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FINANCE 6320.0G1 COURSE SYLLABUS
| Course Information | Course Access| Student Assessment | Course Communications | Technical Requirements | Scholastic Dishonesty | Course Evaluation | Course Outline |
Course Information
Catalog Description Financial behavior in relation to production and consumption decisions. Banking, financial intermediation, flows of funds, regulation and structure of financial markets. Selected topics of current interest. Prerequisites: FIN 6301, MECO 6201/6301 and STAT 5311. Course Introduction We live in an age of unprecedented prosperity and unprecedented change. Financial markets are an integral part of this. In this course we will learn that financial markets are crucial for the development of any economy. We will learn what they are and how they function. We will learn about different types of financial institutions, instruments and policy approaches. And we will learn how money fits in. Course Learning Objectives - Learning Outcomes 1. Students will be able to explain the functions and benefits of money. 2. Students will be able to discuss the history of money. 3. Students will be able to explain the role and the benefits of financial intermediaries. 4. Students will be able to discuss the nature, determination and role of interest rates. 5. Students will be able to calculate Present Value and understand and discuss how these concepts can also be related to explain the term structure of interest rates. 6. Students will be able to list the types of financial assets available and discuss briefly the principles which guide their selection as part of a portfolio of assets. 7. Students will understand and be able to explain the relationship between types of financial contracts and the characteristics of the business environment, including business size and cultural background. 8. Students will be able to explain how regulation, inflation, and technology influence the development of financial institutions. 9. Students will be able to explain the differences between futures, options and swaps. 10. Students will explain the functioning and history of foreign exchange markets, the significance of the balance of payments and the integration of currency areas. 11. Students will be able to explain the history and structure of the Fed and compare it to other central banks. Students will be able to discuss the tools of monetary policy. 12. Students will be able to explain and evaluate monetary policy. Students will be able to discuss, compare and contrast the Classical economists, Keynesian economics, Monetarism and other approaches. Course Format The online material consists of 12 lessons. See Course Outline for details. Some of the lessons are longer than others. Please consult the accompanying instructions to determine how to listen to the online lessons and which method is best for you. Each audio lesson is accompanied by lecture materials (usually in PowerPoint format). These materials contain lesson objectives, information on recommended reading and provide required formulas, diagrams, tables and outlines. Instructor Information Brief biography: I was born and grew up in Johannesburg, South Africa. I received a BA (honors) degree in Economics and History from the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg in 1969. In September 1972, after teaching at the business school at that University, I left to study at the University of Chicago. I received a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Chicago in 1979. I was fortunate to have as teachers at least four Nobel prize winners. In January 1979 I moved with my family to Dallas, where we have lived ever since. After seven years as an academic, I tried my hand in an entrepreneurial venture and joined a friend in a startup business called Soft Warehouse. Today it is called CompUSA. I was one of its founding shareholders. It was a difficult but very educational experience. In 1992 I decided to return to academics and have been with the UTD School of Management since 1997. I love my job. I have a passion for teaching and for economics.
My wife and I were married in December 1969. We have four children and two grandchildren.
To see more about my professional and personal life visit my website at http://www.utdallas.edu/~plewin/ Contact information:
You can contact me anytime by phone or email, or by appointment in my office. Course Materials The text I have required for this course is the following: Principles of Money, Banking & Financial Markets by Lawrence S. Ritter, William L. Silber and Gregory F. Udell, 11thedition, Addison, Wesley, Longman, 2005. This is a fairly accessible text and, though it has more detail than I will cover in the lessons, the approach is similar to mine. From time to time I will suggest some optional supplementary reading. In addition to reading the recommended chapters plus supplementary material you would do best to listen carefully to the lessons. The following paper is also required reading. Click on it to follow the link. You will need Adobe Acrobat to read it; it can be downloaded from their site for free. Textbooks and some other bookstore materials can be ordered online through MBS Direct Virtual Bookstore or Off-Campus Books online ordering site. They are also available in stock at UTD Bookstore and Off-Campus Books.
Student Assessment: Grading/Evaluation There will be three online tests, two midterms (25%) and a semi-comprehensive final (50%). The tests will be composed of multiple choice questions. In addition 5% can be added to your grade by participation.
Online Testing You can access tests by clicking the "Tests and Self-Tests" icon and then clicking the available test title links. Each test is timed and can only be accessed once within the scheduled time window. Please read the on-screen instructions carefully before you click the "Begin Quiz" button. You may review your test results by click the “View Score” button after the test results are released.
There is a self test for each lesson. They are non-credit tests for self assessments and help you prepare for 3 tests. Class Participation (up to a possible 5% bonus added to your score) You may participate in class discussion by following the “Discussions” link on your navigation menu (on the left side of the screen). I will create and manage a series of discussion topics and questions at different points during the semester. Discussion on particular topics will be open for only a limited time period. So, you should watch this space for current and new topics. I encourage you to post questions or comments on the topics (this is a public space, so everyone will see your posting). You will be rewarded for evidence that you understand the material and that suggests good thinking. You will not be rewarded for postings that do not fall into this category – and you could be penalized for subjecting me and your fellow classmates to postings that are a waste of time. So keep your postings short and make sure they have some value. In addition to the providing you the possibility of earning a bonus, the discussions will prepare you for the tests. So I urge you to at least read the discussions and my replies as part of your learning and preparation. To ask general questions, or make a general comment – related to the course in general and not to a specific topic – make use of the topic space entitled “Questions for Peter Lewin.” Remember everyone in the class will see these, so use this space for communications that may be of interest to everyone. To communicate with me privately, on topics of interest or pertinent only to you, please use my university email address plewin@utdallas.edu. To privately email other students in the course you may use the “Mail” utility linked on the Navigation menu. To keep abreast of the latest topics and on announcements relating to the course – which could include supplementary course information – be sure to frequently visit the topic space entitled “Announcements from Peter Lewin.”
Grades
You can check your grades by accessing the
“My Grades” icon on Student Tools page after the grade for each item listed
is released. Technical
Requirements
In addition to a confident level of computer and Internet literacy, certain minimum technical requirement must be met to enable a successful learning experience. Please review the important technical requirements and the web browser configuration information.
Course Access and Navigation
This course was developed using a web course tool called WebCT. It is to be delivered entirely online. Students will use UTD NetID account to login to the course at: http://webct.utdallas.edu. Please see the details of course access and navigation information.
To get started with a WebCT course, please see the Getting Started: Student WebCT Orientation.
If you have any problems with your UTD account or any problem with the UTD WebCT server, you may email to: assist@utdallas.edu or call the UTD Computer Helpdesk at: 972-883-2911. If you encounter any technical difficulties within the course site, please send an email to gmbasupport@utdallas.edu.
Course Communications
WebCT course has built-in communication tools which will be used for course interactions and communications. Some external communication tools such as regular email and web conferencing tool may also be used during the semester. Please see more details about communication tool information.
Interaction with Instructor: Instructor will communicate with students mainly using the Discussion board. Students may send personal concerns or questions to the instructor via email. Instructor will reply to student emails or Discussion board messages within 3 working days under normal circumstances.
Scholastic
Dishonesty
The university has policies and discipline procedures regarding scholastic dishonesty. Detailed information is available on the Scholastic Dishonesty web page. All students are expected to maintain a high level of responsibility with respect to academic honesty. Students who violate university rules on scholastic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary penalties, including the possibility of failure in the course and/or dismissal from the university. Since such dishonesty harms the individual, all students and the integrity of the university, policies on scholastic dishonesty will be strictly enforced.
Course
Evaluation
As required by UTD academic regulations, every student should complete an evaluation for the course at the end of the semester. An online instructional assessment form will be made available for your confidential use. Please look for the course evaluation link on the course Homepage several weeks before the course ends.
Course
Outline
University Policies
Student
Conduct & Discipline The The A student at the university neither loses
the rights nor escapes the responsibilities of citizenship. He or she is expected to obey federal,
state, and local laws as well as the Regents’ Rules, university regulations,
and administrative rules. Students are
subject to discipline for violating the standards of conduct whether such
conduct takes place on or off campus, or whether civil or criminal penalties
are also imposed for such conduct. Academic
Integrity The faculty expects from its students a
high level of responsibility and academic honesty. Because the value of an academic degree
depends upon the absolute integrity of the work done by the student for that
degree, it is imperative that a student demonstrate a high standard of individual
honor in his or her scholastic work. Scholastic dishonesty includes, but is not
limited to, statements, acts or omissions related to applications for
enrollment or the award of a degree, and/or the submission as one’s own work
or material that is not one’s own. As
a general rule, scholastic dishonesty involves one of the following
acts: cheating, plagiarism, collusion
and/or falsifying academic records.
Students suspected of academic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary
proceedings. Plagiarism, especially from the web, from
portions of papers for other classes, and from any other source is
unacceptable and will be dealt with under the university’s policy on
plagiarism (see general catalog for details).
This course will use the resources of turnitin.com, which searches the
web for possible plagiarism and is over 90% effective. Email
Use The Withdrawal from Class The administration of this institution has
set deadlines for withdrawal of any college-level courses. These dates and
times are published in that semester's course catalog. Administration
procedures must be followed. It is the student's responsibility to handle
withdrawal requirements from any class. In other words, I cannot drop or
withdraw any student. You must do the proper paperwork to ensure that you
will not receive a final grade of "F" in a course if you choose not
to attend the class once you are enrolled. Student
Grievance Procedures Procedures for student grievances are found
in Title V, Rules on Student Services and Activities, of the university’s Handbook of Operating Procedures. In attempting to resolve any student
grievance regarding grades, evaluations, or other fulfillments of academic
responsibility, it is the obligation of the student first to make a serious
effort to resolve the matter with the instructor, supervisor, administrator,
or committee with whom the grievance originates (hereafter called “the
respondent”). Individual faculty
members retain primary responsibility for assigning grades and evaluations. If the matter cannot be resolved at that
level, the grievance must be submitted in writing to the respondent with a
copy of the respondent’s School Dean.
If the matter is not resolved by the written response provided by the
respondent, the student may submit a written appeal to the School Dean. If the grievance is not resolved by the
School Dean’s decision, the student may make a written appeal to the Dean of
Graduate or Undergraduate Education, and the deal will appoint and convene an
Academic Appeals Panel. The decision
of the Academic Appeals Panel is final.
The results of the academic appeals process will be distributed to all
involved parties. Copies of these rules and regulations are
available to students in the Office of the Dean of Students, where staff
members are available to assist students in interpreting the rules and
regulations. Incomplete
Grade Policy As per university policy, incomplete grades
will be granted only for work unavoidably missed at the semester’s end and
only if 70% of the course work has been completed. An incomplete grade must be resolved within
eight (8) weeks from the first day of the subsequent long semester. If the required work to complete the course
and to remove the incomplete grade is not submitted by the specified
deadline, the incomplete grade is changed automatically to a grade of F. Disability
Services The goal of Disability Services is to
provide students with disabilities educational opportunities equal to those
of their non-disabled peers.
Disability Services is located in room 1.610 in the Student Union. Office hours are Monday and Thursday, 8:30
a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Tuesday and Wednesday, 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; and Friday,
8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The contact information for the Office of
Disability Services is: The (972) 883-2098 (voice or TTY) Essentially, the law requires that colleges
and universities make those reasonable adjustments necessary to eliminate
discrimination on the basis of disability.
For example, it may be necessary to remove classroom prohibitions
against tape recorders or animals (in the case of dog guides) for students
who are blind. Occasionally an
assignment requirement may be substituted (for example, a research paper versus
an oral presentation for a student who is hearing impaired). Classes enrolled students with mobility
impairments may have to be rescheduled in accessible facilities. The college or university may need to
provide special services such as registration, note-taking, or mobility
assistance. It is the student’s responsibility to
notify his or her professors of the need for such an accommodation. Disability Services provides students with
letters to present to faculty members to verify that the student has a
disability and needs accommodations. Individuals requiring special accommodation
should contact the professor after class or during office hours. Religious
Holy Days The The student is encouraged to notify the
instructor or activity sponsor as soon as possible regarding the absence,
preferably in advance of the assignment.
The student, so excused, will be allowed to take the exam or complete
the assignment within a reasonable time after the absence: a period equal to
the length of the absence, up to a maximum of one week. A student who
notifies the instructor and completes any missed exam or assignment may not
be penalized for the absence. A student who fails to complete the exam or
assignment within the prescribed period may receive a failing grade for that
exam or assignment. If a student or an instructor disagrees
about the nature of the absence [i.e., for the purpose of observing a
religious holy day] or if there is similar disagreement about whether the
student has been given a reasonable time to complete any missed assignments
or examinations, either the student or the instructor may request a ruling
from the chief executive officer of the institution, or his or her designee.
The chief executive officer or designee must take into account the
legislative intent of TEC 51.911(b), and the student and instructor will
abide by the decision of the chief executive officer or designee. Off-Campus
Instruction and Course Activities Off-campus, out-of-state, and foreign
instruction and activities are subject to state law and University policies
and procedures regarding travel and risk-related activities. Information regarding these rules and
regulations may be found at the website address given below. Additional
information is available from the office of the school dean. (http://www.utdallas.edu/BusinessAffairs/Travel_Risk_Activities.htm) These descriptions and timelines are
subject to change at the discretion of the Professor. |
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