MS in Financial Management, Investment Analysis Concentration

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. ]

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. ]

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. ]

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 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. ]

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. ]

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. ]

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. ]

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. ]

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 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. ]

This course will provide students with the analytical tools to analyze, manage, and improve manufacturing, service, and business processes. Coverage includes various options to lower operational costs and improve responsiveness to customers' needs, including operating system design, product & service design, capacity analysis & buffering, waiting line optimization, and process quality analysis using statistical approaches. Quantitative methods include application of stochastic simulation, analysis of random outcomes, statistical analysis routines (confidence intervals, hypothesis testing, machine learning), system reliability analysis, and statistical process control. The Deming philosophy of management, Lean operations principles, and Six Sigma process improvement methodologies form the underlying foundation of the course coverage.  [ 4 cr. ]

This overview course examines the management issues involved with assessing the security and risk environments in both the private and public sectors in order to assure continuous system-wide operations. The course studies the elements of operational and technological risk assessment and operational continuity using a project management framework and quantitative risk metrics. Students are exposed to the role of the firm in crisis response and management as well as the terms, systems, and interactions necessary to assure continuous operations. Topics include: the role and need for comprehensive assurance strategy and planning; information security; an overview of the system-wide structure; the social and emotional impact on the workforce as well as its effect on productivity; and the organizational infrastructure relating to national, regional, and international compliance.   [ 4 cr. ]

The course explores modern project management by providing an enterprise- level, experiential view of the discipline focused on connecting projects to the organization's mission, vision, and values. The theme of the course is applying key project management tools and techniques, through case-based group work, which will help students identify, analyze, and develop practical proposals to real-world issues. Groups select, plan, report, and then present on their project's scope, schedule, cost, risk, quality, and communications elements using tools such as the WBS, network diagram, PERT estimate, Gantt chart (including the use of MS Project), risk register, and heat map. Students also gain familiarity with important new concepts in project management: Agile frameworks, actionable sustainability thinking, and Benefits Realization Management, all of which will be important for their success not only in other graduate courses, but as they lead projects for their organizations so as to provide lasting, triple-bottom-line value. The course is aligned with the latest PMBOK? Guide from the Project Management Institute.   [ 4 cr. ]

Prereq: MET PM100
This course introduces students to macro and micro approaches to project cost estimation. Case studies of both pre-project and in- process estimating examine some of the more common perils of human irrationality associated with project estimation to help develop more sensible, achievable project outcomes. Students learn how to manage both project cost and schedule objectives throughout their projects using the Earned Value and Earned Schedule Measurement Systems. Students then study risk management through an examination of both individual and overall project risk and apply their learnings using advanced risk management software in an actual case study. Students also study project quality management, procurement/contract management, and project ethics and professional conduct using case study scenarios.  [ 4 cr. ]

The course provides a detailed examination of the history of e-commerce, along with important concepts related to the ways that businesses can successfully use Internet and Web technology. Students are introduced to the concepts and problems associated with electronic commerce. Topics include comparison of e-commerce procedures, payment mechanisms, applications in different industry sectors, security, the challenges of starting and maintaining an electronic business site, as well as a comparison with traditional business practices. The development of a WordPress-themed website is a minor feature of the course. 4cr.  [ 4 cr. ]

This course covers the quantitative analysis tools to support operations management for a supply chain that is geographically dispersed and culturally diverse. The tools necessary to assure that the products/services are delivered/provided in the quality and timely manner include demand forecasting, inventory and capacity buffer optimization, delayed differentiation, statistical risk pooling, and stochastic inventory optimization. These tools are applied to decisions such as offshoring, multi-country outsourcing, push-pull, reverse supply chains, and risk mitigation. Particular attention is given to sustainability, information technology and digitalization, and creating resiliency.  [ 4 cr. ]

The purpose of this course is to help improve business problem solving and managerial decision-making through the use of quantitative and qualitative decision-making tools and techniques. This course will provide the student with an overview of how decisions are made to solve management problems in the business environment. It introduces the fundamental concepts and methodologies of the decision-making process, problem-solving, decision analysis, data collection, probability distribution, evaluation, and prediction methods. Students will learn how to apply different quantitative and qualitative analytical tools commonly used in business to provide a depth of understanding and support to various decision-making activities within each subject area of management. Through the use of case studies of decisions made by managers in various production and service industries and a business simulation package specifically prepared for this course, the scope and breadth of decision-making in business will be described.  [ 4 cr. ]

Addresses the specifics of new product and service development and fostering innovation and technology to increase performance. Topics include generating and screening initial ideas; assessing user needs and interests; forecasting results; launching, and improving products and programs; bringing innovation to commercial reality.   [ 4 cr. ]

This course introduces students to the concept of white collar crime as an area of scientific inquiry and theory formation. It critically examines the latest scholarship on the subject by looking at white collar crime through a multiplicity of perspectives and reference points. These range from focus on the offense, offender, legal structure, organizational structure, individual, and organizational behavior, to victimization and guardianship, with special attention on the interaction between these components. The course also assesses the nature, extent, and consequences of white collar crime nationally and internationally. To enhance the understanding of white collar crime in today's Information Technology development, the course will pay special attention to roles of IT including fintech and cryptocurrency connections within white collar crime. It will also introduce rapidly emerging cybercrime issues while discussing various challenges of cybercrime investigation and limited digital forensics tools. Finally, the course examines current criminal justice system efforts at controlling white collar crime. Given the relative ineffectiveness of traditional criminal justice responses, alternative systems of control will be examined, ranging from compliance and regulations, private security, and public opinion, to prevention. Students will visit the websites of various government agencies or professional organizations to explore their functions and their current efforts to fight white collar crimes. Finally, many tangible research- based suggestions will be made regarding actions that organizations and businesses can take to reduce losses accrued due to white collar crime.  [ 4 cr. ]

Formerly titled CS 555 Data Analysis and Visualization with R.
This course provides an overview of the statistical tools most commonly used to process, analyze, and visualize data. Topics include simple linear regression, multiple regression, logistic regression, analysis of variance, and survival analysis. These topics are explored using the statistical package R, with a focus on understanding how to use and interpret output from this software as well as how to visualize results. In each topic area, the methodology, including underlying assumptions and the mechanics of how it all works along with appropriate interpretation of the results, are discussed. Concepts are presented in context of real world examples. Recommended Prerequisite: MET CS 544 or equivalent knowledge, or instructor's consent.  [ 4 cr. ]