FIN - Finance
FIN 3050 Personal Financial Planning Cr. 3
Principles of finance applied to personal financial affairs. Topics include: goal formation, cash budgeting, time value of money, insurance, real estate, banking, investments, tax planning, pensions, estate planning. Offered Intermittently.
FIN 3290 Business Finance Cr. 3
Principles of financial administration, with applications to problems of financial analysis, control, and planning by firms under changing economic conditions. This course satisfies Society of Actuaries Validation by Educational Experience (VEE) in Accounting and Finance when taken with ACC 3010 with a B- or better in each course. Offered Every Term.
Prerequisites: BA 2300 with a minimum grade of C (may be taken concurrently)
FIN 4500 Business Co-op Assignment Cr. 0
Must be elected by Professional Development Co-operative Program students during work semester. Offered for S and U grades only. No credit toward degree. Opportunity to put theory into practice on the job. Students will normally be assigned to cooperating business organizations for internship periods of one semester. Offered Every Term.
Restriction(s): Enrollment limited to students in the School of Business.
FIN 4990 Directed Study in Finance Cr. 1-3
Advanced readings and research or tutorial under the supervision of a faculty member in areas of special interest to student and faculty member. Offered Every Term.
Prerequisites: ACC 5100 with a minimum grade of D- and FIN 5210 with a minimum grade of D-
Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to Undergraduate level students; enrollment limited to students in the School of Business.
Repeatable for 6 Credits
FIN 5000 Financial Statement - Analysis & Modeling Cr. 3
Introduction to foundational concepts used in corporate financial statement analysis, including application of specific financial modeling tools, and an overview and practical application of techniques necessary to build dynamic cash flow models. The course includes advanced discussions on the relationship between the financial statements, and using Excel, students will learn how to build analytical and proforma models themselves to understand the decision-making inputs used by corporate finance professionals. The course concludes with a discussion on professionally presenting model outputs, forecasts, valuations, and transactional analyses for management review. Successful completion of introductory courses in accounting and finance is required for this class. It is highly recommended that students have a basic working knowledge of Microsoft Excel prior to enrollment in the course. Replaces ACC 5000 for finance majors. Offered for undergraduate credit only. Offered Fall, Winter.
Prerequisites: ACC 3010 with a minimum grade of C and FIN 3290 with a minimum grade of C
Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to Undergraduate level students; enrollment limited to students in the School of Business.
FIN 5090 Capital Markets Cr. 3
Detailed discussion of financial intermediaries; the capital markets; money markets, macroeconomics policies and interest rates. Offered for undergraduate credit only. Offered Fall, Winter.
Prerequisites: FIN 3290 with a minimum grade of B (may be taken concurrently)
Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to Undergraduate level students.
FIN 5200 Startup Funding and Profitability Cr. 3
Introductory course that will expose students to accounting and financial information. This foundational knowledge will be used to give students the financial language and understanding of the development and operations of new ventures. The ideal audience for this course is undergraduate students. Additionally, others who are interested in starting their own firm or working at a startup, or who are interested in careers in venture capital or private equity could benefit. Offered Yearly.
Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to Undergraduate level students.
FIN 5215 Investment Fundamentals Cr. 3
Focus on modern investment analysis; fundamentals of asset classes including stocks, bond, derivatives, as well as index and mutual funds; risk and return analysis and how characteristics of a portfolio differ significantly from those of the securities from which they are formed; investigation of the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) and other risk-return models, including Arbitrage Pricing Theory (APT). Tools to manage investment risk and detect mispriced securities. Offered Fall, Winter.
Prerequisites: FIN 5000 with a minimum grade of C (may be taken concurrently), BA 3400 with a minimum grade of C, and FIN 3290 with a minimum grade of C
Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to Undergraduate level students; enrollment limited to students in the School of Business.
FIN 5220 Portfolio Management Cr. 3
The student managed investment fund course gives students real world experience investing and managing a long only, $2 million equity portfolio. Students apply concepts related to equity asset valuation, equity research, and portfolio management to monitor and evaluate current holdings, and recommend new investments for the fund. Offered Fall, Winter.
Prerequisites: FIN 5000 with a minimum grade of C and FIN 5215 with a minimum grade of C
Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to Undergraduate level students; enrollment limited to students in the School of Business.
FIN 5270 Advanced Business Finance Cr. 3
Risk analysis, working capital management, capital budgeting and valuation theories. Role of financial management in maximizing value of the firm. Offered for undergraduate credit only. Offered Fall, Winter.
Prerequisites: FIN 3290 with a minimum grade of C, BA 2300 with a minimum grade of C, and FIN 5000 (may be taken concurrently)
Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to Undergraduate level students; enrollment limited to students in the School of Business.
FIN 5280 Entrepreneurs' Ecosystem Cr. 3
Focuses on resources available to the entrepreneur. Exposes the students to angel and superangel funding, microloans, crowdfunding, and various types of the venture capital funding avenues. Examines the challenges of financing and structuring a deal with financiers. Provides experience in pitching a business idea and understanding the anatomy of a successful business plan. Offered Winter.
Prerequisite: FIN 3290 with a minimum grade of C and FIN 5270 with a minimum grade of C
FIN 5290 Topics in Finance Cr. 3
Current developments in such areas as: working capital management, mergers and acquisitions, pension fund management, use of options and futures, high-risk debt management, hybrid securities, management of financial institutions, international financial issues, or market microstructure. Offered Intermittently.
Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to Undergraduate level students; enrollment limited to students in the School of Business.
Repeatable for 6 Credits
FIN 5320 Principles of International Finance Cr. 3
Financial management in an international context. Determination of exchange rates; their effect on the economy and financial securities; operation of multinational firms (MNCs) in this environment. Measurement and management of MNC exchange-rate exposures; tax regulatory arbitrage; international portfolio investment; determination of cost of capital for a foreign direct investment project and construction of its capital budget. Offered for undergraduate credit only. Offered Fall, Winter.
Prerequisites: FIN 3290 with a minimum grade of C
Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to Undergraduate level students; enrollment limited to students in the School of Business.
FIN 5330 Bank Management Cr. 3
Analysis of the functional areas of management of banks and related financial institutions, including deposits, cash, loans and asset accounts. Discussion of current topics including liquidity, capital adequacy, electronic fund transfers and mortgages. Offered for undergraduate credit only. Offered Intermittently.
Prerequisites: FIN 3290 with a minimum grade of C
Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to Undergraduate level students; enrollment limited to students in the School of Business.
FIN 5340 Valuation Cr. 3
Asset valuation is at the heart of intelligent financial decision-making, whether that takes the form of portfolio allocation, in deciding the appropriate price to pay or receive in a corporate merger or acquisition, investing in publicly traded securities or private firms, valuation of real estate, even valuing intangible assets such as brands. This course will provide you with the necessary tools, techniques, and models to address almost any valuation problem in finance. Offered Yearly.
Prerequisites: FIN 5270 with a minimum grade of C-
FIN 5380 Introduction to Fintech Cr. 3
This course is for students interested in exploring emerging topics in financial technology (i.e., Fintech). Students will develop a broad but solid understanding of the recent innovations in Fintech such as blockchain, cryptocurrencies, peer-to-peer lending, crowdfunding, and initial coin offerings. Basic concepts in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning techniques will be discussed. In groups, students will develop a fintech startup business model and give a presentation as a final project. Offered Intermittently.
Prerequisites: FIN 3290 with a minimum grade of C-
FIN 5400 Real Estate Investment Cr. 3
Introduces students to real estate – residential and commercial (office, retail, industrial, multi-family) – the largest asset class in the US economy. The sequential units of learning will be 1) description, 2) analysis, 3) valuation. In whatever business a graduate will work, the successful student will know enough to contribute to real estate decisions. Offered Intermittently.
FIN 5890 Internship in Finance Cr. 3
Minimum ten-page paper (excluding exhibits) discussing a problem or opportunity facing the sponsor organization, application of financial concepts, and outcomes relative to the problem or opportunity; summary presentation to department chairperson. Offered for undergraduate credit only. Offered Intermittently.
Prerequisite: (TIS 3630 with a minimum grade of C
Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to Undergraduate level students; enrollment limited to students in the School of Business.
FIN 6000 Advanced Financial Analysis and Modeling Cr. 3
This intensive finance modeling course goes beyond basics to build intermediate and advanced Excel skills for business analysis and decisions. Students will master analytical capital budgeting techniques to evaluate investments; perform detailed valuation analysis with discounted cash flows, precedents, comparables, and scenarios; build a leveraged buyout model to calculate potential equity returns under various debt financing assumptions; and utilize statistical models for correlation and regression modeling. Offered Intermittently.
Prerequisites: FIN 5000 with a minimum grade of C
FIN 6996 Corporate Financial Strategies Cr. 3
Advanced financial strategies dealing with cost of capital, mergers and other corporate reorganizations, investment banking and capital acquisition, dividend policy, lease financing, pension funds, convertible securities, international perspectives. Offered for undergraduate credit only. Offered Fall, Winter.
Prerequisites: FIN 5000 with a minimum grade of C, FIN 5215 with a minimum grade of C, and FIN 5270 with a minimum grade of C
Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to Undergraduate level students; enrollment limited to students in the School of Business.
FIN 6997 Derivative Securities Cr. 3
Valuation of options, futures and swaps contracts on equities, fixed instrument securities and foreign exchange; use of these derivatives for risk management; brief review of empirical evidence. Offered for undergraduate credit only. Offered Fall, Winter.
Prerequisites: FIN 5215 with a minimum grade of C
Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to Undergraduate level students; enrollment limited to students in the School of Business.
FIN 7000 Applied Financial Analysis Cr. 3
This course will bridge the gap between the study of financial theory and analysis, and its practical application. The course provides foundational concepts for corporate financial statement analysis, including an overview of specific financial modeling tools, and techniques necessary to build ratio sets and dynamic cash flow models. The course includes advanced discussions on the relationship between the financial statements and tools used for decision-making by professionals. The course concludes with a discussion on professionally presenting model outputs, forecasts, valuations, and transactional analyses for management review. It is highly recommended that students have a basic working knowledge of Microsoft Excel prior to enrollment in the course as a computer with the most recent version of Excel will be required in every class session. Offered Intermittently.
Prerequisite: BA 7020
Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
FIN 7025 Quantitative Methods in Finance Cr. 3
Provides students with the fundamental tools to conduct empirical analyses in the area of corporate finance. Topics include data analysis and manipulation, regression analysis, hypothesis testing, linear regression analysis, and interpretation of results. Computer lab sessions that will help students to get the necessary hands-on experience on using financial data. When appropriate, the class will refer to how these techniques are used in research papers and in finance-related industry contexts. Offered Yearly.
Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
FIN 7030 Fixed Income Securities Cr. 3
The course prepares students for successful careers as fixed-income portfolio managers or fixed income risk managers. Fixed-income securities are debt instruments issued by governments, corporations, or other entities to finance and expand their operations. These securities provide investors with a return in the form of fixed periodic payments and the eventual return of principal at maturity. Examples of fixed-income securities include government bonds, treasury bills, corporate bonds, municipal bonds, step-up bonds, Guaranteed Investment Certificates (GICs), mortgages, and preferred shares. These securities essentially represent a loan from the investor to the issuer. The course aims to introduce students to analytical tools used in interest rate modeling and risk management within the fixed-income market. Additionally, it covers various risks that can be inherent in fixed-income securities, such as credit risk, illiquidity risk, and risks associated with securitization. Offered Intermittently.
Prerequisite: BA 7020 with a minimum grade of C
Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
FIN 7035 Data Analytics in Finance Cr. 3
The primary objective of this course is to provide the student with the ability to process and analyze financial data using Python. The course material will involve hands on use of real data and focus on data visualization, time series analysis, and statistical applications. The course will cover basic Python syntax, data manipulation with NumPy and Pandas, and IO operations. Python will be the primary computing language used in this course. However, students will be permitted to use R for course projects. Offered Yearly.
Prerequisite: BA 7020 with a minimum grade of C
Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
FIN 7040 Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning for Finance Cr. 3
The primary objective of this course is to provide the first or second semester financial engineering or business analytics student with applied quantitative skills in the areas of artificial intelligence and machine learning for finance applications. The course material will involve hands on use of real data and focus on various AI/ML algorithms common in the finance industry. The course will cover supervised learning and unsupervised algorithms and applications including natural language processing. R will be the primary computing language used in this course. However, students will be permitted to use Python for course projects. Offered Yearly.
Prerequisite: BA 7020 with a minimum grade of C
Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
FIN 7090 Money and Capital Markets Cr. 3
An in depth look into the operations, mechanics, and structure of the financial system. We will discuss topics including: financial institutions, markets, instruments, regulations and monetary policy. As well as developing an understanding of how current monetary policy by the Federal Reserve impacts financial markets. Offered Fall.
Prerequisites: BA 6005 with a minimum grade of C
Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
FIN 7200 Startup Financing and Profitability Cr. 3
Students are introduced to basic accounting and financial information that provides the tools necessary to understand the workings and prospects a new venture. The skills learned in this course will provide the student with a basic understanding of the financial language of any business. This course will benefit students who are interested in starting their own firm or working at a startup, or who are interested in careers in venture capital or private equity. Offered Fall.
Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students; enrollment limited to students in the School of Business.
FIN 7220 Advanced Managerial Finance Cr. 3
Advanced topics in managerial finance, including leasing, merger valuation, reorganization, interactions of investment and financing decisions, and critical evaluation of alternative firm valuation theories. Offered Fall, Winter.
Prerequisites: BA 7020 with a minimum grade of C
Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
FIN 7229 Corporate Valuation: Techniques, Models and Strategic Applications Cr. 3
Tools, techniques and models used to address valuation problems in finance; emphasis on corporate strategic valuation. Offered Yearly.
Prerequisites: BA 7020 with a minimum grade of C
Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
FIN 7230 Investment Policies Cr. 3
The key determinants of security prices under changing economic conditions. Theories, strategies and techniques for selection, timing, and diversification; methods of portfolio construction and administration. Offered Fall, Winter.
Prerequisites: BA 7020 with a minimum grade of C
Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
FIN 7250 Financial Technology Cr. 3
Financial Technology (Fintech) refers to a financial industry that applies technology to improve financial activities and/or aims to compete with traditional financial methods in the delivery of financial services. This course provides an introduction to the major topics of Fintech, including blockchain, cryptocurrencies, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, peer-to-peer lending, crowdfunding, and initial coin offerings. Offered Yearly.
Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
FIN 7270 Entrepreneurs' Ecosystem Cr. 3
The course focuses on resources available to the entrepreneur, such as incubators and accelerators as well as on the various forms of financing the entrepreneur can access at different stages of growth. While examining the unique financial issues start-ups face, students are exposed to angel and superangel funding, microloans, crowdfunding, and various types of the venture capital funding avenues. From the entrepreneur’s point of view, students gain experience in pitching a business idea and learn the anatomy of a successful business plan. Offered Spring/Summer.
Prerequisite: BA 7020 with a minimum grade of C
Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
FIN 7280 Entrepreneurial Finance and Venture Capital Cr. 3
Focuses on the venture capital (VC) cycle and understanding and analyzing the unique financial issues which entrepreneurial start-up firms face. Two distinct perspectives are provided: (a) issues that relate to the venture capitalist and (b) issues that relate to the entrepreneur. As a result, the course should be of interest to those pursuing careers in an entrepreneurial setting as well as those who are interested in a career in venture capital firm, management buyouts or private equity firm. Offered Fall, Winter.
Prerequisites: BA 7020 with a minimum grade of C
Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
FIN 7290 Topics in Finance Cr. 3
Current developments in such areas as: working capital management, mergers and acquisitions, pension fund management, use of options and futures, high-risk debt management, hybrid securities, management of financial institutions, international financial issues, or market microstructure. Offered Yearly.
Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
Repeatable for 6 Credits
FIN 7340 Futures and Options Cr. 3
Valuation of options, futures and swaps contracts on equities, fixed instrument securities and foreign exchange; use of these derivatives for risk management. Offered Yearly.
Prerequisites: FIN 7230 with a minimum grade of C
Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
FIN 7870 International Finance Cr. 3
Identification of basic factors affecting exchange rates; roles of central banks and international monetary system. Exchange-rate forecasting, balance of payments, international economic linkages. Management of foreign exchange risk (translation, transaction, and economic exposure) by hedging with financial derivative securities and using operational hedges that deal with marketing and production strategies. In-depth analysis of multinational companies' investment in foreign countries; cost-of-capital and capital-budgeting issues. Offered Yearly.
Prerequisites: BA 7020 with a minimum grade of C
Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
FIN 7890 Internship in Finance Cr. 3
Students work a minimum of 160 hours for fifteen weeks in an entry-level management position in finance. Offered Intermittently.
Prerequisites: BA 7020 with a minimum grade of C
Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
FIN 7900 Mergers and Acquisitions Cr. 3
An in depth examination of the valuation complexities encountered in corporate restructuring and corporate change of control. The primary topics covered include the Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) process, valuation using methods of comparables, precedent transactions, and Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) analysis. Financing M&A transactions, particularly using different kinds of debt used in leveraged buyouts will be discussed. Offered Intermittently.
Prerequisites: BA 7020 with a minimum grade of C
Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
FIN 7990 Portfolio Management/Student Managed Investment Fund (SMIF) Cr. 3
This course provides students with practical experience in portfolio management. Students are responsible for detailed monitoring and recommendations related to the stocks in the Student Managed Investment Fund, a $2 million long only equity portfolio. Each student is assigned to a market sector and acts as a security analyst, applying appropriate fundamental and valuation analyses, preparing written reports, and making oral presentations to the class and the Fund’s advisory board. Offered Fall, Winter.
Prerequisites: BA 7020 with a minimum grade of C
Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
FIN 7995 Directed Study Cr. 1-3
Advanced independent readings and research under the supervision of a graduate faculty member in areas of special interest to student and faculty member. Offered Every Term.
Prerequisites: BA 7000 with a minimum grade of C, BA 7020 with a minimum grade of C, BA 7040 with a minimum grade of C, BA 7050 with a minimum grade of C, and BA 7070 with a minimum grade of C
Restriction(s): Enrollment is limited to Graduate level students.
Repeatable for 5 Credits