Course coordinator
Associate Professor Min Zhu
Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 1, 2025 (24/02/2025 - 21/06/2025)
- Study level
- Postgraduate Coursework
- Location
- Brisbane City
- Attendance mode
- Intensive
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Business School
Asset Pricing and Portfolio Management uses techniques for evaluating a broad range of investments in the portfolios of institutional and individual investors. The course will explore diversification and techniques for optimal portfolio allocation to balance risk and return objectives outright or net of liabilities.
This course adopts a quantitative approach to asset management and examines recent developments in academic and practitioner literature on asset pricing and portfolio management. Students will gain a deep understanding of factor asset pricing theories and the identification of key risk factors in financial markets. They will also explore asset-pricing puzzles and the associated rational and behavioural explanations. Student will learnﾠhow to construct portfolios under the mean-variance framework and alternative approaches, and how to evaluate portfolio strategies and performance. The course will address the impact of behavioural biases on asset pricing and portfolio management strategies. Additionally, the course will discuss emerging themes in asset management including sustainable investing and impactful investing.
Course requirements
Companion or co-requisite courses
You'll need to complete the following courses at the same time:
FINM7101
Restrictions
Restricted to students enrolled in the MFinInvMgt and GCFinInvM.
Course contact
Course staff
Lecturer
Associate Professor Min Zhu
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Additional timetable information
Please note: Teaching staff do not have access to the timetabling system to help with class allocation. Therefore, should you need help with your timetable and/or allocation of classes, please email business.mytimetable@uq.edu.au from your UQ student email account with the following details:
- Full Name
- Student ID
- Course Code
Aims and outcomes
The course aims to provide students with a range of techniques required to evaluate investments in the portfolios of institutional and individual investors. Students will develop a deeper understanding of the risks associated with investments and the need for appropriate valuation models by looking to industry for insight.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Create appropriate valuation models and portfolios to measure/attribute performance.
LO2.
Evaluate the economic, financial, and geopolitical risks associated with investments on a security as well as portfolio and/or balance sheet level.
LO3.
Apply theory to the analysis of real-world investment cases with a group of peers.
LO4.
Apply social and ethical frameworks, including Indigenous viewpoints, in an investment setting.
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation | A1: Design an Impact Fund | 50% |
17/03/2025 3:00 pm |
| Computer Code, Paper/ Report/ Annotation, Project |
A2: Investment Analysis
|
50% |
1/04/2025 3:00 pm |
Assessment details
A1: Design an Impact Fund
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation
- Weight
- 50%
- Due date
17/03/2025 3:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L02, L04
Task description
This is an individual assessment in which students will design an impact fund centred on reconciliation. The goal is to develop a comprehensive, actionable investment framework that upholds reconciliation principles while fulfilling fiduciary responsibilities. Detailed information on the assessment format, expectations, criteria, and submission requirements is available on the course Blackboard site.
AI Statement:
Artificial Intelligence (AI) provides emerging tools that may support students in completing this assessment task. Students may appropriately use AI in completing this assessment task; however, students must clearly reference any use of AI in each instance. A failure to reference generative AI use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
Contact course coordinator before the due date for extension.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
A2: Investment Analysis
- Team or group-based
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Computer Code, Paper/ Report/ Annotation, Project
- Weight
- 50%
- Due date
1/04/2025 3:00 pm
- Other conditions
- Peer assessed.
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L03
Task description
Students are required to form teams of 2-3 people. Each team will be provided with practical issues that they need to collaboratively solve. Students are required to collect and analyse data, utilising asset pricing and portfolio management theories to assess the practical issues at hand, and formulate sound recommendations. Each team is expected to prepare both a report and a presentation of their findings. Students will also have the opportunity to provide a peer assessment at the conclusion of the team project.
Further details about the case study's format, expectations, criteria and submission requirements are posted on the course Blackboard site.
AI Statement:
Artificial Intelligence (AI) provides emerging tools that may support students in completing this assessment task. Students may appropriately use AI in completing this assessment task; however, students must clearly reference any use of AI in each instance. A failure to reference generative AI use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Cut off Percent | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) | 0 - 29 |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 2 (Fail) | 30 - 46 |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) | 47 - 49 |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes |
| 4 (Pass) | 50 - 64 |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 5 (Credit) | 65 - 74 |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 6 (Distinction) | 75 - 84 |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 7 (High Distinction) | 85 - 100 |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
Additional course grading information
Grades will be allocated according to University-wide standards of criterion-based assessment.
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Find the required and recommended resources for this course on the UQ Library website.
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Multiple weeks |
Not Timetabled |
Online Learning Topics: Mean-variance portfolio theory, portfolio performance measures, sustainable investing Learning outcomes: L02, L03, L04 |
Week 3 |
Workshop |
Day 1 - Wednesday - 12/3 Topics: Asset pricing factor theory, CAPM testing, risk factors, asset pricing anomalies, return predictability Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
Workshop |
Day 2 - Thursday - 13/3 Topics: asset classes, illiquid assets, Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
|
Workshop |
Day 3 - Friday - 14/3 Topics: Market efficiency, behavioural finance, emerging trends in finance Learning outcomes: L02, L03, L04 |
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments for Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.