Subject: FNCE

Term: Fall 2025

FNCE 401: Financial Orientation (101/1302)

M 09:30-12:00 PM Aug 18-Aug 18, M 01:30-04:00 PM Aug 18-Aug 18, T 09:30-12:00 PM Aug 19-Aug 19, T 01:30-04:00 PM Aug 19-Aug 19, W 09:30-12:00 PM Aug 20-Aug 20, W 01:30-04:00 PM Aug 20-Aug 20

Gupta, A; Krishnan, C; Madureira, L

This is a mandatory preparatory/refresher course for all entering Master of Finance students. It will cover basic topics in statistics, financial accounting and in financial management, so that all students can hit the road running with the other core courses in the first semester.

FNCE 404: Financial Modeling (100/1256)

M 03:00-05:45 PM Aug 25-Dec 08

Petkova, R

This is a course about financial modeling. It covers a range of topics in the field of financial economics. Each topic is chosen because it lends itself to financial modeling. The primary focus of the course is to relate the theory of finance to practical and usable spreadsheet models that will assist a financial manager with a firm's investment and financing decisions. Spreadsheet models have been the dominant vehicle for finance professionals to practice their trade. This course will utilize Excel and challenge the student to improve their finance and modeling skills. Students will improve their familiarity with financial data analysis through various exercises that incorporate completed models. In summary, the course is designed to increase your practical understanding of core concepts in finance, help you develop hands-on spreadsheet modeling skills, and strengthen your ability to perform financial data analysis within an Excel model.

FNCE 421: Corporate Financial Analysis (100/1301)

M 12:00-02:45 PM Aug 25-Dec 08

Krishnan, C

This course is designed to lay the analytic foundation for careers in corporate finance, banking, consulting, and investment banking. The objective of the course is to strengthen students' conceptual understanding and problem-solving skills, and teach them how to think on their feet. Topics covered include Economic cash flows and valuation, Valuation methods, Long term financial planning and ratios analysis, Growth and external financing, Managerial options and valuation, Capital structure, and Payout policy. Topics covered may change from semester to semester. The course envisages use of spreadsheets and case studies, and will emphasize on links to real-world events.

FNCE 430: Derivatives and Risk Management (101/1304)

T 11:30-02:15 PM Aug 25-Dec 08

Ritchken, P

This course is intended to give students an understanding of options and futures markets both in theory and practice. The emphasis is on arbitrage and hedging. The course concentrates on listed common stock and index contracts as well as commodity markets. Various theories for trading strategies are studied.

FNCE 434: Financial Analytics and Banking (100/1305)

M 09:00-11:45 AM Aug 25-Dec 08

Balasubramanyan, L

This course will cover empirical and analytical aspects of banking, including loan origination, syndication, sales, stress-testing and securitization; capital adequacy, regulation and supervision; methods of measuring and managing value at risk, credit risk, interest rate risk, liquidity risk, and other risk; credit market information, feedback, and signaling. Offered as BAFI 434 and FNCE 434.

FNCE 435: Empirical Finance (100/1266)

W 09:00-11:45 AM Aug 25-Dec 08

Madureira, L

This course provides an introduction to empirical analysis and research in finance. This involves the management of empirical datasets and the aspects of quantitative applications of finance theory. The goal is to enable the student to deal with the need to analyze complex and large financial and economic datasets that is present in many fields of the financial profession. The scope of the data as well as the quantitative methods used in such analysis often requires familiarity with robust computational environments and statistical packages. As such, another goal of the course is to familiarize the student with at least one such environment. Applications are conducted using real financial and economic data. The course draws on the theoretical aspects of the subjects covered, but mainly focuses on the practical matters required to undertake an empirical analysis of financial topics--e.g., the definition of the research question, the datasets required, the computational needs, and, then, the implementation. The course enables the student to evaluate outstanding financial research as well as to conduct his or her own research. Offered as BAFI 435 and FNCE 435.

FNCE 436A: Individual, Team and Career Development (100/1269)

R 04:00-05:15 PM Aug 25-Nov 20

Benton-Smith, A

This course is designed to focus on three areas of development critical to students' personal and professional success: 1) Individual; 2) Team; and 3) Career. The individual and team aspects include developing self and other awareness through exploration of learning styles, process skills, and building communication and presentation competencies. Career development includes a focus on strategies for success such as networking, resume building, and learning from executives through intensive and interactive seminars. The course involves use of assessments, group discussions, presentations and experiential activities.

FNCE 460: Investment Strategies (100/11820)

W 03:00-05:45 PM Aug 25-Dec 08

Petkova, R

This course provides a broad survey of some of the main strategies used by hedge funds today. Through exercises and projects, the hedge fund strategies will be presented using real data. Students will learn to use a methodology referred to as "back testing" in order to evaluate hedge fund strategies. The course will also cover institutional details related to short selling, liquidity, margin requirements, risk management, and performance measurement. Since hedge funds today use advanced modeling techniques, the course will require students to analyze and manipulate real data using mathematical modeling. The objective of the course is for students to gain practical knowledge about creating, back-testing, and implementing hedge fund trading strategies. Offered as BAFI 460 and FNCE 460.

FNCE 491: Python Programming w Appl in Finance (100/1417)

T 03:00-05:45 PM Aug 25-Dec 08

Ritchken, P

There are two parts to this course. (i) In the first part we learn the basics of Python programming language by solving a sequence of rather simple problems each focusing on broadening your knowledge. At each stage we introduce important commands of Python and slowly learn the structure of object oriented programming with Python. The objective is to make you Python literate. (ii) The second part of the class is for you to tackle significant financial problems either in risk management or in corporate finance using the Python language as the primary tool to do the analysis. You will develop a series of financial models in your track and then tackle two major projects which will utilize all the skills developed. Offered as BAFI 491 and FNCE 491.