FIN 3140 Personal Financial Planning -Online
Syllabus
Professor: Dr. Doug Waggle E-mail: dwaggle@uwf.edu Office: Bldg. 76, Room 226 Phone:
850-474-2726
Office Hours: By appointment
Required Text:
Personal Financial Planning, 11th Edition, by Gitman and Joehnk, published by
Thomson South-Western (2008). ISBN: 978-0-324-42286-5
Course Description
Broad coverage of personal financial decisions, including basic financial planning, tax issues,
managing savings and other liquid accounts, buying a house, the use of credit, insurance, managing
investments and saving for retirement.
Prerequisites: None.
This course offers 3 hours of credit.
Course Purpose
The course will provide the student with an introduction to the various concepts associated with
personal finance. A broad range of topics will be covered. The course is geared toward practical
knowledge that is necessary for financial decision making in everyday life.
Student Learning Outcomes After completing the course, students should be able to
Make sound decisions relating to a personal financial plan.
Understand budgeting, savings alternatives, and tax planning as they relate to individuals.
Understand the use of credit and purchasing decisions as they relate to individuals.
Understand the importance of insurance and the various types of insurance plans
available to individuals.
Understand the key long-term investments available to individuals.
Evaluation, Grading, and Exams
Grading is as follows: The mid term and final exams must either be taken in person at a UWF
campus (times and locations TBA) or be proctored at an approved testing facility. Students in the
Pensacola and Fort Walton Beach areas must come to proctored exams. Students outside the local area
must arrange for proctors. Information on proctored exams is available on the course e-Learning page.
Quiz Impact
Test 1
Final (Not
comprehensive)
50%
50%
Major Tests
Online Quizzes
Total
100%
90-100%
0 – 10%
100%
If you fall behind in the material, catching up may prove difficult. There are mandatory online quizzes
that are designed to keep you on track. The quizzes are open book and open note, but you must do them
on your own. You must complete each quiz by the assigned completion date, which is noted in the quiz
section of e-Learning. Failure to take a quiz by the due date results in a
0. If you take a quiz and make 50 or higher, then the quiz grade is optional. It will only be included if it
is higher than the average score of your major tests. If you make less than a 50, you are stuck with the
grade. My reasoning here is that if you have gone through the presentations, you should be able to make
at least a 50 with your notes available.
Grades will be assigned as follows:
93-100, A; 90-92, A-;
87 -89, B+; 83-86, B; 80-82, B-;
77 -79, C+; 73-76, C; 70-72, C-;
67 -69, D+; 60-66, D;
Below 60, F.
Makeup Exam Policy
Makeup exams are generally not given. If a student has an unexcused absence from an exam, the general
method for making this up is through taking a comprehensive final. The comprehensive final will then
receive additional weighting.
Expectations for Academic Conduct
As members of the University of West Florida, we commit ourselves to honesty. As we strive for
excellence in performance, integrity—personal and institutional—is our most precious asset. Honesty in
our academic work is vital, and we will not knowingly act in ways which erode that integrity.
Accordingly, we pledge not to cheat, nor to tolerate cheating, nor to plagiarize the work of others. We
pledge to share community resources in ways that are responsible and that comply with established
policies of fairness. Cooperation and competition are means to high achievement and are encouraged.
Indeed, cooperation is expected unless our directive is to individual performance. We will compete
constructively and professionally for the purpose of stimulating high performance standards. Finally, we
accept adherence to this set of expectations for academic conduct as a condition of membership in the
UWF academic community.
Assistance
Students with a documented disability who require specific examination or course related academic
accommodations should contact the Student Disability Resource Center (SDRC) by e-mail at
sdrc@uwf.edu or by phone at (850) 474-2387.
Financial Calculators
A financial calculator or a calculator that performs financial functions is required for this class.
My preferred financial calculator (just because it’s what I have always used) is the Texas Instruments
BAII-plus. (I now have the Professional version of it.) Another popular choice is the Hewlett Packard
10bII. If you do not have a financial calculator, I would pick one of these two choices. You may not
share calculators during exams.
Personal Financial Planning Course Outline and Schedule
Week of …
May 12
Chapter
1/2
May 19
2
Topic
Personal Financial Planning / Financial Statements and
Budgeting
Time Value of Money
May 26
3
Tax Considerations
June 2
4
Savings and Payment Plans
June 9
5
Making Automobile and Housing Decisions
June 16
6/7
June 23
June 30
Introduction to Credit / Consumer Loans
Mid-Term Exam (TBA)
8/9
Life Insurance / Health and Disability Insurance
July 7
10
Automobile and Home Insurance
July 14
11
Investment Basics
July 21
12
Introduction to Stocks and Bonds
July 28
13 / 14
August 4
***
Introduction to Mutual Funds / Planning for
Retirement
Final Exam (TBA)
Note: This course outline and the dates established therein are tentative, and the instructor
reserves the right to change them.
This outline shows the approximate dates that material should be covered. Due dates for online quizzes
are all noted on the course e-Learning page.