Course Syllabus

Note: This course code has changed from B 410 to FIN 410. There may occasionally be references to the old course code or title.

Investments: Business 410

Credits: 3 Semester Hours

Prerequisite(s)

Pre-business core (see catalog), FDMAT 108, Statistics, and FIN 310 or an accounting equivalent.

Course Description

This introductory course in investments provides a basic foundation for advanced courses in investments and securities analysis. Topics covered in this course include elements of investments, portfolio theory, debt securities, equities, security analysis, derivative markets, investment processes, behavioral finance, and technical analysis.

Course Outcomes

  1. Students will demonstrate an in-depth understanding of the basic functions of public equity and debt markets.
  2. Students will develop rational investor objectives, based on personal needs and best practices.
  3. Students will analyze third-party investor portfolios and produce sound analyses and recommendations for improved portfolio performance.
  4. Students will explore the principles of stewardship and faith-based investment practices and will develop personal roadmaps for the management of temporal resources.
  5. Students will develop professional skills such as spreadsheet modeling and presentation development.

Grading Scale

Letter Grade Percentage Range
A 93%–100%
A- 90%–92.99%
B+ 87%–89.99%
B 83%–86.99%
B- 80%–82.99%
C+ 77%–79.99%
C 73%–76.99%
C- 70%–72.99%
D+ 67%–69.99%
D 63%–69.99%
D- 60%–62.99%
F 0%–59.99%

Study Habits

This class is a fairly intensive review of financial principles, including several quantitative subjects. Students will be successful in this class if they are disciplined in their approach; for instance, students must complete the reading assignments, watch the video lectures, submit assignments on time, and thoughtfully review their peers' work. If students fall behind in reading or do not put forth consistent effort, they will likely struggle with the material.

Materials

All required materials are free and embedded in the course. Selected reading and research materials come from Investopedia.com, Morningstar.com, and MarketWatch.com.

During the first three weeks, students will participate in a private virtual stock exchange game. The instructor will post the game URL, password and sign in instructions on Announcements.

Exams

Comprised of multiple choice and essay problem questions. Exams cover key terms and review questions from the reading assignments.

Proctored Final Exam 

This course will use an online proctoring software called Proctorio for the W14 Final Exam. This makes it possible for students to take assessments and exams without a human proctor present. Proctored exams can be accessed like any other exam, once the software has been installed. Exams will be recorded by Proctorio and reviewed by the BYUI Testing Center. Any questionable exams will be forwarded to the instructor for further review.

For step-by-step instructions on Proctorio installation, please refer to this help guide article.

Microsoft Office

Microsoft Excel will be used extensively in this course. BYUI students may download and install the Microsoft Office Suite (free) software from the BYUI bookstore.

Spreadsheets

Spreadsheet models are a required component of the course. Students must have basic proficiency in Microsoft Excel and must have access to a spreadsheet.

Due Dates

This is a 3 credit course; therefore, students are expected to spend 9–12 hours each week working on this course. Regular and sustained attention is critical in an online course.

Due dates are at the beginning of the week, midweek, and end of the week. For more details, see the Calendar. For example,

If the due date is set for: I-Learn converts it to:
Thursday, 11:59 PM in Rexburg, Idaho USA Thursday, 10:59 PM in Riverside, CA, USA Friday, 1:59 PM in Manilla Philippines Friday, 6:59 AM in Accra, Ghana

Please refer to the Calendar or content pages for due dates and times.  Be sure to adjust the timezone in I-Learn. Visit How do I change timezones?

NOTE: Daylight savings time in the United States and other countries may shift due dates. In Rexburg, Idaho daylight savings time currently starts in March and ends in November.

Class Policies

  • Late assignments are accepted but are marked down by half. No assignments are accepted after the final day of class. Assignments are accepted early.
  • If an assignment is late due to a medical emergency or family emergency, please contact the instructor to work out a reasonable schedule. Students may turn in an assignment early; however, discussion boards are collaborative assignments and the student's peers depend on timely posts and responses. Therefore, discussion board participation must be completed as scheduled. Students may not post early or late on discussion boards.
  • This course observes the BYU-Idaho Honor Code.
  • In compliance with applicable disability law, qualified students with a disability may be entitled to "reasonable accommodation." It is the student's responsibility to disclose to appropriate personnel any special need he or she may have and to provide the appropriate documentation of the disability.

Help

If you need assistance, visit the “Help” tab located on the left hand side of your screen to contact the appropriate support center. 

University Policies

Students with Disabilities

Brigham Young University-Idaho is committed to providing a working and learning atmosphere that accommodates qualified persons with disabilities. If you have a disability and require accommodations, please contact the Disability Services Office at (208) 496-9210 or visit their website and follow the Steps for Receiving Accommodations. Reasonable academic accommodations are reviewed for all students who have qualified documented disabilities. Services are coordinated with students and instructors by the Disability Services Office.

This course may require synchronous meetings. If you are currently registered with the Disability Services Office and need an interpreter or transcriber for these meetings, please contact the deaf and hard of hearing coordinator at (208) 496-9219.

Other University Policies

Student Honor and Other Policies

Please read through the document called University Policies. It gives important information about the following topics:

  • Student Honor
    • Academic Honesty
    • Student Conduct
      • Sexual Harassment
  • Student with Disabilities
  • Complaints and Grievances
  • Copyright Notice

Go to the Student Resources module to review further resources and information.

Course Summary:

Date Details Due