Finance Graduate and Undergraduate Courses

Cryptocurrencies and the underlying distributed ledger technology (blockchain), have exploded into public consciousness over the last few years, with many industry practitioners arguing that the blockchain technology has the potential to disrupt business and financial services in the way the Internet disrupted off-line commerce. This course covers digital currencies, blockchains, and related topics in the FinTech area using the analytical tools provided by economics, investments and corporate finance.  [ 4 cr. ]

This course presents financial algorithms used in applications of computer science in financial decision analysis, risk management, data mining and market analysis, and other modern business processes. The course covers theoretical background on probabilistic methods used for financial decision making and their application in number of fields such as financial modeling, venture capital decision making, operational risk measurement and investment science. Number of financial applications and algorithms are being presented for portfolio risk analysis, modeling real options, venture capital decision making, etc. The course concludes with algorithms for financial risk assessment and presents the security concepts and challenges of financial information systems.  [ 4 cr. ]

Prerequisites: MET AD 717 or consent of instructor.- A comprehensive investments course introducing important aspects of investing, including environmental, social, and governance issues, and their role in corporate risk management, financial markets, and investments, presented from the viewpoint of market participants and corporate leadership. The course incorporates the mechanics of investing sustainably, with long-term planning on a micro and macro level. Topics will include an introduction and understanding of the ESG market, defining the environmental, social, and governance factors important for investment decision-making, and the importance of corporate engagement and stewardship. The course will also cover ESG analysis, valuation, and integration in portfolio management.  [ 4 cr. ]

The goal of the course is to give the student a clear, practical understanding of significant pieces of the energy "puzzle" as a guide to understanding how energy is produced and consumed -- as market forces dictate - both in the United States and abroad. Students considering this course can have various backgrounds/knowledge of energy, but most importantly, an interest in understanding the transitions needed to achieve climate-related goals. The student will be challenged to explore energy transition opportunities and decarbonization's imperative through finance, policy, markets, and regulation.  [ 4 cr. ]

This course expands upon the foundations of finance theory with interdisciplinary approaches from statistical physics and machine learning. The course equips the students with the Python tools to tackle a broad range of problems in quantitative financial analysis and combines the study of relevant financial concepts with computational implementations. Students will learn to use packages like Numpy, Pandas, Statsmodels and Scikit, which are commonly used in research and in the industry. Prerequisites: MET AD 685 or PY 355 or equivalent or consent by the instructor.  [ 4 cr. ]

Spring 2023 Special Topic: This course is designed as a multi-dimensional approach to understanding the fundamentals of the energy sector, power generation, and transportation. The course will explore the fundamentals of significant feedstocks for power generation, including wind, solar, nuclear, natural gas, and coal. The course includes an in-depth discussion of the challenges and opportunities of altering the current system. For transportation, the course focuses on the fundamentals of upstream, midstream, and downstream operations relating to crude oil and natural gas production and the significant substitutes to petroleum-based fuels, including biofuels and electric vehicles. This course can help students in varied career tracks such as renewable energy development, consulting, banking, asset management, utilities, government policy, and corporate social responsibility.   [ 4 cr. ]

Introduction to the concepts, methods, and problems of financial and managerial accounting. Includes data accumulation, accounting principles, financial statement analysis, measurement and disclosure issues, cost analysis, budgeting and control, production costs, and standard costs.   [ 4 cr. ]

Introduction to the concepts, methods and problems of accounting and financial analysis. Includes accounting principles, measurement and disclosure issues, financial statement analysis, time value of money, cash flow projection and analysis, capital budgeting and project evaluation, bond and equity valuation, cost of capital and capital structure. 4 cr. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning II, Critical Thinking.  [ 4 cr. ]

Financial Regulation and Ethics is a course designed to thoroughly review the important topics of financial regulations, policies, and ethics. The course will explore an overview of the financial systems, their history, problems, and issues for the purpose of understanding the enactment of regulations as a method to protect the financial systems and investors. Also, regulators and their authority will be identified, both domestically and internationally.

Ethics, an extremely important aspect of finance will be discussed and explored. Ethics is a difficult topic to define and can be impacted by social norms. During the ethics portion of the course, students will study where ethics have failed and caused major issues for the financial marketplace and individual companies.   [ 4 cr. ]

Finance is a highly competitive and dynamic industry that demands quantitative oriented professionals. This course will equip students with the empirical techniques which are used in the analysis of financial markets with a strong focus on financial applications using actual data.

The goal of this course is to provide students with a number of econometric techniques which are used in the analysis of financial markets based on asset pricing and corporate finance models. In particular, the emphasis will be on classical linear regression models, time series analysis, and limited dependent variable models applied to the following topics: predictability of asset returns; event study analysis; econometric tests of the CAPM and multifactor models; volatility modelling, etc.   [ 4 cr. ]

Focusing on the vibrant and complex $4 trillion Municipal Bond Market, this course offers you a solid foundation in all aspects of analysis and investing in this capital market that funds some of the largest public-works infrastructure projects in the United States. You will gain a comprehensive analytic skill-set of techniques and methods currently used by analysts, bankers, and portfolio managers to evaluate large municipal projects. Upon completing this course, you will have a professional portfolio of work demonstrating a mastery of analytical skills as practiced and applied in this market today. Either new to the field or with existing professional experience, students studying finance, urban planning, public administration or similar disciplines will find this course engaging.  [ 4 cr. ]

Undergraduate Prerequisites: MET AD 630, MET AD 731 - Prereq: MET AD630, MET AD731
This course involves utilizing analytical methods for financial forecasting, cost of capital calculation, rate of return analysis, use of derivatives instruments, business growth management, discounted cash flow analysis, corporate valuation, mergers & acquisitions, and evaluation of bankruptcy proceedings.  [ 4 cr. ]

Prereq: MET AD630, MET AD731
Investigation and analysis of organization, structure, and performance of U.S. money and capital markets, and institutions. Examines regulation of the financial industry and the role of financial instruments.   [ 4 cr. ]

Undergraduate Prerequisites: MET AD 630, MET AD 731 - Prereq: MET AD630, MET AD731
Provides an overview of operation, mechanics, and structure of the derivative markets and covers in-depth quantitative valuation of derivative instruments, such as options, futures, and swaps. The course involves risk analysis including risk arbitrage, and risk management. Emphasizes the theory and practice of derivatives-based trading strategies including hedging opportunities for risk mitigation.   [ 4 cr. ]

Prereq: MET AD630, MET AD731
This course examines the corporate valuation process by which takeovers and other corporate control transactions take place. It includes financial forecasting, based on expectation models, scenario analysis, and due diligence. Of particular interest will be the defensive measures by management against hostile bids, buyout transactions, the relation of takeovers to capital structure changes, and the insider trading in takeover contests.  [ 4 cr. ]

Undergraduate Prerequisites: MET AD 630, MET AD 731 - Prereq: METAD630, MET AD731
Course acquaints the student with the role of financial management in the new broad financial service industry. Topics include the changing legal/regulatory environment in which financial institutions operate liquidity and reserve positions, assist-liability management marketing issues as well as the tools necessary for managing financial institutions.   [ 4 cr. ]

Undergraduate Prerequisites: MET AD 731 - Prereq AD 630, AD731
This course develops a framework for understanding the various types of financial decision making faced by financial managers and provides students with analytical tools for evaluating portfolio construction and management problems in a systematic manner. Includes analysis and determination of securities values. Problems of investment policy are approached through studies of portfolio selection methods and the valuation of special classes of securities. It offers quantitative strategies for portfolio diversification and risk management.  [ 4 cr. ]

Undergraduate Prerequisites: MET AD 630, MET AD 731 - Prereq: MET AD630, MET AD731
Provides a comprehensive review of the operations of the mutual funds industry. The organization and management of a mutual funds firm, back office operations, accounting procedures and marketing processes are covered in depth. The course provides a historical context of mutual funds, their development and role of mutual funds in private, corporate and retirement accounts.   [ 4 cr. ]

Prereq: MET AD 630, MET AD 731
This course covers the nature and analysis of fixed income securities and an in-depth examination of some of the particular features of some major classes of fixed income instruments, valuation, sensitivity to risks, and management of fixed income portfolios.   [ 4 cr. ]

Undergraduate Prerequisites: MET AD 630 - Emphasizes issues of accounting, finance, and economics that are important in most management contexts. Stresses understanding financial statements, planning and control, cost and benefit evaluation, cash flow analysis, and capital budgeting.   [ 4 cr. ]

Undergraduate Prerequisites: MET AD 731 - Prereq: MET AD731
Provides an analysis of the economics of innovation and the means by which firms secure the necessary capital to begin or expand operations. Procedures for raising venture capital through investment institutions and individuals are discussed.  [ 4 cr. ]

Graduate Prerequisites: (METAD731) - Prereqs: AD 630, AD731
Applies the concepts of corporate finance and risk mitigation to the problems of multinational financial management. Major topics include foreign exchange risk, and construction of hedging strategies using derivative instruments such as forwards, futures, and swaps to reduce multinational corporate risk. Addresses international financial flows and their impact on foreign exchange rates, capital flows, speculation, analysis of alternative foreign investments, analysis of sources and uses of corporate funds abroad, multinational tax and profit.  [ 4 cr. ]

CAPSTONE IN FM  [ 4 cr. ]

Undergraduate Prerequisites: (METMG471) - Emphasizes issues of accounting, finance, and economics that are important in most management contexts. Introduction to tools of financial analysis and the problems of financial management including cash, profitability, and capital budgeting. Various sources of corporate funds are considered - short-, intermediate-, and long-term arrangements . Stresses understanding financial statements, planning and control, cost and benefit evaluation, cash flow analysis, and capital budgeting. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning II, Critical Thinking.  [ 4 cr. ]