2023-24 Edition

Finance (FIN)

Courses

FIN 203A. Financial Reporting for Management. 4 Units.

Financial reporting is concerned with the preparation and public dissemination of financial reports designed to reflect corporate performance and financial condition. Provides a base level of knowledge needed by corporate executives to understand and discuss corporate financial statements.

Restriction: Master of Finance Degree students only. Graduate students only.

FIN 209B. Investments Management. 4 Units.

Introduction to how securities are traded and how their prices are determined. Discussion of different market organizations, including some recently developed online financial markets. Study of pricing models, including Capital Asset, factor models, and Arbitrage Pricing Theory.

Restriction: Master of Finance Degree students only. Graduate students only.

FIN 210. Foundations of Finance. 4 Units.

Examines foundations of finance. Teaches tools such as time value of money, capital budgeting techniques, cash flow analysis. Examines foundations of investment management and theory/empirical evidence related to portfolio theory, market efficiency, asset pricing models, factor models, option pricing theory.

Restriction: Master of Finance Degree students only.

FIN 211. Master of Finance ProSeminar.

Provides students in the Merage School Master of Finance program with information and practical skills for success in the program and for business career planning.

Grading Option: Satisfactory/unsatisfactory only.

Repeatability: May be repeated for credit unlimited times.

Restriction: Master of Finance Degree students only.

FIN 240. Financial Research Methodology. 4 Units.

Provides an introduction into the computational research methods necessary in modern finance, such as optimization, simulation methods, and finite difference and finite element methods. Some applications include quadratic programming for portfolio selection and option pricing.

Restriction: Master of Finance Degree students only.

FIN 241. Risk Management. 4 Units.

Examines modern techniques for managing financial risks, including market, credit, liquidity, and operational risks. Covers measurement techniques for different financial risks and instruments. Discusses how risk measurement tools can be used for management of the risk/return profile of financial institutions.

Prerequisite: FIN 249. FIN 249 with a grade of B- or better

Restriction: Graduate students only. Master of Finance Degree students only.

FIN 242. Portfolio Management. 4 Units.

Provides a working understanding of the themes and concepts of portfolio management. Covers several disciplines, such as investment valuation, investment decision-making, investing styles, asset allocation, monitoring and re-balancing portfolios, risk management strategies, performance evaluation, and attribution analysis.

Restriction: Master of Finance Degree students only.

FIN 243. Bonds and Fixed Income. 4 Units.

Addresses concepts covering a broad spectrum of debt securities with emphasis on qualitative and quantitative analysis of fixed income securities in many areas, including corporate (credit) debt, MBS/ABS, structured debt, and credit derivatives.

FIN 244. Multinational Finance. 4 Units.

Examines the history of the world’s foreign exchange markets, the macroeconomics of foreign exchange, major parity conditions, hedging of currency exposure and international investment. Gives students a basic understanding of foreign exchange market.

FIN 245. FinTech. 4 Units.

Provides working knowledge of the role of IT-enabled innovation in financial markets to help students acquire an understanding of broad economic issues that are of wide applicability in many areas of FinTech. Both qualitative analysis and quantitative applications are explored.

Restriction: Master of Finance Degree students only. Graduate students only.

FIN 246F. Seminar in Management of the Real Estate Enterprise. 4 Units.

Capstone seminar. Looks beyond “The Deal” to management of the real estate enterprise itself. Explores aspects of decision-making focused upon strategic objectives: goal setting, legal/tax structures, public vs. closely-held entities, corporate ethics, capital structure, managing growth, diversification, technology. Guest professionals.

Restriction: Master of Finance Degree students only. Graduate students only.

FIN 246G. Applied Real Estate Security Analysis and Portfolio Management. 4 Units.

Provides an understanding of the public real estate investment trust (REIT) market and its place in modern investment strategies, presents methods for analyzing and valuing companies, and introduces basic concepts for constructing and managing a real estate investment portfolio.

Restriction: Master of Finance Degree students only. Graduate students only.

FIN 247. Cases in Corporate Financial Management. 4 Units.

Case-based course in corporate finance. Introduces advanced analytical tools and techniques for value-based financial management in a broad range of corporate settings, including financial forecasting, mergers and acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, ownership and control, corporate restructuring, and financial distress.

Restriction: Master of Finance Degree students only.

FIN 248. Corporate Valuation. 4 Units.

Expands on concepts covered in introductory finance. Combines lectures and cases designed to confront students with real-world problems to enhance their understanding of the value and limitations of finance theory. Focuses on the value of firms/projects in diverse settings.

Prerequisite: FIN 210. FIN 210 with a grade of B- or better

Restriction: Master of Finance Degree students only.

FIN 249. Derivatives. 4 Units.

Covers major derivative instruments that are widely used for hedging, including forward, futures, swaps and options, speculation, and arbitrage. Focuses on understanding the instruments, how to use and price them, basic risk management principles, and how to implement investment strategies.

Restriction: Master of Finance Degree students only.

FIN 250. Mergers and Acquisitions. 4 Units.

Focuses on mastering mergers and acquisitions concepts and techniques that will enable participants to practically apply them in related fields such as investment banking, consulting, and corporate development. Studies drivers of success in M&A with heavy attention on transactional review.

Restriction: Master of Finance Degree students only.

FIN 252. Wealth Management. 4 Units.

Provides overview of considerations needed to connect singular functional areas that comprise personal and business wealth management, including basic and advanced estate planning, investment management, tax management, life/liability and property/casualty insurance, medical and long‐term care coverage, retirement and philanthropy considerations.

Restriction: Graduate students only.

FIN 253. Venture Capital and Private Equity. 4 Units.

Overview of venture capital and private equity, which constitute the “alternative” asset class (as opposed to conventional investments). Many start-up and entrepreneurial firms require substantial capital, and venture capital and private equity organizations finance these high-risk but potentially high-reward companies.

Restriction: Master of Finance Degree students only.

FIN 255. Finance Internship. 2-4 Units.

Provides students with opportunities to apply knowledge obtained from classroom theory through actual practical work experiences. Also provides knowledge of career opportunities, understanding of finance in business environments, and preparation for the finance profession.

Grading Option: Satisfactory/unsatisfactory only.

Repeatability: May be repeated for credit unlimited times.

Restriction: Master of Finance Degree students only.

FIN 290. Special Topics in Finance. 4 Units.

Studies in selected areas of finance. Topics addressed vary each quarter.

Repeatability: Unlimited as topics vary.

FIN 296. Master of Finance Capstone. 4 Units.

Students work in teams on an applied finance project associated with their area of focus to demonstrate knowledge and expertise. The project can involve experiential learning, collaboration with a faculty member, or association with an internship.

Restriction: Master of Finance Degree students only.

FIN 299. Individual Study. 1-4 Units.

Individual study under the direction of a select faculty member.

Repeatability: May be repeated for credit unlimited times.

Restriction: Graduate students only.