3101. Financial Management

An introductory examination of how a business plans its needs for funds, raises the necessary funds, and invests them to attain its goals.

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3230. Real Estate Principles

Overview of the personal, social and business aspects of real estate. Emphasis on home purchase decisions, location analysis, market characteristics and investment decision-making.

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3240. Foundations of FinTech

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.

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3302. Investments and Security Analysis

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.

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3303. Principles of Investments and Derivatives

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.

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3332. Real Estate Investments

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.

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3333. Real Estate Finance

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.

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3334. Real Estate Markets and Valuation

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.

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3335. Commercial Real Estate Appraisal

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.

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3336. Real Estate: A Practical Approach

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.

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3715. Personal Finance

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.

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4209. Applications in Financial Management

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.

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4230. FinTech Economics and Business Models

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.

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4301. Advanced Issues in Security Valuation

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.

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4302. Fixed Income Securities

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.

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4303. Advanced Issues in Asset Allocation and Portfolio Management

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.

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4304. Financial Derivatives and Risk Management

Applications of financial structuring and engineering with particular attention to uses of derivatives.

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4305. Global Financial Management

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.

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4306. Financial Services

Study of the role of financial services companies in the money and capital markets, funds acquisitions, investment and credit extension.

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4307. Financial Modeling

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.

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4308. Introduction to Algorithmic Trading

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.

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4309. High Frequency Trading Management

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.

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4319. Entrepreneurial Finance

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.

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4410. Security Valuation and Portfolio Management

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.

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4430. Mergers and Acquisitions

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.

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4440. Financial Ethics

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.

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4881. Internship in Finance

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).

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4893. Foreign Study

Special topics taken in a foreign study program. Consent of Department Head required, prior to the student's departure.

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4895. Special Topics

Classroom course in special topics in finance, insurance or real estate as announced in advance for each semester.

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4899. Independent Study

Individual study of special topics in finance, insurance or real estate as mutually arranged between a student and an instructor.

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4997W. Senior Thesis in Finance

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