Finance

Program Description

The master of science (M.S.) in finance is designed to provide quantitative and comprehensive examination of the finance field. Students will advance through corporate finance, investments, and market instruments and institutions. Additionally, students will experience significant exposure to supporting coursework in the closely related fields of accounting and economics. A capstone experience will tie together the major finance topics and expose students to literature, and the analysis thereof, pertinent to the field. After a comprehensive examination of the field, students may choose their electives to satisfy their specific career goals. Students desiring to take advanced certification, such as the CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) or CFP (Certified Financial Planner), will want to take advanced courses in Investments and Portfolio Management, while student interested in pursuing careers in other fields may to take Entrepreneurial Finance, Capital Budgeting, International Finance, or similar advanced topics offered by the School of Business & Technology.

Program Curriculum

The M.S. in finance requires successful completion of 36 credit hours including 27 required credit hours and 9 credit hours of electives.
The following courses are required for the M.S. in finance:

• BUSN 6050 Macroeconomic Analysis
• BUSN 6070 Management Accounting
• FINC 5000 Finance
• FINC 5210 Investments
• FINC 5830 Institutions and Financial Markets
• FINC 5870 Derivatives
• FINC 5880 Advanced Corporate Finance
• FINC 6290 Financial Strategies

Prerequisites:

• BUSN 5600 Accounting Theory and Practice
• BUSN 5620 Current Economic Analysis
• BUSN 5760 Applied Business Statistics

Course Descriptions

BUSN 6050 Macroeconomic Analysis
The course provides the consumer of macroeconomic news a conceptual foundation in macroeconomic theory. The goal is to prepare the manager/ analyst to consume macroeconomeic news and anlysis and to draw independent conclusions. Prerequisite: BUSN 5620.

BUSN 6070 Management Accounting
The student examines advanced topic in management accounting as these relate to management information needs for planning, control, and decision making. Topics include interpretation of standard cost variances; application of quantitative techniques; evaluation fo divisional performance; activity-based costing; and the behavioral impact of accounting systems. Prerequisites: BUSN 5600 and BUSN 5760.

FINC 5000 Finance (Requisite Course)
The student examines the general nature of financial management, the American financial system, taxes, and the major financial decisions of corporations. Specific attention is given to present value and capital budgeting; risk and asset pricing; financial analysis and forecasting; financial decisions and market efficiency; and capital structure. Problem-solving methodology is used to illustrate the theories and tools in financial decision making. Prerequisite: BUSN 5600 and BUSN 5760 (BUSN 5200 cannot be substituted for FINC 5000.).

FINC 5210 Investments
Principles and methods of investing in securities of business and government. This course is a study of practical management of portfolios containing both fixed-income and equity investments. The course will examine the issues in and the procedures for security analysis and portfolio management. The emphasis is on the application of analytical techniques and portfolio management theories for individual investors. Prerequisite: FINC 5000.

FINC 5830 Institutions and Financial Markets
Students develop a unified framework for understanding financial intermediaries and markets. They examine the structure, regulation, and operation of banking and non-banking financial institutions; analyze how central bank operations affect financial institutions; and develop an understanding of money and capital markets, the flow of funds through the economy, and the role of financial and futures markets. Prerequisite: FINC 5000.

FINC 5870 Derivatives
This course shows how financial managers can use capital markets technology and explores how derivatives can be used to manage financial risks and position firms to exploit strategic opportunities, reduce financing costs, and structure incentives. Students learn the mechanics of options, forwards, futures and swaps and study uses of these intruments. Prerequisites: FINC 5210, FINC 5880, a nd BUSN 5760 or equivalent.

FINC 5880 Advanced Corporate Finance
This advanced study of corporate financial analysis and planning includes capital budgeting, cost of funds, and capital structure and valuation. Selected topics that may be covered are leasing, mergers, takeovers, business failure, reorganization, and liquidation. A combination of problem-solving and case study methodologies is used to illustrate theories and techniques helpful in financial analysis and planning. Prerequisite: FINC 5000.

FINC 5890 Financial Statement Analysis
Interpretation, analysis, and evaluation of financial reports from viewpoints of creditors, owners, investment frims, and others concerned with business strengths or weaknesses. The impact of general business and specific industry situations, behavior of financial markets, credit or lending criteria, and equity investment standards as related to financial statements to determine present and future financial condition are covered. Prerequisite: FINC 5000 and BUSN 5600 or equilvalent.

Capstone Course

FINC 6290 Financial Strategies

This course will be a final, comprehensive finance offering that will make use of cases and/ or simulations to enhance the real-world applicability of the finance degree and to integrate all previous coursework. Prerequisite: completion of all other required courses for the M.S. in fianace.

Full-time students should plan on 15 to 18 months of study while part-time students can pace their programs to meet the demands of their personal and professional lives.