250720 Applied Financial Management

Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.

Subject handbook information prior to 2025 is available in the Archives.

UTS: Business
Credit points: 3 cp

Subject level:

Postgraduate

Result type: Grade and marks

Requisite(s): 240748c Delivering Customer Value
The lower case 'c' after the subject code indicates that the subject is a corequisite. See definitions for details.
These requisites may not apply to students in certain courses. See access conditions.
Anti-requisite(s): 25720 Applied Financial Management AND 25742 Financial Management

Description

All managers must have a basic understanding of ?nancial management concepts, capital markets and instruments, as well as the trade-offs between financial risk versus gain. This subject provides students with the understanding of the latest tools and techniques in financial management. The main goal of the subject is to prepare students for responsible and sustainable leadership using the financial management perspective. This subject develops a framework around financial analysis and modelling, as well as business, risk, and investment evaluation by focusing on four main areas:

1. the assessment of an organisation’s financial health
2. the planning of the organisation’s future financial performance
3. the financing of the organisation’s operations, and
4. the evaluation of business and investment opportunities for the organisation.

Emphasis is placed on the application of tools and techniques to real world problems in financial management to enable students to solve related problems in their place of work.

Subject learning objectives (SLOs)

1.	appraise the role of financial management in evaluating the financial health and performance of an organisation
2.	apply financial management techniques to financial analyses and financial modelling problems
3.	assess financial decisions relating to investment, financing and risk management

Contribution to the development of graduate attributes

The subject introduces students to a range of financial tools and techniques and prepare them for the management of financial risk, assessment of financial health and decision making related to financing operations, risk and the valuation of enterprises.

This subject is aligned with the following Graduate Attribute(s):

• Intellectual rigour and innovative problem solving

Teaching and learning strategies

Orientation activities
Preparation for the Session - students are expected to undertake activities prior to the first week. These activities (approximately two hours in duration) include online readings, videos (database searching) and interaction with peers and are important in helping students prepare for the subject’s Assessment Tasks. This also provides students with an opportunity to meet and interact with peers.
Students will learn through independent learning activities, group work, peer review, and participation in collaborative online sessions through the learning management system.

Independent learning activities
Relevant readings, videos and activities will be made available online relevant to the topic of the week. Students are expected to come to the collaborative online sessions prepared. This will enhance the students’ ability to progress successfully throughout the subject and complete assessment items effectively. The online material aims to enhance students’ understanding of the topic or delve deeper into a more specific area. Information and links to all these learning activities can be accessed via Canvas as well as the subject outline.

Online collaborative sessions
The online collaborative sessions will provide opportunities for group activities and discussion, self-assessment, peer review and formative feedback from the subject facilitator. Online collaborative sessions will be conducted at a time that enables the majority of students to contribute.

Feedback
Feedback will be frequent and takes several forms including self-assessment and peer review. Formative feedback throughout the subject aims to increase student performance at summative assessments.

Content (topics)

• Financial analysis and performance.
• Forecasting and growth management.
• Financing operations.
• Investment and risk analysis

Assessment

Assessment task 1: Quizzes (Individual)*

Objective(s):	This addresses subject learning objective(s): 1 and 2
Weight:	45%
Criteria:	Correctness and accuracy *Note: Late submission of the assessment task will not be marked and awarded a mark of zero.

Assessment task 2: Scenario and case analysis (Individual)

Objective(s):	This addresses subject learning objective(s): 1, 2 and 3
Weight:	55%
Criteria:	The suitability of the methodology used The accuracy of the numerical, graphical, and verbal analysis The critical interpretation of the results of this analysis The clarity of the ideas presented in, and formatting of, the report

Minimum requirements

Students must achieve at least 50% of the subject’s total marks.

Required texts

There is no required textbook. Resources will be made available through the learning management system.

References

Higgins, Robert C., Koski, Jennifer L., Mitton, Todd. Analysis for financial management, 12th edition, McGraw-Hill/Irwin, 2019.

Ross, S., Westerfield, R., Jordan, B. Fundamentals of corporate finance, 11th edition, McGraw-Hill/Irwin, 2015.

Brigham, E., Houston, J. Fundamentals of financial management, 14th edition, South-Western College Pub, 2015.

Benninga, S. Financial modelling, 4th edition, MIT Press, 2014