Curtin University MSc Units

Natural Resource Economics (full unit), Unit code: 10939, UWA Code: ENRL8538

Dates: 15-23 June 2008 (offered every year) Location: Bentley (Perth) campus, Curtin University of Technology

Intensive 9-day short course. Each involves attendance in class for four hours per day (usually in the morning) and associated activity outside class in the afternoons and evenings. There is typically an examination scheduled on the final day of each unit.  Topics include; The study of mineral economics, Review of economic concepts and theories, The framework for the analysis of natural resources, Economic rent, renewable resources, environmental resources, non - renewable resources, minerals and economic development, mineral abundance - curse or blessing, mineral policy and mineral taxation, mining and the environment, mining and sustainable development.

Presenters: Prof Phillip Maxwell, Steven Kemp (School of Economics & Finance)

Resource Sector Finance (half unit), Unit code: 10940, UWA Code: ENRL8539

Dates: 8-14 June 2008 (offered every year) Location: Bentley (Perth) campus, Curtin University of Technology

Intensive 6-day short course. Each involves attendance in class for four hours per day (usually in the morning) and associated activity outside class in the afternoons and evenings.  There is typically an examination scheduled on the final day of each unit.  Topics include; fundamental differences between cash (management) accounting and financial accounting on an accrual basis. Construction of simple Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) models of mining projects under assumed certainty. Investment choices based on the main DCF criteria of value (i.e. NPV, IRR, discounted payback etc.), the role of equity and debt in funding projects to generate financial leverage the concept of risk, our attitudes to it and how to make decisions under uncertainty using either the expected value or the expected preference value criteria, sensitivity and scenario analyses and Monte Carlo simulations.

Presenters: Assoc Prof Pietro Guj

Legal and Regulatory Environment (half unit), Unit code: 10942, UWA Code: ENRL8540

Dates: 25 June- 1 July 2008 (offered every year) Location: Bentley (Perth) campus, Curtin University of Technology

Intensive 6-day short course. Each involves attendance in class for four hours per day (usually in the morning) and associated activity outside class in the afternoons and evenings.  There is typically an examination scheduled on the final day of each unit.  Topics include; introduction to the common law system, the contextual legal framework within which Australia business functions, the law of contract, and an analysis of fundamental issues of Western Australian mining law.

Presenters: Gavin Jahn and Phil Davies (Curtin Business School)

Cost and Capital Investment Estimation (half unit), Unit code: 10943, UWA Code: ENRL8541

Dates: 2-7 July 2008 (offered every year) Location: Bentley (Perth) campus, Curtin University of Technology

Intensive 6-day short course. Each involves attendance in class for four hours per day (usually in the morning) and associated activity outside class in the afternoons and evenings.  There is typically an examination scheduled on the final day of each unit.  Topics include; a first exposure to the field of cost engineering designed to generate general awareness of the related methodologies rather than specialised technical expertise in the area. After a revision of fundamental Financial Accounting and Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) concepts and principles, students will be exposed to a number of different cost estimation methods including: "   Order-of-magnitude estimates using aggregate, average industry costs. "   Top-down modelling of broad component costs using empirical cost throughput curves. "   Bottom-up estimation of disaggregated component costs using detailed estimates of their inputs quantities and unit costs, including equipment, labour, supplies etc "   The use of DCF models to determine and assess contract-mining prices.

Presenters: Assoc Prof Pietro Guj (UWA)

Resource Sector Management (full unit), Unit code: 306032, UWA Code: ENRL8542

Dates: 19-24 February 2008 (offered every year) Location: Bentley (Perth) campus, Curtin University of Technology

Intensive 9-day short course. Each involves attendance in class for four hours per day (usually in the morning) and associated activity outside class in the afternoons and evenings. There is typically an examination scheduled on the final day of each unit.  Topics include; Strategic Management Porter's Five Forces and Generic Strategies, Porter's Value Chain - Influence upon Organisational Structure: The resource-based view of the firm (Core & Key Competence), Does industry matter? Competitive Strategy, Co-operative Strategy and "Co-opetition" ,McKinsey's Seven S's (Strategy, Structure, Skills, Style, Staff, Shared Values,  System), Corporate Strategy (The role of the corporate centre), Portfolio Theory & Conglomerates, 'New' Economy versus 'Old' Economy Business Models: Is there a difference? Operations Management Principles of Scientific Management (Taylorism), Theory of Constraints (Goldratt), Critical Path Project Management, 'Lean' Production (The Toyota Production System), Inventory Management (Is inventory an asset or liability?), Management Accounting (Why use it?), Operations Performance Metrics.

Presenters: Adjunct Prof Allan Trench