Course Descriptions:  Department of Finance at the University of Illinois
 

Course Descriptions

100 Level Courses

  • Finance 100: Survey of Finance

    An introductory course, for both current majors and non-majors, intended to give the flavor of Finance. The course will present brief introductions to such topics as personal finance, investments, corporate finance, real estate, and insurance. It is intended for students who are just beginning their studies. Approved for S/U grading only.

    Notes:
    Credit Hours: 1 hours.
    *

  • Finance 199: Undergraduate Open Seminar

    Approved for both letter and S/U grading. Course may be repeated for credit.

    Notes: Approved for both letter and S/U grading. Course may be repeated for credit.
    Credit Hours: 0 to 5 hours.
    *

    • 200 Level Courses

  • Finance 221: Corporate Finance

    Introductory study of corporate financial management, in particular how the financial manager's choices add value to shareholder wealth through investment financing and operating decisions. Prerequisite: Credit or concurrent registration in ACCY 202 and ECON 203.

    Notes: Prerequisite: Credit or concurrent registration in ACCY 202 and ECON 203.
    Credit Hours: 3 hours.
    *

  • Finance 230: Introduction to Insurance

    Introductory course on the role of insurance in society; covers insurance terminology, common personal insurance policies (auto, health, life and homeowners) and current issues.

    Notes:
    Credit Hours: 3 hours.
    *

  • Finance 232: Personal Wealth Management

    Studies personal wealth management techniques with an emphasis on life insurance products; covers life insurance policies, annuities, trusts, buy- sell arrangements, investing in stocks, bonds and mutual funds, banking and borrowing, purchasing residential and commercial real estate, income and estate taxation and management of personal financial portfolio.

    Notes:
    Credit Hours: 3 hours.
    *

  • Finance 241: Fundamentals of Real Estate

    A survey of real estate finance, appraisal, investment, law, brokerage, management, development and economics. Special attention is given to the analysis of aggregate real estate and mortgage markets, to the individual transactions within these markets, and to the legal and institutional factors which affect these markets. Prerequisite: ECON 102.

    Notes: Prerequisite: ECON 102.
    Credit Hours: 3 hours.
    *

    • 300 Level Courses

  • Finance 300: Financial Markets

    Theory and applications associated with the functioning of financial markets to include the conceptual foundations of portfolio theory, risk management, and asset valuation. The stock, money, bond, mortgage, and futures and options markets are examined. Prerequisite: FIN 221; CS 105 or demonstration of electronic spreadsheet competency.

    Notes: Prerequisite: FIN 221; CS 105 or demonstration of electronic spreadsheet competency.
    Credit Hours: 3 hours.
    *

  • Finance 311: Investments

    Current theories of portfolio management are covered in considerable detail to provide a conceptual framework for the evaluation of investment strategies. Applications and implementation are covered in depth, including performance evaluation and international diversification. 3 undergraduate hours. Prerequisite: FIN 300.

    Notes: 3 undergraduate hours. Prerequisite: FIN 300.
    Credit Hours: 3 hours.
    *

  • Finance 321: Advanced Corporate Finance

    Theories of firms' investment and financing decisions are covered. Topics include dividend policy, capital budgeting, capital structure, bankruptcy, long- term debt and leasing decisions. Prerequisite: FIN 300.

    Notes: Prerequisite: FIN 300.
    Credit Hours: 3 hours.
    *

    • 400 Level Courses

  • Finance 412: Options and Futures Markets

    Introduction of options and futures markets for financial assets; examination of institutional aspects of the markets; theories of pricing; discussion of simple as well as complicated trading strategies (arbitrage, hedging and spread); applications for asset and risk management. 3 undergraduate hours. Prerequisite: FIN 300 or consent of instructor.

    Notes: 3 undergraduate hours. Prerequisite: FIN 300 or consent of instructor.
    Credit Hours: 3 hours.
    *

  • Finance 413: Financial Engineering

    This course will present and analyze modern tools for identification, measurement, and management of financial risk faced by corporations and institutional investors; in particular as related to the application of futures, forwards, options, swaps, and other derivatives. The focus will be evenly split between theoretical models and practical applications, and will include careful consideration of parameter estimation and numerical implementation. 3 undergraduate hours. Prerequisite: FIN 300 or consent of instructor.

    Notes:
    Credit Hours: 3 hours.
    *

  • Finance 414: Urban Economics

    Same as ECON 414. See ECON 414.

    Notes:
    Credit Hours: 3 or 4 hours.
    *

  • Finance 419: Real Client Managed Portfolios

    Applies academic topics on financial markets, security analysis/valuation and portfolio management to hands-on investment management. Students will form and review objectives, constraints, and investment policy as it relates to the client's money under management. They will purchase securities, monitor performance of the portfolio, and make recommendations for any adjustments to the holdings. They will be fully educated and responsible to the fiduciary and ethical standards of professional money management as guided by the Association for Investment Management and Research (AIMR). 3 undergraduate hours. May be repeated to a maximum of 9 hours. Prerequisite: FIN 311 or consent of instructor.

    Notes: 3 undergraduate hours. May be repeated to a maximum of 9 hours. Prerequisite: FIN 311 or consent of instructor.
    Credit Hours: 3 hours.
    *

  • Finance 422: Cases in Corporate Finance

    Course totally devoted to the study of financial management cases, provides students a hands-on learning experience. The case work helps students to develop their analytical and interpretative skills in solving unstructured real world problems. The theoretical concepts and tools learned in the introductory finance courses provide the foundation for the case studies. Topics discussed include financial forecasting and working capital management; capital budgeting and cost of capital; and capital structure, dividend policy, corporate financing, financial restructuring, financial distress, mergers, acquisitions and firm valuation. 3 undergraduate hours. Prerequisite: FIN 300 and FIN 321.

    Notes: 3 undergraduate hours. Prerequisite: FIN 300 and FIN 321.
    Credit Hours: 3 hours.
    *

  • Finance 423: Financing Emerging Businesses

    The study of the business environment, alternative methods of organization and financing, use of financial statements as a management tool, valuation methods and approaches to ethical dilemmas from the perspective of an owner-manager. 3 undergraduate hours. 3 or 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: FIN 300 or consent of instructor.

    Notes: 3 undergraduate hours. 3 or 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: FIN 300 or consent of instructor.
    Credit Hours: 3 or 4 hours.
    *

  • Finance 431: Property-Liability Insurance

    Examines in detail the functions of property-liability insurers, including marketing, underwriting, claims, ratemaking and administration, and the major current issues facing this industry. 3 undergraduate hours. 3 or 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: FIN 230.

    Notes:
    Credit Hours: 3 or 4 hours.
    *

  • Finance 432: Managing Fin Risk for Insurers

    Introduces basic concepts in financial economics used in the analysis and management of financial risks, with an emphasis on the applications by insurers and pension plans; topics include decision making under uncertainty, economic statistics, deterministic and stochastic interest rate models, derivative securities, valuation, binomial models and option pricing models. 3 undergraduate hours. 3 or 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: FIN 300; either FIN 230 or FIN 232; MATH 245 or equivalent; MATH 409; MATH 415; electronic spreadsheet proficiency.

    Notes:
    Credit Hours: 3 or 4 hours.
    *

  • Finance 433: Corporate Risk Management

    Case study course examining how corporations deal with pure risk. 3 undergraduate hours. 3 or 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: FIN 221, FIN 431, and FIN 434.

    Notes:
    Credit Hours: 3 or 4 hours.
    *

  • Finance 434: Employee Benefit Plans

    Studies the purpose, structure, and financial aspects of employee benefit plans, including pensions, health insurance, life insurance, and disability plans. Same as LIR 434. 3 undergraduate hours. 3 or 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: FIN 300 or consent of instructor.

    Notes: Same as LIR 434. 3 undergraduate hours. 3 or 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: FIN 300 or consent of instructor.
    Credit Hours: 3 or 4 hours.
    *

  • Finance 443: Legal Issues in Real Estate

    Overview of legal concepts, issues, and principles involving real estate. 3 undergraduate hours. 3 or 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: Junior standing or consent of instructor.

    Notes: 3 undergraduate hours. 3 or 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: Junior standing or consent of instructor.
    Credit Hours: 3 or 4 hours.
    *

  • Finance 444: Urban Real Estate Valuation

    The terminology, theory and techniques of real estate valuation (appraisal); a modern view of the three approaches to estimating value - sales comparison, cost and income. Special requirements include local field trips to appraise at least one single-family property and one income property. 3 undergraduate hours. 3 or 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: FIN 221, or FIN 241, or consent of instructor.

    Notes: 3 undergraduate hours. 3 or 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: FIN 221, or FIN 241, or consent of instructor.
    Credit Hours: 3 or 4 hours.
    *

  • Finance 445: Real Estate Investment

    An approach to the evaluation of real estate investment opportunities. Begins with the identification of the investor's goals and ends with an investment decision. Considers legal, physical, locational, and financial constraint, aggregate real estate and financial markets, tax considerations and investment criteria. 3 undergraduate hours. 3 or 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: FIN 221 and FIN 241 and electronic spreadsheet proficiency, or consent of instructor.

    Notes: 3 undergraduate hours. 3 or 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: FIN 221 and FIN 241 and electronic spreadsheet proficiency, or consent of instructor.
    Credit Hours: 3 or 4 hours.
    *

  • Finance 446: Real Estate Financial Markets

    Discusses real estate financing techniques and the secondary market for real estate financial assets including mortgage backed securities and mortgage backed finance. 3 undergraduate hours. 3 or 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: FIN 300 or consent of instructor.

    Notes:
    Credit Hours: 3 or 4 hours.
    *

  • Finance 451: Intl Financial Markets

    This course covers the three major international financial markets; the foreign exchange market, the eurocurrency market, and the international equity and bond market. The course looks at international financial decisions including operations, structure and valuation. 3 undergraduate hours. Prerequisite: FIN 300 and FIN 321.

    Notes:
    Credit Hours: 3 hours.
    *

  • Finance 461: Financial Intermediation

    Financial intermediaries survey of the structure, functions, regulation, and risk management activities of financial intermediaries; central banking and monetary policy effects on financial intermediaries. 3 undergraduate hours. Prerequisite: FIN 300 or consent of instructor.

    Notes: 3 undergraduate hours. Prerequisite: FIN 300 or consent of instructor.
    Credit Hours: 3 hours.
    *

  • Finance 490: Special Topics in Finance

    May be repeated in the same term to a maximum of 6 hours. May be repeated in subsequent terms to a maximum of 9 hours. Prerequisite: FIN 300 or consent of instructor.

    Notes: May be repeated in the same term to a maximum of 6 hours. May be repeated in subsequent terms to a maximum of 9 hours. Prerequisite: FIN 300 or consent of instructor.
    Credit Hours: 1 to 3 hours.
    *

  • Finance 494: Senior Research

    Research and reading course for students concentrating in finance, insurance, urban land economics, or related areas who meet one of the following requirements: (1) have a cumulative grade-point average of 3. 0 or better; (2) have attained Honors Day recognition in the junior year; or (3) have consent of instructor. May be taken by students in the college honors program in partial fulfillment of the honors requirements. 2 to 4 undergraduate hours. No graduate credit. May be repeated as topics vary. Prerequisite: Senior standing.

    Notes: 2 to 4 undergraduate hours. No graduate credit. May be repeated as topics vary. Prerequisite: Senior standing.
    Credit Hours: 2 to 4 hours.
    *

  • Finance 495: Senior Research

    Research and reading course for students concentrating in finance, insurance, urban land economics, or related areas. May be taken by students in the college honors program in partial fulfillment of the honors requirements. 2 to 4 undergraduate hours. No graduate credit. Prerequisite: Senior standing; and cumulative grade-point average of 3.0 or better, Honors Day recognition in the junior year, or consent of instructor.

    Notes: 2 to 4 undergraduate hours. No graduate credit. Prerequisite: Senior standing; and cumulative grade-point average of 3.0 or better, Honors Day recognition in the junior year, or consent of instructor.
    Credit Hours: 2 to 4 hours.
    *
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