Finance (FIN)

FIN 220. Personal Investing. 3 Credits.

Investment concepts for individual investors who are, or will be, actively developing and monitoring their own investment portfolios. Covers basic analysis techniques, investment vehicles, strategies for implementing investment goals in a portfolio context, risk-return tradeoffs, and sources of investment information. Not available to students who have successfully completed FIN 420 or its equivalent. F,S.

FIN 251. Personal Finance. 3 Credits.

The personal financial planning and management process: goal identification and budgeting; minimizing tax liability; uses and costs of various forms of credit; buying, selling and/or leasing real estate, automobiles and other major items; life, health, property and income insurance; various investment options; the retirement planning process; and estate planning options. The role of financial planning professionals and financial planning as a career option are also discussed. F,S.

FIN 310. Principles of Financial Management. 3 Credits.

This course introduces students to asset management, cost of capital, dividend policy, valuation, capital structure planning, and working capital management. Forms of business organizations and tax environment are surveyed. Managerial implications of current developments in national and international capital markets are reviewed. Prerequisite: ACCT 200, ECON 210; Sophomore, Junior or Senior Standing. F,S,SS.

FIN 321. Real Estate Finance and Investment. 3 Credits.

Nature of real estate finance, financial sources, role of government, real estate financial instruments, loan processing, defaults and foreclosures in real estate finance, fundamentals of real estate investment analysis. Prerequisite: FIN 310 and Sophomore, Junior or Senior standing. F.

FIN 324. Real Estate Appraisal. 3 Credits.

Nature of value; appraisal process; analysis of neighborhoods, land and improvements; cost, market data and income approach to value; appraisal report; code of ethics. Prerequisite: Sophomore standing or higher. S.

FIN 340. Intermediate Financial Management. 3 Credits.

Integrated coverage of topics in finance theory. This course continues to develop student understanding of corporate finance topics which were introduced in FIN 310. These topics include valuation, project analysis, capital structure planning, working capital management, and cash flow analysis. The course also introduces students to risk analysis, the capital asset pricing model, and investment analysis. Prerequisite: FIN 310 and Sophomore, Junior or Senior Standing; declared CoBPA majors only. F,S.

FIN 350. Financial Statement Analysis. 3 Credits.

Students interpret and evaluate financial statements used to report financial performance. Analysis incorporates accounting, financial, and economic models and data; and describes various reporting regulations, principles, rules, standards, and interpretations. The course includes an investigation of current issues and debates in financial statement reporting. Prerequisite: FIN 310; Sophomore, Junior or Senior Standing; declared NCoBPA majors only. S.

FIN 360. Capital Market Financing and Investment Strategies. 3 Credits.

Covers analysis and procedures for implementing particular financing and investment plans in financial markets. Includes financing and investment through commercial banks, investment banks, pension funds, venture capital sources, insurance companies and limited partnerships. Prerequisite: FIN 310; Sophomore, Junior or Senior Standing; declared CoBPA majors only. F,S.

FIN 370. Student Investment Fund I. 3 Credits.

This is an introductory course to the Student Managed Investment Fund. It examines the issues involved in the management and investment strategies of a portfolio of financial assets. Students are required to attend Student Investment Fund meetings. Student members research prospective stocks, generate reports, make decisions to invest or liquidate, and execute the trades. Any recommendation to buy, sell, or retain a position in a security is presented to all student team members and to the Faculty Advisor. Prerequisite: FIN 310 and Finance or Banking and Financial Economics majors or approval of instructor. Repeatable to 3.00 credits. F.

FIN 375. Lending and Liquidity Management. 3 Credits.

This course analyzes the short-term sources and uses of funds with primary emphasis on the management of liquidity in the context of a financial institution. The course also examines the risks and returns in a loan portfolio, particularly loans by financial institutions. Prerequisite: FIN 310; Junior or Senior Standing; declared CoBPA majors only. F.

FIN 397. Cooperative Education. 1-2 Credits.

On-the-job compensated work experience in various areas of Finance. Prerequisite: ACCT 200, ACCT 201, ECON 201, ECON 202, ECON 210, and approval by department. Repeatable to 3.00 credits. S/U grading. F,S,SS.

FIN 410. Financial Modeling. 3 Credits.

Students learn how to utilize financial theory in real world applications. Topics include basic capital budgeting including real options, bond valuation, random variables and applications, regression analysis, option premia and payoffs, amortization tables, value-at-risk, basic portfolio management, and retirement. The course will focus on programming in Excel worksheets and introduce Visual Basic for Applications. Prerequisite: FIN 310 and Junior or Senior Standing. S.

FIN 415. Fixed Income Analysis and Portfolio Management. 3 Credits.

This course covers characteristics and analysis of fixed-income (or debt) instruments. Types of debt securities examined primarily include corporate (commercial paper, notes, and fixed- and floating-rate bonds without and with various embedded options) and U.S. Government (Treasury bills, Treasury bonds without and with inflation protection, and Agency debt). Those enrolled in the class will be responsible for actively managing a live bond portfolio. Prerequisite: FIN 310, FIN 360, and declared CoBPA majors only. F,S.

FIN 420. Investment Analysis and Portfolio Management. 3 Credits.

Comprehensive study of methods used to evaluate securities. Includes formulation of investment strategy and analysis, design of portfolios for classes of individual investors and institutions, fundamental analysis and portfolio performance evaluation. Extensive use of financial databases and software. Prerequisite: FIN 360; Junior or Senior Standing; declared NCoBPA majors only. F,S.

FIN 430. International Financial Management. 3 Credits.

Financial management implications of exchange risk exposure, accounting conventions and international constraints on capital flows. Other topics include multi-national investment management and related financing problems, taxation and working capital management. Prerequisite: FIN 310 and Junior or Senior Standing; declared CoBPA majors only. S.

FIN 450. Financial Derivatives. 3 Credits.

Detailed analysis of major elements affecting market prices of options and futures contracts and analysis of optimal investment strategies involving these and other derivative instruments. Prerequisite: FIN 340 and FIN 360; declared CoBPA majors only. S.

FIN 470. Student Investment Fund II. 3 Credits.

The Student Managed Investment Fund is a student application of concepts and ideas from other courses in the Finance major to a live portfolio. The course examines the issues involved in the management and investment strategies of a portfolio of financial assets. It focuses on asset allocation, portfolio monitoring and evaluation, portfolio rebalancing, and investment analysis. The students selected to manage the fund are responsible for the investment decisions involving the composition of the portfolio under the supervision of Finance department faculty. Student members establish the stock selection criteria, research the prospective stocks, generate reports, and make decisions to invest or liquidate, and execute the trades. Oral presentations are required. Prerequisite: FIN 310 and FIN 340. F,S.

FIN 491. Senior Topics in Finance. 3 Credits.

Multiple sections covering different topics may be offered in any one semester. Provides opportunities for in-depth study beyond that of regularly scheduled courses. May be seminars, workshops, or lecturers. Repeatable to 6 credits. Prerequisite: FIN 310; consent of instructor; Junior or Senior Standing; declared CoBPA majors only. Repeatable to 6.00 credits. F,S.

FIN 492. Readings and Research in Finance. 1-3 Credits.

Designed for students with an interest in finance topics not covered in regularly schedule courses. Repeatable to 6 credits. Prerequisite: FIN 470 and approval by department. Repeatable to 6.00 credits. F,S.

FIN 497. Internship in Finance. 1-3 Credits.

Guided practical experience in managerial finance, investment management, real estate, and insurance with public and private sector enterprises. Prerequisite: ACCT 200, ACCT 201, ISBC 117, ECON 201, ECON 202, ECON 210, and approval by department. Repeatable to 6.00 credits. S/U grading. F,S,SS.

FIN 501. Managerial Finance. 3 Credits.

The development of financial decision-making skills, using the case-analysis method, through application of financial theory to topical areas of analysis, planning, control, asset management, financial instruments, markets, capital structure, dividend policy, cost of capital, etc. Prerequisite: Admission to MBA program and department consent required; FIN 310 or successful completion of Ivy Software's "Understanding Corporate Finance" self-paced course. F,S.

FIN 520. Investment Theory and Management. 3 Credits.

An introductory course designed for MBA students in the study of the usage and valuation of the major investment vehicles popular today. Although the ultimate objective is to develop a conceptual framework in which the student can expand his or her knowledge of the investment field, the course is taught in a practical fashion and incorporates materials from both the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and Certified Financial Planner (CFP) curricula. Prerequisite: FIN 501 or consent of instructor.

FIN 575. Special Topics. 3 Credits.

Specific topic will vary from offering to offering at the discretion of the department. Departmental permission will be required for enrollment. Prerequisites and/or corequisites may be required depending upon the special topic selected. Course may be repeated up to a total of nine credits with permission of department. Prerequisite: Departmental permission. Repeatable to 9.00 credits.