Unit Outline
BEA343
Corporate Finance
Semester 1, 2024
Faisal Khan
Tasmanian School of Business & Economics (TSBE)
College of Business and Economics
CRICOS Provider Code: 00586B
Unit Coordinator
Faisal Khan
Email: F.Khan@utas.edu.au
 
What is the Unit About?
Unit Description
This Unit is concerned with Corporate Finance. The central issues in Corporate Finance are how to acquire and employ or invest funds efficiently. Concepts in Corporate Finance are explored as a set of ideas and principles that work together and their application to corporate financial policy decisions including dividend, capital structure and risk management.
Intended Learning Outcomes
As per the Assessment and Results Policy 1.3, your results will reflect your achievement against specified learning outcomes.
On completion of this unit, you will be able to:
1.
Analyse the theory and practical problems of corporate finance in the modern business environment.
2.
Evaluate the way corporate managers use financial theory to solve practical problems in a team context.
3.
Apply underlying theories, concepts, assumptions, limitations and arguments to make corporate finance decisions within real-world constraints.
4.
Clearly present corporate finance issues and possible solutions to business professionals.
Requisites
REQUISITE TYPE
REQUISITES
Pre-requisite
BEA112
Alterations as a result of student feedback
To Be Determined
 
 
Teaching arrangements
ATTENDANCE MODE
TEACHING TYPE
LEARNING ACTIVITY
CONTACT HOURS
FREQUENCY
On Campus
Workshop
Introductory 1-hr workshop, Week 1
1
Once only
Lecture (On Campus)
Pre-recorded 1-hr lecture, once a week
1
Weekly
Workshop
2-hr workshop, fortnightly, commencing in Week 2
2
1 time per fortnight
Independent Learning
5-hrs independent learning
5
Weekly
Online
Online Class
Introductory 1-hr workshop, Week 1
1
Once only
Independent Learning
Pre-recorded 1-hr lecture, once a week
1
Weekly
Online Class
1-hr workshop, weekly, commencing in Week 2
1
Weekly
Independent Learning
5-hrs independent learning
5
Weekly
Attendance / engagement expectations
If your unit is offered On campus, it is expected that you will attend all on-campus and onsite learning activities. This is to support your own learning and the development of a learning community within the unit. If you are unable to attend regularly, please discuss the situation with your course coordinator and/or our UConnect support team.

If your unit is offered Online, it is expected you will engage in all those activities as indicated in the Unit Outline, including any self-directed learning.

If you miss a learning activity for a legitimate reason (e.g., illness, carer responsibilities) teaching staff will attempt to provide alternative activities (e.g., make up readings) where it is possible.
 
The Tasmanian School of Business and Economics regularly hosts Masterclasses and Industry Engagement and Employability Events, which students are encouraged to attend. Registration and details will be available via the College of Business and Economics channel on the Uni App and/or via your Unit Coordinator. 
 
 
How will I be Assessed?
 
For more detailed assessment information please see MyLO.
Assessment schedule
ASSESSMENT TASK #
ASSESSMENT TASK NAME
DATE DUE
WEIGHT
LINKS TO INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES
Assessment Task 1:
Short Answer Case Questions
Week 4
25 %
LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4
Assessment Task 2:
Case study – Team Assignment
Week 10
35 %
LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4
Assessment Task 3:
Final Exam – Take Home Exam
Exam Period
40 %
LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4
 
Assessment details
    
Assessment Task 1: Short Answer Case Questions
Task Description:
Students will have the opportunity to practice developing responses in two low-weighted assessments. In this assignment, students will respond to case information to provide short answers using appropriate financial theory and practice.

Part A (due 5pm Friday Week 4), 600 words
In Part A, students will address questions relating to content from weeks 1 to 3. Students will be assessed on Criteria 1, 2, 3, and 6.
Part B (due 5pm Friday Week 12), 600 words
In Part B, students will address questions relating to content from weeks 4 to 10. Students will be assessed on Criteria 1, 4, 5, and 6.

Task Length:
1,200 words
Due Date:
Week 4
Weight:
25 %
 
CRITERION #
CRITERION
MEASURES INTENDED
LEARNING OUTCOME(S)
1
Assess the financial implications of market imperfections on sustainable corporate investments and financing decisions.
LO1
2
Determine and evaluate the optimal capital structure using basic principles of capital structure.
LO2
3
Construct risk minimising portfolios using risk appraisal techniques.
LO2
4
Identify and assess the financial risks a company faces.
LO3
5
Critically analyse the choice of discount rates in asset pricing.
LO3
6
Convey financial information using professional written communication.
LO4
 
Assessment Task 2: Case study – Team Assignment
Task Description:
Students are required to submit a written assignment containing research, data collection (using financial datasets from Yahoo Finance, etc.), problem solving, and critiques of scenarios based on a case study.

This is a team assignment and students are required to work collaboratively. Each team is between 2-3 students. Each team is required to provide the contributions of individual group members (as a percentage) on the cover sheet, and this will be used to assess Criteria 5. Each team only needs to submit one file.

Task Length:
1,500 words (excluding figures, charts, and references).
Due Date:
Week 10
 
Weight:
35 %
 
CRITERION #
CRITERION
MEASURES INTENDED
LEARNING OUTCOME(S)
1
Analyse the relevant theoretical issues that apply in a given scenario.
LO1
2
Work cooperatively in a team to achieve team goals (assessed individually).
LO2
3
Conduct a pertinent analysis interpreting the meaning of financial calculations.
LO2
4
Apply corporate financial techniques, considering Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) factors to the given scenario.
LO3
5
Use professional and academic language to convey financial information.
LO4
 
Assessment Task 3: Final Exam – Take Home Exam
Task Description:
The final exam covers content from across the entire unit. It provides students the opportunity to respond to numerical calculations, short answer essays, multiple choice questions, and analytical questions.
Supplementary information will be provided on MyLO in Week 13 to support effective preparation for the final examination.

Task Length:
24 hours
Due Date:
Exam Period
Weight:
40 %
 
CRITERION #
CRITERION
MEASURES INTENDED
LEARNING OUTCOME(S)
1
Analyse the challenges and complexities associated with sustainable corporate financing decisions.
LO1
2
Evaluate the impact of world events, business actions and government policy on a company’s financial decisions.
LO2
3
Critically examine the interaction between financial markets and corporate finance based on the recent financial innovations.
LO2
4
Assess the effects of financial leverage on capital structure decisions.
LO3
5
Recommend creative solutions using appropriate financial techniques within real-world constraints.
LO3
6
Clearly present financial information used to solve problems.
LO4
 
 
 
How your final result is determined
To pass this unit, you need to demonstrate your attainment of each of the Intended Learning Outcomes, achieve a final unit grade of 50% or greater, and pass any hurdle tasks.
 
Submission of assignments
Where practicable, assignments should be submitted to an assignment submission folder in MYLO. You must submit assignments by the due date or receive a penalty (unless an extension of time has been approved by the Unit Coordinator). Students submitting any assignment in hard copy, or because of a practicum finalisation, must attach a student cover sheet and signed declaration for the submission to be accepted for marking.
 
Requests for extensions
If you are unable to submit an assessment task by the due date, you should apply for an extension.
 
A request for an extension should first be discussed with your Unit Coordinator or teaching support team where possible. A request for an extension must be submitted by the assessment due date, except where you can provide evidence it was not possible to do so. Typically, an application for an extension will be supported by documentary evidence: however, where it is not possible for you to provide evidence please contact your Unit Coordinator.
 
The Unit Coordinator must notify you of the outcome of an extension request within 3 working days of receiving the request.
Late penalties
Assignments submitted after the deadline will receive a late penalty of 5% of the original available mark for each calendar day (or part day) that the assignment is late. Late submissions will not be accepted more than 10 calendar days after the due date, or after assignments have been returned to other students on a scheduled date, whichever occurs first. Further information on Late Penalties can be found on the Assessments and Results Procedure.
 
Review of results and appeals
You are entitled to ask for a review of the marking and grading of your assessment task if there is an irregularity in the marking standards or an error in the process for determining the outcome of an assessment. Details on how to request a review of a mark for an assignment are outlined in the Review and Appeal of Academic Decisions Procedure.
 
 
 
Required Resources
Required reading materials
Ross, S., Drew, M., Walk, R., Westerfield, R., & Jordan, B., (8th edn), Fundamentals of Corporate Finance, McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Limited.
 
Recommended reading materials
Brealey, R., Myers, S., Marcus A., Fundamentals of Corporate Finance, 11th Edition, McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Limited.
Bruner, R., Eades, K., Schill, M., Case Studies in Finance, 7th Edition, McGraw-Hill/Irwin, 2013.
 
Other required resources
In addition to the texts recommended above, you are also expected to be familiar with the key academic journals in the discipline from which useful insights may be derived. In particular, you are encouraged to review regularly the relevant papers that are published in:
Wall Street Journals, CBS, Yahoo Finance, and etc.