Finance (FIN)

FIN 201. Financial Management. 3 Credit Hours.

This course deals with the financial management of the business enterprise and the role of the financial manager in value creation. Major topics include the time value of money, risk and return, security valuation, capital budgeting, cash and liquidity management, management of current liabilities, dividend policy, cost of capital, capital structure policy and the evaluation of alternative methods of financing.
Pre/Corequisites: MATH 201 or AM 231
Prerequisites: BUS 100
Session Cycle: Fall, Spring, Summer
Yearly Cycle: Annual.

FIN 201G. Global Dimensions of Financial Management. 3 Credit Hours.

This course deals with the financial management of the business enterprise and the role of the financial manager in value creation. The focus of this course is the increasing global dimension that the financial managers must address. Major topics include the time value of money, risk and return, security valuation, capital budgeting, cash and liquidity management, management of current liabilities, dividend policy, cost of capital, capital structure policy and the evaluation of alternative methods of financing. While this course deals with common finance problems, these problems are analyzed in a broader context with an international emphasis. Sophomore standing is required.
Pre/Corequisites: MATH 201
Prerequisites: BSIB major and BUS 100
Session Cycle: Fall, Spring
Yearly Cycle: Annual.

FIN 310. Intermediate Corporate Finance. 3 Credit Hours.

This course provides an in-depth exploration of corporate financial management, building on foundational concepts. Key topics include capital budgeting, capital structure, dividend policy, working capital management, and valuation techniques. Students will learn to apply various financial tools and techniques, including Excel-based data analysis, to optimize organizational financial performance. This course is essential for those looking to deepen their knowledge of corporate finance and pursue advanced finance courses.
Prerequisites: FIN 201, Sophomore Standing.

FIN 312. Investments. 3 Credit Hours.

This course offers a broad perspective on investment objectives and determinants of investment decision making. Students are introduced to the characteristics of different investment vehicles, the function and operation of the markets in which they trade, measurement of returns and risks associated with investing, and analytical pricing techniques of investment securities. Portfolio management is introduced as a framework for developing security-pricing models. This course is held in the state-of-the-art Financial Market Center (FMC), an environment which exposes students to real-time financial information and enables them to practice with tools that operate on such information to solve typical problems faced by financial professionals.
Prerequisites: FIN 201 and MATH 201
Session Cycle: Fall, Spring, Summer
Yearly Cycle: Annual.

FIN 315. Financial Institutions and Markets. 3 Credit Hours.

This course is an introduction to the American financial system including banks, insurance companies and the capital market institutions. Considered are the various aspects of financial instruments, institutions, and markets, as well as the economic, technological and legal framework in which they operate.
Prerequisites: FIN 201
Session Cycle: Fall, Spring
Yearly Cycle: Annual.

FIN 368. Multinational Finance. 3 Credit Hours.

This course examines methods of managing the financial aspects of multinational corporations. After reviewing the international monetary system, international finance, and international money and capital markets, students study financial policies and strategies of multinational corporations. Topics include the methods and process of financing international trade, hedging and arbitrage, risk analysis, and insurance and guarantee program. Also considered are the application of capital budgeting techniques and working capital management for foreign investments and tax considerations in making multinational financial decisions.
Prerequisites: FIN 201
Session Cycle: Fall, Spring
Yearly Cycle: Annual.

FIN 370. Financial Statement Analysis. 3 Credit Hours.

This course is designed to prepare students to be more critical consumers of financial information. The focus of the course is the detailed understanding of financial information and how it can be used to make judgments about firm value. A central theme of the course is the role of management and strategy in presenting financial information. While this course will necessarily include some review of how financial statements are prepared, the emphasis is on how critical users can discover the "truth" about the firm and its industry.
Prerequisites: ACG 203, FIN 201 or FIN 201G and sophomore standing
Session Cycle: Fall, Spring
Yearly Cycle: Annual.

FIN 371. Archway Financial Statement and Security Analysis. 3 Credit Hours.

This course is the first of a two-course sequence in the Archway Equity Portfolio Management program. Students will be placed into sector teams and act as security analysts within their sector. The course prepares students to be critical consumers of financial information. The focus of the course is the detailed understanding of financial information and how it can be used to make judgments about firm value and equity security valuation. While this course will necessarily include a review of how financial statements are prepared, the emphasis is on how critical users can discover the "truth" about the firm and its industry and make investment decisions based on that knowledge. These skills will be honed through analysis of real firms, and presentations to audiences which include fellow students, faculty, and investment professionals. Students will utilize industry standard analytical tools within our Financial Markets Center to mimic activities undertaken by investment analysts.
Prerequisites: FIN 201, FIN 312 and ACG 203. Instructor Approval and Junior Standing. Students taking FIN 371 cannot take FIN 370 for credit
Session Cycle: Every Fall and Spring.

FIN 380. Financial Modeling. 3 Credit Hours.

In this course students analyze and solve a diverse set of finance problems through the development of spreadsheet models concerning loan amortization, lease analysis, capital budgeting and risk analysis, cash budgeting, options pricing, capital asset pricing, and portfolio management. The course emphasizes the development of critical thinking skills, proficiency in research and use of financial data, and command of spreadsheet software such as Microsoft Excel.
Pre/Corequisites: FIN 312
Session Cycle: Fall, Spring
Yearly Cycle: Annual.

FIN 381. Risk Management and Insurance. 3 Credit Hours.

Non-speculative risk and its management are the focus of this course. Students consider the identification and measurement of risk, models of risk management and applications of different types of insurance. Self- insurance and applications of purchased insurance product strategies are explored.
Prerequisites: FIN 201 and MATH 201
Session Cycle: Fall, Spring
Yearly Cycle: Annual.

FIN 383. Real Estate Finance. 3 Credit Hours.

This course is a study of instruments, methods, and institutions involved in real estate finance. Students examine the financial techniques of risk and return evaluation, as well as the changes in mortgage market and economic environment. Emphasis is placed upon business real estate.
Prerequisites: FIN 201 and junior standing
Session Cycle: Spring
Yearly Cycle: Annual.

FIN 384. Credit Essentials. 3 Credit Hours.

The goal of this course is to expose students to a variety of commercial banking topics including cash flow, financial statement analysis, structuring commercial loans, personal financial statement analysis, business tax return analysis, as well as industry and market analysis.
Prerequisites: FIN 201
Session Cycle: Spring
Yearly Cycle: Annual.

FIN 391. Finance Internship. 3 Credit Hours.

Finance internships give students the opportunity for supervised employment in an area where they can apply financial theories and principles. Interns work at least ten hours a week, correspond periodically with a supervising faculty member, and prepare a substantive report on work experience and research.
Prerequisites: Overall G.P.A. of 2.5 or greater, FIN 312, approval of a supervising faculty member, and approval of the department chair.

FIN 412. Introduction to Fintech and Digital Innovation. 3 Credit Hours.

The impact of Financial technology (FinTech) in the fields of finance, accounting, banking, insurance, wealth, pensions are far-reaching, and its sphere of influence is likely to continue. Long protected by regulatory environments, financial institutions are coming under challenge from powerful technology providers who are able to deliver at greater efficiency and lower costs. It is changing how existing players operate and it is creating new ways to deliver core services. This course will focus on these how technology is revolutionizing finance and the firms behind this revolution. In addition to studying the world of fintech, student will also act as fintech security analysts and manage a portfolio of fintech firms funded by Bryant Alumni in the industry.
Prerequisites: FIN 312 and Junior Standing
Session Cycle: Every Semester.

FIN 413. Multinational Business Simulation. 3 Credit Hours.

This course involves a semester-long computer simulation in which the participants, working together in small teams, play the management roles of competing multinational firms. Though the course heavily emphasizes finance, marketing, and production decision making, participants will need to master all aspects of running an enterprise. The course offers many noteworthy features: international scope, strategic focus, lots of written and oral communication, considerable analytic work using spreadsheets and various statistical packages, and coping with sticky ethical and environmental issues. Students will develop leadership, as well as team building skills. This course is cross-listed with BUS 413, MGT 413 and MKT 413.
Prerequisites: FIN 201, MKT 201 and senior standing
Session Cycle: Fall
Yearly Cycle: Annual.

FIN 414. AI Applications in Finance. 3 Credit Hours.

This course is an elective within the AI Minor program and the Finance Concentration. It introduces students to practical applications of artificial intelligence (AI) in finance. Students will build basic coding skills and learn how to interact with AI models through APIs. The course focuses on real-world uses of AI in finance. Students will gain hands-on exposure to technologies such as robo advisors, textual analysis including sentiment analysis and content classification, and interacting with AI models through APIs. The course prepares students to apply AI tools and thinking to financial problems.
Pre/Corequisites: AI 202
Prerequisites: FIN 201, AI 201, Junior Standing
Session Cycle: Every Fall and Spring.

FIN 454. Archway Equity Portfolio Management. 6 Credit Hours.

This is the second course in a two-course student managed investment fund sequence which is intended to serve as a capstone experience for students majoring in finance with a focus in investments. Students will learn the basic tools and techniques of portfolio management such as asset allocation, diversification, security selection, measurement of portfolio risk and return, risk management and performance measurement. These skills will be honed through management of the Bryant University student managed fund, interaction with student securities analysts, and presentations to audiences which include investments professionals. A high level of professionalism will be required of all students admitted to this course. This course is held in the state-of-the-art Financial Markets Center (FMC), an environment that exposes them to practice with tools that operate on such information to solve typical problems faced by financial professionals. Only students that have taken FIN 371 are eligible.
Prerequisites: FIN 371 and Instructor Approval
Session Cycle: Fall, Spring
Yearly Cycle: Annual.

FIN 458. Debt Securities, Derivatives and Investing. 3 Credit Hours.

The analysis, selection and management of debt securities are the topics in this course. The increasing complexity of the types and characteristics of debt securities being issued globally requires special analysis, along with an understanding of options and futures concepts. This course exposes students to the analytical concepts used in the fixed income market, and provides concrete practical applications of those concepts to the analysis of securities for pricing and risk management purposes.
Prerequisites: FIN 312 and Junior standing
Session Cycle: Fall, Spring
Yearly Cycle: Annual.

FIN 460. Merger and Acquisition Finance Theory and Practice. 3 Credit Hours.

In this capstone class, students undertake a detailed study of the theory and practice of acquisitions through a finance lens. Using an overarching theme of value creation, students will examine such topics as friendly and hostile takeovers, mergers, spin-offs, consolidations, and private equity transactions including LBOs and MBOs, . By employing a combination of lectures and cases studies focusing on complex problems, students gain a deeper understanding of deal valuation, deal structuring, and the other important financial components of these important transactions.
Prerequisites: FIN 201 or FIN 201G, and FIN 370 or FIN 371 and Junior Standing
Session Cycle: Spring
Yearly Cycle: Annual.

FIN 465. Innovations in Contemporary Finance. 3 Credit Hours.

Contemporary finance is a highly quantitative and technological field. The performance of global investments are evaluated and managed by increasingly more complex mathematical tools. This survey course will provide students the fundamental steps of technical and financial sophistication they need to solve critical problems and will develop their ability to successfully understand and communicate with industry professionals and investment clients both in the U.S. and around the world. The students will learn about the process of financial engineering. The course will utilize advanced mathematical methods.
Prerequisites: FIN 201 and (FIN 312 or FIN 315)
Session Cycle: Fall and Spring
Yearly Cycle: Annual.

FIN 466. Data Analysis for Finance. 3 Credit Hours.

This course introduces students to a variety of tools for managing and analyzing “big data” in the field of finance. Finance benefits from the availability of very rich numerical and textual records, and the goal is to provide students with sufficient exposure to these resources to understand their applicability to financial decision making situations, while at the same time providing familiarity with a set of open source analytical tools that can make such sources accessible.
Prerequisites: ACG 203, FIN 201, and MATH 201 and Junior standing
Session Cycle: Fall, Spring
Yearly Cycle: Annual.

FIN 475. Management of Banking Institutions. 3 Credit Hours.

This course explores the theory and practice of managing depository institutions in today's dynamic banking environment. The course examines asset and liability management strategies and impacts on profitability of depository institutions.
Prerequisites: FIN 201 and junior standing
Session Cycle: Fall, Spring
Yearly Cycle: Annual.

FIN 480. Archway Fixed Income Portfolio Management. 3 Credit Hours.

This course is an experiential portfolio management class focused on Fixed Income Markets. The course is part of the Archway program and students participate in the activities of the overall program. The central activity in the course is the management of the fixed income allocation within the Archway Investment Fund (AIF) according to the guidelines and constraints outlined in the Investment Policy Statement that governs the portfolio.
Prerequisites: FIN 458 and junior standing
Session Cycle: Fall,Spring
Yearly Cycle: Annual.

FIN 497. Directed Study in Finance. 3 Credit Hours.

This course allows senior finance concentrators to do in-depth study or research under the direction of a member of the Finance Department.
Prerequisites: FIN 201, FIN 311 or FIN 380, FIN 312 and an overall GPA of 3.0 or greater, approval of a supervising faculty member, and approval of the department chair.

FIN AR371. Arch Fin. & Security Analysis. 0 Credit Hours.