Course Syllabus
For a list of course activities, scroll to the bottom of this page.
Course Materials
"Required" Textbook: Investments, by Bodie, Kane, and Marcus (Published by McGraw-Hill). The first part of the course covers Chaps 14-16 of the book. The current edition of the book is the 12th edition, but the 10th and 11th editions work just fine. No online access codes are required for the class.
The book is for your own review. I will provide all the homework assignments and exams, and you don't need the book to access these questions.
You must have a financial calculator.
The second half of the course may use other books, and I will announce them later.
Course Schedule:
| Module (Estimated duration) | Topics |
| 0 (1 week) | A General Introduction to Fixed Income Securities (QUIZ on Aug 31) |
| 1 (3 weeks) | Bond Yields, Prices and Returns |
| 2 (3 weeks) | The Term Structure of Interest Rates |
| 3 (2 weeks) | Managing Bond Portfolios |
| Midterm | |
| 4 | Fixed Income Derivatives (Swaps, Futures) |
| 5 | Mortgage and Asset-Backed Securities |
| 6(If time permits) | Selected topics or projects and cases |
| Final | |
Grades
Breakdown
| Activity | Description | Points |
| Homework | 1 set per module (10 points each) | 40 |
| Assignments | Three: 3 pts; 8 pts; 4 pts | 15 |
| Quiz | 5 | |
| Bloomberg | 4 | |
| Midterm Exam | Cover the first four modules | 25 |
| Final Exam | Waived | 11 |
| Total | 100 |
Scale
Grade cutoffs for A, B, C, D are 90, 80, 70, 60 respectively.
Grades are rounded in the conventional way. (For example, 89.5 rounds up to 90, while 89.4 does not round up.)
All students will be graded according to the above scale and should not expect a "curve" in the class.
Exams
In this course, you’ll have one midterm exam and one final exam, both are in-class and closed-book. The Midterm Exam will test the topics covered in Modules 0-3. The Final Exam will test the topics covered in Modules 4-6. The exams are designed to assess your mastery of the skills and knowledge introduced during the course.
Course Policies
Communication
- If you have general questions about the class (assignments, class logistics, due dates, etc.), post a question in the HELP BOARD in the “Start Here” module. You can post questions about the course here throughout the semester.
- If you have a personal question (grades, feedback, requests for special accommodation, etc.) please send me an email (tong.wang@ou.edu ). In some cases, it might be helpful if you could send a screenshot of the issue. During the work week (Monday-Friday), you can expect a response from me within 24 hours. During weekends (Saturday-Sunday), you can expect a response from me within 48 hours.
- If you have general tech questions, please contact OU IT at needhelp@ou.edu.
All email sent by your professors will be sent to the email registered in your name at the University of Oklahoma.
If you wish to also receive course emails at another email address, go to your profile in Canvas and you can add 1 or more alternate emails to your account.
Late Policy
No late work accepted: All graded assignments must be completed by the assigned due date. No late work will be accepted. Pre-session and post-session assignments are to be completed on Connect and will be submitted automatically in Connect at the due date.
UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA
ACADEMIC POLICIES AND STUDENT SUPPORT
Course Catalog
Search the OU Course Catalogue.
Student Handbook
Please familiarize yourself with the OU Student Handbook.
Online Library
Access digital materials and other resources at OU Libraries.
Academic Misconduct
In addition to the course conduct policies outlined by your professor in the Course Syllabus in the online classroom, please review the Graduate Student Handbook.
It is the responsibility of each student to be familiar with the definitions, policies, and procedures concerning academic misconduct. The Student Code is available from the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs, and is contained in the Student's Guide to Academic Integrity.
This site also defines misconduct, provides examples of prohibited conduct, and explains the sanctions available for those found guilty of misconduct.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is the most common form of academic misconduct at OU. There is basically no college-level assignment that can be satisfactorily completed by copying. OU's basic assumption about writing is that all written assignments show the student's own understanding in the student's own words. That means all writing assignments, in class or out, are assumed to be composed entirely of words generated (not simply found) by the student, except where words written by someone else are specifically marked as such with proper citation. Including other people's words in your paper is helpful when you do it honestly and correctly. When you don't, it's plagiarism.
For more information about plagiarism, watch this video and then take this short course offered by University Libraries.
Reasonable Accommodation for Disabilities
The University of Oklahoma is committed to providing reasonable accommodation for all students with disabilities. Students with disabilities who require accommodations in this course should contact their professor as early in the semester as possible.
Students with disabilities must be registered with the Disability Resource Center prior to receiving accommodations in this course.
If you have a disability and you would like to make a request for reasonable accommodation, please see the Graduate Student Handbook or get in touch with the Disability Resource Center.
Adjustments for Pregnancy/Childbirth Related Issues
Should you need modifications or adjustments to your course requirements because of documented pregnancy-related or childbirth-related issues, please contact me as soon as possible to discuss your options. Generally, modifications will be made where medically necessary and similar in scope to accommodations based on temporary disability. Learn more about the rights of pregnant and parenting students by consulting the FAQ sheets provided by the Institutional Equity Office.
Title IX Resources
For any concerns regarding gender-based discrimination, sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, stalking, or intimate partner violence, the University offers a variety of resources, including advocates on-call 24/7, counseling services, mutual no contact orders, scheduling adjustments, and disciplinary sanctions against the perpetrator. Please contact the Sexual Misconduct Office 405-325-2215 (8-5, M-F) or OU Advocates 405-615-0013 (24/7) to learn more or to report an incident.
Religious Holidays
It is the policy of the University to excuse absences of students that result from religious observances and to provide for the rescheduling of examinations and additional required classwork that may fall on religious holidays without penalty. It is the responsibility of the student to make alternate arrangements with the instructor at least one week prior to the actual date of the religious holiday.
Copyright Policy
It is illegal to download, upload, reproduce, or distribute any copyrighted material, in any form and in any fashion, without permission from the copyright holder or his/her authorized agent. The University of Oklahoma expects all members of its community to comply fully with federal copyright laws. If such laws appear to have been violated by any user, the university reserves the right (1) to terminate that user’s access to some or all of the university’s computer systems and information resources and (2) to take additional disciplinary actions as deemed necessary or appropriate. Repeat offenders will be sanctioned and their privileges terminated.
Registration and Withdrawal
If you choose to withdraw from this course, you must complete the appropriate University form and turn the form in before the deadline. If you stop attending the course and doing the coursework without doing the required paperwork, your grade will be calculated with missed homework and examination grades entered as zero. This could result in receiving a grade of F in the course. Deadlines are shown in the Academic Calendar, which is available from the Office of the Registrar.
Student Grievances
In addition to any policies outlined related to submitting an informal or formal grievance by your professor in the Course Syllabus in the online classroom, please review the Graduate Student Handbook for more information about the process of submitting a formal grievance.
Course Summary:
| Date | Details | Due |
|---|---|---|