12 Monday 11:59 PM AEST


Online Quiz Due: Week 12 Monday (30 Sept 2024) 11:59 pm AEST
Review/Exam Week Begin Date: 07 Oct 2024

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Exam Week Begin Date: 14 Oct 2024

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Assessment Tasks

1 Practical and Written Assessment

Assessment Title
Knowledge and Valuation Assessment

Task Description

The assessment can be submitted individually or in a group of a maximum of two students. The assessment constitutes a set of mathematical problems and associated theory and discussion questions and case studies (real-world scenario, or hypothetical or virtual world scenario). The contents involve weeks 1-5 (inclusive). The assessment aims at both judging your competence regarding the topics encountered and making you familiar with the applications of these concepts in real-world information processing. Further details, including the specific questions to be answered and any additional requirements for a group submission, will be provided within the Assessment block in Moodle by the end of Week 1.

Some points to note:

    1. The explanations in discussion questions should aim at one brief paragraph or multiple paragraphs depending upon the question and marks allocated. If you use sources to support your decisions, please use in-text referencing to acknowledge the source. However, you are not expected to reference the formulae.
    2. You should submit as a doc/docx/rtf format through the submission link on Moodle.

More information will be provided on Moodle.


Assessment Due Date

Week 7 Friday (30 Aug 2024) 11:59 pm AEST

Online submission through Moodle


Return Date to Students

Week 9 Friday (13 Sept 2024)

Return information will be advised on Moodle


Weighting
30%

Assessment Criteria

The assessment judges your ability to solve the set problems and discuss the relevant issues, further to your capability to use online resources. Marks allocated for this assignment consider the following aspects:

  • Completeness
  • Accuracy of the calculations
  • Quality of explanations
  • Presentation
  • Proper use of references
  • Model construction (if any) using Microsoft Excel

More details are on Moodle.


Referencing Style

Submission
Online Group

Submission Instructions
Word format is the preferred option. One file per group submitted on Moodle.

assessmentOutcome
  • Identify and explain the critical problems corporate financial managers encounter and solve
  • Analyse risk and return for financial decision making
  • Explain the valuation of financial securities (bonds, shares etc.) and the role of efficient markets.


assessmentGradAttribute

2 Online Quiz(zes)

Assessment Title
Online Quiz

Task Description

Complete an online quiz through the relevant link in Moodle. The quiz will open on Friday of Week 10 at 9 am (AEST) and will close on Monday of Week 12 at 11:59 pm (AEST). It consists of questions relating to weeks 6-10 inclusive and covers both theoretical concepts and math problem-solving. You have 65 minutes to complete this online quiz. You will be unable to re-open the quiz after the indicated dates and times. If you experience a computer problem you cannot solve, you are required to contact the unit coordinator by email at the earliest. Further details on the quiz structure will be advised on Moodle by the end of Week 9.


Number of Quizzes

1


Frequency of Quizzes

Other


Assessment Due Date

Week 12 Monday (30 Sept 2024) 11:59 pm AEST

You may attempt the quiz at any time after it is open, so long as it is completed before the due time. Once you open the quiz, you would need to finish it since there is only one attempt available. Further instructions will be provided on Moodle.


Return Date to Students

Exam Week Monday (14 Oct 2024)

Your online quiz results will be automatically generated and displayed when the quiz is closed.


Weighting
10%

Assessment Criteria

You will be assessed on your problem-solving and critical thinking skills. The nature of this assessment item indirectly assesses your information technology competence.


Referencing Style

Submission
Online

Submission Instructions
Please note the dates and time the quiz will remain open. You need to ensure that you attempt the quiz within this period.

assessmentOutcome
  • Apply finance theories and synthesise related information for corporate valuations, capital structure analysis, financial decision making, and dividend policy formulation
  • Analyse and form investment decisions using sound capital budgeting techniques


assessmentGradAttribute

3 Online Test

Assessment Title
Online Test

Task Description

This is the major assessment for this unit and examines the whole unit. It is currently structured as an open-book online test. Further specific details concerning its structure, timing, and rules will be advised on Moodle in due course.


Assessment Due Date

The test is expected to occur during the exam week. The specific date/time will be advised on Moodle in due course.


Return Date to Students

As this is a final assessment, no feedback will be issued before grade certification.


Weighting
60%

Assessment Criteria

Accuracy, completeness, presentation and style will be the basic expectations, with evidence of insightful mastery of the material including wider reading and understanding for the higher grades.


Referencing Style

Submission
Online

Submission Instructions
Submission instructions will be advised in due course.

assessmentOutcome
  • Identify and explain the critical problems corporate financial managers encounter and solve
  • Apply finance theories and synthesise related information for corporate valuations, capital structure analysis, financial decision making, and dividend policy formulation
  • Analyse and form investment decisions using sound capital budgeting techniques
  • Analyse risk and return for financial decision making
  • Explain the valuation of financial securities (bonds, shares etc.) and the role of efficient markets.


assessmentGradAttribute

Academic Integrity Statement

As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.

Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.

When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.

Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.

As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.

What is a breach of academic integrity?

A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.

Why is academic integrity important?

A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.

Where can I get assistance?

For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.

What can you do to act with integrity?