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FOSTER SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
FINANCE

Detailed course offerings (Time Schedule) are available for

FIN 199 Practical Applications of Personal Finance (2)
Supplementary lectures, discussions, and problem-solving sessions in personal finance. Intended for non-business majors. Co-requisite: FIN 205. Credit/no-credit only. Offered: Sp.
View course details in MyPlan: FIN 199

FIN 205 Personal Financial Literacy (4) SSc
Combines behavioral, economic, and financial theory with real world application to help students make sound financial decisions, become more knowledgeable consumers, and learn how to achieve personal financial goals. Covers skills that can help students gain more control of their personal finances and achieve financial independence. Course overlaps with: B BUS 110; T BGEN 250; and TMATH 109.
View course details in MyPlan: FIN 205

FIN 350 Business Finance (4)
Evaluating and funding projects within the firm. Time value of money, inflation, capital budgeting; risk and return in the financial markets, stocks, bonds, portfolios and diversifiable risk, market efficiency and the balance between debt and equity to fund the firm. Course overlaps with: B BUS 350; STMATH 330; and T BUS 350. Prerequisite: ACCTG 225; ECON 201; either MATH 112, MATH 124, MATH 125, MATH 134, or Q SCI 291; either IND E 315, QMETH 201, Q SCI 381, PSYCH 315, PSYCH 318, STAT 220, STAT 221/SOC 221/CS&SS 221, STAT 311, or STAT 390/MATH 390.
View course details in MyPlan: FIN 350

FIN 423 Banking and the Financial System (4)
Role of banks and nonbank financial institutions in the financial system; asset choices of banks and nonbank financial institutions; problems in the management of financial institutions with emphasis on commercial banks. Prerequisite: FIN 350; either B ECON 300 or ECON 300; may not be repeated.
View course details in MyPlan: FIN 423

FIN 425 Introduction to Real Estate Finance and Investment (4)
Introduction to valuing, financing, and investing in real estate with emphasis on those topics that distinguish real estate from other investments, including valuation techniques, lease structures, loan options, equity partnerships, risk management, and taxation. Course overlaps with: R E 413. Prerequisite: FIN 350.
View course details in MyPlan: FIN 425

FIN 428 International Financial Management (4)
Analysis of financial problems facing businesses engaged in international activities. Financing foreign investment, financial control of foreign operations, and working capital management including foreign exchange positions using cases and readings. Prerequisite: FIN 350; either one 400-level FIN course, B ECON 301 or ECON 301.
View course details in MyPlan: FIN 428

FIN 435 Introduction to Real Estate Capital Markets (4)
Examines who the real estate capital providers are, how that capital is priced, and why the markets operate as they do. Provides a toolbox for sound decision-making, either as an investor seeking funding or as a note-holder in the secondary market. Prerequisite: FIN 350.
View course details in MyPlan: FIN 435

FIN 445 Real Estate Development and Feasibility Analysis (4)
Teams of students will create a development proposal for an underutilized parcel of land in an economically challenged neighborhood of Seattle. Learning modules include development finance, market analysis, principles of land use and entitlements, site planning and architecture, construction and project budgeting, and the nuances of different property types, including affordable housing. Course overlaps with: R E 363. Prerequisite: FIN 425, which may be taken concurrently.
View course details in MyPlan: FIN 445

FIN 450 Problems in Corporate Finance (4)
Case problems in corporate financial management. Includes cases on management of current assets, obtaining short-term loans, raising long-term capital, capital budgeting, and dividend policy. The management point of view is stressed. Prerequisite: FIN 350; either B ECON 300 or ECON 300.
View course details in MyPlan: FIN 450

FIN 453 Financial Theory and Analysis (4)
Business financial strategic planning. Topics include business valuation and financing, performance evaluation, risk analysis, capital budgeting, and inflation and taxes. Emphasizes tools with real-world applications while incorporating modern finance concepts. Prerequisite: FIN 350; either B ECON 300 or ECON 300; may not be repeated.
View course details in MyPlan: FIN 453

FIN 454 Business Valuation, Investment, and Financing (4)
Key issues in financial management using both analytical and case study illustrations. Valuation of public and private companies; cost of capital estimation; investment complications, such as taxes, inflation, risk, project interdependencies, and financing-investment interactions; leasing; mergers; spin-offs and carve-outs. Prerequisite: FIN 350; either B. ECON 300 or ECON 300.
View course details in MyPlan: FIN 454

FIN 457 Entrepreneurial Finance (4)
Explores financial issues that face entrepreneurs, including the stages of financing, business cash flow models, and strategic positioning of the early-stage company. Examines the role of business angels, venture capital funds, institutional investors, strategic alliances, licensing agreements, and exit strategies. Course overlaps with: B BUS 456 and T FIN 457. Prerequisite: FIN 350; either B ECON 300 or ECON 300. Offered: jointly with ENTRE 457.
View course details in MyPlan: FIN 457

FIN 458 Mergers and Acquisitions (4)
Advanced finance topics focusing on providing the necessary training to value, structure, and close acquisitions. Additional topics include antitrust issues, the legal environment governing mergers, and antitakeover defense. Prerequisite: FIN 350; and either B ECON 300 or ECON 300.
View course details in MyPlan: FIN 458

FIN 460 Investments (4)
Introduction to the nature, problems, and process of evaluating particular securities and portfolio construction and administration. Special attention is directed to the risk and rate-of-return aspects of particular securities portfolios, and total wealth. Prerequisite: FIN 350; either B ECON 300 or ECON 300; may not be repeated.
View course details in MyPlan: FIN 460

FIN 461 Financial Futures and Options Markets (4)
Introduction to financial futures and options markets. Institutional aspects and social functions of these markets, pricing of options and futures, and risk shifting by hedging. Course overlaps with: B BECN 460 and STMATH 330. Prerequisite: FIN 350; either B ECON 300 or ECON 300; may not be repeated.
View course details in MyPlan: FIN 461

FIN 462 Management of Financial Risk (4)
Modern tools for managing financial risk. Fixed income securities and interest rate risk, credit risk, foreign currency risk, and insurance. Emphasis on use of futures, forwards swaps, and option contracts. Prerequisite: FIN 350; either B ECON 300 or ECON 300.
View course details in MyPlan: FIN 462

FIN 465 Asset Management (4)
Review of asset management industry and participants. Exploration of end investor's objectives, preferences and biases as basis for allocating client assets across an entire portfolio. Development of an investment strategy while addressing problems in implementing that strategy from a practitioner's perspective. Prerequisite: FIN 350; and either FIN 460, FIN 461, or FIN 462; recommended: FIN 460.
View course details in MyPlan: FIN 465

FIN 466 Alternative Investments: Hedge Funds and Private Equity (4)
Examination of the market for alternative investments including the investment strategies employed by hedge funds and private equity firms, the risk-return tradeoffs of those strategies, and the legal and economic environments in which alternative investment firms operate. Course overlaps with: STMATH 330. Prerequisite: FIN 350; either B ECON 300 or ECON 300.
View course details in MyPlan: FIN 466

FIN 467 Fixed Income Securities (4)
Examination of the main concepts and participants in the fixed income markets, with an emphasis on the risks and other instrument-specific factors that differentiate fixed income securities, as well as the tools and techniques for pricing and managing the risk of fixed income securities. Course overlaps with: CFRM 430 and ECON 422. Prerequisite: FIN 350; and either B ECON 300 or ECON 300.
View course details in MyPlan: FIN 467

FIN 490 Special Topics in Finance (1-6, max. 12)
Study and research on topics of current concern to faculty and students. Only offered when allowed by faculty availability and sufficient student interest. Seminar content to be announced in advance of scheduled offerings.
View course details in MyPlan: FIN 490

FIN 495 Finance Internship (1-4, max. 8)
Internship with a private firm, nonprofit organization or government agency, where work experience involves substantial application of finance concepts learned in classroom. Prerequisite: FIN 350. Credit/no-credit only.
View course details in MyPlan: FIN 495

FIN 499 Undergraduate Research (1-6, max. 9)
Research in selected areas of business finance, money and banking, or investments, with permission of instructor.
View course details in MyPlan: FIN 499

FIN 502 Business Finance (4)
Financial management of the firm, including capital budgets, working capital analysis, and financing policy. Prerequisite: ACCTG 500, B ECON 500, QMETH 500.
View course details in MyPlan: FIN 502

FIN 505 Corporate Finance (4)
This course elucidates the theory of corporate finance, and explores how it's applied in the financial decision making of a firm. The study of these decisions will involve understanding how capital markets function and learning to use and evaluate performance of a company, business, or department based on financial models. Offered: Sp.
View course details in MyPlan: FIN 505

FIN 528 International Financial Management (4)
Analysis of financial problems facing businesses engaged in international activities: financing foreign investment, financial control of foreign operations, and working capital management including foreign exchange positions using cases and readings. Prerequisite: B A 502 or FIN 509.
View course details in MyPlan: FIN 528

FIN 530 Financial Management of Banks (4)
Analysis of problems in the financial management of commercial banks and other financial institutions. Loan and investment policies, liability management, capital policies, and other selected issues are discussed. Prerequisite: B ECON 520 or permission of graduate office.
View course details in MyPlan: FIN 530

FIN 550 Advanced Business Finance (4)
Systematic coverage of key theoretical issues in financial management. Application of quantitative analysis to financial problems of the firm that are important in practice, including issues related to financing and investment. Prerequisite: MBA Core Finance.
View course details in MyPlan: FIN 550

FIN 551 Problems in Business Finance (4)
Uses case studies to examine a broad range of financial management topics, including forecasting financial statements, use of bank credit, working capital management, public and private securities issues, capital budgeting, and business valuation. Credit allowed for only one of FIN 551 and FIN 552. Course overlaps with: FIN 552. Prerequisite: B A 502.
View course details in MyPlan: FIN 551

FIN 552 Problems in Corporate Planning and Financing (4)
Uses case studies to examine business financing. Topics include financial statement analysis, financial planning and forecasting, banking relationships, and financing sources, including the use of derivative securities, venture capital, and private equity. Credit allowed for only one of FIN 551 and FIN 552. Course overlaps with: FIN 551. Prerequisite: either B A 501 or FIN 502.
View course details in MyPlan: FIN 552

FIN 553 Problems in Capital Investment Planning (4)
Case discussions used to examine corporate resource allocation decisions. Topics include capital budgeting techniques, estimation of capital costs, capital budgeting systems, strategic investment decisions, and financial restructurings. Prerequisite: either B A 501 or FIN 502.
View course details in MyPlan: FIN 553

FIN 555 Financing Decisions, Payout Policy, and Corporate Control (4)
Analysis of business financing methods, payout policy, management compensation, ownership structure, and the distribution of control rights. Covers the major issues critical to structuring contracts within the corporation. Prerequisite: MBA Core Finance.
View course details in MyPlan: FIN 555

FIN 556 Business Valuation and Investment Analysis (4)
Valuation of business enterprises, evaluation of financial performance, analysis of complex investment opportunities, business taxation, leasing, and business acquisitions. Emphasis on complications encountered in practice. Prerequisite: MBA Core Finance.
View course details in MyPlan: FIN 556

FIN 557 Entrepreneurial Finance (4)
Analyzes the unique financial issues facing entrepreneurial firms. Topics include assessing financial performance, financial forecasting and planning, financial management of rapidly growing businesses, start-up ventures, valuation, sources of financing, venture capital, initial public offerings, and the decision to harvest. Prerequisite: MBA core courses. Offered: jointly with ENTRE 557.
View course details in MyPlan: FIN 557

FIN 558 Mergers and Acquisitions (2/4)
Advanced finance topics focusing on providing the necessary training to value, structure, and close acquisitions. Additional topics include antitrust issues, the legal environment governing mergers, and antitakeover defense. Prerequisite: either B A 500, FIN 502, or FIN 505.
View course details in MyPlan: FIN 558

FIN 560 Investments (4)
Introduction to the nature, problems, and process of evaluating particular securities and portfolio construction and administration. Special attention is directed to the risk and rate of return aspects of particular securities, securities portfolios, and total wealth. Prerequisite: MBA Core Finance.
View course details in MyPlan: FIN 560

FIN 561 Financial Futures and Options Markets (4)
Overview of futures markets and options markets. Analysis of pricing of futures contracts and options; comparison of futures, forward, and options contracts; risk management with hedging; alternative investment strategies; and review of empirical evidence. Prerequisite: MBA Core Finance.
View course details in MyPlan: FIN 561

FIN 562 Management of Financial Risk (4)
Modern tools for managing financial risk. Fixed income securities and interest rate risk, credit risk, foreign currency risk, and insurance. Emphasis on use of futures, forwards, swaps, and option contracts. Prerequisite: MBA Core Finance.
View course details in MyPlan: FIN 562

FIN 563 Real Options (2)
Short overview of option pricing theory, followed by applications of option analysis in evaluating complex investment projects by business firms. Prerequisite: B A 502.
View course details in MyPlan: FIN 563

FIN 566 Alternative Investments: Hedge Funds and Private Equity (4)
Examination of the market for alternative investments including the investment strategies employed by hedge funds and private equity firms, the risk-return tradeoffs of those strategies, and the legal and economic environments in which alternative investment firms operate.
View course details in MyPlan: FIN 566

FIN 579 Special Topics in Finance (2/4, max. 12)
Finance topics of current concern to faculty and students. Offered only when faculty are available and sufficient student interest exists. Seminar content announced in advance of scheduled offerings. Prerequisite: permission of instructor.
View course details in MyPlan: FIN 579

FIN 580 Doctoral Seminar in Financial Economics (4)
Study of the financing of the corporation, including recent theoretical and institutional developments. Extensive reading and discussion in designated areas covering problems relating to financial management and to the social and economic implications of the financial process. Prerequisite: ECON 500 or permission of instructor.
View course details in MyPlan: FIN 580

FIN 585 Empirical Methods in Finance (4)
In-depth review of commonly used empirical methods in financial economic research. Formal discussion of each method's theoretical foundation and practical implementation, including common mistakes and solutions to frequent problems encountered.
View course details in MyPlan: FIN 585

FIN 589 Doctoral Seminar in Advanced Topics in Finance (2/4, max. 18)
Explores advanced topics at the frontier of theoretical and empirical research in financial economics. Prerequisite: either FIN 580 and FIN 590, or permission of instructor.
View course details in MyPlan: FIN 589

FIN 590 Doctoral Seminar in Capital Market Theory (4)
Decision making under uncertainty, information and capital market efficiency, portfolio theory, capital asset pricing model, arbitrage pricing model, and options pricing model. Prerequisite: ECON 500 or permission of instructor.
View course details in MyPlan: FIN 590

FIN 591 Doctoral Seminar in Corporate Finance (4)
Principles of intertemporal choice, alternative valuation models, theory of investment under uncertainty, impact of dividend and financing decisions on firm valuation in perfect and imperfect markets, and theory of firm organization and agency costs. Prerequisite: FIN 590 and BA RM 581 or ECON 582 or permission of instructor.
View course details in MyPlan: FIN 591

FIN 592 Doctoral Seminar in Financial Research (4)
Empirical research in finance with emphasis on methodology and scientific method. Empirical research in market efficiency, capital asset pricing model, options pricing model, and impact of firm's dividend and financing decisions on firm value. Prerequisite: FIN 590 and BA RM 581 or ECON 582 or permission of instructor.
View course details in MyPlan: FIN 592

FIN 599 Doctoral Seminar in Finance (1, max. 12)
Study and research in advanced topics of finance. Generally concerned with unpublished areas of research, conducted by visiting professors and departmental faculty. Prerequisite: doctoral student status.
View course details in MyPlan: FIN 599

FIN 600 Independent Study or Research (*-)
View course details in MyPlan: FIN 600