Course Scripture

"And you are to be equal, or in other words, you are to have equal claims on the properties, for the benefit of managing the concerns of your stewardships, every man according to his wants and his needs, inasmuch as his wants are just" (Doctrine and Covenants 82:17).

Course Description

This course covers financial concepts of direct concern to the individual or family. Budgeting, financial institutions and services, consumer buying, use and control of credit, financial records, buying and selling homes, insurance, and basic investments will be explored. 

Prerequisites

There are no prerequisites for this course.

Course Outcomes

Students who successfully complete Money Management should be able to do the following:

1. Demonstrate a knowledge of effective money management to meet short- and long-term goals.
2. Articulate the principles of financial stewardship.
3. Create a working budget.
4. Design a functional financial plan
   
   

FCS Education Standards

Standard 1: Knowledge of the Subject Matter
The teacher understands the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the content area(s) taught and creates learning experiences that make these aspects of subject matter meaningful for learners.

Knowledge 9 
The teacher understands consumer economic issues and behavior for managing individual and family resources to achieve goals at various stages of the life cycle.

Course Goal

This course has been prepared for students with the desire to see, hear, and know the things of our Father to be able to discern them through study and by faith. Students are encouraged to consider the similarities between themselves and Nephi and Moroni in the following scriptures:

• "And it came to pass after I, Nephi, having heard all the words of my father . . . and also the things which he spake by the power of the Holy Ghost, which power he received by faith on the Son of God . . . I, Nephi, was desirous also that I might see, and hear, and know of these things, by the power of the Holy Ghost" (1 Nephi 10:17).
• "For he that diligently seeketh shall find; and the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto them, by the power of the Holy Ghost" (1 Nephi 10:19).
• "And by the power of the Holy Ghost, ye may know the truth of all things" (Moroni 10:5).

The course goal is for students to also receive the truth found in this course through the power of the Holy Ghost as they diligently desire and work to see, hear, and know the principles they study.

Class Atmosphere

The atmosphere in this class reflects the mission statement of BYU-Idaho.

1. Build student testimonies of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and live its principles.
2. Provide quality education for students of diverse interests and abilities.
3. Prepare students for lifelong learning, employment, and roles as citizens and parents.
4. Maintain a wholesome academic, cultural, social, and spiritual environment.

Required Materials

Textbooks

Fundamentals of Family Finance, Second Edition by E. Jeffrey Hill and Bryan L. Sudweeks.

• The required textbook for this course is a low-cost, auto-access digital textbook. Access the textbook using the link provided in the Textbook Access module of this course. A student's financial account will be charged automatically on the first day of class.
• Students who do not want to use the digital textbook (perhaps they already purchased the print version of the textbook) must opt-out, or they will be charged for the digital textbook.

1. 1. Learn about Auto Access and how to opt-out: BYU-Idaho Auto Access.
   2. Go to Course Materials List to opt-out of Auto Access materials.

• Students are encouraged to compare prices for their textbooks through the University Store Comparison Site. It will show all of the options from the University Store, plus several online options, to help students find the best price.

Other Materials

• There is a free download of Microsoft Office available through the University Store if students don't already have the Microsoft Office Suite installed on their computers. For access and information about this free download, go to the University Store Downloads page.
• Students must have access to a computer and a webcam.

Department Policy Regarding Intellectual Property and Course Materials

All of the materials in this course are covered by fair use and copyright law and are proprietary (intellectual property). Students are not permitted to sell, post, trade, share, distribute, or send any information contained in this course (including outlines, handouts, syllabi, exams, quizzes, PowerPoint presentations, lectures, audio and video recordings, or images of the same, and so on, including their own work for this course) to any parties outside of this course (Course Hero, Quizlet, Google Docs, and so on) by any means (such as posting, uploading, and attachments) without the express written permission from the creator of these works and the Department Chair. Any of these actions violate the Academic Honesty policies of Brigham Young University-Idaho (please see Academic Honesty) and will be dealt with as such. The materials in this course are also intellectual property, and taking any materials from the course and posting them outside of this course in any manner will be construed as theft and distribution of intellectual property. If any student engages in any of these actions or uses any of these materials without authorization, the instructor has the right to impose an appropriate academic sanction, such as giving the student a failing grade for the assignment or fail them from the course. Additionally, the respective Course Lead, Program Lead, and/or Department Chair also reserves the right to impose appropriate academic sanctions regardless of any imposed by the instructor.

Learning Model Architecture

The weekly structure is based on the Learning Model.

• (3 hours) Prepare items.
• Introduction and Foundational Principles.
• Study the Chapter (see the study tip below).
• (1–2 hours) Teach One Another activities.
• Discussion.
• Occasional week specific Teach One Another activities.
• (4–5 hours) Ponder and Prove activities.
• Application assignments and other week specific activities and explorations.
• Budget, Investment Simulation, and Financial Records System Projects.
• Exams.

Study tips from President Monson that are relevant to the Learning Model

"Have discipline in your preparations. Have checkpoints where you can determine if you're on course . . . Make certain as you prepare that you do not procrastinate" (Thomas S. Monson, Three Gates to Open, BYU Speeches, Nov 14, 2006).

Assignment Descriptions

The following are descriptions of the assignments mentioned above.

Discussions

Staying up-to-date with current economic conditions is imperative to successful financial management. Therefore, students will read one spiritually-based article and one temporal article and write a summary of the articles. Students will share your summary with their groups.

Budgets

One of the most effective tools to reach your financial goals is a budget. Your budget is your plan for spending and saving. Budgeting forces you to consider what is important in your life: what things you want to own, how you want to live, what it will take to do that, and what you want to achieve in life. Three budgets will be submitted throughout the semester, with full instructions provided in the course.

Investment Simulation

Students will participate in a stock market trading simulation throughout the semester. Real-time market conditions and stock prices will be used. Students will manage a virtual portfolio of $100,000 as they strive to improve their skills without the risk involved in using real money. Students will sign up for a free simulation and join the class game during the first week of the semester. Throughout the semester, students will buy and sell stocks, keeping track of the patterns emerging in the stock market and justifying the investment decisions they make. Students are expected to check their simulation three to five times each week. Students will report their learning and portfolio balance three times during the semester.

Financial Records System

Students will set up their own financial record-keeping system in a physical or electronic form (or a combination of the two) near the beginning of the semester. Students will add to it throughout the semester according to instructions provided in the course. Students will submit a report on the completeness of their financial records during the last week of the semester.

Exams

Students are encouraged to keep their notes from studying the textbook chapters and use them to study for their exams. Exams are closed-book and closed-notes. This means students cannot use their book or notes while taking the exams. Four assessments are taken throughout the semester; they are not comprehensive. All assessments are objective (multiple choice) and are 40 questions in length. No make-up assessments are available.

Study Tip

Students are advised to review their notes for just a few minutes each day for best retention and recall. Students who choose not to do this should begin studying for their exams at least three days before taking the exam. Don't try to study for the entire test in one night; a student may pass the test, but they will most likely forget everything very soon after taking the exam.

Proctored Exams and Assessments

This course will use an online proctoring software called Proctorio. 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 Student Help: Proctorio in Canvas.

Grading Policies

Students' final grades in this course will be calculated based on the number of points they earn divided by the total number of points possible. A letter grade will be based on the following percentiles:

Letter Grade	Percentage Range
A	100%–93%
A-	92%–90%
B+	89%–87%
B	86%–83%
B-	82%–80%
C+	79%–77%
C	76%–73%
C-	72%–70%
D+	69%–67%
D	66%–63%
D-	62%–60%
F	59%–0%

An A grade represents consistently outstanding understanding, application, and integration of subject material and extensive evidence of original thinking, skillful use of concepts, and ability to analyze and solve complex problems.

A B grade represents considerable or significant understanding, application, and incorporation of the material which would prepare a student to be successful in next-level courses, graduate school, or employment.

A C grade represents a sufficient understanding of the subject matter. The student demonstrated minimal initiative in preparation; therefore, mastering new materials may prove challenging.

A D grade represents poor performance and initiative to learn and understand and apply course materials. Remediation will be necessary to prepare for additional instruction.

An F grade represents failure.

The above grade explanations apply to individual assignment grades as well as a final semester grade.

Expectations

Honor Code

Observe the Honor Code, especially to be honest. Live a chaste and virtuous life. Obey the law and all University policies. Use clean language; respect others. Abstain from alcoholic beverages, tobacco, tea, coffee, and substance abuse. Participate regularly in church services. Observe dress and grooming standards. Encourage others in their commitment to comply with the Honor Code.

Living the Honor Code will also be demonstrated as students heed the promptings of the Spirit. Raise the bar of personal righteousness; act with integrity; and foster a spirit of sacrifice, consecration, love, service, and willing obedience.

Student Work

All work should demonstrate each student's best effort and be professional and appropriate for a 300-level university course.

Remember, the purpose of a BYU-Idaho education is to help students become disciple leaders, lifelong learners, creative and critical thinkers, effective communicators, skilled professionals, and engaged citizens.

Management

This course is essentially a management course in which students are practicing good management skills; one of these skills is timeliness. It is suggested that students submit work early to allow enough time to ask questions of the instructor or to handle illness, other time commitments, internet outages, computer failures, or other technical problems. Students are responsible for submitting all work on time.

Major Project Due Dates

Week	Due (see modules for specific due dates)
Week 01	Begin Tracking Spending Begin Investment Simulation
Week 02	Investment Simulation Report #1
Week 03	Budget #1
Week 04	Exam 1
Week 06	Project: Housing Market Investment Simulation Report #2
Week 07	Budget #2 Exam 2
Week 10	Exam 3
Week 11	Budget #3
Week 14	Investment Simulation Report #3 Family Record Keeping Course Reflection Final Exam

Housing Market Simulation

Please be aware that the Week 06 Housing Market Simulation requires frequent participation. Students should make note of this on their personal calendar so that they can successfully complete the simulation.

Time Commitment

This is a three-credit course. BYU-Idaho recommends reserving 3–4 hours per credit to complete the study and coursework. This means that students should spend about 9–12 hours per week to successfully complete this course.

Instructor Contact

Students can expect your instructor will respond to an email or other communication within 24 hours, excluding the Sabbath and US holidays. Students can also expect that their work will be graded within seven calendar days of the assignment due date.

Netiquette

Netiquette is internet etiquette or acceptable social behavior when using the internet. There is a real person on the other side of the computer screen, and students should always treat others courteously. Behavior such as being demanding or rude, calling someone a derogatory name, or making threats is always inappropriate. Students should treat their classmates and the instructor in a respectful and professional manner, just as they would if they were seeing them face-to-face. This counsel applies to any type of communication, including discussion board posts, emails, participating in a video conference, or any other method of communication.

University Policies

Students with Disabilities

Brigham Young University-Idaho is committed to providing a working and learning atmosphere that accommodates qualified persons with disabilities. Students who have a disability and require accommodations, should contact the Accessibility Services Office at 1-208-496-9210 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 Accessibility Services Office.

This course may require synchronous meetings. Students who are currently registered with the Accessibility Services Office and need an interpreter or transcriber for these meetings, should contact the deaf and hard of hearing coordinator at 1-208-496-9219.

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.

Disclaimers

The instructor reserves the right to change any part of this syllabus at any time during the semester in order to adapt to changing course needs. Students will be notified prior to any changes that may take place.