Course Syllabus
- We only meet on Thursdays in the lab. Tuesday classes are for self-guided study.
- Please note that I reserve the right to make adjustments to the course schedule.
Course Materials
Textbook (Optional)
Financial Modeling, by Simon Benninga, 4th Edition, MIT Press ISBN: 978-0262027281
I will provide all the necessary learning materials (such as Excel files, lecture videos), so you are not required to buy the textbook. You should probably consider obtaining a copy of the textbook for review purposes.
Classroom Availability For Practice (I highly recommend Mac users to practice using the lab computers.)
- The lab is typically available for practice after 6pm from Monday to Friday.
- The building and lab should be open on weekends too.
Grades
Breakdown (Please ignore the overall grades and rankings calculated by Canvas because they are not properly weighted.)
| Activity | Description | Points |
| Quizzes**^^ | There will be six quizzes designed to check your understanding of the topics covered in the lectures. (5 points each, lowest score dropped) | 25 |
| Midterm Exam** |
There are three midterm exams. Midterm I covers Modules 1 to 4. (22 pts) Midterm II covers Modules 6 to 8. (23 pts) I will discuss the schedule for Midterm III later in the semester.(15 pts) |
60 |
| Group Project |
This is a group project. To sign up for a group, look for "People" on the left, and then "Project Groups". Stock Valuation (15 points) Your project grade is determined by the submitted report and peer evaluations. If you fail to contribute your fair share to the project, then your score could be lower than your teammates'. ) You must submit your projects by the due date. No extension will be granted. There should be 2-3 students in each group. I encourage you to form groups on your own, but I can assign you to a group if needed. |
15 |
| Final Exam |
No Final Exam |
0 |
| Total Score | 100 |
^^To be excused for attendance or missed quizzes, you must provide official documents. These include student athletes who have to travel to meets; trips organized by student organizations; sickness diagnosed by doctors. I will not respond to requests for personal reasons (family gatherings, personal travels etc.)
For COVID related excuses, you must provide a test result from the Goddard center or a reputable clinic. Home testing results do not count.
** All tests will be closed-book and conducted on lab computers unless you are otherwise instructed.
Do not use any total scores calculated by Canvas. Add your scores up according to the Grades table above.
85 points or higher receive A.
70 or higher receive B.
60 points or higher receive C.
50 points or higher to pass.
Course Components
Lecture Videos
I provide recorded lecture videos and study materials you need to follow the lectures. Each week, you should plan your study according to the schedule provided at the beginning of each module. This typically involves: 1) watch the lecture videos; 2) attend the lectures; 3) download the Excel files containing the examples and practice; 4) prepare for and take the quizzes.
Class meetings
I will discuss select topics in our in-person meetings. Quizzes and exams are also held during the regular class time.
Quizzes
All quizzes are closed-book and Excel-based. These quizzes are designed to check your mastery over the skills, techniques and procedures demonstrated in that week's lectures.
Group Project
I will grade most of the projects based on the files you submit, but I may ask some teams to present their results to me if the submission is difficult to understand.
Every team member will receive the same grade on the project unless your peer evaluation indicates a lack of communication or effort.
Exams
There will be three midterm exams and no final exam. The are all close-booked and Excel based. The exams are NOT cumulative.
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 |
|---|---|---|