The School of Economics and Finance will be offering the following units in the Summer School period for 2008 (semester 3) on the Hobart Campus only:

• BEA110 Economics for Business
• BEA140 Quantitative Methods
• BEA200 Intermediate Microeconomics
• BEA2/341 Research Methods for Finance
• BEA286 Investment Analysis
• BEA683 Economics for Managers

How to Enrol:

Students are required to use a 2008 re-enrolment form. The form will be posted to students in September 2007. Approval must be granted by a Faculty Staff member:

• Undergraduate Units: Ms Alison Nowak, Room 318B, Level 3, Commerce Building
• Postgraduate Unit: Ms Lucy Mills, Room 318C, Level 3, Commerce Building

Examination period for the units will be between 4th February 2008 to 8th February 2008. Results released 20th February 2008. Your own personal timetable is made available on the web at 9.00am on the 13 January 2008. See: http://www.studentcentre.utas.edu.au/examinations_and_results/

For further details on each of the units please see below. Please note: Outlines for each unit will be released six weeks prior to the start of January. Rooms and times will be updated in the near future.

Units offered in Accounting, Corporate Governance and Management:

Please see individual School web sites for information and dates for units offered by these Schools.

• Accounting and Corporate Governance
• Management

BEA110 Economics for Business
(Offered on Hobart Campus only)

Takes students on a 'walk in the street' by identifying some of the real problems of importance to all professionals and applying economic concepts and methods of analysis to these real problems. From this viewpoint students learn how microeconomics can help improve the prospects of a business owner. A range of key concepts is developed to provide students with an appreciation of the macroeconomic environment within which society operates and its real problems such as : unemployment and inflation. Compulsory unit in the BEc and BBus degrees.

Textbook(s):

• Frank, Jennings & Bernake, "Principles of Microeconomics", 2007, 1st edition, McGraw Hill
• Bernake, Olekalns & Frank, "Principles of Macroeconomics", 2005, McGraw Hill

WEIGHT:   12.5%

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BEA140 Quantitative Methods
(Offered on Hobart Campus only)

Provides a foundation in the mathematics of finance and statistical descriptions and analysis, appropriate for the study of and professional practice in business, economics, accounting, finance, management and marketing. The primary emphasis is on understanding the statistical concepts and methods widely used in these disciplines, with a consequent enhancement of numeracy skills and an ability to use both formulae and quantitative computer packages. The focus is on the practical use of data in a business/economic decision environment, especially in an environment of risk and uncertainty.

No Textbook Required.

Recommended Readings:

• Waters, D., "Quantitative Methods for Business", 3rd Edition, Prentice Hall
• Selvanathan, et al, "Australian Business Statistics", Abridged 2nd Edition, Nelson
• Berenson, Levine & Krehbiel, "Basic Business Statistics", 9th Edition, Prentice Hall
• Croucher, J., "Statistics: Making Business Decisions", McGraw-HIll
• Aczel, A., "Complete Business Statistics", 4th Edition, McGraw-Hill

WEIGHT:   12.5%

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BEA200 Intermediate Microeconomics
(Offered on Hobart Campus only)

Intermediate Microeconomics has two main purposes. First, it is a foundation unit in the study of economics. Starting from a number of fundamental assumptions, this unit develops the neoclassical theory of the optimising behaviour of consumers and firms and the process of interaction of these agents within various market structures. Intermediate microeconomics provides the essential building blocks for higher-level economics and finance units. Second, Intermediate Microeconomics shows how the economic theory developed can be directly applied to help solve the day-to-day decisions that face managers, financiers and economists such as dealing with risk and time, minimising cost, production, maximising profit through pricing and analysing markets and competition. It achieves this through application of the theory to real-world examples and solving problems of this nature. This unit is not highly mathematical but does involve some simple algebra, and relies extensively on the use of graphical analysis. An understanding of simple differentiation is also useful, but it will be taught as part of the unit and is not a prerequisite.

It is a compulsory unit for the Bachelor of Economics and combined Economics degrees.  It is also compulsory for the Finance and Business Economics majors in the Bachelor of Business.

Textbook(s):

• Waldman, DE., "Microeconomics", Pearson, Addison Wesley, 2004.

WEIGHT:   12.5%

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BEA2/341 Research Methods for Finance
(Offered on Hobart Campus only)

This is an intermediate level unit in quantitative methods for finance. It is an either or unit for students who have elected the Finance major in both the BBus and BEc degrees. The rules applying for finance require either BEA242 Introduction to Econometrics or BEA2/341 Research Methods for Finance. This unit is an elective in all other BEc majors.

This unit provides Finance students with the quantitative methods required to analyse the valuation of financial assets; the choices of portfolio investors; risk and uncertainty inherent in finance markets; finance market equilibria and the trade off between financial and non-financial assets.
The unit aims to extend knowledge about the presentation of reports containing financial data. The unit will also include the use of Excel spreadsheets for financial applications.

Textbook(s):

• Watsham, T.J. & Parramore, K. (1997), Quantitative Methods in Finance, 1st Edition, Thomson, Melbourne.

WEIGHT:   12.5%

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BEA286 Investment Analysis
(Offered on Hobart Campus only)

This unit in finance focuses on security analysis and portfolio management.  It is designed around the following three points of view to enable you to learn about trading and investing in the stockmarket(s).

• Investment skills for your own personal gain.
• Investment skills for the financial services industry.
• An understanding of financial markets and instruments.

The study of investments is exciting. This is the only unit that equips you directly to trade and invest in the stockmarket(s). In this unit you will participate in the Stock-Trading Project (portfolio simulation) managing an initial virtual wealth of A$1,000,000.  You may not find it easy, but you will most certainly find it potentially rewarding.

Now that you have reached this stage in your university studies, there will be an increased emphasis on independent learning. You are expected to complete the required readings without detailed coverage in lectures. You are expected to regularly read the financial press. If you have any deficiencies in the prerequisite levels of knowledge or skills, then you are expected to correct them on your own. When you are proficient at independently acquiring investment knowledge and skills, it will continue to work for you long after you have finished your degree.

Textbook(s):

• Jordan, Bradford D. and Thomas W. Miller, Jr, Fundamentals of Investments: Valuation and Management, with FREE Self-Study CD-ROM and Stock-Trak Portfolio Simulations® Subscription, 4thEdition, McGraw-Hill Higher Education, 2006.

WEIGHT:   12.5%

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BEA683 Economics for Managers
(Offered on Hobart Campus only)

Textbook(s):

• Gans, J., King, S., Stonecash, R. and Mankiw, G. 2005. Principles of Economics (3rd edition). Southbank: Thomson and
• Dixit, A.K. and B.J. Nalebuff. 1991. Thinking Strategically. W.W. Norton and Co., New York.

WEIGHT:   12.5%

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