Finance

Contact Information

Website: www.uis.edu/aef
Email: aef@uis.edu
Phone: (217) 206-6541
Office Location: UHB 4054

Master of Science
Graduate Certificate

Departmental goals and objectives

This Online Master of Science in Finance degree will provide students the opportunity to specialize in an area of finance important to organizations requiring strong financial skills and knowledge in managing resources. The goals of the degree are to:

Enhance Disciplinary Knowledge for Institutional and Individual Financial Management
Develop Critical-Thinking & Data Analytical Skills for Financial Analysts and Consultants
Develop Oral and Written Communication/Presentation Skills for Financial Service Professionals
Develop Risk-Management and Self-Disciplinary Skills for Financial Decision Makers and Market Participants

Continuing Professional Education

The UIS Department of Accounting, Economics, and Finance is officially recognized by the state of Illinois as a sponsor of continuing professional education (CPE) courses for accountants. Information about specific courses and CPE credit can be obtained by contacting the Accounting, Economics, and Finance Department.

The Master's Degree

Advising

New students must contact the department office for initial advising to plan a program of study that reflects their interests and satisfies degree requirements. All students are strongly encouraged to consult an academic advisor before enrolling in course work for any academic term.

Course Prerequisites

Students enrolled in courses for the online Graduate Accelerated Programs (GAP) must be registered and pay all tuition, fees, and assessments by the program’s deadline each semester.

Grading Policy

Note: Students should refer to the campus policy on Grades Acceptable Toward Master’s Degrees section of this catalog.

Program Learning Outcomes

After completing the Master of Science in Finance, graduates will have the knowledge and skills to:

Be leaders and mangers of financial assets of organizations
Have critical thinking and the analytical skills to analyze financial information
Have ability to communicate this type of information

This program will benefit its graduate students since they will obtain advanced knowledge and application in finance in order to pursue their finance careers in corporations, and public and nonprofit organizations or to pursue independent consultant or financial analysts positions within regional, national, and international financial businesses.

Required Courses for the MS in Finance degree include completion of prerequisite course work typically covered in undergraduate business courses (or their equivalent) and at least 30 hours of core course work and electives covering advance finance topics, issues and applications.

Requirements

Prerequisite Course ¹
ACC 505	Fundamentals of Business Decision Making ²	4

Required Core Courses
FIN 502	Managerial Finance	3
FIN 505	Investments	3
FIN 513	Financial Markets and Institutions	3
FIN 514	Personal Financial Planning	3
FIN 515	Financial Analytics and Budgeting	3
FIN 516	Introduction to Financial Psychology	3
FIN 517	Applied Behavioral Finance	3
FIN 518	Closure Assessment	0
FIN 556	Entrepreneurial Finance	3
Elective Courses (two courses from the following options)		6
ACC 509	Management Accounting
FIN 510	Topics In Finance ³
Another FIN/BUS/MGT 500 level course approved by department ⁴
Total Hours		30

Must complete all prerequisites courses with grades of C- or higher. Prerequisites must be completed prior to the first semester of graduate course work or within the first semester of graduate course work.

Students who have completed previous introductory course work in accounting and economics may qualify to have ACC 505 waived.

FIN 510 is a topics courses where the topics vary each semester. FIN 510 can be repeated multiple times so long as topic vary.

⁴

This course must be documented with a Student Petition

Closure Requirement

All students are required to successfully pass a comprehensive examination available in their last semester of planned enrollment. The case-based exam will evaluate students' ability to apply main concepts and analytical tools mastered in the core courses of the program. Students must register for FIN 518 (zero credit hours, one billable hour) during the semester they opt to take the closure exam and each regular semester (excluding summer terms) until the closure exam has been passed.

Online Degree

The online degree allows students to participate in dynamic, diverse, and interactive online learning communities and to complete their degrees via the Internet. The online format enables them to complete course work using the latest networked information technologies for increased access to educational resources, advisors, and materials with no on-campus visits required. The online degree follows the same curriculum as the on-campus degree.

EHS HDC Admissions
Degree Program	Program Type	Dept Application Materials and Admission Criteria	Prerequisite Course Requirements	Department ADM Review	Dept Conditional Admits	Dept Appeal Process
Finance	MS	No additional admission requirements beyond the general UIS criteria	ACC 311 or ACC 211 & ACC 212 ECO 315 or ECO 201 & ECO 202 Each completed with a grade of C- or better. Prerequisite requirements may be waived for students who can provide evidence of: a minimum of 2+ years experience in the prerequisite field of study.	Department Chair	Applicants who do not meet prerequisites requirements may be granted conditional admission. Full admission is required before the student can continue beyond 12 credit hours in the MS in Finance degree.	N/A

EHS HDC Admissions
Degree Program	Program Type	Dept Application Materials and Admission Criteria	Prerequisite Course Requirements	Department ADM Review	Dept Conditional Admits	Dept Appeal Process
Applied Finance	Graduate Certificate	*Applicants not currently admitted into a UIS graduate degree program must provide the following: 1)A graduate non-degree seeking application (with the certificate designated); 2)Official undergraduate transcript(s) with degree documentation; and 3)A 2.5 cumulative undergraduate GPA or better, or substantial experience and responsibility in a field related to the area of study, as documented by a current resume.	Candidates for the certificate will be expected to complete course requirements with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better. ACC 311 or ACC 211 & ACC 212 ECO 315 or ECO 201 & ECO 202	Admission is granted by the department faculty on the basis of an evaluation of an applicant's complete file.	Yes, for completion of prerequisites and/or GMAT exam	N/A

Courses

FIN 302. Principles of Financial Management. 3 Hours.

Introduction to the analysis of financial operations, decision processes, and analytic tools used in the financial management of the business enterprise. Provides special attention to areas of capital budgeting, cost of capital, ethical issues, investment decisions, and working capital management. (CBM Core Course) Course Information: Prerequisites: ACC 211 and ACC 212, or ACC 311; ECO 213 or MAT 121; ECO 201 and ECO 202 or ECO 315.

FIN 440. Topics in Finance. 1-3 Hours.

Each topic covers a different finance concept and may include an intensive workshop. Course Information: May be repeated if topics vary. Prerequisite: FIN 302, or equivalent.

FIN 443. Financial Investment Analysis. 3 Hours.

Elements of an "ideal" investment and examination and testing of specific investment securities. Considers alternative approaches to management of stock and fixed-income security portfolios. Problems and cases are assigned for analysis. Course Information: Prerequisite: FIN 302, or equivalent.

FIN 444. Intermediate Financial Management. 3 Hours.

Covers finance from the viewpoint of the financial manager, introducing and using financial theory and case studies to explore risk management, financial policy, financial statement analysis, ratio analysis, capital budgeting-investment decisions, capital structure, capital acquisition, and asset pricing. Will cover some topics also covered in introductory financial management but in greater depth. Course Information: Prerequisite: FIN 302.

FIN 445. Financial Institution Management. 3 Hours.

Introduction to the financial management of financial institutions. Provides broad knowledge and skills in the practices of commercial bank, pension fund, thrift, insurance, and finance company management. An analysis of the nature, purposes, and objectives of the American financial system is stressed. Topics also include "nonbanks" and financial regulation/deregulation. Course Information: Prerequisite: FIN 302.

FIN 499. Tutorial in Finance. 1-4 Hours.

Intended to supplement, not supplant, regular course offerings. Students interested in a tutorial must secure the consent of the faculty member concerned before registration and submit any required documentation to him or her. Independent directed study. Course Information: May be repeated to a maximum of 4 hours.

FIN 502. Managerial Finance. 3 Hours.

Discussion of fundamentals of financial management. Topics include financial forecasting, capital budgeting, leverage, valuation, cost of capital market and related legal/ethical issues. Course Information: Prerequisites: Completion of or concurrent enrollment in ACC 311 or equivalent and ECO 315 or equivalent, BUS 501 (for MBA students only) and FIN 302 or other introductory finance course (for MS in Finance students only).

FIN 505. Investments. 3 Hours.

Analysis of timing, instruments, and choices available to financial investors. Shows the investment network that facilitates the efforts of individual investors, security analysts, portfolio managers and the organized markets. Current regulations and investor safeguards are also reviewed. Course Information: Prerequisites: FIN 302 or other introductory finance course, or BUS 501 (for MBA students only).

FIN 510. Topics In Finance. 3 Hours.

Advanced study in specific topics, to be announced when offered. Course Information: May be repeated if topics vary. Prerequisites: FIN 302 or other introductory finance course, or BUS 501 (for MBA students only).

FIN 513. Financial Markets and Institutions. 3 Hours.

Evaluation of US and international financial institutions (FI) and markets. Develop qualitative and quantitative analysis of financial market structures, and decision-making in the financial industry. Focus on estimating the valuation of FIs in market environment, applying value-based management into FI operations, and controlling risk that might jeopardize market values of financial assets. Course Information: Prerequisites: FIN 302 or other introductory finance course.

FIN 514. Personal Financial Planning. 3 Hours.

Development of skills for making comprehensive financial plans in accordance with individual and household financial objectives that include return expectations, risk tolerance, and liquidity needs. Learn to design, implement and monitor decisions in personal financial plans.

FIN 515. Financial Analytics and Budgeting. 3 Hours.

Development of skills to process data, model and analyze financial topics. Covered topics include financial statement analysis, valuation, forecasting, and budgeting preparation based on analytics results. Use applied software programs such as Excel to produce 3-statement integration, sensitivity and scenario analysis, Monte Carlo simulation and other financial spreadsheet models. Course Information: Prerequisites: FIN 505.

FIN 516. Introduction to Financial Psychology. 3 Hours.

Evaluation of psychological effects on financial decision making. Introduce principles and develop skillsets that are needed for financial planning, financial coaching, and financial therapy to help individuals, families, and business owners meet their financial goals.

FIN 517. Applied Behavioral Finance. 3 Hours.

Development of skills applied in technical analysis (TA) of market trends, trader psychology, and investment planning. Reviews the TA methodology and investor crowd psychology. Evaluates the effects of human emotions, market mood and cognitive errors on asset trading behaviors. Course Information: Prerequisites: FIN 505 or FIN 516.

FIN 518. Closure Assessment. 0 Hours.

Assessment of the achievement of the learning objectives of the MS in Finance for graduating students. The closure exam assesses students' knowledge and abilities gained in the core courses of the program. FIN 518 must be taken during the student's final semester prior to graduation. Course Information: Credit/No Credit grading only.

FIN 556. Entrepreneurial Finance. 3 Hours.

Analysis of financing of new ventures beginning from start-up stage to IPO stage. Emphasis is placed on the choice of financing to the entrepreneur in addition to the details of venture capital financing for the perspective of venture capitalists. Topics include: working capital and cash flow objectives, valuation methods, risk adoption, and risk dispersion. Course Information: Prerequisites: FIN 302 or other introductory finance course, or BUS 501 (for MBA students only).

FIN 599. Tutorial in Finance. 1-4 Hours.