Corporate finance and investments track

Contemporary financial accounting and reporting systems; emphasizes the interpretation and evaluation of a company's external financial reports.

Develops analytical techniques and financial theories used to make optimal decisions in a corporate setting.

Empirically investigates properties of financial data such as basic probability theory, matrix algebra, ordinary least squares, and maximum likelihood estimation. Explores these methods both through algebraic derivation and programmed implementation in PYTHON. Provides the basis for portfolio optimization by focusing on the estimation and testing of financial factor models.

Presents the fundamental principles of risk and return, portfolio diversification, asset allocation, efficient markets, active portfolio management, portfolio evaluation. Reviews selected alternative investment strategies such as hedge fund investments.

Examines the financial issues of an international investment decision. Main topics include foreign exchange market, investment alternatives in the international capital markets, and the management of foreign exchange risk.

Intermediate- to advanced-level course in derivative assets such as options, forward and futures contracts, swaps and financial engineering.

Investigates financial data by using techniques such autoregressive and vector-autoregressive models, dimension-reduction techniques motivated by latent factor models and machine learning dimension-reducing techniques. Explores these methods using algebraic derivation and implementation in PYTHON. Builds on the statistical and programming skills developed in FIN 509 and emphasizes forecasting for the optimization of portfolios.

Studies major decision-making areas and selected topics in corporate finance. Attempts to develop decision-making ability in these areas using both lectures and cases.

Intermediate- to advanced-level course in fixed income instruments and associated relative valuation of the securities.

Provides an overview of the economics and institutions involved in entrepreneurial finance. Focuses on the financing of new ventures. Consists primarily of case analysis, supplemented with in-class exercises and lecture material.

Provides a risk management view of financial institutions (also known as financial intermediaries). Traditionally, banking courses have focused on an overview of the financial services industry, sector by sector, concentrating on balance sheet presentations and overlooking management decision making and risk management. In contrast, this course emphasizes a risk management approach.

A small class emphasizing discussion, presentations by students, and written research papers.

Provides a culminating experience as a step in completing the degree. Applies finance principles related to the investment, risk management and financing policies of the firm to develop decision-making ability in these areas. Emphasizes analysis of finance problems through selected readings and case studies.