Mihaylo College of Business and Economics

Department of Finance
FIN320: Financial Management I
Session 53, Course number: 24696
(Fully online asynchronous course)

Instructor: Laura Yue Liu, Ph.D.

Office: SGMH 5187
E-mail: [email protected]
Phone: (657)278-8426

Office hours: Tu/Th 9:50-11:20am

Zoom link for office hours:
https://fullerton.zoom.us/j/93514674120?pwd=M2FIVzQxZnBZMHdORERZalF3azlRZz09
(Meeting ID: 935 1467 4120; Password: 2020)

Student Technical support: (657) 278-8888

[email protected]
http://www.fullerton.edu/it/students/helpdesk/index.php
Chat with IT: Log into: http://my.fullerton.edu/ and Click Online IT Help Click on Live Chat

Please read this syllabus carefully, and check with the instructor if you have any questions. Students
are responsible for ALL the information contained in this syllabus.
It is strongly recommended that you read this syllabus at least twice and refer to it often.

This Course is Copyrighted.

All lectures and study guides are copyrighted material. You may not record lectures or sell notes
taken during this course.

1
COURSE DESCRIPTION

Using a lecture and discussion teaching format, this course provides a background in the concepts,
processes and institutions in the financing of business enterprises. Topics covered include:
Financial statement analysis. Interest rates and valuing cash flows (Time Value of Money; valuing
stocks & bonds). Investment decision rules and capital budgeting. Risk and return (CAPM) and
cost of capital. Integrate international corporate finance.

COURSE OBJECTIVES AND LEARNING GOALS

To learn and understand the fundamental principles and applications of corporate finance, which are
outlined in the Guide to Finance 320, Required Competencies and Study Tips, in the textbook.
These competencies are described in detail along with focus questions, related reading and study
problems.

COURSE FORMAT
This is a fully online asynchronous course. All lectures are made available as videos posted on
Canvas. Once posted, the videos will remain on the Canvas site for the entire semester. All exams
are conducted online. Each week, students need to follow the roadmap to watch the course video,
read textbook, and complete assignments.

COURSE PREREQUISITES/COREQUISITES
ACCTG 201A; Corequisites: ISDS 361A, BUAD 301
Classes are subject to administrative audit at any time during the semester. Any unqualified student
will be administratively dropped.

REQUIRED TEXTS
Fundamentals of Corporate Finance, third Custom Edition for Finance 320, CSUF, by Berk,
DeMarzo and Harford. Pearson Custom Publishing. Purchase the package which includes
MyFinanceLab. ISBN-13: 9781323817995
Textbook can be ordered on Titan bookstore online or MyLab tab on Canvas.

OTHER REQUIRED MATERIALS

1. Financial Calculator (Texas Instruments BAII PLUS preferred)
2. Required: purchase and use of MyFinanceLab, a computerized on-line homework software
package. All homework and selected exams are administered on MyFinanceLab. You will not be
able to do the assignments and exams without having access to MyFinanceLab. For technical
support, visit http://support.pearson.com/
3. Access to Canvas: Most of the course materials are posted on Canvas. As a registered student you
are enrolled in Canvas. You may access Canvas for the class by clicking on your student portal,
found on the CSUF website. Canvas support resources for students can be found on
https://www.fullerton.edu/it/events_projects/lms_project/student_resources.php. For
technical support, contact the student help desk at (657) 278-8888 or email
[email protected].

2
COURSE COMMUNICATION
The primary means of communication will be via Canvas announcements and individual emails sent
through Canvas, which only uses CSUF email accounts. Therefore, you MUST check your CSUF
email on a regular basis (several times a week) for the duration of the course. Students are solely
responsible for staying abreast of due dates, course expectations, and course updates.
If you email me outside Canvas, please begin the subject with “FIN320-53” followed by the subject
of your email, e.g., FIN320-53 question on present value calculation; or FIN320-53 slide 15 of Chapter 2,
etc. Be sure to include your name with your email.
In addition to emails, you may also visit my Zoom office hours. See Zoom information on page 1.

RESPONSE TIME
The best way to contact me is by email through Canvas. I usually reply emails within 2 business days.
Please use Fullerton e-mail accounts for communication with faculty.

ASSESSMENT
The main purpose of the degree program at Mihaylo College of Business and Economics (MCBE) at
CSU Fullerton is to provide you with the knowledge and skills that prepare you for a successful career
in business. In order to assist us in achieving this goal, we will use a number of assessment tools to
track your progress throughout the MCBE curriculum. Please expect to participate in MCBE
assessment activities in several of your courses while at MCBE. As you do so, you will assist us in
identifying our program’s strengths and weaknesses as well as areas for potential improvement. In
other words, you are making an important investment in the value of your degree.

EVALUATION
Grades will be posted electronically to MyFinanceLab and/or Canvas. The evaluation for this course
will be weighted based on the following:
20% Exam #1 Friday, Oct. 2 at 10:30am-11:45am
15% Exam #2: Valuation Exam Between Oct. 26 and Nov. 1
20% Exam #3 Friday, Dec. 4 at any time slot of your choice
30% Exam #4: Final Exam Friday, Dec. 18, 11:00am-12:50pm
15% Homework See Course tentative schedule page 7-10 for due dates
Keep all assignments and exams returned to you so that any discrepancies can be easily and fairly
straightened out.

GRADING AND COURSE POLICY

1. CHANGES TO THE SYLLABUS MAY BE MADE DURING THE TERM – Students are
responsible for attending class and being aware of any relevant changes.
2. Dates and terms for withdrawal are as outlined for the CSUF in the Course Schedule.
3. CSUF student ID may be required during exams; exams will only be given to enrolled students
that have a valid picture ID.
4. Plus/minus grading will be used in this course. Please note that you would need a letter grade of
C or better to pass this course. A C- or below will count as failing the course and the course will

3
 have to be retaken by the student. You will earn the following grade if your weighted average
course score falls within the following percentiles:
5. Grading Scale
98 – 100% = A+
94 – 97.99% = A (outstanding performance)
90 – 93.99% = A-
88 – 89.99% = B+
84 – 87.99% = B (good performance)
80 – 83.99% = B-
78 – 79.99% = C+
74 – 77.99% = C (acceptable performance)
70 – 73.99% = C-
68- 69.99% = D+
64 – 67.99% = D (poor performance)
60 – 63.99% = D-
<60% = F
6. Homework: There are weekly or biweekly homework assignments. 11 of the 12 homework will
be counted toward your grade (the lowest homework score will be dropped at the end of the
term). All homework are administered on MyFinanceLab via Canvas.
7. The Valuation Exam is a departmental requirement and will be administered through
MyFinanceLab. You will be allowed 2 attempts, and your best grade is recorded. The Guide to
Finance 320 in the textbook, contains information about these exams.
8. You are allowed to bring one sheet (can be two-sided) of handwritten notes to exams and a
printout of the formula sheet provided by your instructor. Do not create your own formula sheet.
9. Make-up exams are not given. Valid excuses (typed, signed and verified) for missed exams will be
considered in the final grading. The course outline lists dates for the exams. You are responsible
to take the exams whenever they are given, even if the date changes from this syllabus. You must
take each exam with the section in which you are enrolled.
10. All exams, except the valuation exam, will be proctored via Proctiro. Please make sure that you
have the required equipment for the exam. See “Technical Requirements” for more detail.
11. Academic dishonesty, as defined by University policy in the 2020-2021 CSUF Catalog, will result
in appropriate University level disciplinary and academic action. The Department of Finance
requires that students engaging in academic dishonesty receive a grade of F. In addition,
Department policy requires that all individuals engaging in academic dishonesty be reported to the
Vice President, Student Affairs. Academic dishonesty takes place whenever a student attempts to
take credit for work that is not his/her own or violates test-taking rules. Examples of academic
dishonesty during test taking include looking at other student's work, passing answers among
students or using unauthorized notes. When students sitting next to each other have identical
answers, especially the same mistakes, this may indicate academic dishonesty.
12. If you are taking this course or exams outside of California, you are responsible for knowing what
time it is in California and making sure your exams are completed on time. It does not matter what
your personal timepiece says; the only official time is Pacific Time.
13. Do not wait until the last minute to do your assignment! Give yourself plenty of time to complete
the homework and exam and also allow for technical problems, resets, etc. Be sure to complete
assignments, at very minimum, a few hours before the close of the exam. Allowing ample time

4
 ensures that you can get help if you encounter a problem. Once an assignment or exam closes,
you are out of options, and you will receive a zero.
14. Make sure you check the calendar FREQUENTLY for exams dates and times. Do not assume
that exams will always be on the same day or time.
15. No exams will be dropped, no early/late exams are permitted.

Late Assignments
No late submissions are allowed.

POLICY ON RETENTION OF STUDENT WORK1

Student work submitted for this course shall be retained by the University or its academic employees
for a reasonable time after the semester is completed.

TECHNICAL RELATED ISSEUS

The following technical computer skills are required of students during this online
timeframe:
o Use of Zoom for office hours. Tutorial may be accessed here:
https://youtu.be/gWEPFFx9PfI, Test your Zoom technology: https://zoom.us/test
o Use of word processing (i.e., Microsoft Word)
o Use of Adobe Reader and converting formats to .PDF
o Use of a Web Browser (i.e., Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Microsoft Internet
Explorer, or Safari)
o Handling e-mail communications and inserting attachments; your CSUF e-mail account
should be checked daily – as this is the instructor’s communication method for an
online class
o Downloading and uploading files from the internet

Computer hardware and software requirements:

o Processor: 2+ GHz
o Memory: 4+ GB
o Display: 1336x768 or higher
o Internet connection: FiOS/DSL/Cable
o Sound card or built-in sound: required
o Microphone: required (external or built-in)
o Webcam: required (external or built-in, you can also use your mobile phone as webcam)
o Operating System: Windows 7, 8, 10 or Mac OS X/X+
o Software: Microsoft Office 365 or similar; Zoom and any other software required by
your instructor
o Plug-ins: PDF Reader, QuickTime, Java (use the current version) Note: Flash Player is
no longer recommended.
o Web browser: Chrome (Chrome is required for taking exams through Proctorio), Firefox
or Safari (use the current version)
o E-mail: CSUF student email account
o If you need a laptop and/or WiFi access to continue to participate in class and complete
assignments online, please complete the form: COVID-19 Related Device Request
Form. A staff member will follow up within 1 business day.

5
Important Settings/Considerations:
o Free software to CSUF students (including Zoom, Microsoft Office, and Adobe):
http://www.fullerton.edu/it/students/software/
o Resources for Proctorio: http://www.fullerton.edu/it/services/software/proctorio/ . Make
sure to review the contents on the page before your first exam.

NETIQUETTE (APPROPRIATE ON-LINE BEHAVIOR)

Navigating the internet dictates that you adhere to a certain unspoken code of conduct. This on-line
set of rules, called netiquette, ensures that you are not misunderstood (and that you do not offend
anyone) when communicating on-line.
Each student is expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner - taking full advantage of
the learning opportunities available. This includes completing all online discussions and assignments,
adhering to proper netiquette, and so on. Netiquette refers to a set of behaviors that are appropriate
for online activity - especially with email and threaded discussions. The core rules of netiquette can
be found at the Netiquette website. Please read through these netiquette rules to ensure that you are
familiar with what will be the expected online behavior for this course.

UNIVERSITY LEARNING CENTER

The goal of the University Learning Center is to provide all CSUF students with academic support
in an inviting and contemporary environment. The staff of the University Learning Center will
assist students with their academic assignments, general study skills, and computer user needs. The
ULC staff work with all students from diverse backgrounds in most undergraduate general
education courses including those in science and math; humanities and social sciences; as well as
other subjects. They offer one-to-one peer tutoring, online writing review, and many more services.
More information can be found on the University Learning Center website.

PRESIDENT’S DIRECTIVE & HEALTH AND SAFETY GUIDELINES:

Cal State Fullerton (CSUF) is actively working to maintain the safety of our campus community. To
stay current with information, please visit CSUF’s Titan’s Return: A Phased Approach website.
Please review the FAQs to help answer any of your questions.

IMPORTANT UNIVERSITY INFORMATION AND STUDENT POLICY WEBSITE

https://fdc.fullerton.edu/teaching/syllabus.php
Students with Special Needs
Academic Dishonesty Policy
Emergency Preparedness
Undergraduate Student Learning Goals
Student Learning Outcomes by Degree Programs
Library Support
Final Exams Schedule

6
TENTATIVE SCHEDULE

Week 1, 8/24-8/30
Topic(s)
Corporate Finance and the Financial Manager i, iii
Homework on MyFinanceLab
Chapter 1 due 9/13
Reading Assignments
Chapter 1

Week 2, 8/31-9/6
Topic(s)
Introduction to Financial Statement Analysis ii, iii, iv
Homework on MyFinanceLab
Chapter 2 due 9/13
Reading Assignments
Chapter 2

Week 3, 9/7-9/13
Topic(s)
Time Value of Money: An Introduction
Homework on MyFinanceLab
Chapter 3 due 9/13
Reading Assignments
Chapter 3

Week 4, 9/14-9/20
Topic(s)
Time Value of Money: Valuing Cash Flow Streams
Reading Assignments
Chapter 4

Week 5, 9/21-9/27
Topic(s)
Time Value of Money: Valuing Cash Flow Streams (Continued)
Homework on MyFinanceLab
Chapter 4 due 9/27
Reading Assignments
Chapter 3 and 4

7
Week 6, 9/28-10/4
Topic(s)
Interest Rates
Exam 1 (Chapters 1-4)
Friday, Oct. 2 at 9:00-10:15am
Homework on MyFinanceLab
Chapter 5 due 10/11
Reading Assignments
Chapter 5

Week 7, 10/5-10/11
Topic(s)
Bonds
Homework on MyFinanceLab
Chapter 6 due 10/18
Reading Assignments
Chapter 6

Week 8, 10/12-10/18
Topic(s)
Stocks (Int’l Corp Fin) ii
Homework on MyFinanceLab
Chapter 7 due 10/25
Reading Assignments
Chapter 7

Week 9, 10/19-10/25
Topic(s)
Investment Decision Rules
Homework on MyFinanceLab
Chapter 8 due 11/8
Reading Assignments
Chapter 8

Week 10, 10/26-11/1

Topic(s)
Fundamentals of Capital Budgeting
Exam 2: Valuation Exam (Chapters 3, 4, 6, and 7)
10/26-11/1

8
 Reading Assignments
Chapter 9

Week 11, 11/2-11/8

Topic(s)
Fundamentals of Capital Budgeting
Homework on MyFinanceLab
Chapter 9 due 11/15
Reading Assignments
Chapter 9

Week 12, 11/9-11/15

Topic(s)
Risk and Return in Capital Markets
Reading Assignments
Chapter 11

Week 13, 11/16-11/22

Topic(s)
Risk and Return in Capital Markets
Systematic Risk and the Equity Risk Premium
Homework on MyFinanceLab
Chapter 11 due 11/29
Reading Assignments
Chapter 11, 12

Week 14, 11/30-12/6

Topic(s)
Systematic Risk and the Equity Risk Premium
Exam 3 (Chapters 6-11)
Any time on Friday, Dec. 4
Homework on MyFinanceLab
Chapter 12 due 12/6
Reading Assignments
Chapter 12

Week 15, 12/7-12/13

Topic(s)
The Cost of Capital
Homework on MyFinanceLab
Chapter 13 due 12/13

9
 Reading Assignments
Chapter 13

Week 16, Exam 4: Final Exam, Friday, Dec. 18, 11:00am-12:50pm

Chapters 1-9, and 11-13

The roman numeral code following most topics indicates coverage of the following business perspectives: i) Ethical issues;
ii) Global issues; iii) Political, social, legal, regulatory, and environmental issues; and iv) Technological issues.

1
Review UPS 320.005

10
11
 Student Registration Instructions
MyLab & Modified Mastering with Canvas

Enter Your Canvas Course:

1. Sign in to Canvas and enter your Canvas course.

2. Do one of the following:

 Select any Pearson link from any module.

 Select the MyLab & Mastering in the Course Navigation, and then select any
course link on the Pearson page.

Get Access to Your Pearson Course Content:

1. Enter your Pearson account username and password to Link Accounts.

You have an account if you have ever used a Pearson MyLab & Mastering
product, such as MyMathLab, MyITLab, MySpanishLab, MasteringBiology or
MasteringPhysics.
 If you don’t have a Pearson account, select Create and follow the
instructions.
2. Select an access option:
 Enter the access code that came with your textbook or was purchased
separately from the bookstore.
 Buy access using a credit card or PayPal account.
 If available, get temporary access by selecting the link near the bottom of the
page.
3. From the You’re Done page, select Go to My Courses.

Note: We recommend you always enter your MyLab & Modified Mastering course through
Canvas.

Get Your Computer Ready

For the best experience, check the system requirements for your product at:
http://www.pearsonmylabandmastering.com/system-requirements/

Need help?
For help with MyLab & Modified Mastering with Canvas, go to:
http://help.pearsoncmg.com/mylabmastering/canvas/student/en/index.html

Copyright © 2016 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

12