Courses Taught

FIN 883 – PORTFOLIO MGMT (2)
Theoretical foundations and tools needed for structuring, managing, and monitoring the performance of an investment portfolio.

BA 511 – Statistical Analysis (3)
This course provides a breadth of statistical skills necessary for advanced data analysis. Students will learn how to employ data analytic processes that address challenges associated with experiments, surveys, time-series, panels, and/or multilevel models. Software packages, concepts, and business applications will vary and evolve to keep pace with technology, theory, and instructor interest.

FIN 406H – Sc Aly Prf Mgt Hn (3)
Advanced valuation theory; fundamentals of security analysis; portfolio construction and management. FIN 406H - Security Analysis and Portfolio Management (Honors)(3) Finance 406 is about how to invest money in stocks, bonds and derivative securities. The course focus is on creating portfolios of assets rather than on picking individual assets for investment. To create a portfolio of assets, the portfolio manager must have knowledge of the assets available for purchase, the markets the assets are traded in, and the statistical and mathematical techniques needed to assign weights to the assets within the portfolio. The manager must also be able to predict changes in the economy that justify changes in the portfolio, as well as be able to evaluate the performance of the portfolio relative to standard benchmark portfolios such as the S&P500.The course begins with a review of the structure of the asset markets, basic pricing formulas, fundamental and technical analysis, and the tools from previous statistics, economics, and calculus classes needed. Different models relating risk and return such as the CAPM and arbitrage pricing model are covered. These models exemplify how investors are willing to trade-off the variance in returns from investments with the expected value of the investment. The students then learn how to choose the weights to assign to each asset available to maximize the expected return while minimizing risk of the portfolio using the portfolio theory of Markowitz. While the focus of this section of the class is on investing in equities, the portfolio theory learned is applicable to all types of assets. Because there are important differences between stocks and bonds, the next section of the class focuses on the unique characteristics of fixed income securities. Models explaining the different risk and return characteristics of bonds are examined. Because fixed income securities prices and returns are directly linked to changes in interest rates, theories of what determines interest rates are presented and applied to evaluating the performance of portfolios including fixed income securities. The course concludes with an overview of investment in options and futures contracts. The basic pricing models for these types of assets are reviewed as well as practical concepts of investing in derivatives such as margin accounts and creating synthetic returns using combinations of different types of options.As an Honors course, the level of research and academic investigation is enhanced with outside journal readings in topics such as portfolio theory, anomalies and market efficiency, overpricing, and current topics in Portfolio Management as material is published. This material is incorporated into class discussions and course exams beyond what is covered in the standard version of the class.

FIN 406 – Sec Anly &Prt Mgmt (3)
Advanced valuation theory; fundamentals of security analysis; portfolio construction and management.

FIN 597 – Special Topics (1.5)

FIN 601 – Ph D Dis Full-Time
NO DESCRIPTION.

FIN 600 – Thesis Research (Variable)

FIN 590 – Colloquium (Variable)

FIN 583 – PORTFOLIO MGMT (2)
This course explores tools used by corporate portfolio managers. Topics covered include a review of the structure of the asset markets, basic pricing formulas, fundamental and technical analysis, and the different models relating risk and return, as well as portfolio management and derivative pricing. Statistical concepts such as mean, variance, covariance, and regression analysis will be used extensively throughout the course. In particular, corporate portfolio management has become part of the DNA of the organization. Tactically, how does strategic management of corporate assets (both short- and long-term) i.e., the corporate portfolio, create shareholder value? In this course, students will gain an understanding of the theory underlying optimal portfolio construction, the different ways portfolios are actually built in practice, and how to measure and manage the risk of such portfolios. The course covers investment strategies for bonds, equities, and structured products, including the use of derivatives in managing risk as it relates to overall short- and long- term corporate strategy. Portfolio optimization and asset allocation are covered, as well as how to measure portfolio performance. Ethical investment, the role of taxation, and behavioral investment biases are also explored. At the end of the course students will be able to choose between different bonds, equities, and structured products, as well as make asset allocation decisions that match overall corporate strategic decision making. Students will also be able to decide on and know how to manage a diversified investment portfolio and its currency risk.

FIN 596 – Individual Studies (Variable)
Creative projects, including nonthesis research, which are supervised on an individual basis and which fall outside the scope of formal courses.

FIN 597C – Research Methods (3)
The class focuses on the empirical research methods, data, and econometrics used in the asset pricing subfields of financial economics.

PSU 006 – First-Year Seminar Business (1)
Facilitate student's adjustment to the high expectations, demanding workload, increased academic liberties, and other aspects of the transition to college life.

Selected Publications

Research Impact and Media Mention

Editorships