Finance (FNCE)
FNCE 3101. Financial Management. (3 Credits)
(Also offered as BADM 3730) An introductory examination of how a business plans its needs for funds, raises the necessary funds, and invests them to attain its goals.
Enrollment Requirements: ACCT 2001; ECON 1200 or both ECON 1201 (or ARE 1150) and ECON 1202; MATH 1070Q and MATH 1071Q, or MATH 1131Q and MATH 1070Q or MATH 1132Q, or MATH 1125Q, MATH 1126Q and MATH 1132Q or MATH 1070Q; STAT 1000Q or 1100Q; open to Business majors with 40 or more credits. May not be taken out of sequence after passing FNCE 3302, 3303, 4209, 4302, FNCE 4304, 4305, 4306, 4307, 4308, 4309, 4410, 4420, 4430, 4450.
FNCE 3230. Real Estate Principles. (3 Credits)
Overview of the personal, social and business aspects of real estate. Emphasis on home purchase decisions, location analysis, market characteristics and investment decision-making.
Enrollment Requirements: Open only to business majors of sophomore or higher status.
FNCE 3240. Foundations of FinTech. (3 Credits)
This course provides an overview of Fintech. It consists of three modules. Module A: Fintech’s four thematic areas: Paying for goods and services, Savings and investment products, Credit and loan products, and Managing risk. Module B: Fintech’s four enabling technologies: Distributed computing, AI and big data, Cryptography and Blockchain. Module C: Fintech’s four perspectives: The disruptive companies, The incumbent financial institution, Societal effects and regulatory responses, and The private equity investor.
Enrollment Requirements: Open only to business majors of junior or higher status. Corequisite: FNCE 3101.
FNCE 3302. Investments and Security Analysis. (3 Credits)
A study of the nature of securities, the mechanics and costs of trading, and the way in which the securities markets operate. Risk-return analysis will be applied in making decisions to buy or sell stocks, bonds and options. The semester-long project requires the student to follow and analyze the performance of individual stocks and a portfolio of investments including stocks, bond, options, and futures. Written analysis is required.
Enrollment Requirements: FNCE 3101 for Business majors, or MATH 3650 for Math-Actuarial Science-Finance majors; open to junior or higher Business and Math-Actuarial Science-Finance majors. Not open for credit to students who have passed or currently taking FNCE 3303. May not be taken out of sequence after passing FNCE 4308 or 4309.
FNCE 3303. Principles of Investments and Derivatives. (3 Credits)
Application of the general principles of investing to a wide range of assets including bonds, stocks, and derivatives. Various models are used to price fundamental assets such as bonds and stocks as well as derivative securities such as options and future contracts. Written analysis is required. Offered only at the Hartford, Waterbury, and Stamford Regional Campus locations for students admitted to business major programs offered only at those locations.
Enrollment Requirements: FNCE 3101; open only to business majors of junior or higher status. Not open for credit to students who have passed or are currently taking FNCE 3302.
FNCE 3332. Real Estate Investments. (3 Credits)
Risk-return analysis for alternate types of real estate investments. Techniques and applications of investment decision-making and value estimation. Lease analysis, cash flow, forecasting, appraisal techniques, discounted cash flow modeling, portfolio management, and equity securitization including real estate investment trusts.
Enrollment Requirements: FNCE 3101 or 3230 or BADM 3730; open only to business majors of junior or higher status. May not be taken out of sequence after passing FNCE 3336.
FNCE 3333. Real Estate Finance. (3 Credits)
Investment characteristics of mortgages and the structure and operation of mortgage markets -- both primary and secondary, including the role of securitization. Risk and return characteristics of various mortgage instruments, both residential and commercial, are analyzed from the perspective of both the borrower and lender. Tools for measuring and managing the risks of portfolios of mortgages and mortgage-backed securities are introduced.
Enrollment Requirements: FNCE 3101 or FNCE 3230 or BADM 3730; open only to business majors of junior or higher status.
FNCE 3334. Real Estate Markets and Valuation. (3 Credits)
The economic drivers of real estate activity and how those drivers are evaluated and valued within the established real estate markets. The primary emphasis is on residential real estate but the course will consider aspects of commercial real estate. The valuation of single-family houses and small income properties will be considered. Factors such as location, demographic (including economic) factors, political (including zoning and land use regulations), ownership rights, and capitalization rates are considered relative to valuation.
Enrollment Requirements: FNCE 3101 or FNCE 3230 or BADM 3730; open only to Business majors of junior or higher status.
FNCE 3335. Commercial Real Estate Appraisal. (3 Credits)
Commercial real estate appraisal and an overview of the three traditional approaches to real property valuation - the cost approach, the sales comparison approach and the income capitalization approach. Provides an overview of practices emphasized by the Appraisal Institute and how valuation work is completed in accordance with the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice. A case appraisal of a small commercial property is an essential part of this course.
Enrollment Requirements: FNCE 3302, 3332 or 3334; open only to Business majors of junior or higher status.
FNCE 3336. Real Estate: A Practical Approach. (3 Credits)
Provides students with practical, high-level, tactical and strategic real estate concepts. Students must decide whether to invest in real property, analyze the income from various real estate developments, learn the art of negotiation, explore the costs of maintaining a building, and devise strategies to protect their interests in a complex business partnership.
Enrollment Requirements: FNCE 3332 or 3333 or 3334 or 3335, or instructor consent; open only to business majors of junior or higher status.
FNCE 3715. Personal Finance. (3 Credits)
Designed to provide students with practical financial management skills that will enable them to identify their personal financial goals, and to plan and make financial decisions that will help them reach those goals. Topics include budgeting, investing, effective use of cash and credit, taxes, insurance, housing and automobile purchases, and retirement planning.
Enrollment Requirements: Open to juniors or higher. Recommended Preparation: completion of a college level math course is strongly recommended.
FNCE 4209. Applications in Financial Management. (3 Credits)
An intermediate level course using cases i.e., problems faced by actual firms, to teach students how to apply financial management concepts and techniques to real-world situations.
Enrollment Requirements: FNCE 3101 (BUSN majors) or MATH 3650 (Mathematics Actuarial Science Finance majors); open only to Business and Mathematics Actuarial Science Finance majors of junior or higher status. Recommended preparation: OPIM 3103.
FNCE 4230. FinTech Economics and Business Models. (3 Credits)
This course addresses the economics within the Fintech ecosystem, its various business models, and value creation with emphasis on the competitive landscape in Payments, Wealth management, Crowdfunding, and Lending. Topics include economic theories behind fintech business models (game theory, contract theory, etc.), strengths and weaknesses of fintech business models (BaaS, API, POS, etc.), comparisons between fintech business models and traditional business models, issues and regulations in the application of fintech models.
Enrollment Requirements: FNCE 3101; open only to business majors of senior status.
FNCE 4301. Advanced Issues in Security Valuation. (3 Credits)
Valuation of an investment through assessing a company's ability to produce free cash flow, maintain a consistent return on capital and reinvest capital effectively over time; interpretation of financial and management practices; evaluation of the psychological framework and investment thought process that is useful in the analysis of the physical, intellectual and emotional factors related to valuing an investment.
Enrollment Requirements: FNCE 3101; FNCE 3302 or 3303; open only to Business majors of junior or higher status.
FNCE 4302. Fixed Income Securities. (3 Credits)
Provides an understanding of the common types of fixed income securities and their valuation, the major risks associated with investing in fixed income securities, the standard measures of those risks and approaches to managing those risks. In addition the basics of modeling interest rate processes and valuing securities with embedded options will be introduced.
Enrollment Requirements: FNCE 3101 (BUSN majors) or MATH 3650 (Math-Act Sci-Finance majors); open only to Business and Mathematics-Actuarial Science-Finance majors of junior or higher status.
FNCE 4303. Advanced Issues in Asset Allocation and Portfolio Management. (3 Credits)
Valuation of a business including models such as discounted cash flows, relative metrics, contingent claim valuation and liquidation value; evaluation of specific business models that companies pursue to create competitive advantage including toll gate positioning, segregation vs. integration, and organic vs. mechanistic strategies.
Enrollment Requirements: FNCE 3101; FNCE 3302 or 3303; open only to Business majors of junior or higher status.
FNCE 4304. Financial Derivatives and Risk Management. (3 Credits)
Applications of financial structuring and engineering with particular attention to uses of derivatives.
Enrollment Requirements: FNCE 3101 for Business majors or MATH 3650 for Mathematics Actuarial Science Finance majors; open only to Business majors or Mathematics Actuarial Science Finance majors of junior or higher status.
FNCE 4305. Global Financial Management. (3 Credits)
Focuses on the detailed study of: exchange rate determination, operation of the foreign currency and global capital markets, and hedging both transaction and economic exposure to exchange rate changes.
Enrollment Requirements: FNCE 3101 (BUSN majors) or MATH 3650 (Mathematics Actuarial Science Finance majors); open only to Business and Mathematics Actuarial Science Finance majors of junior or higher status.
FNCE 4306. Financial Services. (3 Credits)
Study of the role of financial services companies in the money and capital markets, funds acquisitions, investment and credit extension.
Enrollment Requirements: FNCE 3101 (BUSN majors) or MATH 3650 (Mathematics Actuarial Science Finance majors); open only to Business and Mathematics Actuarial Science Finance majors of junior or higher status.
FNCE 4307. Financial Modeling. (3 Credits)
Students will learn to use Excel to solve financial problems and build sophisticated models for financial decision making. Applications will be drawn from financial statement analysis, corporate financial planning, capital budgeting, modern portfolio theory, fixed income investments, options pricing, and others.
Enrollment Requirements: FNCE 3101 for Business majors or MATH 3650 for Mathematics Actuarial Science Finance majors; open only to Business majors or Mathematics Actuarial Science Finance majors of junior or higher status.
FNCE 4308. Introduction to Algorithmic Trading. (3 Credits)
Quantitative trading models implemented on computer systems for automatic execution. Examines popular trading strategies. Emphasizes hands-on experience; students will use the Matlab platform to write, backtest, and refine strategies.
Enrollment Requirements: FNCE 3101 for Business majors or MATH 3650 for Mathematics Actuarial Science Finance majors; FNCE 3302 or 3303 for Business majors or MATH 3660 for Mathematics Actuarial Science Finance majors; open only to Business majors or Mathematics Actuarial Science Finance majors of junior or higher status. Not open to students who have passed FNCE 4895 when taught as Introduction to Algorithmic Trading.
FNCE 4309. High Frequency Trading Management. (3 Credits)
Focus on finance machines and automatic bots as essentials part of the current trading infrastructure in the U.S. market. Exposes students to the world of high frequency trading and market making. Intent is to be less theoretical but more practical so that students will experience firsthand some of the issues that high frequency trading system operators have.
Enrollment Requirements: FNCE 3101 for Business majors or MATH 3650 Math-Act Sci-Finance majors; FNCE 3302 or 3303 for Business majors or MATH 3660 Math-Act Sci-Finance majors; open only to Business majors or Mathematics-Actuarial Science-Finance majors of junior or higher status. Not open to students who have passed FNCE 4895 when taught as High Frequency Trading Management.
FNCE 4319. Entrepreneurial Finance. (3 Credits)
An overview of the entrepreneurial finance process, both from the perspective of entrepreneurs and also of private equity investors. It focuses on integrating basic knowledge of finance principles with the complexities of new ventures.
Enrollment Requirements: FNCE 3101; open only to business majors of junior or higher status.
FNCE 4410. Security Valuation and Portfolio Management. (3 Credits)
Determining asset allocation strategies and equity valuation methods, along with the study and interpretation of business models, and the value drivers that create shareholder wealth. Evaluation of the investment thought process that is useful in the analysis of the physical, intellectual, social, and emotional factors related to valuing a business and/or an investment.
Enrollment Requirements: FNCE 3101; open to juniors or higher; open only to Financial Management majors at the regional campus.
FNCE 4430. Mergers and Acquisitions. (3 Credits)
Provides the theoretical background as well as the analytical and technological tools necessary to analyze corporate combinations, restructurings, and bankruptcies. Specific topics include relevant laws, takeover defenses, corporate control issues, leveraged buyouts, valuation, restructuring and bankruptcy.
Enrollment Requirements: FNCE 3101 for Business majors or MATH 3650 Math-Act Sci-Finance majors; open only to Business majors or Mathematics-Actuarial Science-Finance majors of junior or higher status.
FNCE 4440. Financial Ethics. (1 Credit)
Provides an understanding of the importance of ethics in the finance profession. The focus is on the concept that capital markets operate on trust; topic coverage includes professionalism and integrity of the capital markets, duties to clients and employers, investment analysis and recommendations, and conflicts of interest.
Enrollment Requirements: BLAW 3175 or BADM 3720; open only to business majors of junior or higher status.
FNCE 4881. Internship in Finance. (1-3 Credits)
Designed to provide students with an opportunity for a supervised internship in relevant major areas within the Department. Students will work with one or more professionals in their major academic area. Student performance will be evaluated on the basis of an appraisal by the field supervisor and a detailed written report submitted by the student. Students taking this course will be assigned a final grade of S (satisfactory) or U (unsatisfactory).
Enrollment Requirements: "C" or better in FNCE 3230 if in Real Estate Intern program, all others must complete FNCE 3101 and one other relevant FNCE course with a "C" or better; open to juniors or higher; consent of instructor and Department Head required. Students enrolled in the Real Estate Intern program must have earned a ¿C" or better in FNCE 3230; for all others, completion of FNCE 3101 and at least one other finance course related to the internship area, with a grade of ¿C" or better in each course; open only to Business majors of junior or higher status; consent of instructor and Department Head required prior to beginning the internship.
May be repeated for credit
FNCE 4893. Foreign Study. (1-6 Credits)
Special topics taken in a foreign study program. Consent of Department Head required, prior to the student's departure.
Enrollment Requirements: Open to juniors or higher.
May be repeated for credit
FNCE 4895. Special Topics. (1-6 Credits)
Classroom course in special topics in finance, insurance or real estate as announced in advance for each semester.
Enrollment Requirements: Prerequisites and recommended preparation vary by section; open only to Business and Mathematics-Actuarial Science majors of sophomore or higher status.
May be repeated for credit
FNCE 4899. Independent Study. (1-6 Credits)
Individual study of special topics in finance, insurance or real estate as mutually arranged between a student and an instructor.
Enrollment Requirements: Open only to business majors of junior or higher status.
May be repeated for credit