Finance Honor$
2015-16
Important Note: This syllabus is tentative and is subject to change at the
instructor’s discretion.
Instructor: Dave Silverstein
Office Hours:
After school upon request. Please provide me with at least
one-day notice. Note that there will be no after school help
during soccer season.
Number: (973) 927-2208 ext: 7642
Phone
E-mail:
Dsilverstein@mtoliveboe.org
Room Number: B115
Block Assignment: 1A
TARGET MARKET
Finance Honors is the capstone class to the Federal Finance Career Cluster. As such, it
builds on a student’s preexisting knowledge of accounting and business. Throughout
students will connect the course material to what they have already learned in Accounting
II Honors.
This course is designed for students who are contemplating a career in the accounting or
finance professions. This course is designed to attract future C.P.A. s, C.F.A.s, C.M.A.s,
C.F.P.s, Financial Analysts, Licensed Stock Brokers, Financial Managers, Treasurers,
Entrepreneurs, as well as a host of other financial careers.
Finally, since this course will help students to better understand the world of investing
and money, even non-business students will benefit, as they will learn to make better
use of their free cash flow, regardless from how it was derived.
COURSE DESCRIPTION AND OBJECTIVES
Finance Honors is intended to introduce students to the fundamentals of modern finance.
Students will engage in a rigorous study of financial theory. After learning fundamental
theory, they will be in a position to apply their “ready intuition” to real world cases and
projects.
This course examines finance from the Individual Investor’s perspective (External
Finance), and students will valuation of the firm from the standpoint of the external
investor.
Students learn finance by doing. Therefore, students will actively participate in the decisionmaking process, and they will see the results of their choices, Students will learn from the
good judgment and the costly mistakes made by themselves and their teammates.. In
addition, financial theory will encourage students to ask the right questions, and give
students the confidence to undertake rational decisions when new and unfamiliar financial
problems arise, whether in business or in their personal lives. This can only be
accomplished through practical application of the concepts learned. Therefore, practical
application of financial theory is an objective that permeates throughout the entire course
content.
PREREQUISITES
This course is open to juniors and seniors who have successfully completed the
following courses:
1) ACCOUNTING I
2) ACCOUNTING II HONORS
3) COMPUTER APPLICATIONS (strongly recommended)
4) MATH ANALYSIS OR HIGHER
TEXTBOOK and INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS
Herbert B. Mayo(2014) Investments, eleventh edition Upper Saddle River,
NJ: South-western, Cengage Learning
The Wall Street Journal will be used to examine current issues and
emerging trends. The journal will also help students to strengthen their
financial vocabulary, understand charts, and know where to go for up-todate investment information. Finally, the journal provides excellent reading
on STAR days.
The Hewlett Packard 17B II+ Financial Calculator. This calculator is
recognized as the industry standard. Finance is an extremely fast paced
field. Students must be able to generate accurate results quickly. Any
reputable business school requires their students to purchase and utilize a
financial calculator. By mastering the HP 17BII+ during high school, Mount
Olive Students will gain a strong competitive advantage over their peers.
Other materials will be used for instruction, including the Internet,
magazines, periodicals, and other textbooks.
GRADING POLICY
MP 1
MP 2
MP3
MP4
Tests/Quizzes
35%
35%
35%
35%
Homework
15%
15%
15%
15%
50%
50%
50%
50%
Case Studies/
Classwork
Assignments
UNIT
CONTENT DESCRIPTION
APPROXIMAT NUMBER OF
WEEKS
A.
The Investing Process and Securities Markets
1.5
B.
Time Value of Money and Discounted Cash Flow Analysis
2
C.
Risk Analysis, Risk Management, Required Return on
Investment, and Portfolio Theory
2.5
D.
Mutual Funds
2
E.
Investing in Common and Preferred Equity Securities
8
F.
Investing in Bonds and Fixed-Income Securities
6
G.
Valuation of Common and Preferred Equity Securities
4
H.
Behavioral Finance and Technical Analysis
3
I.
Convertible Securities
1
J.
Derivatives
5
K.
Review for Final Exam
1
L.
Elementary Business Statistics and Mathematical Modeling
As Needed (see prerequisite
section above)
M.
HP 17B-II+ Financial Calculator
On-going
N.
Professional Ethics
On-going
O.
Term Project, Case Studies and Classwork Assignments
On-going