Alternative Investments
Duration
- One Semester or equivalent
Contact hours
- 36 hours
On-campus unit delivery combines face-to-face and digital learning. For Online unit delivery, learning is conducted exclusively online.
2022 teaching periods
Hawthorn
| Higher Ed. Semester 1 | Higher Ed. Semester 2 | |
|---|---|---|
Dates: Results: Last self enrolment: Census: Last withdraw without fail: |
Dates: Results: Last self enrolment: Census: Last withdraw without fail: |
Swinburne Online
| Teaching Period 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
Dates: Results: Last self enrolment: Census: Last withdraw without fail: |
Corequisites
NilAims and objectives
This unit introduces students to alternative investments as a distinct asset class. Students learn about the characteristics, risk-return assessment, required technology and strategies of alternative investments. Using actual examples from superannuation and sovereign wealth funds students will learn to analyse the use of alternatives as an asset class through an investigation of event-driven, convergence and market-neutral strategies, property, infrastructure, futures, commodities and venture capital. Students will learn the importance of information disclosure, investment performance analysis and the additional due diligence required prior to allocating capital. The ethical concerns for both fund managers and investors will also be explored.
Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
2 Evaluate alternative investment strategies by considering risks and returns assessments and performance measures
3 Understand the importance of due diligence in asset allocation and resolve ethical issues arising from the use of alternative investment strategies
4 Understand technological solutions to investment analysis
5 Work collaboratively as a member of a group
Unit information in detail
- Teaching methods, assessment and content.
Teaching methods
Face to Face Mode:
Lectures (12 x 1 hour), Tutorials (12 x 1 hour)
Student workload:
This includes all:
• Scheduled teaching and learning events and activities (contact hours timetabled in a face-to-face teaching space) and scheduled online learning events (contact hours scheduled in an online teaching space), and
To be successful, students should:
• Read all prescribed materials and/or view videos in preparation for each class
• Attend and engage in all scheduled classes (face to face or online)
• Start assessment tasks well ahead of the due date, and submit assessments promptly
• Read / listen to all feedback carefully, and consider it for future assessment
• Engage with fellow students and teaching staff (don’t hesitate to ask questions)
Lectures (12 x 1 hour), Tutorials (12 x 1 hour)
Online: Directed Online Learning and Independent Learning
12 hours (12 x 1 hour)
Independent Learning
114 hours (12 x 9.5 hours)
Swinburne Online
Online: Directed Online Learning and Independent Learning
150 hours (12 x 12.5 hours)
For all teaching and learning structures (both face to face and online), students are expected to spend an average of 150 hours per unit in total over the duration of the study period
• Scheduled teaching and learning events and activities (contact hours timetabled in a face-to-face teaching space) and scheduled online learning events (contact hours scheduled in an online teaching space), and
• Non-scheduled learning events and activities (including directed online learning activities, assessments, independent study, student group meetings, and research)
• Read all prescribed materials and/or view videos in preparation for each class
• Attend and engage in all scheduled classes (face to face or online)
• Start assessment tasks well ahead of the due date, and submit assessments promptly
• Read / listen to all feedback carefully, and consider it for future assessment
• Engage with fellow students and teaching staff (don’t hesitate to ask questions)
Assessment
Assignment (Individual) 30 - 40%
Presentation (Group) 10 - 20%
Final Examination (Individual) 40 - 60%
Presentation (Group) 10 - 20%
Final Examination (Individual) 40 - 60%
Content
- The need for due diligence in alternative asset classes
- Real assets: property and infrastructure
- Hedge funds
- Managed futures
- Commodities and their strategies
- Venture capital and private equity
- Asset allocation and institutional investors
Study resources
- Reading materials.
Reading materials
Students are advised to check the unit outline in the relevant teaching period for appropriate textbooks and further reading.