Finance Courses

Fin 515 Economic Analysis (3)

Provides economic foundations for business management and fosters the development of sound economic reasoning. Relevant principles of macroeconomic and microeconomic theory will be related to specific business applications. A group project, involving a written and oral presentation is required. Prerequisite: One course in economics.

Fin 525 Financial Management (3)

Fundamental techniques of financial valuation are developed and then applied to the management of investment portfolios and capital projects. A comprehensive introduction to modern financial markets is provided. Examines a wide range of financial instruments available to individuals and corporations. Prerequisites: Acc 512 or Acc 518 and Itm 513; Co-requisite: Fin 515.

Fin 585 Derivatives and Risk (3)

This course provides an introduction to pricing and uses of futures and options contracts. Throughout the course, primary attention is given to the pricing of derivatives contracts, understanding the role of expectations, and arbitrage arguments as well as to analyzing risk exposures and exploring the hedging and speculative potential of derivatives markets. Emphasis will be placed on the applications of the material. Prerequisites: Fin525, or the equivalent.

Fin 601 Corporate Financial Management (3)

Advanced course in corporate finance that builds on the tools and concepts taught in Fin 525; a mixture of lectures and applications of modern finance theory. Topics include capital budgeting, risk analysis, asset pricing models, agency theory and their application to corporate dividend policy, capital structure decisions and mergers/divestitures. Prerequisites: Fin 525 and permission of instructor.

Fin 602 Investment Valuation and Analysis (3)

This course will focus on the valuation of equity and derivative securities and the fundamental principles of portfolio management. Topics include various forms of equity valuation, option pricing, hedging, and speculation methods, creation of investment policy statements, construction of performance benchmarks, performance attribution methods, and development of effective regulatory compliance procedures. Skills such as the use of financial modeling software, teamwork, and oral and written communication are emphasized heavily. Prerequisites: Fin 525 and permission of instructor.

Fin 603 The Fixed Income Securities Market (3)

The course focuses on the analysis and valuation of fixed income securities. Topics include the fundamentals of bond pricing, duration, convexity, the term structure of interest rates, corporate, Treasury, and municipal securities, asset-backed securities, bonds with embedded options, and interest rate swaps. Key skills include spreadsheet usage, teamwork, and oral and written communication. Prerequisites: Fin 525 and permission of instructor.

Fin 604 Private Equity and Venture Capital (3)

The dynamic private equity finance market is increasingly important both within the U.S. and globally. This course uses the case method to study private equity and venture capital. We will analyze the decisions of private equity partnership managers and investors and develop an understanding for the institutional context of private equity finance. The course will analyze how transactions are structured and why certain contractual arrangements are chosen. Students will acquire tools for conducting valuations in private equity settings. Prerequisites: Fin 525.

Fin 635 Corporate Financial Problems (3)

Case studies of structural topics such as long-term financing arrangements, recapitalizations; reorganizations; and mergers, acquisitions, and spin-offs; and of operational problems such as capital budgeting, dividend and reserve policies, pension funds, executive compensations, and hedging policies. Prerequisite: Fin 525 or 6 credits of finance at the undergraduate level.

Fin 694 Field Concentration Elective in Finance (3)

The Field Concentration Elective in Finance provides students with an opportunity to strengthen their knowledge of modern financial theory and further develop their financial valuation skills in a project-based course. May be repeated for 3 credits. 

Fin 695 Independent Study in Finance (1-3)

The student and instructor jointly develop a plan of independent study on an advanced topic in finance. The student is usually required to prepare a report or paper. May be repeated for a total of 3 credits. Prerequisites: Fin 525 and permission of instructor and department chairperson.

Fin 698 Research Project in Finance (3)

Supervised research on a topic involving accounting, finance, operations management, human resources management, and/or management information systems. Required of all part-time MBA program students. Prerequisite: Completion of at least 30 graduate credits. S/U graded.

Fin 750 Seminar in Public Finance (4)

In-depth study of selected topics in Public Finance. Specific topics determined at time of offering. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.