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List of Courses
* All credit hours are based on the current term, this may vary for previous terms.
| ECON105 - Principles Of Microeconomics |
(3 credit hours) |
This is an introduction to economic analysis and institutions. The course starts with developing simple graphical and mathematical models of decision making by individual economic agents: consumers, workers and businesses. Students are directed to analyze interactions between the agents in product and factor markets using the concepts of demand, supply, and equilibrium. This course also introduces students to various market structures from perfect competition to monopoly, and describes the roles of government in market economy that include the pricing system in resource allocation and income distribution.
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| Prerequisite: |
- ENGU1304 or ENGU1305
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| Corequisite: |
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| Semester: |
All |
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| ECON110 - Principles Of Economics |
(3 credit hours) |
This course studies basic economic concepts and theories of both microeconomics and macroeconomics. It covers such topics as supply and demand, the firm and its cost structure, the public sector, national income accounts, inflation, unemployment, the business cycle, economic policies, the monetary and banking systems, international trade and finance, and economic growth. This course does not replace nor is it equivalent to ECON 105 or to ECON 125. (Not offered to students in the program)
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| Prerequisite: |
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| Corequisite: |
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| Semester: |
Fall Spring |
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| ECON125 - Principles Of Macroeconomics |
(3 credit hours) |
This course is an introduction to macroeconomic analysis and its applications. It starts with an understanding of how composition, size, and distribution of national income are determined, and continues with exploring the problems of inflation and unemployment in a modern economy. Students are expected to understand government roles in macroeconomics through the effectiveness of fiscal and monetary policies. Attention is also given to the sources and consequences of economic growth and to the nature of international linkages faced by an economy through goods and capital markets.
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| Prerequisite: |
- ECON105 or ECON110 or AGRB200
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| Corequisite: |
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| Semester: |
All |
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| ECON211 - Theory Of Microeconomics |
(3 credit hours) |
This course further develops student understanding of the economic behavior of individuals and firms—how they respond to changes in opportunities and constraints and how they interact in markets. Topics include consumer theory, theory of the firm, competition, and factor markets. Moreover, the course looks at market failures such as imperfect competition (monopoly and oligopoly) and externalities, as well as their consequences on welfare. Throughout the course students will get a sense of the conditions under which market economies are efficient, as well as the way governments can make the economy less or more efficient.
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| Prerequisite: |
- ECON105
- MATH115
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| Corequisite: |
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| Semester: |
Fall |
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| ECON212 - Theory Of Macroeconomics |
(3 credit hours) |
This course introduces students to basic macroeconomic theories, with emphasis on macroeconomic policies in an open economy. The course focuses on the determination of national income, money and inflation, unemployment, aggregate demand and aggregate supply, short-run fluctuations, and the determinants of productivity and long-run economic growth. Fiscal and monetary policies, and associated automatic stabilizers, will be discussed. Considering that macroeconomics consists of different, sometimes conflicting, interpretations of how the economy operates, students will be exposed to different schools of macroeconomics—Austrian and Post-Keynesian schools, New Classics, Monetarists, and New Keynesians—and how they interpret and recommend policies with regards to current events.
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| Prerequisite: |
- ECON125
- MATH115
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| Corequisite: |
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| Semester: |
Spring |
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| ECON215 - Money And Banking |
(3 credit hours) |
This course focuses on understanding money, the banking and financial systems and the role of monetary policy in the economy, topics that are vital to the efficient working of any economy. The course emphasizes concepts that are central to understanding financial instruments, institutions and markets, and the tools and techniques employed throughout the financial system. Course objectives include an understanding of: 1) the origins and nature of money; 2) the determination of interest rates; 3) how to apply basic knowledge of financial markets and instruments; 4) how money and capital markets function; and 5) the role of central banks and formulation of monetary policy.
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| Prerequisite: |
- ECON125
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| Corequisite: |
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| Semester: |
Fall Spring |
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| ECON224 - Mathematical Economics (E) |
(3 credit hours) |
This course is designed to provide the students with basic mathematical tools essential to understanding modern economic theory and practice. Topics discussed in this course include; mathematical tools of static analysis, economic applications in static analysis, mathematical tools of comparative static analysis, economic applications in comparative static analysis, unconstrained and constrained optimization and applications of optimization in consumer theory and theory of the firm.
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| Prerequisite: |
- ECON125
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| Corequisite: |
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| Semester: |
Spring |
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| ECON231 - Econometrics |
(3 credit hours) |
This course introduces students to regression analysis in order to be able to create a good model that can capture the relationship between the underlying variables. The necessary assumptions for a good model, such as a correct functional form, no autocorrelation, constant variance and normality, will be tested one by one. Potential remedies will be sought in case any assumption is not fulfilled. In addition, the students will learn how to use the regression models for causality analysis and forecasting. All estimations will be performed via econometric software.
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| Prerequisite: |
- ECON125
- MATH115
- STAT130
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| Corequisite: |
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| Semester: |
Fall Spring |
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| ECON236 - Project Economics |
(3 credit hours) |
This course introduces students to the basic techniques of project appraisal. The course is applied in nature but starts with the theoretical rationale of project appraisal, resource allocation and efficiency, and the Kaldor-Hicks compensation criterion. It evolves to explore different investment criteria and focuses on cost-benefit analysis (CBA) as a major technique widely used in assessing public investment opportunities. Students will examine real CBA case studies and try to apply the concepts they have learned. The course also considers other alternative techniques such the cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA), multi-criteria analysis (MCA), and the qualitative (non-economic) techniques of project assessment.
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| Prerequisite: |
- ECON105
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| Corequisite: |
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| Semester: |
Spring |
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| ECON237 - Environmental and Energy Econ. |
(3 credit hours) |
This course introduces timely topics related to the Environment-Energy-Economy relation. Topics include the economics of pollution, the greenhouse effect and global warming. We use data for the UAE and GCC region to analyze the relationship between different patterns in energy production and consumption, economic diversification, and emissions growth. We also study market-based policy solutions to reduce carbon footprint, such as carbon trading and carbon taxes, in light of the world’s environmental obligations. The second part of the course focuses on energy and the essential transition to renewable resources. We study the economics of oil and the behavior of oil prices and the OPEC, new trends in the production of natural gas, and the prospects for renewable energy with special focus on Abu Dhabi’s MASDAR city initiative and other environmental policies.
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| Prerequisite: |
- ECON105
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| Corequisite: |
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| Semester: |
Fall |
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| ECON239 - Competition and Bus. Strategy |
(3 credit hours) |
This course provides students with economic foundations for strategic analysis and helps them understand the basic theoretical and policy implications of concepts related to the different types of market structures. Students will get familiar with the behavior of firms and their strategic interrelations. Among the topics covered are basic game theory; agency problems and incentives; boundaries of the firm and product diversification; competition and evolution of industry structure; firm strategic positioning and sustaining of competitive advantage; and the origins of competitive advantage innovation. The coverage of these topics will be illustrated with applications related to current events and policies. The course will cultivate the students’ analytical thinking and, among other things, develop their ability to comprehend different firm and industrial issues from the firm, industry and social desirability perspective.
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| Prerequisite: |
- ECON105
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| Corequisite: |
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| Semester: |
Spring |
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| ECON333 - Economic Dev. and Inst. |
(3 credit hours) |
This course introduces students to the economics of development and the roles of formal and informal institutions. Topics include: poverty, inequality, unemployment, environment, population growth, competitiveness, human capital and technology. Additionally, the course assesses how institutions affect economic outcomes and why some nations fail while others succeed. UAE economic vision is benchmarked against some international examples.
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| Prerequisite: |
- ECON125 or ECON212
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| Corequisite: |
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| Semester: |
Fall |
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| ECON336 - Intro To International Finance |
(3 credit hours) |
This course aims at giving the students the concepts of international finance. It includes the foreign exchange market, foreign exchange determination, the international monetary system, the Eurocurrency and Eurobond Markets. International debt crisis. Direct foreign investment and porofolio investment.
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| Prerequisite: |
- ECON125
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| Corequisite: |
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| Semester: |
Spring |
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| ECON337 - International Economics |
(3 credit hours) |
This course provides students with an introduction to the economics of international trade and finance. Topics discussed include: why nations trade; commercial trade policies and their effects; international and regional trade organizations, statement of international transactions; balance of payments and the economics of foreign exchange markets, and the operation and effects of fixed and flexible exchange rates.
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| Prerequisite: |
- ECON125
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| Corequisite: |
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| Semester: |
Fall Spring |
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| ECON338 - Intl. Econ. and Globalization |
(3 credit hours) |
This course introduces students to the concepts of international economics and international business, focusing on two main themes: international trade and globalization. The course covers Ricardo’s comparative advantage theory and the allocation of trade based on specialization and opportunity costs, the Heckscher-Ohlin model of resource abundance and factor intensity as the main source of comparative advantage and direction of international trade in the modern world, the role of different market structures, such as monopoly, oligopoly, and monopolistic competition, in international trade from the business perspective, and the welfare implications of barriers to trade, such as tariffs, quotas, and regulations. Last, the process, trends, historical facts, and effects of globalization will be discussed in conjunction with international trade.
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| Prerequisite: |
- ECON212
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| Corequisite: |
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| Semester: |
Fall |
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| ECON344 - Public Economics |
(3 credit hours) |
The aim of this course is to develop an understanding of the role of the government and the public sector in mixed economies in theory and practice. The course discusses the ideal situation of perfectly competitive markets and how market structure relates to economic efficiency. Under perfectly competitive markets, externalities result in inefficiency. Inefficiency is also the result of monopoly. Government has a role to play in market failure to improve efficiency, but it also plays a role in the redistribution of resources in the society. Government expenditures to improve efficiency and how revenues finance these expenditures are discussed. Topics covered include market efficiency, market failure, externalities, equity, public goods, public expenditure, taxation, and fiscal federalism. The applied nature of these topics will also be considered.
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| Prerequisite: |
- ECON125 or ECON1252
- ECON211
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| Corequisite: |
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| Semester: |
Spring |
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| ECON432 - Research Methods in Economics |
(3 credit hours) |
The aim of this course is to supply students with a general idea of the issues and problems of conducting research in economics and the tools available to them. Additionally the course will enable students to develop skills necessary to conduct applied research. Initially students will familiarize themselves with scientific methods of research. Afterwards they will develop an original research question, conduct the necessary literature survey, analyze the problem, test their analysis or model of the problem, interpret their results, and write up the findings.
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| Prerequisite: |
- (ECON125) or (ECON211 + ECON212 + ECON231)
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| Corequisite: |
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| Semester: |
Spring |
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| ECON433 - Applied Econ. of the M.E. |
(3 credit hours) |
This course aims to provide students with an understanding of the socio-economic and structural characteristics of the Middle East and North African economies. The course analyses the contemporary opportunities and challenges facing these economies, with a specific focus on the Gulf region. Learning methods require students to analyze academic articles on the region and utilize econometric techniques. Among the topics covered are developments in the oil and gas sector, labor markets and migration, the implications of changing demographics such as declining birth rates, the role of inter-regional and international trade, capital flows, the role of government policy, economic reforms and diversification, and finally the significance of banks and financial markets in the region’s economic development.
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| Prerequisite: |
- ECON211
- ECON212
- ECON231
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| Corequisite: |
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| Semester: |
Fall |
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| ECON441 - Labor and HR Economics |
(3 credit hours) |
This course exposes students to the key aspects of labor economics and human resource development theory: demand and supply; market equilibrium; productivity; and incentive structures. It also highlights the synergies between these two fields. It introduces the main tools used to analyze, evaluate and understand labor market dynamics. In addition, it concentrates on the labor markets of the UAE and the Arab Gulf. It introduces UAE specific case studies and labor market data for empirical applications. Topics covered include: national unemployment; labor nationalisation; investments in human capital; and the strategic goal of transitioning to a more knowledge-based economy.
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| Prerequisite: |
- ECON211
- ECON212
- ECON231
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| Corequisite: |
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| Semester: |
Fall Spring |
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| ECON447 - Sem Economics Of Arab World |
(3 credit hours) |
This course intends to develop students? understanding of regional economic problems as well as their capabilities of doing research. The course discusses selected contemporary economic issues in the Arab world in general and the GCC States in particular. Economic integration and regional development are given special attention.
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| Prerequisite: |
- ECON125
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| Corequisite: |
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| Semester: |
Fall |
Go To Index |
| ECON450 - Internship |
(3 credit hours) |
This course aims at offering practical training to students. It includes four weeks of training after which the student must submit a paper or an applied research project selected by himself, in consultation with the faculty member supervising the training.
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| Prerequisite: |
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| Corequisite: |
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| Semester: |
Summer |
Go To Index |
| ECON455 - Selected Topics In Economics |
(3 credit hours) |
This course introduces students to the art of applying different economic theories and concepts to specific “real world” topics in economics. The course topics may vary to reflect changing interests and state of the art topics. Depending on faculty interest and availability, the course may cover a wide range of special topics in economics with an applied orientation. For instance, it may cover topics that belong to Health Economics, Public Economics or Sustainable Development Economics.
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| Prerequisite: |
- (ECON125) or (ECON211 + ECON212)
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| Corequisite: |
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| Semester: |
Fall |
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| ECON541 - Economics for Policy Analysis |
(3 credit hours) |
The course will focus on the principles and techniques of economics important for analyzing
economic aspects of public policy. First, the course will focus on the working on the aggregate
economy highlighting topics like employment, productivity, trade and fiscal deficits, inflation,
interest rate and exchange rates and their impacts on public policy. Then the course will focus on
micro issues like the models of economic behavior, the price system, market failure and
interventions, and related policy instruments. The course will examine Islamic principles and
theories of the above topics, as appropriate
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| Prerequisite: |
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| Corequisite: |
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| Semester: |
All |
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| ECON544 - Financial Management and Publi |
(3 credit hours) |
This course will examine the major aspects of financial planning and public budgeting focusing on
topics like the philosophy of public finance, financial analysis and planning techniques, theories of
budgeting and budget as a mechanism for planning and control, accounting and auditing in the
public sector, government responsibility for capital facilities planning, etc. The course will also look
at the contemporary issues in public budgeting and financial management, and how they interface
with public management drawing on comparative regional and international experiences, as
available and appropriate.
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| Prerequisite: |
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| Corequisite: |
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| Semester: |
All |
Go To Index |
| ECON605 - UAE in the Global Business Env |
(3 credit hours) |
Deeper global economic integration is a key strategic goal for the UAE and is seen as a catalyst for the UAE’s sustainable economic development. This course will provide students with an in depth understanding of how international business issues affect the UAE and how the UAE is positioning itself in the global economy. The course will provide a clear framework for understanding the process of globalisation, international transactions, financial issues, global economic trends and their significance for UAE organisations, as well as how government policy is facilitating the UAE’s deeper integration into the global economy.
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| Prerequisite: |
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| Corequisite: |
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| Semester: |
All |
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| ECON610 - HR & Personnel Economics |
(3 credit hours) |
This course applies economic analysis to the study of human resource management issues. In particular, it focuses on the economic rationale for formulating specific personnel strategies and policies such as those related to incentive systems to enhance performance and stimulate innovation within organizations. The course covers the key topics of personnel economics within five aspects of employment relationships: incentives, matching firms with workers, compensation, skill development, and the organization of work. In each of these aspects, the course aims at bringing valuable cutting-edge economics research findings and case studies to managers which can help them develop a deeper understanding of human resource issues and tradeoffs in the complex business environment of today.
The course starts by studying firms’ hiring decisions and how the job offer can be structured to improve the effectiveness of recruiting under imperfect information and the presence of search costs. So, we study the latest research on matching firms with workers under asymmetric information and the firm’s decision to investment in workers’ skills and human capital. We then study issues related to job design and the economics of teamwork. The course then moves to a central issue in personnel economics: incentives and encouraging employees’ efforts. In this we critically analyze the trade-off between risk and incentives, performance evaluation, rewarding performance and compensation models. Lastly, the course considers benefit design issues.
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| Semester: |
All |
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| ECON651 - Managerial Economics |
(3 credit hours) |
This course covers the essential principles and tools of Managerial Economics. The course examines the principles of microeconomics, and illustrates how they apply to managerial decision-making. Students who master this material will be better prepared for leadership positions in business, not-forprofit, and government entities.
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| Prerequisite: |
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| Corequisite: |
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| Semester: |
All |
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| FINC240 - Principles of Financial Mgmt. |
(3 credit hours) |
The central focus of this course is on the role of financial management in maximizing the value of the firm. The course covers the basic building blocks of financial management, which will be needed in more advanced courses in finance and banking. The core of this course is on the principles of modern corporate finance and financial management. It emphasizes important concepts and techniques needed for financial decision-making. Topics covered include: Business ownership, time value of money, valuations of bonds and stocks, money and capital markets, financial analysis, financial planning, risk and return analysis, capital budgeting, cash flow analysis, capital structure, financial planning, dividends policy, cost of capital, working capital management.
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| Prerequisite: |
- ACCT100
- MGMT105 or AGRB210 or MGMT200
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| Corequisite: |
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| Semester: |
All |
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| FINC260 - Risk Management |
(3 credit hours) |
This course aims to give an introduction of the basic elements of risk theory and the techniques and procedures used by risk professionals to measure, manage and control of financial risk. This course covers the role of risk management in the financial institutions industry with real-world financial market applications. The topics covered include: risk identification, classification and measurement, risk control, emerging markets risks including currency crises, Value-at-Risk (delta-normal or parametric approach, historical simulation, structured Monte Carlo simulation), risk budgeting, stress testing and event risk, liquidity risk, measuring and managing corporate exposures and measuring firm-wide risk. An integral part of the course is the foundation and advanced approach of financial risk as developed by the Bank of International Settlement (BIS) and Basel Committee on Banking Supervision.
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| Prerequisite: |
- FINC240
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| Corequisite: |
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| Semester: |
Fall Spring |
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| FINC341 - Corporate Finance |
(3 credit hours) |
The course reviews and reinforces the basic concepts covered in principles of financial management (FINC 240) and completes on them. Building on students' knowledge of ratio analysis, financial statements, time value of money, stock and bond valuation and capital budgeting, the primary objective of this course is to expand on that knowledge by introducing students to real world examples of how these concepts are used in day to day corporate strategic planning and decision making. Topics covered include financial analysis using both quantitative and qualitative data, theories of capital structure & dividends, long-term financing decisions and the appropriate use of debt/equity, calculation of optimal capital structure, sources and uses of short-term financing and cash management, mergers & acquisitions, bankruptcy & financial restructuring and corporate governance. A large array of applications and case studies is used to support the practical side of the different topics of this course.
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| Prerequisite: |
- FINC240
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| Corequisite: |
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| Semester: |
Fall |
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| FINC342 - Banking Operations Management |
(3 credit hours) |
This course is a study of the functions and operations of financial institutions and provides an overview of the financial intermediary industry with an emphasis on commercial bank management. The course deals with financial decision-making procedures and policies of commercial banks and other types of financial intermediaries. The focus of this course is on regulatory environment, applications of financial engineering in risk management, and management of assets and liabilities of commercial banks, using the portfolio analysis approach and capital adequacy indicators. Topics covered include the analysis of existing financial systems, money and capital markets, banks and non-bank financial intermediaries, financial analysis of bank statements, liquidity management, assets and liability management, bank profitability measurement, capital adequacy and banking regulations, duration and term structure of interest rates, market risk management, and hedging and speculation with derivative securities (such as futures and options contracts on interest rates).
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| Prerequisite: |
- ECON215
- FINC240
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| Corequisite: |
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| Semester: |
Fall Spring |
Go To Index |
| FINC343 - Islamic Finance and Banking |
(3 credit hours) |
This course provides an essential understanding of Islamic economics and Islamic finance, including the establishment of traditional Islamic financial tools and practices and the development of modern Islamic banking and financial instruments and institutions. The course examines and relates the theory of Islamic finance to recent developments in Islamic banking and the financial industry. Topics covered include monetary policy, profit-sharing, Islamic financial and banking institutions and their operations, the Islamic banking model and alternative models of financing and structuring of Islamic investment funds.
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| Prerequisite: |
- FINC240
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| Corequisite: |
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| Semester: |
Spring |
Go To Index |
| FINC377 - Investment |
(3 credit hours) |
The course builds upon the concepts covered in the principles of financial management course (FINC 240). This course introduces the students to the analysis of investment information, evaluation of risks and returns, and principles of portfolio selection in investment decisions. This course focuses on securities markets, investment risk-return tradeoff, asset pricing models, and stock price behavior in relation to capital market efficiency hypotheses. Particular emphasis is placed on stocks, bonds, mutual funds and financial futures and options contracts. Special prominence is given on the study of the operations of securities markets, investment policies, valuation of individual securities, and techniques of investing in securities. Topics covered include investment instruments and their characteristics, introduction to portfolio and capital market theory, theory of valuation of stocks, bonds and the term structure of interest rates, options, commodity and financial futures, investment companies and mutual funds, and international investments.
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| Prerequisite: |
- FINC240
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| Corequisite: |
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| Semester: |
Fall Spring |
Go To Index |
| FINC447 - Insurance |
(3 credit hours) |
The major direction of this course is to introduce students to the various types of insurance contracts including life, health, property, and liability insurance, and the techniques of how to measure and manage risk in an innovative way in the insurance markets. This course also covers reinsurance and the competance to make the best use of insurance contracts and coverage. The course focuses on the fundamentals of insurance including interpretation of policies, property insurance, life insurance, liability insurance, health insurance, risk control tools, retirement plans and annuities, computation of insurance premiums, and the legal aspects of insurance.
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| Prerequisite: |
- FINC260
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| Corequisite: |
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| Semester: |
Fall |
Go To Index |
| FINC448 - International Finance Mgmt. |
(3 credit hours) |
This course provides a foundational knowledge of the international business environment as well as introduces ideas on how financial management helps multinational firms operate optimally in that environment. The course focuses on international financial management within the multinational firm and provides an understanding of international regulatory and environment differences, the different foreign exchange regimes, balance of payments, access to money and capital markets, use of derivatives to hedge exchange rate risk, measurement and management of exposure to exchange rate and interest rate fluctuations, and international diversification. Emphasis is on international financial decision-making through the extensive use of cases and real-world examples.
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| Prerequisite: |
- FINC240
- ECON125
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| Corequisite: |
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| Semester: |
Fall Spring |
Go To Index |
| FINC450 - Internship |
(3 credit hours) |
This course aims at offering practical training to students. It includes four weeks of training after which the student must submit a paper or an applied research project selected by himself, in consultation with the faculty member supervising the training.
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| Prerequisite: |
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| Corequisite: |
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| Semester: |
Summer |
Go To Index |
| FINC472 - Portfolio Management |
(3 credit hours) |
The course deals with the theoretical and operative framework of advanced investment management using modern portfolio theories and money management techniques. The course builds and expands on the knowledge the students gained in FINC 377 (Investments). It studies how optimal portfolios are constructed, the relation between risk tolerance and asset allocation, the use of hedging instruments to manage risk or/and enhance expected returns, and performance evaluation given the investors' objectives and constraints. Students apply portfolio models and concepts to actual market data to perform analytical skills and evaluate equities, fixed income securities and other investments. Asset pricing, diversification and other financial models are covered in detail. Active versus passive investment strategies, trading practices and the role of derivatives in managing securities risk, through case study and simulation approach, will be highlighted throughout the course.
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| Prerequisite: |
- FINC377
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| Corequisite: |
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| Semester: |
Spring |
Go To Index |
| FINC473 - Field Res./Case Study-Fin&Bank |
(3 credit hours) |
This course emphasizes the case study approach to intermediate financial management (corporate finance and security analysis). The main focus of the course is on examining a theoretical or practical topic proposed by the faculty beyond what is offered in existing finance and banking courses. This course deals with the applications of principles and techniques of corporate finance to the real-world situations through the intensive use of case studies. Topics could include advanced capital budgeting, corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions, capital structure, dividend policy, short-term financial management and advanced security analysis techniques.
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| Corequisite: |
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| Semester: |
Fall |
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| FINC475 - Derivatives Securities |
(3 credit hours) |
This course emphasizes derivatives products theories and its applications in financial markets. The course covers the conceptual and practical aspects of the use of derivative products for speculation and hedging purposes. Comprehensively studies equity and debt-based options, futures and other derivative instruments. It discusses the functioning of options and futures markets and the role of the market participants. Derivative instruments are analyzed with a focus on pricing, hedging techniques and arbitrage applications. Topics covered include derivatives products theories and applications, derivatives exchanges, valuation of derivatives (futures, forward, swaps and options contracts on different underlying assets), trading practices and regulations and the corporate management of financial risks. Case work and analysis is emphasized throughout the course.
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| Prerequisite: |
- FINC377
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| Corequisite: |
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| Semester: |
Spring |
Go To Index |
| FINC610 - Financial Management |
(3 credit hours) |
The central focus of the course is on the role of financial management in maximizing the value of the firm with an emphasis on financial decision-making through the extensive use of cases and real-world examples. This course aims at introducing learners to the essentials of modern corporate finance, financial management, and the process of financial decision-making. An understanding of financial techniques and tools used in problem solving and decision-making at the corporate level is central to the course. How corporate strategy can be translated into investment projects that maximize shareholders' wealth in imperfect markets, risk analysis projects, diversifying the company's projects portfolio, and hedging against unwanted foreign exchange exposure and other business risk are discussed. Modern financial derivative instruments (i.e., swaps, forwards, futures contracts and options contracts) are also examined.
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| Prerequisite: |
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| Corequisite: |
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| Semester: |
All |
Go To Index |
| FINC640 - Advanced Corporate Finance |
(3 credit hours) |
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| Prerequisite: |
- FINC610
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| Corequisite: |
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| Semester: |
All |
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| FINC650 - International Finance& Banking |
(3 credit hours) |
The focus of this course is on the unique problems encountered by the international treasurer or chief financial officer of multinational corporations. It is the international sequel of a corporate finance course and as such it revisits the same funding/financing and investment questions within a multi-currency setting. This course is designed to provide a foundational knowledge of the international business environment as well as introduce ideas on how financial management helps multinational firms operate optimally in that environment. Emphasis is on international financial decision-making through the extensive use of cases and real-world examples.
The course specifically aims to have students (1) understand the evolving macroeconomic environment of multinational firms, with emphases on national income accounting and nature of financial institutions and markets in the context of an open economy, (2) apply the concepts of time value of money, risk, and investment return to international business management, and (3) appreciate the effects of exchange rate fluctuations on the cash-flow and profitability of companies, with an eye to acquiring some knowledge (both technical and general) for managing these important effects. Since this course focuses on factors that influence the financial management of multinational corporations and banking institutions, the main topics that are included in the course are: Global financial environment, balance of payments, currency regimes of countries, international financial crisis, foreign currency Options, Futures and Swap contracts, measurement and management of exposure to exchange rate and interest rate fluctuations, hedging of exposure techniques, currency and interest rate risk management and issues related to capital budgeting and financing from the perspective of a global view.
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| Prerequisite: |
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| Corequisite: |
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| Semester: |
All |
Go To Index |
| FINC660 - Investment&PortfolioManagement |
(3 credit hours) |
This course introduces the students to the analysis of investment information, evaluation of risks and returns, and principles of portfolio selection in investment decisions. This course offers an analysis of investments in financial securities, with an emphasis on portfolio theory and provides the theoretical and operative framework for portfolio and advanced investment management in the securities markets. This course focuses on securities markets, investment risk-return tradeoff, asset pricing models, and stock price behavior in relation to capital market efficiency hypotheses. Particular emphasis is placed on stocks, bonds, mutual funds and financial futures and options contracts. Special prominence will be given on the study of the operations of securities markets, investment policies, valuation of individual securities, and techniques of investing in securities. A large array of applications and case studies is used to support the practical side of the different topics of this course. At the minimum the course should include the following topics: the purpose and operations of security markets; investment instruments and their characteristics; introduction to portfolio and capital market theory; theory of valuation of stocks, bonds and the term structure of interest rates; options, commodity and financial futures, investment companies and mutual funds; and international investments.
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All |
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| FINC670 - Advanced Risk Management |
(3 credit hours) |
Managers with financial responsibilities are expected to have a working knowledge of the principles and practices of pure and financial risk management. Financial reporting is now seen as less important than skill in financial decision making. The volatility in financial and commodity markets clearly shows that firms face risks. Financial risk management aims to analyze, control, and if necessary, reduce those risks to an acceptable level. This is an essential aspect of financial management and one increasingly sought by practitioners. The course focuses on the application of risk management to the issues and problems of financial theory. Topics will include risk exposures (pure and speculative), methods of risk handling, interest rate risk and gap analysis, linear and nonlinear products, capital risk and Basel II, the VaR measure of market risk, credit risk and probability of default measures, operational risk, model risk and liquidity risk, and currency risk. The course will build upon the analytical skills developed in Financial Management and Corporate Strategy.
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Fall Spring |
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| FINC680 - Islamic Finance&Financial Inst |
(3 credit hours) |
This course covers the basic concepts of Islamic Finance and the functioning of Islamic financial institutions, such as banks, insurance companies and investment funds. After reviewing the basic concepts of economics from an Islamic perspective, the course introduces and analyzes the financial instruments and techniques developed and used by Islamic financial institutions in the process of collecting savings and making investments. Islamic financial products, such as murabaha, musharaka, mudaraba,Istisna’a, Bai Salam, and Ijara will be introduced and discussed. This course covers also special topics such as the worldwide development of the Islamic finance industry, its challenges and opportunities and the regulation and governance of Islamic financial institutions.
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All |
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