350 N. Orleans street• Chicago, Illinois60654 • Phone: 312.777.7600• Fax: 312.777.7748
COURSE SYLLABUSFinancial Management
Course Number: / FIN401 / Campus: / Chicago
Term: / Summer I, 2008 / Credit: / 3
Instructor: / Dr. Bob Castaneda
Contact Information:
Phone: / 312-498-2028
Email: /
Office Hours: / 9AM to 10PM Mon-Fri
9AM to 5PM Saturday
Class / Fridays6 PM to 10 PM
COURSE INFORMATION
Summer I 2008
May 5 through June 25, 2008
Course Credit Hours: 3
Meeting Times: Friday 6 PM to 9 PM
Educational & Professional Background of Instructor:
Roberto Castaneda received his graduate degree (DBA) in Accounting from Argosy University/Schaumburg; (MM/MBA) in Marketing and Finance from NorthwesternUniversity, and his undergraduate degree in Accounting and Marketing from DePaulUniversity. He is also a Certified Public Accountant. Dr. Castaneda has worked in senior finance positions at American Express, PepsiCo and McDonald’s Corporation in a number of international countries.
Course Schedule:
This is a 7 ½ week course that meets on Friday evenings beginning May 5thand ending June 25th. Refer to the Content Sequence section at the end of this syllabus for the dates and times of specific class sessions.
Course Description:
An introduction to the processes and principles involved in financial management, Practical emphasis is given to corporateentities, capital markets, as well as stock markets. Basic principles such as financial ratios and other financial measurements are examined. This syllabus may change at the discretion of the instructor.
Required Textbook(s)Title: / Finance: An Introduction to Markets, Investments, and Management
Author(s): / Melicher, R. W., Norton, E.A.
Copyright: / 2005
Publisher: / Wiley
ISBN: / 978-0-470-12892-3
Edition: / 13th
Publisher’s website-
Course Objectives:
The objective of this course is to present material in a relaxed and informal way without omitting important concepts; demonstrate the wide range of relevant issues and questions that can be addressed with the help of further understanding of financial analysis and techniques
- Understand the objectives of financial management and the importance of the financial manager to the organization.
- Understand how to evaluate the financial performance of the firm.
- Understand financial forecasting methods and their necessity to the strategic growth of the firm.
- Understand the financial effects of all forms of leverage on the firm.
- Be aware of the variety of methods of financing and controlling the current assets of the firm.
- Understand the time value of money.
- Understand how financial assets are valued and how investors establish the rates of return they acquire.
- Understand the methods and procedures of determining the firm's cost of capital.
- Understand the various methods for ranking capital investment proposals.
- Understand the impact of risk on the decision-making process.
- Understand the flow of funds through the financial intermediaries to the capital markets.
- Understand the virtues and drawbacks of debt versus equity financing.
- Provide a financial knowledge and framework so that tools learned in this course can be used throughout the individual’s academic or professional careers.
Evaluation methods used in this class are indicated below:
MethodPoints Possible% of Final Grade
Paper(s)
Portfolios(s)
XClass Participation, Assignments – Pass/Fail20%
Group Project
XReport20%
XQuizzes (6)15%
XExams or Tests – Open Book15%
XFinal Exam30%
Case Analyses
Objective
/Assessment
#1-13 / Classroom and Homework Assignmentsand Report#1-6 / Midterm Exam
#7-13 / Final Examination
#13 / Class Presentation
COURSE POLICIES:
1. Class attendance and participation
Students are expected to attend every class meeting. Attendance will be taken at each class meeting. Due to the comprehensive nature of each class, any absence will greatly diminish the potential for understanding the material and for the successful completion of the course. Please consult the instructor regarding any absence
2. Readings
All assigned readings are to be completed before each class session. Refer to the Content Sequence section at the end of this syllabus for a list of the weekly assigned readings.
3. Assignments
Weekly Quizzes
There will be a five-point quiz administered at the end of class sessions 1 - 6. The quizzes will cover material from the assigned readings from the text.
Term Paper
You are required to write a5-8 page paper on one of the following topics:
- TBD on the first day of class
The paper is due the last class session and should be written in APA format and include a list of all references cited. More specific information about the mechanics of writing the paper will be discussed during the first class session.
Final Examination
The final examination will consist of multiple choice and essay questions. Students are expected to be knowledgeable of terms discussed during the course, and be able to apply concepts to several case examples. More specific information about the content of the final examination will be discussed during the first class session.
4. Grading Criteria:
The grading scale is as follows:
Percentage / Letter Grade93-100 / = / A
90-92.9 / = / A-
87-89.9 / = / B+
83-86.9 / = / B
80-82.9 / = / B-
77-79.9 / = / C+
73-76.9 / = / C
70-72.9 / = / C-
67-69.9 / = / D+
63-66.9 / = / D
60-62.9 / = / D-
<60 / = / F
Grading will be based on the following:
MethodPoints Possible% of Final Grade
Paper(s)
Portfolios(s)
XAssignments – Pass/Fail20%
Group Project
XReport20%
XQuizzes15%
XExams or Tests – Open Book45%
Final Exam
Case Analyses
Criteria for Term Paper:
GradeA = 90+ / Paper is in appropriate APA format, well thought out and provides excellent coverage of material
B = 80 – 89 / Paper is well thought out, but is missing one component of APA format OR coverage of material is only adequate
C = 70 – 79 / Insufficient number of references provided AND limited coverage
D = 60 - 69 / Paper is disorganized AND coverage is not adequate AND does not conform to APA format
F = <60 / Evidence of plagiarism OR paper not submitted
Criteria for Class Presentation
GradeA = 90+ / Presentation is well organized and provides excellent coverage of the topic area; informative handouts provided to the instructor and classmates
B = 80 – 89 / Presentation is well organized and provides good coverage of the topic area
C = 70 – 79 / Coverage of material is marginal; presentation is slightly disorganized
D = 60 - 69 / Presentation is disorganized and does not provide adequate coverage of the topic area
F = <60 / Presentation was not completed by student
Criteria for Class Participation
GradeA = 90+ / Student actively participated in discussions in >80% of class sessions; nearly all comments were thought provoking and incorporated material from the assigned readings
B = 80 – 89 / Student actively participated in discussions in >80% of class sessions; most of the comments were thought provoking and incorporated material from the assigned readings
C = 70 – 79 / Student participated in discussions in >70% of class sessions; comments/questions demonstrate a surface level understanding of course topics
D = 60 - 69 / Student participated in <70% of class sessions; comments/questions did not demonstrate an understanding of course topics
F = <60 / Student did not participate in class discussions
5. Due dates and Incompletes
Assignments are due on the dates indicated; late submissions that have not been approved in advance will be marked down one percentage point per day late. If you have an emergency that prevents you from completing an assignment on time, please contact the instructor.
In accordance with University policy, incompletes will only be granted in cases of personal emergency. You must have a passing grade in the course at the time the incomplete is requested. If you receive an incomplete you must fulfill the requirements specified in the incomplete contract prior to the beginning of the next semester.
POLICY STATEMENTS
MISSION STATEMENT - SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
The Argosy School of Business is committed to the goal of providing quality graduate and undergraduate business education in a manner that fulfills both the personal and professional goals of the working adult learner and the expected needs of the local, national and international business community. While recognizing the significance of technology in modern business practice, the Argosy School of Business is distinctive in its behavioral approach to the challenges of managing both people and processes.
The School of Business seeks to achieve this mission through:
1)The recruitment, development, and maintenance of highly-skilled and motivated faculty who teach their fields of specialty from professional experience as well as theoretical knowledge; and
2)Through the provision of student learning experiences that link theory with practice and reflects the multidisciplinary demands of a workplace that is increasingly global, diverse, and technologically-oriented.
- Disability Statement:
It is the policy of Argosy University/Chicago to make reasonable accommodations for qualified students with disabilities, in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). If a student with disabilities needs accommodations to complete the instructor’s course requirements, the student must notify the Director of Student Services. Procedure for documenting student disability and the development of reasonable accommodation will be provided to students upon request.
Students will be notified by the Director of Student Services when each request for accommodation is approved or denied in writing via a designated form. It is the student’s responsibility to present the form (at his or her discretion) to the instructor in order to receive the requested accommodation in class. In an effort to protect student privacy, Student Services will not discuss the accommodation needs of any student with instructors.
- Statement on Diversity
Argosy provides access through its services and programs to students of any social, geographic, and cultural background, and strives to prepare them to work with and provide services to diverse populations. Argosy demonstrates its commitment to diversity through the development and support of a diverse educational community.
- Academic Dishonesty/Plagiarism Statement:
The University seeks to foster a spirit of honesty and integrity. Any work submitted by a student must represent original work produced by that student. Any source used by a student must be documented through normal scholarly references and citations, and the extent to which any sources have been used must be apparent to the reader. The University further considers resubmission of a work produced for one course in a subsequent course or the submission of work done partially or entirely by another to be academic dishonesty. It is the student’s responsibility to seek clarification from the course instructor about how much help may be received in completing an assignment or exam or project and what sources may be used. Students found guilty of academic dishonesty or plagiarism shall be subject to disciplinary action up to and including dismissal from the University.
If you are unsure what constitutes plagiarism, visit the following web site:
ArgosyUniversity routinely submits student papers to Turnitin.com for Originality Reports. Papers submitted to Turnitin are checked against published works, content on the Internet, and every other paper submitted to Turnitin.
- Technology Statement:
ArgosyUniversity encourages the use of technology throughout the curriculum. This course uses the following: online activities-
WEEKLY COURSE OBJECTIVES/TOPICS AND LEARNING ACTIVITIES
WEEK 1
Objectives:
1. Understand the objectives of financial management and the importance of the financial manager to the organization.
2. Gain an understanding between accounting and finance
3. Review basic financial stmts.
Learning Activities:
We will go thru some basic financial stmts and how we use the information to make decisions. Review of class assignments
WEEK 2
Course Objectives:
1. Understand how to evaluate the financial performance of the firm.
Learning Activity: We will look at financial ratios and how each ratio means something different. Review of class assignments
WEEK 3
Course Objectives:
1. Understand financial forecasting methods and their necessity to the strategic growth of the firm.
2. Be aware of the variety of methods of financing and controlling the current assets of the firm.
3. Understand the time value of money
Learning Activity:
Review of companies financial stmts and assignments in class will be reviewed. We will also review the impact of time value of money on the financial stmts.Review of class assignments
WEEK 4
Course Objectives:
- Understand how financial assets are valued and how investors establish the rates of return they acquire.
Learning Activity: Focus on risk and return case scenarios. Review of class assignments
WEEK 5
Course Objectives:
1. Understand the methods and procedures of determining the firm's cost of capital
Learning Activity: Review what the cost of capital is under each financial alternative available to the company.Review of class assignments
WEEK 6
Course Objectives:
1. Understand the various methods for ranking capital investment proposals
Learning Activity: We will walk thru a financial modeling on how companies determine which capital projects to pursue.Review of class assignments
WEEK 7
Course Objectives:
- Understand the impact of risk on the decision-making process.
- Understand the flow of funds through the financial intermediaries to the capital markets
- Understand the virtues and drawbacks of debt versus equity financing
Learning Activity: Review of class assignments and review for final exam
WEEK 8
Course Objectives:
- Presentation on findings of Target Corporation
- Final Exam
Learning Activity: Each student will present their findings to the class
DATE CHAPTERTOPIC(S)ASSIGNMENT(S)
5/09 1 Financial Environment
Goals and Functions Q - 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 and 8
Review of Accounting Q – 1, 2, 4, 6 and 10
P- 9, 10, 15, 16, 17,
22 and 23
05/16 3Savings & Investment Q – 1, 3, 4, and 6
P – 3, 4, 14 and 17
5Time Value of Money Q - 2, 5, 6, 7 and 10
P - 1, 2 and 13
05/23 9Securities Market Q – 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 and 8
P - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 16, 17
and 23
10Investment Implications Q - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 11 and 13
P - 1, 12, 17, 19 and 20
MIDTERM (CHAPTERS 1, 2, 3, 5, 9 and 10)
05/30 11Business Org and Fin Data Q - 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10,
P - 1, 2, 11 and 15
14Estimating Project Cash Flows Q – 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8 and 11
06/06 15 Capital Structure & CofC Q - 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9
P - 1 and 12
16Managing Working Cap Q – 2, 4, 5, 6 and 8
P - 1 and 5
17Short-term Business Fin Q - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 and 8
P - 8 and 14
06/13 18Int’l Fin Trade Q - 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10
and 11
P - 1, 2, 3, 5 and 8
06/20 TEST chapters 11, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18
ONLINE RESOURCES
ArgosyUniversity Online
General information about ArgosyUniversity and the degree program we offer.
Acknowledgement of Syllabus Content
I have read and understand the course syllabus for ______(course name)______at Argosy University/Chicago, which is being taught by ______(instructor name)______during ____(term/year)______. I hereby agree to the terms stated in this syllabus.
______/ ______Student Signature / Date
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