FMBA5006: Intensive February - March, 2021
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Unit outline_

FMBA5006: Financial Management

Intensive February - March, 2021 [Block mode] - Castlereagh St, Sydney

This unit aims to provide students with insight and understanding of the role that financial management can play in developing and executing effective strategies. Topics covered include principles of valuation and investment evaluation, constructing a financially robust business case, financial modelling, risk assessment and a financial perspective on innovation. This unit provides students with an opportunity to learn key financial management tools and techniques that can be used to drive and support strategy and directly apply this knowledge in real-world scenarios.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit Management Education
Credit points 6
Prerequisites
? 
None
Corequisites
? 
None
Prohibitions
? 
SMBA6004
Assumed knowledge
? 

None

Available to study abroad and exchange students

No

Teaching staff

Coordinator Guy Ford, guy.ford@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Assignment Individual assignment
Written task
30% Week 05 3000 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3
Assignment group assignment Group assignment
Report
30% Week 08 4000 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3
Final exam (Take-home short release) Type D final exam Final exam
Online submission
40% Week 09
Due date: 01 Apr 2021 at 10:00
2.5 hours
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3
group assignment = group assignment ?
Type D final exam = Type D final exam ?

Assessment summary

  • Individual assignment: This assessment requires students to analyse, interpret and evaluate various aspects of the financial
    performance of a corporate entity.
  • Sustainability component: Syndicate groups are required to conduct a valuation of a listed company based on publicly available financial information using the various company valuation tools examined in the course. Groups are required to value the company under a number of scenarios, assess the impact of each on the value of the entity, and subsequently test and recommend strategies for recovery where appropriate.
  • Final exam: The exam will cover all aspects of the unit. Specifically, students will be required to demonstrate that they can apply their learning from the unit to various business/management/strategy scenarios and problems. The questions will not require students to perform specific calculations, but they are welcome to do so if it supports their discussion/argument. The final exam is listed as a HURDLE TASK which means you must complete the assessment in order to pass the unit. Students who fail to complete this assessment, even when their aggregate mark for the entire unit of study is above 50%, will be given a Fail grade for this unit. As a result, a student's academic transcript will show a Fail grade and the actual mark achieved if the final mark of the unit is between 0-49 and a Fail grade and a capped moderated mark of 49 for all other final marks.

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name

Mark range

Description

High distinction

85 - 100

Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an exceptional standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school. 

Distinction

75 - 84

Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at a very high standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.

Credit

65 - 74

Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at a good standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.

Pass

50 - 64

Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an acceptable standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school. 

Fail

0 - 49

When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

  • Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
  • After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Week 01 Introduction and overview Block teaching (4 hr)  
Financial statement analysis Block teaching (4 hr)  
Week 02 1. Principles of valuation; 2. Investment evaluation Block teaching (4 hr)  
Constructing a financially-robust business case Block teaching (4 hr)  
Week 04 Financial modelling and sustainable growth Block teaching (4 hr)  
Valuing a corporate entity Block teaching (4 hr)  
Week 05 Risk assessment Block teaching (4 hr)  
Capital structure and the cost of capital Block teaching (4 hr)  
Week 07 Synthesis: growth and restructuring Block teaching (4 hr)  
1. Innovation: a financial perspective; 2. Review exercise Block teaching (4 hr)  

Attendance and class requirements

Lecture recordings and attendance: Note that MBA classes held at the CBD Campus are not systematically recorded and 100% class attendance is expected for each unit of the MBA Program. If there are extenuating circumstances as to why you are not able to attend a particular class, please contact your unit coordinator as soon as possible, and also notify your group members (if the unit has a group work component). A unit requirement is 80% attendance, and those who drop below this level may not pass the unit.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

All readings for this unit can be accessed through the Library eReserve, available on Canvas.

  • Berk J, Demarzo P, Harford J, Ford G and Mollica V., 2018 'Fundamentals of Corporate Finance (3rd Edition)', Pearson, Sydney, Australia ISBN 9781488611001.

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. evaluate the effectiveness of financial decisions made within the firm
  • LO2. incorporate sound financial decision making practices into business planning
  • LO3. understand the relationship between managerial decision making and the creation of value.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1 Depth of disciplinary expertise

Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.

GQ2 Critical thinking and problem solving

Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.

GQ3 Oral and written communication

Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.

GQ4 Information and digital literacy

Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.

GQ5 Inventiveness

Generating novel ideas and solutions.

GQ6 Cultural competence

Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.

GQ7 Interdisciplinary effectiveness

Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.

GQ8 Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity

An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.

GQ9 Influence

Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes Graduate qualities
GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 GQ6 GQ7 GQ8 GQ9

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

No changes have been made since this unit was last offered.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

This unit of study outline was last modified on 08 Mar 2021.

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