FIN 250. Personal Finance. 3 hours.

Examines the interaction between individual and society in the framework of financial decision-making and in the context of the U.S. financial markets. Analyzes the impact of financial choices on the lives of individuals, families, and communities. Course Information: Extensive computer use required. Prerequisite(s): MATH 110. Recommended background: Any 100-level MATH, ACTG, or FIN course. Individual and Society course.

FIN 300. Introduction to Finance. 3 hours.

Description of financial markets. Time value of money. Risk and return. Market valuation of securities. Capital budgeting, capital structure and dividend policy of firms. Course Information: Credit is not given for FIN 300 if the student has credit in FIN 301 or FIN 302. Recommended background: ACTG 210 and ECON 120.

FIN 301. Introduction to Managerial Finance. 3 hours.

Introduces students to managerial finance: the valuation of future cash flows, capital budgeting, capital structure, and banking. Current events and policy issues are discussed. Couse Information: Credit is not given for FIN 301 if the student has credit in FIN 300.

FIN 302. Introduction to Investments. 3 hours.

Introduces students to investments: risk/return, models of risk, efficient markets, derivative securities, fixed income securities, international aspects. Current events and policy issues are discussed. Couse Information: Credit is not given for FIN 302 if the student has credit in FIN 300.

FIN 310. Investments. 3 hours.

Organization of security markets. Legal and institutional environment, mechanics of trade, financial intermediation, security classification. General principles of asset valuation with application to specific securities. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): FIN 300; or FIN 301 and FIN 302.

FIN 311. Introduction to Urban Real Estate. 3 hours.

Introductory survey of urban real estate; business, legal, economic and financial perspectives. Course Information: Same as ECON 311. Previously listed as FIN 371. Prerequisite(s): ECON 120.

FIN 320. Managerial Finance. 3 hours.

Short-term asset management, capital budgeting under certainty and uncertainty, capital structure and dividend policy, valuation and risk, capital asset prices, financial policy for firms. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): FIN 300; or FIN 301 and FIN 302.

FIN 330. Quantitative Methods. 3 hours.

Introduces students to the quantitative methods needed for advanced finance coursework: point/interval estimation, hypothesis testing, regression, cross-section analysis, time series analysis, portfolio modeling, advanced topics. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): IDS 270. Recommended background: FIN 300; or FIN 301 & FIN 302.

FIN 340. International Financial Markets. 3 hours.

Evaluation of exchange rate regiments and international financial institutions; develop critical understanding of the asset approach to exchange rates and international financial markets. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): FIN 300; or FIN 301 and FIN 302.

FIN 396. Independent Study. 1-3 hours.

Independent study, under the direction of a faculty member, must be arranged before the start of the semester. Course Information: May be repeated. Students may register in more than one section per term. Prerequisite(s): Consent of the instructor, and the Department Head.

FIN 411. Retirement and Estate Planning. 3 hours.

Provides tools for a financial planner to advise clients on issues of education, retirement, and estate planning, accounting for numerous tax implications. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): FIN 250.

FIN 412. Portfolio Management. 3 hours.

Development of portfolio theory; establishment of portfolio objectives for individuals, corporations, banks, pension and mutual funds; evaluation of portfolio performance. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): FIN 310.

FIN 414. Financial Plan Development. 3 or 4 hours.

Multifaceted task of financial plans, wealth accumulation, includes employee benefit programs, insurance policies, investments, estate planning, federal income tax, annuities, banking, borrowing. Students develop financial plans, orally and written. Course Information: 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite(s): FIN 250. Recommended background: FIN 300; or FIN 301 and FIN 302.

FIN 415. Fixed Income Securities. 3 hours.

Valuation of fixed income securities, term structure estimation and arbitrage trading with practical application using real data. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): FIN 310.

FIN 416. Options and Futures Markets. 3 hours.

History and institutional structure of options and futures markets. Uses of futures and options for arbitrage, speculation and hedging by managers of domestic and multinational organizations. Analysis of factors which determine futures and options prices. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): FIN 310.

FIN 418. Commodities, Energy, and Related Markets. 3 or 4 hours.

Covers markets; physicality; laws and regulations; market participants; fundamentals (ags, metals, petroleum, electricity, emissions, and shipping); spreads; options; and, risk management. Course Information: 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite(s): FIN 310; and FIN 330 or IDS 270 (undergraduate students); FIN 510 (graduate students). Recommended background: IDS 371 (undergraduate students); IDS 570 (graduate students).

FIN 419. Behavioral Finance. 3 or 4 hours.

Provides an understanding of the individuals' behavioral biases and their effects on financial markets. Course Information: 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Graduate students are expected to complete a term project to meet the additional credit hour requirement. Prerequisite(s): FIN 300; or FIN 301 and FIN 302; or consent of the instructor.

FIN 421. Advanced Corporate Finance. 3 or 4 hours.

Uses the case method to provide an in-depth treatment of corporate financial decisions pertaining to investment and financing choices, corporate policies, and valuation of businesses. Course Information: 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite(s): FIN 320. Recommended background: Understanding financial statements, time value of money, rates of return, market efficiency, and basic concepts of risk, and discount rates. This class cannot serve as an introductory level course for unprepared students. For students who lack confidence in their mastery of the prerequisite material, self-study review of chapters 1–12 of Essentials of Corporate Finance by Ross, Westerfield, and Jordan, the required text for FIN 320, is strongly recommended.

FIN 422. Alternative Investments: Venture Capital, Private Equity, and Hedge Funds. 3 hours.

Aims to help students understand the investment opportunities available in venture capital, private equity, and hedge funds, both from a quantitative and a qualitative perspective, using a combination of lectures and case discussions. Course Information: Credit is not given for FIN 422 if the student has credit in FIN 445. Prerequisite(s): FIN 300; or FIN 301 and FIN 302. Recommended background: FIN 310 and FIN 320.

FIN 423. Financial Modeling, Analysis, and Decision Making. 3 hours.

Teaches financial modeling and firm valuation skills using a set of case studies. Using financial data from real firms, students compute and forecast cash flows to evaluation day-to-day business decisions. Course Information: Extensive computer use required. Prerequisite(s): FIN 300; or FIN 301 and FIN 302.

FIN 424. Financial Communication. 3 hours.

This learn-by-doing course concentrates on developing strong communication skills with topics based on economic and financial scenarios. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): FIN 300 or FIN 301. Recommended background: Basic Excel and PowerPoint skills.

FIN 425. Energy Finance. 3 hours.

Addresses finance topics in the context of the energy industry, including valuation, lending, trading, and risk management. Course Information: Extensive computer use required. Prerequisite(s): FIN 300; or FIN 301 and FIN 302. Recommended background: FIN 310 and FIN 320.

FIN 430. Introduction to Money and Banking. 3 hours.

Payment and banking systems; credit and market risk management; The Federal Reserve System; globalization of monetary, banking, and regulatory systems. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): FIN 300; or FIN 301 and FIN 302.

FIN 431. Management in the Financial Services Industry. 3 hours.

The principles of management of corporations in the financial services industry, emphasizing commercial bank management and risk. Methodology includes computerized bank management simulation or case studies. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): FIN 300.

FIN 442. International Corporate Financial Management. 3 hours.

Financial management within an international context. International monetary system and financial markets, management of foreign investments, working capital management, exchange risks, taxation and earnings reports. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): FIN 300; or FIN 301 and FIN 302.

FIN 445. Financing Entrepreneurship. 3 hours.

Helps students understand the opportunities and challenges faced by entrepreneurs seeking to finance high-potential ventures by raising venture capital or other forms of private equity or debt. Course Information: Credit is not given for FIN 445 if the student has credit in FIN 422 or ENTR 444. Recommended background: FIN 300; or FIN 301 and FIN 302.

FIN 449. Applied Equity Investment Management. 3 hours.

Puts financial theory to practice by giving students real life, hands-on experience in managing an equity investment process, from stock selection to portfolio management. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): FIN 310. Recommended background: A keen interest/ passion for the markets in general and the equity markets in particular.

FIN 455. Asset Management. 1-4 hours.

Applied course in Investments. The emphasis is on modern quantitative techniques for asset management. Course Information: Students will use real data, and learn to create their own spreadsheet optimization programs in MS excel. Prerequisite(s): FIN 310 (undergraduate students); FIN 510 (graduate students). Recommended Background: Students must be comfortable with linear regressions matrix algebra, basic calculus. Spreadsheet proficiency is essential.

FIN 456. Advanced Investment Management. 3 hours.

This fund is a one-of-a-kind educational opportunity that prepares students for success in the investment industry by managing real money in a highly unstructured setting using the best research and research tools. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): The class is by application only. Admission into the class has the following criteria that are used to evaluate the candidate. Ultimately it is based on the consent of the professor based on these criteria: Have taken and received an A or B in at least one from the following: FIN 449, FIN 412, FIN 480, FIN 421, IDS 410 or graduate equivalent; Is a member of the Portfolio Management Team (PMT) student organization; A 200-word personal statement on why you should be selected for the class (required); Real life investment experience, e.g., personal account, internship; A passion for and demonstrated experience in investments, trading, markets and/or finance; A recommendation from professors, work bosses, broker, other relationships; 15 minute interview (required); Ability to commit 10 hours a week to class and managing portfolio. This class is open to junior/senior undergraduates. Finance students are given first priority to the spots in the class. Students from outside the finance major are also eligible to apply as long as they have a passion for and demonstrated experience in investments, trading, markets and/or finance.

FIN 460. Corporate Valuation. 3 or 4 hours.

Examines corporate valuation with tools and techniques such as valuation multiples, discounted cash flows, cost of capital, and the adjusted present value method. Course Information: 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite(s): FIN 320 or FIN 520. Recommended background: Basic understanding of accounting and statistics.

FIN 472. Real Estate Finance. 3 or 4 hours.

Finance principles applied to real estate; financing of residential and income-producing real estate; real estate development finance; secondary mortgage market; taxation and real estate finance. Course Information: Same as RES 472. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. May not be used to satisfy the economics credit requirement for the MA in Economics and PhD in Economics. Only elective credit will be applied toward these degrees. Graduate students will complete a term project to meet the additional credit hour requirement. Prerequisite(s): FIN 300.

FIN 473. Risk Management and Insurance. 3 hours.

Introduction to risk management. Loan and credit management; credit scoring. Risk measurements and reserves; banking and insurance capital requirements, the BASEL accord, tail events and catastrophic event insurance. Financial contracts and hedging. Course Information: Same as IDS 473. Prerequisite(s): IDS 270 and FIN 300.

FIN 479. Enterprise Risk Management. 3 or 4 hours.

Overview of enterprise-wide risk management strategies and techniques: strategies that firms employ to enhance value and minimize exposure; techniques used to identify, measure, reduce, and transfer risk. Course Information: Same as IDS 479. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite(s): FIN 300; or consent of the instructor. Recommended background: IDS 473 or FIN 473.

FIN 480. Securities Markets and High-Frequency Trading. 3 hours.

How securities are traded in modern financial markets; design, operation, and regulation of trading processes; real-time algorithmic trading exercises and high-frequency trading strategies. Course Information: Recommended background: FIN 310.

FIN 494. Special Topics in Finance. 1-4 hours.

An intensive study of a selected topic in finance. Topics vary by sections and by term. Course Information: 1 to 3 undergraduate hours. 2 to 4 graduate hours. May be repeated if topics vary. Students may register for more than one section per term. May be repeated to a maximum of 6 hours for undergraduates; may be repeated to a maximum of 8 hourse for graduate students. Prerequisite(s): Consent of the instructor.

FIN 495. Competitive Strategy. 4 hours.

Multidisciplinary analysis of organization strategy and policy using case method and/or business simulation. Assignments involve extensive library research as well as oral and written reports. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): Senior standing in the College of Business Administration and completion of all other CBA core courses, or consent of the instructor.

FIN 499. Research Experience. 1-3 hours.

Research experience under the supervision of a faculty member. The faculty member and student will determine the research project. Each student must submit a written report and each student must participate at a research event on campus. Course Information: May be repeated to a maximum of 12 hours. Students may register in more than one section per term. Prerequisite(s): Consent of the instructor and department head.