Syllabus & Policies — Quick Summary
📄 Official, detailed syllabus (grading, policies, resources):
Simple Syllabus — FIN 509
Meeting Info
- Tuesdays 6:00–9:00 pm • DCOBT 117 (live) and live online stream
- If you miss class, watch the posted recording and keep up with deadlines
Textbook
Fundamentals of Corporate Finance (Ross, Westerfield, Jordan), McGraw-Hill, 2021,
ISBN 9781260772395 •
JU Bookstore
Make-ups & Devices
- Make-ups: Valid documented reason required; notify the instructor in advance when possible.
Homework Submission
- For each homework, email your Excel file(s) to mfoley3@ju.edu.
- Use subject line:
FIN509 HW – Chapter X – Your Name. Include your name in the filename.
Grading Weights
| Component | Weight |
|---|
| Assignments (5) | 20% |
| Discussion Boards (3) | 15% |
| Quizzes (5) | 25% |
| Final Exam | 40% |
| Total | 100% |
|---|
Letter scale (suggested): A ≥ 90; A- 89–90; B+ 87–89; B 80–87; B- 79–80; C+ 78–79; C 70–78; F < 70.
See the Simple Syllabus for full details.
Weekly Schedule — Fall 2025
Week 1 begins Tue 10/07/2025. All class meetings are Tuesdays 6:00 pm in DCOBT 117.
Week 1 — Time Value of Money (Chapter 5)
- Topic & Activities: TVM basics; compounding vs. discounting; Excel functions.
- Discussion Board #1 (MarketWatch game) — assigned (due with final)
No graded items due this week.
Week 2 — Discounted Cash Flow Valuation (Chapter 6)
- NPV, multiple cash flows, timelines; annuity preview.
- Assigned: Quiz 1 (Ch. 5–6)
- Assigned: Homework Ch. 5 & 6 due Tue 11/04 Email Excel to mfoley3@ju.edu
Quiz 1 due Wed 10/22 11:59 pm
Quiz 1 — Help Videos
Week 3 — Interest Rates & Bond Valuation (Chapter 7)
- Bond pricing, YTM, price/yield relationship.
- Assigned: Quiz 2 (Ch. 7)
- Assigned: Homework Ch. 7 due Tue 11/04 Email Excel to mfoley3@ju.edu
Quiz 2 due Wed 10/29 11:59 pm
Quiz 2 — Help Video
Week 4 — Stock Valuation (Chapter 8)
- Dividend discount models, growth assumptions, comparables.
- Assigned: Quiz 3 (Ch. 8)
- Homework Ch. 8 due with Final Email Excel to mfoley3@ju.edu
Quiz 3 due Wed 11/05 11:59 pm
Quiz 3 — Help Videos (4 parts)
Week 5 — Capital Budgeting & WACC (Ch. 9 & 14)
- NPV/IRR, project selection, cost of capital and WACC.
- Assigned: Quiz 4 (Ch. 9)
- Homework Ch. 9 due with Final Email Excel to mfoley3@ju.edu
- Discussion Board #2: Fed Monetary Policy (due with Final)
Homework Ch. 5 & 6 & 7 due Tue 11/04 Email Excel to mfoley3@ju.edu
Discussion Board #1 due Tue 11/04
Quiz 4 due Wed 11/12 11:59 pm
Week 6 — Risk & Return (Chapter 13)
- Expected returns, variance, CAPM intuition.
- Assigned: Quiz 5 (Ch. 13)
- Homework Ch. 13 due with Final Email Excel to mfoley3@ju.edu
- Discussion Board #3: Stablecoin (due with Final)
Quiz 5 due Wed 11/19 11:59 pm
Quiz 5 — Help Videos (2 parts)
Week 7 — Review, Chapters 2 & 3
- Comprehensive review, Chapters 2 & 3
- Final opens in Blackboard Final folder
Final due Sun 11/23 11:59 pm
Due with Final:
Homework Ch. 8, 9, 13
Email Excel to mfoley3@ju.edu
+ Discussion Boards #2 & #3
Final — Prep Video
Past Semester
FYI: Homework help videos — Chapters 5–6 (Parts 1–6)
Q13 note (correction): Bridget’s is an annuity due, so ABS(FV(8%/12, 10*12, 150, 0, 1)) — type = 1.
Jordan’s is an ordinary annuity, so ABS(FV(8%/12, 10*12, 175, 0)) — type = 0 (or omitted).
There is a mistake in the help video for this question — sorry for the confusion.
Homework help videos — Chapter 7
Homework help video — Chapter 8
Homework help videos — Chapter 9
Homework help videos — Chapter 13