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 320. Principles of Real Estate. 3 Credits.

Introductory survey course. Decision-making processes for the manufacture, marketing, management and financing of real estate space. Survey of institutional context, economics of urbanization, historical pattern and structure of city growth, and public policy issues regarding urban environment and business management. Prerequisite: ECON 202. F,S.

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 345. Risk Management and Insurance. 3 Credits.

This course provides a comprehensive introduction to risk management and insurance in the modern business environment. Beginning with the nature of risk, uncertainty, and hazards, students learn how individuals and firms identify, evaluate, control, and finance risk exposures. The course then examines the structure and operation of the insurance industry, legal and regulatory frameworks, and major coverage areas (life, health, property, liability, and employee benefits). Using Principles of Risk Management and Insurance by Rejda and McNamara as the core text, students develop practical tools to analyze risk-management decisions, assess insurance contracts, and understand how risk management contributes to organizational resilience. Prerequisite: ECON 210. 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 365. Real Estate Law. 3 Credits.

The basic principles of real estate law related to ownership rights, negotiations, brokering, transfers, condominium law, financing, income tax law, real estate property taxation, bankruptcy law, construction and development contracts, and residential and commercial leases, including both office and retail leases, and an overview of international legal systems. Prerequisite or Corequisite: FIN 320. F.

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. Prerequisite or Corequisite: FIN 360. F,S.

FIN 416. Residential and Commercial Development. 3 Credits.

This course provides an overview of the real estate development process from initial planning and visioning, through project feasibility and decision making, entering into partnerships and structuring project financing, design, entitlement and approvals, site acquisition, construction management project completion, leasing and asset management. Through readings, lectures, and guest lectures by industry practitioners, site visits and hands-on assignments simulating the development process, students will become familiar with the process in urban and suburban locations, for a range of uses, and under a variety of different financing, ownership and execution structures. The course will also examine contemporary and future trends, including sustainability, mixed use, public-private partnerships, trends in design, planning and the public realm. Prerequisite: FIN 320. F.

FIN 418. Real Estate Property Management. 3 Credits.

This course introduces students to the role of real estate property management in enhancing asset value. The course explores this from an investor's perspective, focusing on how property management adds value to an investment, and from a corporate/occupier's viewpoint. Prerequisite: FIN 320. 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 422. Private Equity and Venture Capital. 3 Credits.

This course introduces students to private equity, focusing on value creation and the synergy between private equity firms and portfolio company managers. Covers analysis of private equity strategies for different company life stages, including venture capital, growth equity, and buyouts. Students will analyze the LBO model, VC investments, private debt instruments, learn GP and LP roles, and explore various exit strategies in private investment. Prerequisite: FIN 310. S.

FIN 425. Real Estate Investment and Market Analysis. 3 Credits.

Quantitative techniques for analyzing equity investments in real estate markets. Emphasis is placed on the effects of financial leverage and taxation on investment performance. These are addressed at the single property and portfolio levels. Project evaluation, financing strategies, investment decision making and real estate capital markets are covered. Prerequisite: FIN 320. 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 435. Sustainable Real Estate Development. 3 Credits.

Intended for students who have an interest in Green and Sustainable aspects of housing and commercial property development and operation, the re-use and/or rehabilitation of existing structures, redevelopment of historic buildings into housing or commercial space and related special topics such as financing sources, tax issues, financial structuring, legal issues and energy cost management. Prerequisite: FIN 320. S.

FIN 436. Public-Private Real Estate Projects. 3 Credits.

Students gain proficiency in analyzing Public Private Real Estate Development Projects. Students will also learn how to design and propose a private development deal that provides real value to towns and cities. As part of this education, students will learn to address the intangible wants and needs of the community, and how to manage developers ambitions from the Public perspective. The first half of the semester will teach students some frameworks for developing and executing Public-Private projects. The second half of the semester will focus on the analysis and critical review of completed and in-process projects. During this phase, students work in teams to analyze either: a) a deal that is desired by the public and possibly feasible for private investment, or b) a project that is proposed by private sponsors who claim that material public participation is mandatory and beneficial to the local neighborhood, town or city. Prerequisite: FIN 320. 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 472. Student Managed REIT Fund. 3 Credits.

The Student Managed RIET Fund is a student application of concepts and ideas from other courses in the Finance major to a live portfolio of real estate investments. The course examines the issues involved in the management and investment strategies of a portfolio of real estate assets. It focuses on asset selection, 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 asset selection criteria, research the prospective assets, generate reports, and make decisions to invest or liquidate, and execute the trades. Prerequisite: FIN 320. 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: Permission of the department. Repeatable to 6.00 credits. S/U grading. F,S,SS.