MA in Finance

FIN 404. Financial Strategies and Text Analysis. 3 or 4 hours.

Learn the developments made in analyzing textual information. Discuss implications for financial regulations and trading strategies (including high frequency trading). Course Information: 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite(s): FIN 300; or FIN 301 and FIN 302 (undergraduate students). FIN 500 (graduate students). Recommended background: FIN 310 (undergraduate students); FIN 510 (graduate students).

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 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 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 435. Capitalism, Finance, and American Culture. 3 hours.

Considers how financial theory influences other aspects of American Culture. It will also encourage critical discussion and writing to help students become more effective financial managers. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): FIN 300; or FIN 301 and FIN 302.

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 449. Applied Equity Investment Management. 3 or 4 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: 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite(s): FIN 310 (undergraduate students); FIN 510 (graduate students). 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 465. Property and Liability Insurance. 3 or 4 hours.

Using property and liability insurance to manage risk. Topics may include fire, marine, consequential loss, crime, title, automobile, and workers' compensation insurance. Course Information: 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite(s): FIN 300; or FIN 301 and FIN 302.

FIN 466. Life and Health Insurance. 3 hours.

Types, uses, and evaluation of life and health insurance. Economics of the industry. Regulation and taxation. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): FIN 300; or FIN 301 and FIN 302.

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 ECON 472. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. May not be used to satisfy the economics credit requirement for the MA in Economics and Ph.D. in Economics. Elective credit only will be applied toward these degrees. Prerequisite(s): ECON 220.

FIN 473. Introduction to Risk Management. 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): FIN 300 and IDS 371.

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. Market Microstructure and Electronic Trading. 3 or 4 hours.

Details of how financial markets work. Market structures; models of price discovery; limit order models; liquidity and price impact; time effects; and, how electronic traders use these ideas to improve trading and research. Course Information: 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite(s): FIN 310; FIN 330 or IDS 270 (undergraduate students); FIN 510 (graduate students). Recommended Background: IDS 371 (undergraduate students); IDS 570 (graduate students).

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.

FIN 500. Introduction to Corporate Finance. 4 hours.

Theory of corporate finance: goal of the firm, time value of money, investment decisions (under certainty and uncertainty), net present value, capital markets, and corporate financing decisions. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): Credit or concurrent registration in ACTG 500.

FIN 510. Investments. 4 hours.

Theory and practice of investment analysis. Topics included are the institutional organization of security markets, and fundamental principles of asset valuation with application to specific securities. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): FIN 500.

FIN 512. Portfolio Analysis. 4 hours.

Development of portfolio theory; establishment of portfolio objectives; evaluation of portfolio performance; investment objectives for individuals, corporations banks, pension and mutual funds, and their interrelation with economic environment. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): FIN 510.

FIN 515. Fixed Income Securities. 4 hours.

Valuation of fixed income securities, term structure estimation, financial engineering of fixed income securities, securities lending and valuation of bonds with embedded options. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): FIN 510.

FIN 516. Theory and Structure of Options and Futures Markets. 4 hours.

History and institutional structure of options and futures markets. Uses of futures and options for arbitrage, speculation and hedging by financial and portfolio managers of domestic and multinational organizations. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): FIN 510.

FIN 520. Corporate Finance. 4 hours.

Advanced topics in corporate finance including capital structure, dividend policy, financial restructuring, bankruptcy, and leasing. Emphasis on recent developments in corporate finance and financial economics. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): FIN 500.

FIN 530. Money and Banking. 4 hours.

The functions of money; monetary standards; development and operation of commercial banking and the Federal Reserve System. Theories of the supply and demand for money; effects of monetary changes on economic activity, interest rates, and income. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): FIN 500.

FIN 531. Capital Markets. 4 hours.

Capital markets in the private economy. Flow of funds in financial markets and financial intermediaries. Pricing of securities. Short-term money markets and the Federal Reserve System. Market for long-term securities. Financial markets and the stability and progress of the economy. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): FIN 500.

FIN 542. International Finance. 4 hours.

Financial management within an international context. International monetary system, exchange rates, foreign investments, working capital management, financing trade, taxation and earnings reports. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): FIN 500.

FIN 544. Entrepreneurial and New Venture Financing. 4 hours.

The financing of new business. Estimating cash needs and then determining sources to finance them. This course is designed for those wanting to start their own business. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): FIN 500.

FIN 551. Financial Decision Making I. 4 hours.

First foundation course for the study of modern financial economics. Two-period individual consumption and portfolio decisions under uncertainty and their implications for the valuation of securities. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): Consent of the instructor.

FIN 570. Quantitative Methods in Finance. 4 hours.

Statistical and optimization techniques for portfolio management, risk management, proprietary trading, securities regulation and market making. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): Consent of the instructor.

FIN 571. Empirical Issues in Finance. 4 hours.

The methodology used in analyses of market efficiency, asset pricing and capital allocation. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): FIN 500 and consent of the instructor.

FIN 573. Risk Management. 4 hours.

Introduction to risk management. Risk measurements and reserves; banking and insurance capital requirements, the BASEL accord, tail events, catastrophic event insurance, reinsurance. Financial contracts and hedging. Course Information: Same as IDS 573. Prerequisite(s): Credit or concurrent registration in IDS 570 and FIN 500.

FIN 594. Special Topics in Finance. 1-4 hours.

Develops the tools for evaluating and quantifying the value of fixed-income securities. Course Information: May be repeated to a maximum of 12 hours if topics vary. Students may register in more than one section per term. Prerequisite(s): Consent of the instructor.

FIN 596. Independent Study in Finance. 1-4 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 department head or instructor.

FIN 599. Ph.D. Thesis Research. 0-16 hours.

Independent research on topic approved for doctoral dissertation under supervision of faculty advisor. Course Information: Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory grading only. May be repeated. Prerequisite(s): Consent of the instructor.