CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, CHICO

DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE & MARKETING

 

FINANCE 150 - 10: SURVEY OF FINANCE

FALL 2004

 

Instructor:

H. Christine Hsu, Ph.D.

Professor of Finance
 
Office Hours:

TR 10:00 -11:00 am & 3:15 - 4:45 pm
Office: Tehama 459

Phone: 898-6387

 

Course Description

This course will provide the student a working ability to make financial decisions. The focus will be on how companies invest in real assets and how they raise money to pay for these investments. The course will provide a framework for financial management and how to apply them to the main decisions made by a financial manager.

Course Requirements

·  Prerequisite: Intro to Financial Accounting (ACCT 015), required. You should not enroll in this class if you have not completed the prerequisite.

·  Working knowledge of EXCEL and WORD

·  Calculator: A financial calculator is required. Your calculator must have net present value (NPV), internal rate of return (IRR) and cash flow (CF) functions. Texas Instruments BAII PLUS is recommended. Calculators are used to work the exams/assignments.

Course Materials

·  Fundamentals of Corporate Finance, Brealey, McGraw-Hill/Irwin, 4th ed., 2004, required.

·  Study Guide to Fundamentals of Corporate Finance, Will, McGraw-Hill/Irwin, 4 th ed., 2004, optional.

·  http://www.mhhe.com/bmm4e features the new eLearning Sessions, a fully interactive study session. Also available are video clips, downloadable supplements, and articles on current topics in finance.

·  Written assignment instructions and end of chapter problem solutions will be available in our class WebCT (https://online2.csuchico.edu). Important class information will be posted in the Calendar/Class Mail, You should check them at least twice a week.

Course Goals

The objective of this course is to provide knowledge about the basic issues in corporate finance. The course is designed primarily for the student who has had no previous course work in finance and will provide satisfactory background for students who elect to study Business in more advanced courses.

At the end of this class, you should …

  • Know the role of the financial manager and the financial markets in which the manager operates
  • Know valuation, the concept that drives financial decisions
  • Understand risk and return

Course Policies

Exams

There will be two mid-semester exams and a comprehensive final exam (see Course Content for exam dates). There are two parts in each exam: Part I Problems and Part II Questions. The problem part is open book and the question part is not. No notes are allowed during the exam. Bring your financial calculator and a Scantron form 882 to each exam. If you miss an exam and cannot demonstrate extreme hardship, you will receive a score of "0". A make-up for any of the missed exam is allowed only if you present a serious compelling reason (e.g., a doctor's note).

Written Assignments

Two written reports will be assigned randomly throughout the semester. Instructions and due dates will be announced in class. Absolutely no late work will be accepted.

Academic Honesty

You are expected to maintain a high standard of academic honesty. Dishonesty may bring grade reduction or other sanctions as provided in Section IV-A of the University Code. Copies of the University Code are available from the Office of the Coordinator for Student Judicial Affairs, Kendall Hall 110. Also see the chapter titled "Student Judicial Affairs" in the University Catalog.

Drop Policy

If you want to drop the class, it is your responsibility to initiate and follow through on the action. Do not assume the instructor will drop you from a course if you quit attending class. University regulations specify several conditions for dropping a class and the relevant cutoff dates. If you intend to drop a course, do it right away, or you may miss a critical cutoff date.

Class Attendance and Participation

Since learning is enhanced by discussion, regular attendance is required and participation is encouraged. Class roll will be taken on a regular basis. Students with good attendance and active class participation records will be rewarded in terms of grade enhancement (e.g., from B- to B, from B+ to A-; and so on). It is your responsibility to obtain class notes and assignments from other members of the class whenever you are absent.

Grading Policy

You will earn points from the following:

2 mid-semester exams @20 points each = 40 points
2 written reports @10 points each = 20 points
Final exam = 40 points

Your grade will be determined based upon the total points earned from exams and reports:

94 points and above = A
90 to below 94 points = A-
87 to below 90 points = B+
83 to below 87 points = B
80 to below 83 points = B- etc.

No extra credit assignment will be allowed to make up for poor performance in any of the above activities.

Course Schedule and Assignments

The following schedule gives the chapter coverage/assignments. The lectures will stress the most important and/or most difficult material. Your comprehension of the material will be enhanced if you read the chapters before they are covered in class.

Sessions:

Chapter 1: The Firm and the Financial Manager
From
August 24, 2004 To August 24, 2004

Chapter 2. The Financial Environment
From
August 26, 2004 To August 26, 2004

Chapter 3: Accounting and Finance
From
August 31, 2004 To September 09, 2004

Chapter 17: Financial Statement Analysis
From
September 09, 2004 To September 21, 2004

Chapter 19: Working Capital Management and Short-Term Planning
From
September 21, 2004 To September 28, 2004

Exam #1
From
September 30, 2004 To September 30, 2004

Chapter 4: The Time Value of Money
From
October 05, 2004 To October 12, 2004

Chapter 5: Valuing Bonds
From
October 12, 2004 To October 19, 2004

Chapter 6: Valuing Stocks
From
October 19, 2004 To October 26, 2004

Chapter 13: An Overview of Corporate Financing
From
October 26, 2004 To October 26, 2004

Chapter 7: Net Present Value and Other Investment Criteria
From
October 28, 2004 To November 04, 2004

Exam #2
From
November 09, 2004 To November 09, 2004

Chapter 10: Introduction to Risk, Return, and the Opportunity Cost of Capital
From
November 11, 2004 To November 18, 2004

Thanksgiving Break
From
November 22, 2004 To November 26, 2004

Chapter 11: Risk, Return, and Capital Budgeting
From
November 30, 2004 To December 02, 2004

Chapter 12: The Cost of Capital
From
December 07, 2004 To December 09, 2004

Final Exam (12:00 - 1:50 pm on 12/16/04)
From
December 16, 2004 To December 16, 2004