San Diego State University
College of Business Administration
FIN 323 SEC 4: Fundamentals of Finance
Spring 2015
Instructor:
Class Hours:
Classroom:
Lab Hours:
Office Hours
Contact:
Stephen Blum
8:00AM – 9:15AM TTH
SHW-012
7:15AM – 7:45AM TTH SHW-012
9:30AM – 10:45AM TTH EBA-327
stephen.blum@mail.sdsu.edu
Course Objectives:
1. To obtain an understanding and ability to use basic business financial management
concepts and tools of analysis such as valuation, risk-return relationships, financial
statement analysis, capital budgeting, cost of capital, capital structure, and working
capital management.
2. To become familiar with the various types of financing available to a firm.
Student Learning Outcomes:
At the end of this course students will be able to:
1. Explain how domestic financial markets work and how institutions and firms obtain
funds in the financial markets and at what cost.
2. Apply basic valuation concepts to valuing various types of cash flow streams.
3. State and explain what determines the value of a firm’s securities and how management
can influence these values.
4. Measure a firm’s risk; explain what determines this risk, and how this affects the value
of a firm.
5. Analyze a firm’s performance to determine its strengths and weaknesses, and use
financial analysis to make suggestions to improve performance.
6. Forecast a firm’s financial needs.
7. Discuss the various methods for analyzing projects, apply them and specify what to do if
there are conflicting recommendations.
8. Identify and explain the tradeoffs involved and techniques used to manage a firm’s
working capital efficiently.
9. Define what leverage is, how a firm influences its leverage, and how leverage affects a
firm.
10. Describe how firms raise money in foreign markets.
11. Define the finance terminology in the above areas.
FIN 323 S 15 Syllabus - Page 1 of 4
Textbook: Essentials of Corporate Finance, (8th Edition), by Ross/Westerfield/Jordan, McGrawHill Irwin ISBN: 9781308372020. In addition to the text you need an access code for
Connect Plus Finance to do your required homework assignments. You have two
purchase options for the text and/or access code only: 1. Printed text with Connect Plus
Code “Bundle” at the Aztec Bookstore: Retail price is an estimated $130.00. 2. Connect
Plus Code only (includes eBook) which may be purchased for $70.00 by logging into your
FIN 323 Blackboard Section, clicking on the HW ASSIGNMENTS folder, and selecting any
assignment. You will be re-directed to the Connect site and prompted to purchase the
access code with a Credit Card. For additional help with Connect registration and use go
to:
http://highered.mheducation.com/olc2/dl/866234/Connect_Blackboard_First_Day_Of_
Class_0714.pdf
Required: An i>clicker2 (Before the first session of class you must register your i>clicker 2 for
this course via the link on Blackboard); a Red ID Card; a financial calculator (Texas
Instrument BAII Plus is preferred); a smartphone; and, a ParScore (Red/Narrow) Test
Form and #2 pencil for each exam. Also HIGHLY RECOMMENDED – The Wall Street
Journal www.WSJ.com/studentoffer select SDSU and Blum for 1 extra-credit point.
Quizzes: A short quiz will be given for each chapter immediately following the chapter’s lecture.
All quizzes will be taken exclusively in-class and recorded and graded via your i>clicker2.
Sufficient time will be allotted for each quiz to accommodate any student testing
disabilities. You will receive a zero if you are absent for a quiz and/or leave before the
class session ends. There are no makeup quizzes.
Finance Lab: Immediately before each class session (in the same classroom) I will conduct a
Finance Lab to answer questions regarding lecture topics and homework problems.
Participation is strictly voluntary.
Homework: Before each chapter’s lecture read the assigned chapter and complete the
LearnSmart exercises. Connect homework problems are due immediately following each
chapter’s lecture. Both are accessed only through the “HW Assignments” tab on
Blackboard and are graded and posted to the Blackboard grade book after each
assignment is completed. You will have two attempts to answer each homework
problem and will only receive credit for correct answers submitted prior to the
assignment’s due date.
Student Evaluation: Final grade is based on individual performance on the following:
Homework Assignments:
LearnSmart – 10 assigned chapters @ 1 point each
10 points
Problems – 10 assigned chapters @ 4 points each
40 points
Quizzes – 10 @ 5pts each
50 points
Exams – 4 @ 75 points each
300 points
Final Exam
100 points
TOTAL POSSIBLE
500 points
FIN 323 S 15 Syllabus - Page 2 of 4
Grades: Your final grade depends on your total number of accumulated points:
A- 460-484 Points
A 485-500 Points
B- 400-419 Points
B 420-435 Points
B+ 436-459 Points
C- 350-369 Points
C 370-385 Points
C+ 386-399 Points
D- 300-319 Points
D 320-335 Points
D+ 336-349 Points
F 299 Points or less
Grades shall genuinely distinguish between high and low levels of academic
achievement. A, outstanding achievement; B, praiseworthy performance; C satisfactory
performance; D, minimally passing; and F, failing. The average grade for undergraduate
achievement shall be C.
Exams: This syllabus contains a tentative schedule for the semester. While we may vary on the
actual topics covered on a given day, exam dates are FIRM – and must be taken on the
assigned dates. There are NO makeup exams and a zero will be given for a missed exam.
Exams will not be returned but may be reviewed only during the lab session
immediately following the exam. Students taking exams at the SDS Center must
schedule ALL exams and submit the required paperwork no later than 2/5/15.
Grades: Accumulated points will be maintained at all times on Blackboard.
Office Hours: Office hours are exclusively for questions regarding grades on homework, quizzes,
and exams that were assigned/given immediately prior to the office hour session
BSBA Goals: BSBA students will graduate being effective communicators, critical thinkers, able
to analyze ethical problems, global in their perspective, and knowledgeable about the
essentials of business. This class contributes to those goals through its student learning
outcomes. Please note the College of Business Administration’s expectations of
communication skills (oral and written) are available online at sdsu.edu.
Disability Accommodations: If a student requires an accommodation based on a disability, the
student should meet with me during the first week of the semester.
Statement of Academic Dishonesty: Academic dishonesty is completely unacceptable and will
not be tolerated. Any person caught cheating will receive an “F” for the course and
will be disciplined in accordance with University regulations and procedures.
Final Note: If you come to and participate in class, read the assigned chapters in advance of
class, do the homework assignments within the assigned timeframe, and ask questions;
you will learn a lot and should do well. Let’s have a great semester discussing and
learning about the wonderful world of finance!
Caveat: I reserve the right to change any item in the syllabus. I will let you know of any
updates or changes in the syllabus via postings to Blackboard and/or through
announcements during class periods.
FIN 323 S 15 Syllabus - Page 3 of 4
Course Outline
Date
01/22 Course Introduction
Chapter
01/27 Introduction to Financial Management
1
01/29,02/03 Financial Statements, Taxes, and Cash Flow
2
02/05,10 Working with Financial Statements
3
02/12 EXAM I (Chapters 1-3)
02/17,19,24 Introduction to Valuation: The Time Value of Money
4
02/26,03/3,5 Discounted Cash Flow Valuation
5
03/10 Exam II (Chapters 4-5)
03/12,17 Interest Rates and Bond Valuation
6
03/19,24 Equity Markets and Stock Valuation
7
03/26 Exam III (Chapters 6-7)
03/31 – 04/02 No Class – Spring Recess
04/7,9,14 Net Present Value and Other Investment Criteria
8
04/16,21 Risk and Return
11
04/23,28 Cost of Capital
12
04/30 Exam IV (Chapters 8, 11, 12)
05/05,07 Term Review (Chapters 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 12)
05/12 Final Exam
8:00AM – 10:00AM
FIN 323 S 15 Syllabus - Page 4 of 4
Room SHW 012