MAA255 - Money, Wealth, and You
Unit details
| Year | 2026 unit information |
|---|---|
| Enrolment modes: | Trimester 1: Burwood (Melbourne), Waterfront (Geelong), Online Trimester 2: Burwood (Melbourne), Online |
| Credit point(s): | 1 |
| EFTSL value: | 0.125 |
| Unit Chair: | Trimester 1: Campbell Heggen Trimester 2: Peter Vuong |
| Prerequisite: | MAF101 or MAA104 |
| Corequisite: | Nil |
| Educator-facilitated (scheduled) learning activities - on-campus unit enrolment: | 1 x 3 hour on-campus seminar (recordings provided) each week |
| Educator-facilitated (scheduled) learning activities - online unit enrolment: | 1 x 1 hour recorded lecture and 1 x 2 hour online seminar (recordings provided) each week. |
| Typical study commitment: | Students will on average spend 150 hours over the teaching period undertaking the teaching, learning and assessment activities for this unit. |
Content
This unit introduces students to the essentials of personal finance and wealth building. Students will learn how to manage their personal finances effectively and develop strategies for building wealth over time. Key topics include superannuation, insurance, investments, debt management, investment strategies, and taxation.
The unit also explores the broader economic, political, social, and legal environments and how they influence personal financial decision-making. Through practical examples and real-world applications, students will gain valuable financial literacy skills and strategies that can be applied in their everyday lives. This engaging and practical unit is designed to equip students with the knowledge and skills to make informed financial decisions and to work towards the achievement of financial goals and long-term wealth generation.
Learning outcomes
| ULO | These are the Unit Learning Outcomes (ULOs) for this unit. At the completion of this unit, successful students can: | Alignment to Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes (GLOs) |
|---|---|---|
| ULO1 | Apply foundational financial literacy, taxation, investment, insurance, superannuation, and estate planning knowledge to authentic personal and client-based scenarios.
| GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge capabilities |
| ULO2 | Evaluate the reliability, ethical implications, and professional suitability of financial advice generated by digital tools such as GenAI and robo-advice.
| GLO3: Digital literacy |
| ULO3 | Solve quantitative financial planning problems, including time value of money, cash flow forecasting, and after-tax calculations, using appropriate financial mathematics and judgement.
| GLO5: Problem solving |
| ULO4 | Create a limited-scope Statement of Advice that reflects the client’s goals, risk profile, and best interests, and justify the recommendations using discipline-specific knowledge. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities |
Assessment
| Assessment Description | Student output | Grading and weighting (% total mark for unit) | Indicative due week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment 1: Part A: (Individual) Reflection Part B: (Group of 3) Essay | Part A: 1000 words Part B: 2000 words | Part A: 15% Part B: 15% | Part A: Week 3 Part B: Week 5 |
| Assessment 2: (Individual) Case analysis | Excel proforma | 30% | Week 8 |
| Assessment 3: (Individual) Report | 2000 words | 40% | Week 12 |
The assessment due weeks provided may change. The Unit Chair will clarify the exact assessment requirements, including the due date, at the start of the teaching period.
Hurdle requirement
Nil
Learning resource
The texts and reading list for MAA255 can be found via the University Library.
Note: Select the relevant trimester reading list. Please note that a future teaching period's reading list may not be available until a month prior to the start of that teaching period so you may wish to use the relevant trimester's prior year reading list as a guide only.
Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)
To fully engage with Deakin's learning experiences, students must be able to access and use internet-connected devices as outlined in computing requirements at Deakin.
To support student success at Deakin, we have a bring-your-own-device (BYOD) learning environment that acknowledges that students and educators bring with them the digital tools they regularly use to complete academic tasks. These tools stay with you beyond the classroom, helping you to keep learning, explore ideas more deeply, and connect with knowledge in ways that matter to you.
Students requiring a loan device should visit our Loan Laptop webpage or students requiring longer-term assistance should visit our Student Financial Assistance webpage.
Unit Fee Information
Fees and charges vary depending on the type of fee place you hold, your course, your commencement year, the units you choose to study and their study discipline, and your study load.
Tuition fees increase at the beginning of each calendar year and all fees quoted are in Australian dollars ($AUD). Tuition fees do not include textbooks, computer equipment or software, other equipment or costs such as mandatory checks, travel and stationery.
For further information regarding tuition fees, other fees and charges, invoice due dates, withdrawal dates, payment methods visit our Current Students website.