TR 8:00-9:20am
General Learning Goals: • Problem solving and decision making abilities through the critical analysis, evaluation, and interpretation of business information: Students will demonstrate problem solving and decisionmaking ability as they synthesize information from different angles to analyze topics such as firms’ financial conditions and interest rate pattern, and make decisions on circumstances such as capital budgeting. Scores on assignments and exams are based on the appropriateness of student’s numerical analysis • Utilization of available technology for common business applications: Students will finish several sets of homework that require them to conduct analysis and computation using software such as MS Excel. Grades in these assignments are partially based on the effectiveness of student’s use of Excel. • Team building and collaboration to achieve group objectives: Students will work in teams as they gather information, conduct financial analysis, and solve spread sheet problems. Grades in assignments are partially based on student’s ability to work in a team. • Developing a competency in speaking and writing for common business scenarios. Each student will make a presentation in class about current business events/news. Students will be graded on the quality of their oral speaking skills and the effectiveness of their presentation.
Course Specific Learning Goals: This course focuses on the practical and conceptual problems associated with the financial management of the non-financial corporations. Topics covered include financial planning and forecasting, risk and return including the capital asset pricing model (CAPM), valuation of debt and equity, cost of capital, capital budgeting and project evaluation techniques, etc. For each topic, consideration is given as to how each relates to shareholder value maximization. For purpose of enhancing corporate decision-making skills, students will be exposed to both the theoretical underpinnings of each concept as well as their applications to realistic situations facing the firm.
Grading a. Exams: There will be three exams. Each of the three exams is weighted 20% into your overall grade. Format and content of an exam will be announced in class prior to the exam. There will be no make-up for the exams. It is the student’s responsibility to know when and where exams will be held. If you have an unavoidable conflict you must discuss this with me at least one week before the exam. If an emergency arises notify me immediately; if you cannot reach me directly leave a message. An unexcused absence from an exam will be recorded as zero. b. Spreadsheet Assignment (Group Homework): You will form teams to complete two sets of spreadsheet problems from assigned chapters. These problems will give you essential hands-on experience applying many of the concepts in the chapters. Each assignment will be weighted 10% into your overall grade. Assignments and deadlines will be posted on WEBCT. You must submit your work via WEBCT Assignment Drop Box. You have to pick your team members and inform me about your team choice at the second class. Each group must have no more than 4 members and no less than 3 members. Each group only needs to submit one copy of the assignment. *** I will only accept submission by an eligible group, before the deadline, and via WEBCT. Any violation of above requirement will result in a grade of zero. c. Presentation: Starting from the second week, selected student(s) will each perform a 10-minute presentation that features on financial/economic news that occurs recently. The presentation can be based on student’s reading from articles on major sources such as Bloomberg BusinessWeek and/or Wall Street Journal. The presenting student(s) is responsible of summarizing the news, offering background information, and analyzing/commenting on the news. The student is also expected to answer audience’s questions during the presentation. Details about the requirements and grading standard for the presentation will be posted on WEBCT. d. Participation: Student participation is very important for this course. Therefore participation credits are assigned to encourage students to attend classes and engage in class discussion. Participation grade depends on the following factors: • Attendance • Performance on raising and answering questions in class • Performance on raising and answering questions on WEBCT discussion board • Performance on in-class exercises • Performance on team work Students with outstandingly good participation can earn up to 10 points of participation grades, while students that seldom participate or are disruptive to class may get zero participation grade. There is no guarantee that a student attending every class will automatically receive the full credit of class participation. Also, refer to “Attendance and Classroom Policy” section to see how your conduct may affect your participation grade. e. Grading Schedules: In general, the following grading schedules will apply: 100 - 90% = A (superior) Exam 1 = 20% 89 - 80% = B (above average) Exam 2 = 20% 79 - 70% = C (average) Exam 3 = 20% 69 - 60% = D (below average) Assignments = 20% (10% * 2) ≤ 59% = F (failing) Presentation = 10% Participation = 10% 100%
• Arrive on time for each class meeting. Arriving late to class is disruptive to your fellow students. While arriving late for class is occasionally unavoidable, arriving late for excessive times may result in the student being administratively dropped from class. • Avoid excessive absences. Experience indicates that attending class regularly improves student performance. A student with excessive absences may be dropped from the class by the professor. (MSU Undergraduate Catalog 2010-2012, Vol. LXXVIII, No. 1, p. 78). It is your responsibility to sign the attendance form for each class meeting. Failure to do so will be considered as being absent. • Prepare for each class. Read the assigned material, answer end-of-chapter questions and problems, and come to class prepared to ask questions over issues you do not understand, answer questions from the professor, and participate in class discussions when appropriate. • Silence your cellphone/pager. Either turn it off, or switch it to silent mode. Phone rings or beeper beeps disrupt the whole class and will NOT be tolerated. • No private talking with your fellow students in class. If you want to speak, speak loudly so that the whole class can hear you. • No food or beverage is allowed in the classroom. This is a college policy. Violating above rules will either cause you being dropped from this class or cause your final letter grade to be lowered according to the severity of the violation.
Academic Integrity With regard to academic honesty, students are referred to the “Student Honor Creed” on P.19 of Midwestern State University Undergraduate Catalog, 2010-2012, Vol. LXXVIII, No. 1. “We consider it dishonest to ask for, give, or receive help in examinations or quizzes, to use any unauthorized material in examinations, or to present, as one’s own, work or ideas which are not entirely one’s own. We recognize that any instructor has the right to expect that all student work is honest, original work. We accept and acknowledge that responsibility for lying, cheating, stealing, plagiarism, and other forms of academic dishonesty fundamentally rests within each individual student.” Academic dishonesty (cheating, collusion, and plagiarism) is taken seriously and will be investigated. The minimum penalty is an "F" in this course and referral to the Dean of Students for disciplinary action, which may result in expulsion from the University. For information regarding Midwestern State University’s policies about academic dishonesty, refer to the current handbook which can be obtained in the Dean of Student’s Office (http://student.mwsu.edu/dean). Americans with Disabilities Act If a student has an established disability as defined in the Americans with Disabilities Act and would like to request accommodation, that student should see me as soon as possible (preferably within the first two weeks of the semester). This class follows the guidelines suggested by the Center for Counseling and Disabilities Services for students who qualify for disability services. See Page 21 of Midwestern State University Undergraduate Catalog, 2010-2012, Vol. LXXVIII, No. 1 for details. Syllabus Change Policy This syllabus and the following class schedule serve as reference for the course, and they are subject to change. Syllabus changes will be communicated in class or via WEBCT.