International University of Grand-Bassam
School of Business, International Relations, and Economic Policy
FI 3300: Corporate Finance
Spring 2014
Monday & Wednesday: 1:00 – 2:20 PM, Room 6, Academic Building
INSTRUCTOR
Name: Dr. Ndeye Salimata Fall
Phone:+225 47 54 02 55
Email: fall.s@iugb.org
Office: next to Mr. Sylla’s Office
OFFICE HOURS
Mondays: from 10:30 to 12:00 AM
Tuesdays: from 10:00 to 11:30 AM
COURSE DESCRIPTION & PREREQUISITE
This is an introductory course in the financial management of nonfinancial corporations and the
role of interest rates and capital markets in the economy. Topics include the structure and analysis
of financial statements, time value of money calculations (using financial calculators), stock and
bond valuation, financial forecasting, valuation of income producing physical assets, determination
of the cost of capital and the profitability of proposed investments in fixed assets, risk return
tradeoffs that must be considered in using financial leverage, and methods used in obtaining funds
from the various capital markets. This course is taught mainly through lectures and class
discussions of textual materials and problems.
Course prerequisites: AC 2101 (or its equivalent); AC 2102 (or its equivalent); EC 2106 (or its
equivalent).
Computer Skills Prerequisites (CSP): 1,2, 6
COURSE OBJECTIVES & INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES
FI 3300 is designed to give students Finance majors a solid foundation of the basic concepts that
are necessary to excel in future Finance courses. It will give non-majors a basic understanding of
the role and function of financial managers in the firm.
To successfully complete the course students should be able to:
 Create, discuss and explain the income statement, balance sheet and statement of cash flows
 Perform time value of money calculations
 Value and describe stocks and bonds
 Evaluate capital budgeting projects
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International University of Grand-Bassam
School of Business, International Relations, and Economic Policy
COURSE MATERIALS
Required textbook:

Lectures in Corporate Finance (Revised 5th edition) by Jayant R. Kale and Richard J.
Fendler, published by Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company (ISBN: 978-0-7575-5767-5).

Principles of Corporate Finance (11th Edition) by Richard Brealey, Steward Myers and
Franklin Allen, published by McGraw Hill (ISBN: 978- 0-0780-3476-3).
Additional resources:
Required Calculator
The Finance Department at GSU recommends that for FI 3300, you use the Texas Instruments
BA II Plus. The textbook website contains detailed directions on using the BA II Plus along with
several examples demonstrating how to use the BA II Plus to solve most time value of money
problems. Any other calculator must be approved by your instructor. You may not use calculators
capable of storing formulas.
STUDENTS PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT
In this course, students will be evaluated according to their performance in the following
assessment items: Individual assignments, quizzes, a midterm exam, a final exam, a group project,
and in-class participation. Homework submitted by students must be of the highest professional
output.
Homework
There will be various assignments aiming at testing your understanding of the concepts covered in
class.
Writing Assignments
Two writing assignments will be given during the semester to test both your understanding of key
concepts and writing abilities.
Quizzes
Quizzes are tentatively scheduled in the course outline. If the schedule is changed, it will be
announced at least one class prior to the quiz date. The format of quizzes will vary depending on
the subject matter to be tested and will test chapter material covered following the previous quiz.
There are no make ups for quizzes (you will receive 0) for any reason. However, out of the four
quizzes the grade for the worst quiz will be dropped (your course grade will be calculated using the
three best ones).
Exams
There will be two exams – one mid-term exam and a final exam. The final exam is cumulative.
Please see the "Course Policies" section for information about exams make-ups.
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International University of Grand-Bassam
School of Business, International Relations, and Economic Policy
In-class Participation
In-class participation is highly appreciated. Good participation means regular attendance, frequent
involvement and positive contributions in class discussions. Each student’s classroom participation
will be assessed based on:
 The student getting ready for each class by performing all assigned readings. Not
performing the assigned readings will negatively affect your in-class participation grade.
 The student’s attendance to each and every class session on a timely basis. Missing a class
will negatively affect your in-class participation grade. If you are more than 15 minutes
late for any session and/or you leave the class for more than 5 minutes, you will be
marked absent.
 The energy of the student to ask appropriate questions in class, and to respond to questions,
comments, and issues which a fellow students and the instructor may raise in class. Not
talking in class will negatively affect your in-class participation grade.
GRADING
Your final grade for the course will be determined according to the following grade weight schedule:
Grade Distribution
% of Final Grade
25%
30%
20%
10%
10%
5%
Mid-Term Exam
Final Exam
Quizzes
Writing Assignments
Homework
In-class Participation
Grade Scale
Students’ final letter grades will be assessed as follow:
Letter Grade
A+
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
CD
F
Final Grade (%)
97-100
93 – 96.99
90 – 92.99
87 – 89.99
83 – 86.99
80 – 82.99
77 – 79.99
73 – 76.99
70 – 72.99
60 – 69.99
< 60
COURSE POLICIES
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GPA Quality Points
4.3
4.0
3.7
3.3
3.0
2.7
2.3
2.0
1.7
1.0
0.0
International University of Grand-Bassam
School of Business, International Relations, and Economic Policy
Assignments and Projects Submission
All homework are due at the beginning of the class period on the due date. A penalty of 50% of
the grade will be assessed for every 24 hours late submission. Therefore, a zero grade will be
given to a homework submitted 2 days past the due date. If you have a problem in completing or
submitting your project on time, discuss it with the instructor before the due day.
Make-up Policy
As a general rule, there will be no make-ups for individual assignments, group projects, quizzes
and exams. If you have a legitimate excuse (documented health or business reasons) from missing
any of the above, please notify the instructor if possible a week prior to the assignment, project,
quiz or exam and provide an accepted justification. Failure to do so without an appropriate excuse
will result in a zero grade.
Attendance Policy
Attending class significantly increases your understanding of the course content and improves your
odds of obtaining a good grade in the class. Attendance will be taken daily and will account for 50
percent of your in-class participation grade. Missing up to 3 classes will not be penalized; missing
4 through 6 classes will cost you 20 percent in-class participation grade; and missing more than 6
classes will cost you all 50 percent of your in-class participation grade.
Only absences for which an excuse is provided (professional letterhead required) will be accepted.
Coming late to class or leaving the classroom before the end of the class session is considered as
an absence. If you must miss a class, please get my approval in advance. Also, if you miss a class
session, it is your responsibility to find out what you missed and to do whatever is necessary to get
up to speed.
Academic Integrity
Students are encouraged to assist each other in mastering the concepts and skills covered in this
course. However, an individual assignment, group project, a quiz or an exam submitted by a
student in fulfilling the requirements of this course must be the result of that student's own
personal effort and not copied from another work or performed by anyone else. Any student who
cheats, plagiarizes, or performs any other act of academic dishonesty is guilty of academic
misconduct. Any academic misconduct in this course will be dealt with according to IUGB’s
academic misconduct policy and will result in an automatic “F” for the course.
Disruptive Student Conduct in the Classroom or Other learning Environment
All forms of disruptive behavior should be avoided. Disruptive student behavior includes, but is
not limited to, verbal or physical threats, repeated obscenities, unreasonable interference with class
discussion, making/receiving personal phone calls or pagers during class, leaving and entering
class frequently in the absence of notice to instructor of illness or other extenuating circumstances,
and persisting in disruptive personal conversation with other class members. Please ensure that all
potentially noise-making equipment (cellular phones, pagers, laptop computers, etc) are turned off
during lectures. Furthermore, be sure to get to class on time. Entering class during the lecture is
disruptive to the instructor as well as to the students.
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International University of Grand-Bassam
School of Business, International Relations, and Economic Policy
Help, Feedback and Continuous Improvement
I have scheduled office hours (see the first page of the syllabus). Students are strongly
encouraged to visit me in my office or use my e-mail to ask questions, to express concerns
about any aspect of the course, or to clear up possible points of confusion. I will do my best to
correct any problems and accommodate your suggestions. I am eager to help you succeed in this
class.
Students who have a disability or a condition, which may impair their ability to complete
homework or otherwise satisfy course criteria, are encouraged to notify me at the beginning of the
semester in order to make possible accommodations.
TENTATIVE SCHEDULE
Textbook chapters should be read before the date on which the topic/event will be covered in class.
After reading a given textbook chapter and attending the lecture, you should begin working the
Assignment Problems. Bring your calculator to class.
Weeks
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
Week 6
Week 7
Topics
Readings
Introduction / Overview
Accounting Review
(income statement,
balance sheet)
Statement of Cash
Flows
Financial Statements
Analysis
Time value of Money I
and Opportunity Cost of
Capital
Time Value of Money
II
Chapter 1 Lectures in Corporate Finance
Chapter 1 Principles of Corporate Finance
Chapter 2 Lectures in Corporate Finance
Financial Securities
Valuing Bonds
Valuing Stocks
Risk and Return
Week 8
Risk and Return
Week 9
Capital Budgeting
Net Present Value Rule
Capital Budgeting
Net Present Value Rule
Week 10
Chapter 3 Lectures in Corporate Finance
Assignments/Exams/
Quizzes
Quiz 1
Chapter 4 Lectures in Corporate Finance
Chapter 6 Lectures in Corporate Finance
Writing Assignment 1
Chapter 2 Principles of Corporate Finance
Chapter 7 Lectures in Corporate Finance
Chapter 3 Principles of Corporate Finance
Chapter 8 Lectures in Corporate Finance
Chapter 9 Lectures in Corporate Finance
Chapter 4 Principles in Corporate Finance
Chapter 7 &8 Principles in Corporate
Finance
Chapter 7 &8 Principles in Corporate
Finance
REVIEW FOR MIDTERM
Chapter 5&6 Principles of Corporate
Finance
Chapter 5&6 Principles of Corporate
Finance
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Quiz 2
MID-TERM EXAM
Quiz 3
International University of Grand-Bassam
School of Business, International Relations, and Economic Policy
Week 11
Week 12
Week 13
Week 14
Week 15
Capital Budgeting and
Risk
Capital Budgeting and
Risk
Handling Uncertainty
Handling Uncertainty
FINAL EXAM
Chapter 9 Principles of Corporate Finance
Chapter 9 Principles of Corporate Finance
Writing Assignment 2
Chapter 10 Principles of Corporate Finance
Quiz 4
Chapter 10 Principles of Corporate Finance
Notes
1. If you require special accommodations for exams (e.g., "time and a half"), you must provide
documentation and make arrangements with me PRIOR to the exam dates.
2. Incomplete grades will only be given to students who are passing the course, and even then,
only in very special circumstances. In the case where an incomplete grade is awarded, it must
be removed by the end of the next term that the student is enrolled (and within two terms
regardless of whether or not the student is enrolled) or it will automatically turn into an F.
3. Students who withdraw after the midpoint of each term will not be eligible for a "W" except in
cases of hardship.
4. All instructors must, on a date after the mid-point of the course (to be set by the Provost) give a
WF to all those students who are on their rolls, but no longer taking the class and report the last
day the student attended or turned in an assignment. If you plan to drop the class, do let me
know.
5. This course syllabus provides a general plan for the course; deviations may be necessary.
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