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OPUS COLLEGE OF BUSINESS

Opus College of Business Mission

Inspired by Catholic intellectual tradition, the Opus College of Business develops effective, principled business leaders who think globally, act

ethically and create enduring value for society.

FINC 321 FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

COURSENumber: FINC 321, Section 09Semester: Fall 2014Location: McNeely Hall 238Time: Tuesday 5:30 pm – 9:15 pm

INSTRUCTORProfessor: Dr. Dobrina Georgieva, PhDOffice: 355 McNeely HallPhone: 651-962-5844Email: geor0116@stthomas.eduOffice hours: Wednesday 10 am – 12 pm and by appointment

Faculty Access Polity: I am available in my office hours and by appointment. I will respond to email inquiries within 48 hours on regular business days.

REQUIRED TEXT AND MATERIAL 1. Text: “Fundamentals of Financial Management”, 9th Edition, Eugene Brigham and Joel

Houston2. PowerPoint Lecture notes (Blackboard). 3. Solutions to assigned chapter-end problems (Blackboard).4. Financial Calculator: Each student is required to have a financial calculator.

Recommended - HP 10BII calculator (alternatively, Texas Instruments BAII+). You are required to bring the calculator to the class with you.

COURSE DESCRIPTION AND OBJECTIVES

The objective of this class is to introduce the students to the concept of financial management and offer the tools that will help them make better financial decisions. The purpose of the financial management is to maximize the value of the firm and this value is determined by financial statements. The class will focus on introducing basic finance concepts, analyzing variety of managerial decisions and the consequences of these decisions reflected in the financial statements. The classroom discussions will incorporate theoretical and practical application of financial concepts.

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OPUS COLLEGE OF BUSINESS

The specific course objectives are as follows:

Essential Objectives

1. Gaining factual knowledge (terminology, classifications, methods, and trends).2. Learning fundamental principles, generalizations, or theories.

Important Objectives

3. Learning to apply course material (to improve thinking, problem solving, and decisions).

GRADING

Grades will be based on the following:

Exam 1 20%Exam 2 20%Exam 3 20%Final Exam 25%Homework/quiz 15% Total 100%

The grading scale is as follows.

EXPECTATIONS REGARDING WORK OUTSIDE OF CLASS

Range Grade93 -100 A90 - 92 A-88 - 89 B+83 - 87 B80 - 82 B-78 - 79 C+73 - 78 C 70 - 72 C-68 - 69 D+63 - 67 D60 - 62 D-00 - 59 F

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OPUS COLLEGE OF BUSINESS

This is a 4-credit course. It is expected that students will spend a minimum of 8 hours of study time outside of class per week on assigned readings, written assignments, problems, case analyses, papers, projects and other work. It should also be noted that students may need to spend more time than this minimum requirement. The specific readings, assignments, problems, cases, papers, projects and other work are listed in this syllabus and in any supplemental materials provided by the instructor.

Course Requirements/Policies/Expectations

Use of “portable devices” is prohibited during class. These devices should be switched off and completely and put away in the backpack/purse.

Make-up exams will be given for documented excused absences only It is your responsibility to check your email daily and follow documents posted on

BlackBoard

Responsibilities of the Student

Class attendance is essential. Due to the cumulative nature of the course material you will not be able to successfully complete this course by cramming for exams. You are responsible for anything covered during class time.

Please review the assigned material before class. Reading the chapter from the book corresponding to the lecture topic will greatly assist your understanding of the lecture and allow you to take selective notes in class.

Try to attempt each chapter's problems. While some of the problems will be discussed in class it is your responsibility to practice the rest of the problems from the book.

This course relies on what the student has learned in previous economics, statistics, and accounting courses. Be prepared to see such material integrated into the content of the course and the exams.

Attendance policy

As per UST policy, the maximum number of excused absences allowed is three class sessions. All unexcused absences will be considered absences.

Any excused absence must be supported through written documentation (such as doctors’ notes) before any make-up exam can be administered.

As per UST policy, attendance on the first day of classes is mandatory, and anyone who is absent on the first day will be dropped.

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OPUS COLLEGE OF BUSINESS

OCB/UST COURSE-RELATED POLICIES

Enhancement Program for Disability

In compliance with the University of St. Thomas policy and disability laws, I am available to discuss academic accommodations that you may require as a student with a disability. Students are encouraged to register with the Enhancement Program-Disability Services office for disability verification and for determination of academic accommodations. Appointments can be made by calling 651-962-6315 or 800-328-6819, extension 6315. Telephone appointments are available as needed. You may also make an appointment in O’Shaughnessy Educational Center, room 119. For further information, you can locate the Enhancement Program on the web at http://www.stthomas.edu/enhancementprog/.

Student Access to Faculty

The UST Opus College of Business faculty recognize that student access to faculty is an important part of the University of St. Thomas educational experience. The faculty also recognize that regularly scheduled office hours alone do not meet the diverse needs of all constituents. Changes in technology, student demographics, and multiple campus locations create new challenges and opportunities.

Therefore, be it resolved that the UST Opus College of Business faculty maintains a policy on student access to faculty stating how students shall have access to faculty outside of class through a combination of office hours, phone, email, and other electronic communications. All faculty are required to be available by appointment for face-to-face meetings with students. Faculty should respond to voicemail, email, and other student-initiated communications within 48 hours on normal business days. Additional contact requirements or office hours may vary by program depending on each program’s needs, student population, and physical location, as determined by faculty and program staff.  Each course syllabus will describe the program’s general policy or provide a link to the policy URL.  Each course syllabus also will describe how the faculty member will implement the policy.

Academic Integrity

Students are obliged to refrain from acts that they know or, under the circumstances, have reason to believe, will impair the integrity of the university. Violations of academic integrity include, but are not limited to, cheating, plagiarism, unauthorized multiple submissions, knowingly furnishing false or incomplete information to any agent of the university for inclusion in academic records, and falsification, forgery, alteration, destruction, or misuse of official university documents or seal.

As stated in the University of St. Thomas Academic Integrity Policy, the minimum sanction for cheating or plagiarism is failure on the work involved. It is the responsibility of all students to be fully aware of the conditions and consequences of violating the UST Academic Integrity Policy. A link to that policy is provided, below.

http://www.stthomas.edu/policies/student_policy_book/Academic_Integrity_Policy.asp

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OPUS COLLEGE OF BUSINESS

Expectations of OCB Students

As a member of the Opus College of Business (OCB) community, I accept that it is my responsibility to act in a professional manner by:

Taking personal responsibility for my own education by: Preparing fully for each class; completing assignments on time, honestly, and to the best

of my ability. Participating in class discussions without dominating the discourse. Participating fully in group assignments, to include providing constructive and candid

assessment of self and others in group projects. Seeking the applications of material learned in past courses.

Modeling professionalism within the OCB community by: Using professional language and communicating politely and respectfully with

classmates and instructors. Conducting myself ethically, honestly, and with integrity in all situations and not

tolerating academic dishonesty in others. Treating all members of the OCB community with trust, respect, and professional

civility regardless of their race, color, creed, religion, ancestry, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, disability status, age, marital status, or status with regard to public assistance, discouraging the use of inappropriate humor designed to denigrate individuals or groups, and insisting on the same from others.

Being fair and impartial when giving feedback on the performance of other community members.

For the full policies, see http://www.stthomas.edu/business/students/policies/ and http://www.stthomas.edu/business/students/policies/expectations.html

Final Exam Policy (Undergraduate)Final examinations are not administered other than during the final exam week. Individual exceptions to the scheduled final exam period should be both “individual and rare”. The final exam is part of the total class for the semester.

Recording of Class SessionsAny recording (audio, visual or in any other way) of classroom activities, including lectures and classroom discussions, is prohibited without my prior written consent. If I allow a student to record classroom activities, the recording is for that student’s personal educational use only, and no part of the recording can be disseminated, distributed, copied or broadcast in any form or manner. 

Confidentiality Policy

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OPUS COLLEGE OF BUSINESS

The classroom is a confidential environment. This means that all personal and organizational communication remains within the learning system.

Disclaimer

This syllabus is not a contract, but a plan for action. The instructors reserve the right to alter its stipulations, upon prior notification to students, if and when educational circumstances warrant changes.

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OPUS COLLEGE OF BUSINESS

Tentative Class Schedule, Fall 2014Date Topic Chapter/

MaterialWork Outside of Class / Homework

Sep 09 Introduction, Financial Markets and Institutions

Ch 1, 2 -Read the assigned chapter (this is required every week)

Sep 16 Analysis of Financial StatementsTime Value of Money

Ch 4 Ch 5

-Read the assigned chapter-Problems:4.1, 4.6, 4.8, 4.11, 4.13 -Problems: 5.1-5.6

Sep 23 Time Value of Money (Cont.)Review

Ch 5 -Read the assigned chapter-Problems: 5.1-5.40 + instructor handout

Sep 30 Exam 1 Ch 1,2,4,5

Oct 07 Interest RatesBonds

Ch 6Ch 7

-Read the assigned chapter-Problems: 6.1-6.7, 6.10-6.13-Problems: 7.1-7.8, 7.11 + instructor handout

Oct 14 Risk and return Ch 8 -Read the assigned chapter-Problems: 8.2-8.5, 8.9-8.12

Oct 21 Exam 2 Ch 6,7,8

Oct 28 Stock Valuation Ch 9 -Read the assigned chapter-Problems:9.2-9.4, 9.6, 9.10, 9.11+ instructor handout

Nov 04 Cost of Capital Ch 10 -Read the assigned chapter-Problems: 10.3, 10.9 10.18 + instructor handout

Nov 11 Basics of Capital Budgeting Ch 11 -Read the assigned chapter-Problems: Instructor handout

Nov 18 Exam 3 Ch 9,10,11Nov 25 Cash Flow Estimation and Risk

AnalysisCh 12 -Read the assigned chapter

Problems: Instructor handout

Dec 02 Capital Structure and LeverageDistributions to shareholders

Ch 13Ch 14

-Read the assigned chapters-Problems: 13.4, 13.8 + instructor handout-Problems: 14.1, 14.2, 14.8 + instructor handout

Dec 09 Multinational Financial Management

Ch 17 -Read the assigned chapter-Problems: 17.1-17.6 + instructor handout

Dec 16 Final Exam 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Ch 12,13,14,17