Syllabus
BUS241 - Corporate Finance
Mondays and Wednesdays 3:05-4:20 Room: KY-270,
with a lab on Monday or Wednesday 4:30-5:20 in KY-220 or KY-220A.
One of our TAs, Rebecca Chang or Maxwell Gottfried, will be assisting you in the lab.
Professor Cara Marshall, Ph.D.
Semester: Fall 2010
Email: Cara.Marshall@qc.cuny.edu
Office: 300K Powdermaker Hall
Office Hours: Mondays 12:30-2:30 or by appointment
Phone: 718-997-5387
Course Description
This course is intended to cover the main areas of concern of corporate finance. Particular emphasis will be put
on the time value of money and valuations of securities. We will examine the ways in which firms determine
the least-cost methods of financing assets and making investment decisions.
No Prerequisites are Required for this Course
Text Book
Fundamentals of Corporate Finance by Brealey, Myers and Marcus, 6th edition, McGraw-Hill,
ISBN: 978-0-07-726334-8
There are four versions of the book:
1. The soft-cover for BUS 241, published exclusively for Queens College, available only at the QC bookstore.
This is the most economical option.
2. The soft-cover for BUS 341, published exclusively for Queens College, available only at the QC bookstore.
This book is comprised of #1 above (for BUS 241) plus has all the relevant chapters for BUS 341. Purchase this
if you are certain to take BUS 341.
3. The hardcover, 6th edition, available at the QC bookstore and other booksellers.
4. To purchase the ebook go to www.CourseSmart.com.
You will also use Aplia for homework assignments and as a resource for exam preparation:
Aplia Registration & Payment
1. Connect to http://www.aplia.com.
2. If you already have an account, sign in. Go to your My Courses page, and click the Enroll in a New Course
button.
If you don't have an account, click the Create a New Account button, and choose Student Account.
3. Enter your Course Key when prompted: 9BQM-FZ4C-HWW7. Continue to follow the on-screen instructions to
access your course.
After you register for your course, you will have a variety of payment options. If you choose to pay later, you
can use Aplia without paying until 11:59 PM on 09/19/2010.
You can purchase access to your course from the Aplia website for US$35.00.
Financial Calculator
A financial calculator is highly recommended. The textbook explains how to use both the Hewlett Packard 12C
and the Texas Instruments BA II. If you own an iPhone, you can download a financial calculator app (the
HP12C is available as an app). You can also use Texas Instruments 83 (TI-83) for financial functions.
*If you intend to take CFA exams, candidates are only allowed to use HP 12C and/or TI BA II.
Course Website: go to the Economics Department website, click on Faculty, and click on my name. Scroll
down to Course Websites and click on BUS241 (or visit the link below).
http://www.qc-econ-bba.org/coursewebsite.ihtml?Instructor_last=Marshall&user_CourseCode=BUS241&Instructor_ID=24
Course Objectives
Topics include an overview of financial markets and institutions, measuring financial performance, time value
of money, valuing securities, investment decisions and project analysis.
Teaching Philosophy and Pedagogical Approach
This class involves a lab component where we will be using Excel and/or financial calculators to solve classrelated problems. I will provide lab assignments for you to work on during the lab. You are expected to work
through these lab assignments independently, but should feel free to help one another out. A teaching assistant
will be available to help on a one-on-one basis. Your grade will be comprised of 3 exams, class participation,
and you will choose 5 from the 6 homework assignments (if you turn in 6, I will count the highest 5).
Homework must be completed and submitted online through Aplia. Homework will not be accepted late.
Grading
Exam 1:
Exam 2:
Exam 3 (comprehensive):
Homework :
Class & Lab Participation:
Grading Equivalencies
A+ 97-100
A
93-96
A- 90-92
B+ 87-89
B
83-86
B- 80-82
C+ 77-79
C
73-76
C- 70-72
D+ 67-69
D
60-66
F
0-59
20%
20%
25%
25% (5% each)
10%
Tentative Schedule
Date
Topic
Related Reading
8/30/2010
Introduction to Fundamental Corporate Finance
Chapter 1
9/1/2010
Financial Markets and Institutions
Chapter 2
913/2010, 9/15/2010
Accounting and Finance
Chapter 3
9/20/2010
Measuring Performance
Chapter 4
Assignment Due
HW1 Accounting & Finance
9/22/2010, 9/27/2010, 9/29/2010
Review and Exam 1
10/4/2010, 10/6/2010, 10/13/2010
The Time Value of Money
Chapter 5
HW2 Time Value of Money
10/18/2010, 10/20/2010, 10/25/2010
Valuing Bonds
Chapter 6
HW3 Bonds
10/27/2010, 11/1/2010
Valuing Stocks
Chapter 7
HW4 Stocks
11/3/2010, 11/8/2010, 11/10/2010
11/15/2010, 11/17/2010, 11/22/2010
11/24/2010, 11/29/2010
12/1/2010
12/6/2010, 12/8/2010, 12/13/2010
TBA
Review and Exam 2
Net Present Value & Other Investment Criteria
Chapter 8
Investment Decisions
Chapter 9
HW5 Investment Decisions
Project Analysis
Chapter 10
HW6 Project Analysis
Exam Review
Final Exam (Cumulative)
General Policies
A Academic Dishonesty: CUNY’s policy on academic integrity can be found at:
http://qcpages.qc.cuny.edu/provost/Policies/index.html
These policies are supplemented below:
Penalties for cheating on exams or case studies can range from receiving a zero on the assignment up to failure
for the course. Additional disciplinary action is also possible by Queens College.
B Policy for Make-Up Examinations: There are no make-up exams given the same semester. If you fail to
attend an exam for a reason found acceptable to the professor, you will be given an grade of “incomplete” and
one opportunity to complete the exam THE FOLLOWING SEMESTER at the same time that students from the
subsequent class are completing it. The one exception to this policy will be when a student has a valid conflict
for another final exam being given at the same time. In that instance a conflict exam will be administered at the
time the Department schedules such exams.
C Policy for Late Submission of Assignments: Homework must be submitted on the date due.
D This class makes frequent use of the Course Website listed above. Please regularly consult this website for
course announcements, additional reading assignments, notes and handouts, and any changes to assignments.
E Arrival to class: Late arrival, while at times unavoidable, is disruptive to your classmates and the professor.
Please make every effort to arrive on time.
F Please turn off cell phones during class. If you need to be reached urgently, please set the phone to vibrate,
answer quietly and leave the classroom for the remainder of the conversation.
G Student inquiries should be addressed to the email address above. All correspondence should have a
professional tone. Please state the course and meeting time in the subject line of your email. I will make every
effort to respond promptly to your inquiries.
H If you are having difficulty with the course material, you may see me, without appointment during my
regularly scheduled office hours or after class. If you are unable to see me during office hours, please contact
me in person or by email so that we can arrange another mutually agreeable time.
ADA Statement
Students with disabilities needing academic accommodation should: (1) register with and provide
documentation to the Special Services Office, Kiely 171; (2) bring a letter to the instructor indicating the need
for accommodation and what type. This should be done during the first week of class. For more information
about services available to Queens College students contact: Dr. Mirian Detres-Hickey, Special Services
Office; 171 Kiely Hall; 718-997-5870 (8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.). E-mail address: mdetres@yahoo.com or to
mirian.detreshicky@qc.cuny.edu.