SYLLABUS
FINANCIAL ECONOMICS 313
FALL 2014
DR. FITZRANDOLPH
HEPBURN 201
REQUIRED TEXTS:
Herbert B. Mayo, Investments: An Introduction, 11th edition, Southwestern - Centage Learning. 2014
Michael Lewis, Flash Boys (Mar 31, 2014)
Nassim Nicholas Taleb, The Black Swan: Second Edition: The Impact of the Highly Improbable: With a
new section: "On Robustness and Fragility, May 11, 2010
OFFICE HOURS:
On weekdays when I’m not in class I’m usually in my office in Hepburn 201 with my door open. Please
feel free to stop by anytime for help, advice, or just to talk. My formal office hours are:
Monday
1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Tuesday
10:00 to noon.
Wednesday 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Or please feel free to make an appointment
COURSE GRADE: Your course grade will be determined as follows:
a) QUIZZES
15% every Tuesday
b) 1st Exam
25% THURSDAY, October 2 at 7:00 p.m.
c) 2nd Exam
25% THURSDAY, November 6 at 7:00 p.m.
d) Investment Project
10% Final Report due Tuesday December 9th
rd
e) 3 Exam
25% WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17 at 6:00 P.M.
FILMS: Two films will be shown during class this semester:
The Great Game: The Story of Wall Street
Too Big to Fail
The films are integral to the course and will be on exams. THEY MAY BE RESCHEDULED AT
ANY TIME AND THIS SYLLABUS WILL BE REVISED ACCORDINGLY.
GRADE INTERPRETATION: The cut off points for grades are as follows: 1.0(60), 1.25(62), 1.5(65),
1.75(68), 2.0(70), 2.25(72), 2.5(75), 2.75(78), 3.0(80), 3.25(82), 3.5(85), 3.75(88), and 4.0(90).
QUIZZES: First ten minutes of class EVERY TUESDAY
INVESTMENT PROJECT: On Tuesday September 23rd we will begin an Investment Project
consisting of a stock portfolio management game. Details of this game are to be found at the web site
www.stocktrac.com. On Tuesday, December 9th you must hand in your final report. Projects will be
graded 95% on analysis/style and 5% on results.
ASSIGNED READINGS: Our class meetings will be more productive if you read the assigned material
before it is covered in class. Failure to do this will probably produce a lower grade.
READING ASSIGNMENTS
August
September
September
October
November
28
Mayo, chapter 1
2
4
Mayo, chapter 2
Mayo, chapter 2
9
11
Mayo, chapter 3
Mayo, chapter 3
16
18
Mayo, chapter 4
the movie The Great Game
23
25
Mayo, chapter 4
Mayo, chapter 5
30
2
Mayo, chapter 5
NO CLASS -- FIRST EXAM at 7:00 p.m. (Includes 10 points on Flash Boys)
(FIRST QUIZ on definitions in Chapter 1)
INVESTMENT PROJECT BEGINS
7
9
Mayo, chapter 5
STUDY BREAK
14
16
Mayo, chapter 6
Mayo, chapter 7
21
23
Mayo, chapter 8 (pp. 265 – 281) and chapter 9
Mayo, chapter 9
28
30
Mayo, chapter 19
Mayo, selected parts of chapters 10 and 11
4
6
Mayo, chapter 12
NO CLASS --- SECOND EXAM at 7:00 p.m.
11
13
Mayo, chapter 17
Mayo, chapters 17 & 18
18
20
Mayo, chapter 18
Mayo, chapter 13
THANKSGIVING BREAK-------------FRIDAY, NOV. 21 to SUNDAY, NOV. 30
December
2
4
Mayo, chapters 13 and 14
the movie Too Big to Fail
December
9
11
Mayo, chapter 15
Mayo, chapter 16
INVESTMENT PROJECT DUE
WED. DEC. 17th at 6:00 p.m. THIRD EXAM ( Includes 10 points on The Black Swan)