Financial Management

MGMT 0207

Instructor: Roland J. Goulet, MBA

Course Overview:

The purpose of this course is to introduce the basic concepts of financial management. It will encompass practical, as well as theoretical, aspects of corporate finance, with an emphasis on the decision making functions of the manager. The objective of the course is to give students specific skills to analyze and interpret financial data and to develop an understanding of the nature of investment and financing decisions in business organizations. Topics to be covered include: financial ratio analysis, the time value of money and discounted cash flow analysis, stock and bond valuation, and capital budgeting.

Prerequisites:

To perform well in this course, students should have completed both Accounting I and II (MGMT 0104 and 0105). You are also expected to have completed basic courses in Economics, Statistics, and Business Math. If you have any questions about your ability to succeed in this class, please contact me at rgoulet@wsc.ma.edu.

Textbook:

Fundamentals of Financial Management, 11^th ed., Brigham and Houston, 2007. ISBN: 0324319800, ISBN13: 9780324319804.

The following website may be used for ordering individual chapters of the text for downloading: http://www.ichapters.com/tl1/en/US/storefront/ichapters?cmd=catProductDetail&ISBN=9780324319804#.

The text is also available as an e-textbook from the following site: http://www.coursesmart.com/9780324319804.

Course Format:

The content of the course will be presented online in Learning Modules, which correspond to textbook chapters. Each Learning Module will contain a wide variety of materials that will help you master the textbook chapter content. They include: lecture outlines and notes, audio lectures, power point presentations, additional problems and solutions, homework assignments, relevant and interesting web links, and chapter quizzes. For each Learning Module, you will read assigned materials and complete assignments and assessments by posted due dates.

In order to successfully complete the course, you are expected to read all assigned readings and take the chapter assessments for each Learning Module. The assessments are provided to help you master the material and check your comprehension. They are not timed and you can take them multiple times until you achieve the grade you are satisfied with. The average of all of your assessment grades will be included in your final grade.

Learning Modules will be available approximately every one and a half weeks over the course of the semester. You are expected to check PLATO on a regular basis (every two or three days) for new or changed course readings and assignments.

There will also be three online exams, each of which will cover approximately three Learning Modules. These exams are timed and can only be taken once, but you will have a flexible exam window over which each student can select an exam time that best suits their schedule.

Financial Essays:

A series of short essays are assigned to help you to learn how various financial theories and models are applied in the real world. You will be required to locate six different stories or articles in the current business or financial news that corresponds to six different topics in finance. It may be any financial topic we cover, or even one we don’t cover. Simply select a finance topic you would like to learn more about and find a real world example about it in the news or on the internet. Use the information in this article to present a short 2-3 page essay explaining and discussing the financial principle or issue under consideration.

Over the semester, you will prepare a total of six short essays, each on a different financial topic. All essays should be handed in individually, over the course of the semester; see website for due dates.

Final Grade:

Your final grade will be determined by your performance on the three exams, the assessment average, and the financial essays.

Financial Calculators:

Most students have found that the use of financial calculators greatly assists them in completing this course. As a result, you are encouraged to purchase a financial/business calculator for this class. The calculator you select should be able to perform present value, future value, net present value, internal rate of return, and cash flow calculations. Suggested models are a TI BA II Plus, HP 10BII, HP 17BII+, TI-83 or TI-84. Calculator help “how to” information will be provided, but It is, your responsibility to become familiar with how your calculator works.

Get Up to Speed with PLATO:

Before the semester begins, make sure you are ready for the online experience. Visit the following websites to learn everything from “how to login”, to “checking your browser configuration.”

http://www.wsc.ma.edu/plato/Seven_Steps_To_Logging_Into_Vista.html

http://www.webct.com/tuneup/viewpage?name=tuneup_start

http://www.webct.com/tuneup/viewpage?name=tuneup_browser_troubleshoot

Academic Honesty:

Academic integrity is submitting one’s own work and properly acknowledging the contributions of others. Any violation of this principle constitutes academic dishonesty and is liable to result in a failing grade and disciplinary action. Forms of academic dishonesty include:

· Plagiarism – submitting all or part of another’s work as one’s own in an academic exercise such as an examination, a computer program, or written assignment.

· Cheating – using or attempting to use unauthorized materials on an examination or assignment, such as using unauthorized texts or notes or improperly obtaining (or attempting to obtain) copies of an examination or answers to an examination.

· Facilitating Academic Dishonesty – helping another commit an act of dishonesty, such as substituting for an examination or completing an assignment for someone else.

I fully expect and trust that everyone taking this course will comply with the College’s policy on academic honesty. Plagiarism and cheating are serious offenses and may be punished by failure on the exam, quiz, paper, or project; failure in course; and/or expulsion from the College. Students who submit any assignment, assessment, or exam which has been completed by someone else will receive a failing grade for that work. The situation will also be referred to the appropriate dean for further action.

Additional Questions:

Please drop me an email if you have any questions or concerns – rgoulet@wsc.ma.edu.

Looking forward to working with you soon!