Financial Management

Course Descriptions & Syllabi

Course descriptions are listed numerically. Prerequisites, if any, are indicated in italics above the course descriptions. These prerequisites have been established to assure an adequate and uniform background for students in advanced classes. Franklin University reserves the right to alter course offerings or course content without notice. Not all courses are offered every trimester.

Undergraduate

FINA 301
Principles of Finance (4 cr. hrs.)

Prerequisite(s): Financial Accounting (ACCT 215) and Algebra competency or Fundamental Algebra (MATH 150). Not open to students with credit for Principles of Finance (FINA 300) or to students with credit for FINA 201.
This course is designed to survey the field of finance and provide the foundation for more advanced finance coursework. Topics include sources of business and financial information, financial statement analysis, the time value of money, the nature and measurement of risk, financial institutions, investments and corporate finance.

FINA 340
Money, Banking and Financial Markets (4 cr. hrs.)

Prerequisite(s): Principles of Finance (FINA 201 or 301) and either Introduction to Microeconomics (ECON 210) or Introduction to Macroeconomics (ECON 220).
An examination of the U.S. financial system, the monetary policy process, the regulation of financial markets, and the role of the U.S. financial system in the global economy.

FINA 355
Income Taxation for Financial Planning (4 cr. hrs.)

Prerequisite(s): Managerial Accounting (ACCT 225). Not open to students with credit for ACCT 355.
An introduction to federal income taxation and the role of the tax code in financial planning for individuals, businesses and business owners. Topics include the tax environment, fundamentals of income tax planning, the measurement of taxable income, the taxation of business income, individual income taxation and the tax compliance process.

FINA 403
Advanced Financial Management (4 cr. hrs.)

Prerequisite(s): Principles of Finance (FINA 301), Managerial Accounting (ACCT 225), Statistical Concepts (MATH 215) or Statistics I (MATH 230), and Introduction to Spreadsheets (COMP 106). Not open to students with credit for Financial Management (FINA 401).
An introduction to advanced concepts and methods of financial management. Topics include risk and return, asset valuation, capital budgeting, capital structure, business financial planning and working capital management.

FINA 405
Investments (4 cr. hrs.)

Prerequisite(s): Principles of Finance (FINA 301), Statistics I (MATH 230) or Statistical Concepts (MATH 215), Introduction to Spreadsheets (COMP 106) and Managerial Accounting (ACCT 225).
An examination of investment markets, transactions, planning and information. Topics include investment risk and return measures, debt and equity instruments, evaluation techniques, hybrid and derivative securities, mutual funds, real estate investments, tax planning and the investment process, and portfolio management. 

FINA 410
Finance Internship (1-4 cr. hrs.)

Prerequisite(s): Advanced Financial Management (FINA 403) and Investments (FINA 405).
Provides qualified students with an opportunity to receive academic credit for supervised professional training and experience in an actual work environment. This Internship is an ongoing seminar between the student, the faculty member and the employment supervisor. It involves a Learning Contract, periodic meetings with the faculty representative, professional experience at a level equivalent to other senior-level courses and submission of material as established in the Learning Contract. Participation cannot be guaranteed for all applicants.

FINA 430
Personal Financial Planning (4 cr. hrs.)

Prerequisite(s): Principles of Finance (FINA 301). Not open to students with credit for Financial Planning.
An introduction to personal financial planning. Topics include the financial planning process, money management and investments, insurance needs, income tax planning, retirement planning and estate planning. Cases are used to illustrate important planning concepts, techniques and issues.

FINA 432
Insurance and Financial Planning (4 cr. hrs.)

Prerequisite(s): Principles of Finance (FINA 301) and Statistical Concepts (MATH 215) or Statistics I (MATH 230).
An introduction to the techniques and issues of risk management and insurance for businesses and individuals. Topics include legal principles in risk and insurance, insurance contracts, personal property and liability risk, life and health risks, social insurance, insurance companies and product markets, insurance pricing, insurance taxation, government regulation of insurance, and professional ethics and market conduct.

FINA 434
Retirement Planning (4 cr. hrs.)

Prerequisite(s): Personal Financial Planning (FINA 430), Insurance and Financial Planning (FINA 432) and Income Taxation for Financial Planning (FINA 355).
An introduction to retirement planning concepts, procedures and issues for individuals, businesses and business owners. Topics include understanding and evaluating client retirement objectives, qualified and non-qualified retirement plans, tailoring retirement plans to client needs, funding retirement plans and investing plan assets, retirement planning for individual clients, post-retirement monetary needs, tax considerations in retirement planning, and retirement plan distributions.

FINA 436
Estate Planning (4 cr. hrs.)

Prerequisite(s): Retirement Planning (FINA 434).
An introduction to the principles and issues of estate planning. Topics include the estate planning process, the nature, valuation, transfer and taxation of property, the unified estate and gift tax system, development of personal estate plans, and ethical standards of planning practice.

FINA 450
Global Finance (4 cr. hrs.)

Prerequisite(s): Principles of Finance (FINA 301) and either Introduction to Microeconomics (ECON 210) or Introduction to Macroeconomics (ECON 220).
An examination of financial management in the global economy. Topics include international financial markets, exchange rates, interest rates and inflation, exchange rate risk management, working capital management, capital budgeting, country risk analysis, long-term financing, and global strategic planning.

FINA 480
Special Topics in Finance (1-4 cr. hrs.)

Prerequisite(s): Determined on a course-by-course basis and published in the trimester Course Schedule.
This course is designed to address significant issues of current interest outside the regular Financial Management curriculum. The course topic will vary. The topic description will be published in the Course Schedule each trimester the course is offered.

FINA 490
Financial Planning Seminar (4 cr. hrs.)

Prerequisite(s): Completion of all required courses in the Financial Planning concentration in Financial Management and permission of Program Chair. Not open to students with credit for Financial Policy Seminar (FINA 495).
This course is designed to provide a capstone experience for Financial Management majors in the Financial Planning Concentration, challenging students to apply financial planning techniques, procedures and practices to actual problems and cases. Topics considered may vary with each offering of the course.

FINA 495
Financial Policy Seminar (4 cr. hrs.)

Prerequisite(s): Completion of all required major courses and permission of Program Chair. Not open to students with credit for Financial Planning Seminar (FINA 490).
This course is designed to provide a capstone experience for Financial Management majors, challenging them to apply their knowledge of finance to actual business problems and cases. Topics considered may vary with each offering of the course.

FINA 499
Independent Studies in Finance (1-4 cr. hrs.)

Prerequisite(s): Minimum 2.00 cumulative GPA, at least 16 credit hours completed at Franklin, related coursework completed with minimum grade of “B”, and permission of Program Chair.
Independent studies courses allow students in good academic standing to pursue learning in areas not covered by the regular curriculum or to extend study in areas presently taught. Study is under faculty supervision and graded on either a Pass/No Credit or a letter grade basis. (See “Independent Studies” for more details.)

Graduate

FINA 770
Financial Leadership I: Exploring Financial Markets & Institutions (4 cr. hrs.)

Prerequisite(s): Applying Managerial Accounting Concepts (MBA 716) and Developing Executive Financial Solutions (MBA 726).
Businesses do not operate independent of one another and the overall economy. They act and interact in a financial environment made up of many components. In this course, you will develop a foundational understanding of the various financial markets that exist, as well as the different financial institutions that serve those markets. You will learn to distinguish between depository and non-depository firms. In addition, you will come to understand the importance of interest rates, the impact of the Federal Reserve on the economy, the mechanics of such "core" calculations as yield and pricing, and the far-reaching effects of government regulation and legislation.

FINA 771
Financial Leadership II: Understanding Advanced Corporate Finance (4 cr. hrs.)

Prerequisite(s): Financial Leadership I: Exploring Financial Markets & Institutions (FINA 770).
Proficiency in the higher levels of corporate finance requires a comprehensive understanding of business finance and a well-developed set of skills for making and implementing sound decisions. In this course, which extends the study of corporate finance begun in Developing Executive Financial Solutions (MBA 726), you will examine a number of advanced subjects, including risk management, financial planning and dividend policies. The course focuses on the use of valuation techniques to analyze financial choices and develop financial policies that best support the organization's operating strategies. In addition, you will study the use of specialized financial instruments, such as convertible securities, warrants and derivatives, as you master the skills needed to construct a viable financial plan and effectively manage firm working capital.

FINA 772
Financial Leadership III: Developing the Investment Portfolio (4 cr. hrs.)

Prerequisite(s): Financial Leadership II: Understanding Advanced Corporate Finance (FINA 771).
The ability to successfully construct and manage an investment portfolio is critical to achieving success in the financial operations of today's businesses. In this course, you will build on the knowledge obtained in your previous financial leadership courses to complete an applied project involving the development of an investment portfolio. Through this project you will develop a thorough understanding of financial market efficiency and differing investment strategies. You will study how the behavior and psychology of investors affect the stock market, analyze and evaluate the performance of securities portfolios, and apply your understanding of diversification in a simulation exercise in which you will support your decisions with fundamental and technical analyses.

FINA 773
Financial Leadership IV: Managing Financial Operations in the Age of Globalization (4 cr. hrs.)

Prerequisite(s): Financial Leadership III: Developing the Investment Portfolio (FINA 772).
No longer are only mammoth corporations concerned with the complexities and nuances of multinational financial operations. Today the leaders of companies of even moderate size often must have at least a fundamental knowledge of the global financial environment. In this course, you will be introduced to the workings of international finance as it relates to business operations. You will gain an understanding of such international macroeconomic topics as the balance of payments and models of exchange rate determination, while at the same time focusing on institutional issues such as the choice of exchange rate regime and growth of offshore currency markets. You will examine business and investor decisions involving exchange rate risk management, cross-border investment strategies, and participation in international money and capital markets.