Florida State University 2008-2009 General Bulletin Undergraduate Edition
Department of Finance
College of Business
Chair: William A. Christiansen; Professors: Ang, Clark, Coats, Humphrey, Lee, Peterson; Associate Professors: Benesh, Christiansen, Cheng; Assistant Professors: Autore, Colak, Doran, Haslem, Hutton, Jiang; Associate in Finance: Smith; Fannie Wilson Smith Eminent Scholar in Banking: Humphrey; Patty Hill Smith Eminent Scholar in Finance: Lee; Bank of America Eminent Scholar in Finance: Ang; Wachovia Professor of Finance: Peterson; Robert C. Earnest Professor of Finance: Coats; Bank of America Professor in Finance: Christiansen; SunTrust Professor of Finance: Benesh
Finance is considered one of the basic functions of our private enterprise system. Finance can be defined as the art and science of managing money. Each of the many firms, businesses, institutions, and governmental agencies in our economic system has the problems of obtaining, administering, and managing its funds efficiently and wisely. Nearly every decision made by an organization has important financial implications. Thus, the finance student is introduced to and studies the theory, concepts, applications, institutional environment, and analytical tools essential for proper decision making. Finance is designed as preparation for a broad variety of careers, since all organizations need individuals knowledgeable about finance. Careers may be in financial management and analysis, banking, financial institutions, financial markets, investments, portfolio analysis and management, financial planning, and multinational finance. Finance is also considered good preparation for graduate study in law or business.
Computer Skills Competency
All undergraduates at Florida State University must demonstrate basic computer skills competency prior to graduation. As necessary computer competency skills vary from discipline to discipline, each major determines the courses needed to satisfy this requirement. Undergraduate majors in finance satisfy this requirement by earning a grade of "C–" or higher in CGS 2100.
State of Florida Common Program Prerequisites
The State of Florida has identified common course prerequisites for this University degree program. Specific prerequisites are required for admission into the upper-division program and must be completed by the student at either a community college or a state university prior to being admitted to this program. Students may be admitted into the University without completing the prerequisites, but may not be admitted into the program.
The following lists the common prerequisites or their substitutions necessary for admission into this upper-division degree program:
- ACG X021 or ACG X001 and ACG X011
- ACG X071
- CGS X100* or CGS X100C*
- ECO X013
- ECO X023
- MAC X233 or MAC X230
- STA X023 or STA X122 or QMB X100
Note: Courses marked with an asterisk (*) have at least one acceptable substitute. Please visit http://facts23.facts.org/cpp/transition/alpha_index_2008.htm for a current list of approved substitutes.
Requirements
Requirements for the Finance Program
Candidates for the Bachelor of Science (BS) or Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree with a major in finance must complete a minimum of one hundred twenty (120) semester hours. Normally, four semesters of work are devoted to the Liberal Studies Program and additional foundation courses in mathematics, economics, and statistics. The finance major must complete the business common body of knowledge, which includes work in accounting, quantitative methods, management, business law, marketing, computer science, business communications, and basic finance. The finance major requirements consist of an additional eighteen (18) semester hours of work in advanced finance and accounting courses.
Requirements for a Major in Finance
All students must complete the following: (1) the University-wide baccalaureate degree requirements summarized in the "Undergraduate Degree Requirements" chapter of this General Bulletin; (2) the State of Florida common course prerequisites for finance majors; (3) the general business core requirements for finance majors; (4) the general business breadth requirements for finance majors; and (5) the major area requirements for finance majors.
Note: To be eligible to pursue a finance major, students must meet the admission requirements of the College of Business. These admission requirements are described in the "College of Business" chapter of this General Bulletin.
General Business Core Requirements for Finance Majors
All finance majors must complete the following five (5) courses. A grade of "C–" or better must be earned in each course.
BUL 3310 The Legal Environment of Business (3)
FIN 3403 Financial Management of the Firm (3)
GEB 3213 Business Communications (3)
MAN 3240 Organizational Behavior (3)
MAR 3023 Basic Marketing Concepts (3)
General Business Breadth Requirements for Finance Majors
All finance majors must complete five (5) courses as follows. Each course selected must be completed with a grade of "C–" or better.
FIN 3244 Financial Markets, Institutions, and International Finance Systems (3)
QMB 3200 Quantitative Methods for Business Decisions (3)
Plus three (3) electives from the following list of courses:
HFT 3240 Managing Service Organizations (3)
ISM 3003 Foundations of Management Information Systems (3)
MAN 3504 Services Operations Management (3)
MAN 3600 Multinational Business Operations (3)
MAN 4720 Strategic Management and Business Policy (3)
MAR 3400 Professional Selling (3)
REE 3043 Real Estate (3)
RMI 3011 Risk Management/Insurance (3)
Major Area Requirements for Finance Majors
All finance majors must complete six (6) courses (eighteen [18] semester hours) as listed below. A grade of "C–" or better must be earned in FIN 4424, FIN 4504, and the two additional finance electives used to satisfy the finance major area requirements. A minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 must be earned in the courses used to satisfy the finance major area requirements.
ACG 3171 Analysis of Financial Statement Presentation (3)
Note: The two course sequence, ACG 3101 (Financial Accounting and Reporting I) and ACG 3111 (Financial Accounting and Reporting II), may be substituted for ACG 3171.
ACG 3331 Cost Accounting and Analysis for Business Decisions (3)
Note: The two course sequence, ACG 3341 (Cost Accounting I) and ACG 3351 (Cost Accounting II), may be substituted for ACG 3331.
FIN 4424 Problems in Financial Management (3)
FIN 4504 Investments (3)
Plus two (2) electives from the following list of courses:
FIN 4324 Commercial Bank Administration (3)
FIN 4329 Current Issues in Banking (3)
FIN 4412 Short-Term Financial Management (3)
FIN 4453 Financial Modeling and Forecasting (3)
FIN 4514 Security Analysis and Portfolio Management (3)
FIN 4604 Multinational Financial Management (3)
FIN 4934r Senior Seminar in Finance (3)
REE 4204 Real Estate Finance (3)
Honors in the Major
The Department of Finance offers honors in the major to encourage talented students to undertake independent and original research as part of the undergraduate experience. For requirements and other information see the "University Honors Office and Honor Societies" chapter of this General Bulletin.
Definition of Prefixes
ECP—Economic Problems and Policy
FIN—Finance
GEB—General Business
MAN—Management
Undergraduate Courses
FIN 3140. Personal Finance (3). A study of the concepts and processes in planning, analyzing, and controlling personal financial resources. Emphasizes financial planning, cash and credit management, managing expenditures, income and asset protection, investment planning, and retirement and estate planning. For nonbusiness majors only. Credit not allowed for business majors.
FIN 3244. Financial Markets, Institutions, and International Finance Systems (3). Prerequisites: ACG 2021 and ECO 2013. Study of the money and capital markets, financial institutions, financial systems, and financial environment including an introduction to investments. Emphasizes the microfinancial decision-making process of the business firm.
FIN 3403. Financial Management of the Firm (3). Prerequisites: ACG 2021 and ECO 2023. Examination of the basic concepts involved in the investment, financing, and dividend decisions of the business firm. Managerial orientation with emphasis on identification, analysis, and solution of financial problems confronting the firm.
FIN 4324. Commercial Bank Administration (3). Prerequisites: FIN 3403 and FIN 3244. A study of the operations and administration of commercial banks and their role in the money and capital markets. Examines banking regulation, the lending function, investments, and the financial decision-making process.
FIN 4412. Short-Term Financial Management (3). Prerequisites: FIN 3244 and FIN 3403. Course focuses on the decisions impacting the short-term cash flows of organizations—public, private, governmental, and non-profit. Topics include: cash management, treasury management, and working capital management.
FIN 4424. Problems in Financial Management (3). Prerequisites: FIN 3244 and FIN 3403. An advanced study of financial management that relates the underlying principles of finance to the decision-making perspective of the financial manager. Selected topics include cash budgeting, working capital management, capital budgeting, risk analysis, valuation, long- and short-term financing, dividend decision, and financial forecasting. Case analyses are included.
FIN 4453. Financial Modeling and Forecasting (3). Prerequisites: FIN 3403 and QMB 3200. An introduction to financial modeling and forecasting. Emphasis is on computer models and forecasting financial variables.
FIN 4504. Investments (3). Prerequisites: FIN 3403, FIN 3244, and STA 3014. An introduction to investment/security analysis. Includes an examination of investment instruments, the investment environment, the concept of risk-return, and the interactive forces between the economy, industries, and individual firms.
FIN 4514. Security Analysis and Portfolio Management (3). Prerequisite: FIN 4504. An advanced and comprehensive coverage of investment topics including bond analysis, stock options, interest rate futures, options on futures contracts, portfolio analysis and management, and security market efficiency.
FIN 4604. Multinational Financial Management (3). Prerequisites: FIN 3403 and FIN 3244. Introduces the environment of international capital and foreign exchange markets and examines the effects of the international business environment on risk, capital budgeting, working capital management, and capital structure decisions of the firm.
FIN 4905r. Directed Individual Study (1–3). This course permits study or exploration into a specialized topic of finance that is not included in one of the other finance courses. It also permits advanced and extensive study of finance topics beyond that included in the other finance courses. The study is conducted with the direct supervision of an individual faculty member. This course may not be used as one of the two required finance electives detailed in the major requirements. May be repeated to a maximum of five (5) times with the requirement that the topic changes each time. Consent of the department chairperson is required.
FIN 4934r. Senior Seminar in Finance (3). Prerequisites: FIN 3403 and FIN 3244. May be repeated to a maximum of nine (9) semester hours as topics vary. Additional prerequisites may be required depending on the topic.
FIN 4970r. Honors Thesis (1–6). Prerequisite: Admission to the honors program. May be repeated to a maximum of nine (9) semester hours. Six (6) semester hours of thesis are required to complete honors in the major.
Graduate Courses
ECP 5705. Economic Concepts for Business Decisions (3).
ECP 5706. Economic Analysis for Management (3).
FIN 5425. Problems in Financial Management (3).
FIN 5515. Investment Management and Analysis (3).
FIN 5605. Multinational Financial Management (3).
FIN 5906r. Directed Individual Study (1–3). (S/U grade only.)
FIN 5907r. Special Studies in Management (1–3).
FIN 5917r. Supervised Research (1–3). (S/U grade only.)
FIN 5935r. Seminar on Current Topics in Finance (3).
FIN 5946r. Supervised Teaching (1–3). S/U grade only.)
FIN 6449. Seminar in Finance (1–3).
FIN 6527. Seminar in Finance (1–3).
FIN 6709. Seminar in Finance (1–3).
FIN 6804. Foundations of Financial Theory (3).
FIN 6842. Research Methods in Finance (3).
FIN 6917r. Supervised Research (1–3). (S/U grade only.)
FIN 6946r. Supervised Teaching (1–3). (S/U grade only.)
GEB 5446. The Business Context (3).
MAN 5716. Business Conditions Analysis (3).
For listings relating to graduate course work for thesis, dissertation, and master's and doctoral examinations and defense, consult the Graduate Bulletin.