Course Descriptions

ECO 100 - Introduction to Economics (3 hours)
Gen. Ed. SF
Core Curr. SB
Nature, scope, and methods of economics; current economic institutions, problems, and policies. Students who have already completed ECO 221 and/or 222 will not receive credit for this course. Prerequisite: Not open to College of Business majors.

ECO 199 - Foundational Topics in Economics (3 hours)
Foundational topics of interest which may vary each time course is offered. Topic stated in current Schedule of Classes.

ECO 215 - Introduction to Risk Management and Insurance (3 hours)
This course covers four broad categories: Foundations of insurance and risk, the private insurance industry, managing individual life and health risk with insurance and managing personal property and liability risk with insurance.

ECO 221 - Principles of Microeconomics (3 hours)
Gen. Ed. SF
Core Curr. SB
An introduction to theoretical and applied analyses of microeconomics, including supply and demand analysis, elasticities, firm costs and profit maximization, market structures, wage determination, and market failures such as externalities, public goods, and monopoly power. Prerequisite: Not open to students with ECO 100.

ECO 222 - Principles of Macroeconomics (3 hours)
Gen. Ed. SF
Core Curr. SB
An introduction to theoretical and applied analyses of macroeconomics, including determinants of overall economic activity and growth, market analysis, national income accounting, employment, inflation, monetary and fiscal policies, and international economics.

ECO 240 - Environmental Economics and Sustainability (3 hours)
This course combines the economic analysis of the environment with the economics of sustainability. Environmental and sustainability economics considers the efficient and equitable use of society's scarce resources. Cannot receive credit for both ECO 240 and 340.

ECO 300 - Economics Colloquium for Juniors (1 hour)
Student-faculty discussion of books and articles concerning significant economic ideas and issues not examined in depth in other courses. Prerequisite: Economics major, junior standing.

ECO 301 - Money and Banking (3 hours)
Real and financial sectors of the economy. Emphasis on structure and process of financial intermediation and related policy issues. Prerequisite: ECO 100 or 221; ECO 222; junior/senior standing.

ECO 310 - Labor Economics (3 hours)
This course is an overview of labor economic theory and its practical applications. The course will concentrate on labor supply and labor demand and how economic conditions affect labor markets and individual labor supply and demand decisions. Topics of interest include: human capital, firm compensation policies, labor market discrimination, labor unions and unemployment. Prerequisite: ECO 100 or ECO 221; ECO 222; junior/senior standing.

ECO 325 - Urban Economics (3 hours)
Origins, economic structure, and functions of urban centers; selected economic problems and policies. Prerequisite: ECO 100 or ECO 221; ECO 222; junior/senior standing.

ECO 332 - Intermediate Microeconomics (3 hours)
Optimizing behavior and market processes. Emphasizes proficiency in numerous microeconomic tools of analysis. Encourages thought about these tools and the real world they are designed to illuminate. Prerequisite: ECO 100 or 221; ECO 222; MTH 114 or higher; junior standing or 42 credit hours and declared economics first major.

ECO 333 - Intermediate Macroeconomic Theory (3 hours)
Integrated approach to the theory of income determination; contemporary growth models; explanations of cyclical fluctuations. Prerequisite: ECO 100 or 221; ECO 222; junior standing or 42 credit hours and declared economics first major.

ECO 335 - Managerial Economics (3 hours)
Applying economic theory to the tools of operations research and business analysis: demand, cost, profit, and pricing. Decision theory of the firm. Prerequisite: ECO 100 or 221; QM 262 or equivalent; junior/senior standing.

ECO 340 - Environmental Economics (3 hours)
The theory of externalities and market failure will provide the basis for applying microeconomic concepts to the study of environmental improvement. The past and present state of environmental well-being with respect to air, water, and waste management will be summarized. Cannot receive credit for both ECO 240 and 340. Prerequisite: ECO 100 or 221; ECO 222; junior standing.

ECO 355 - Supply Chain Economics (3 hours)
Focuses on understanding the economics of supply chains. Over the past 100 years, the structure of economic organization and competition has shifted from individual firms to extended enterprises. These enterprises comprise the entire supply chain, extending from raw materials, through manufacturing, to distribution through channels to customers throughout the U.S. and the world. This change in economic organization has resulted from economic forces and has significant implications for the U.S. and global economies. Prerequisite: ECO 100 or ECO 221; ECO 222; junior/senior standing

ECO 360 - The Economics of Healthcare (3 hours)
Health economics applies the tools of economics to issues of the organization, delivery, and financing of healthcare. Prerequisite: Junior/senior standing

ECO 375 - Behavioral and Experimental Economics (3 hours)
Behavioral economics describes how individual people make economic decisions, both for themselves and in interactions with other people. Experimental economics is a primary tool in the study of behavioral economics, running controlled experiments to observe individual behavior. This course will broadly survey ways in which individuals make decisions. In many different fields, we will study how neoclassical economics predicts human behavior, and how observed behavior differs from those predictions. We will also discuss research in behavioral economics, including designing and implementing experiments. Prerequisite: ECO 100 or 221; junior/senior standing

ECO 391 - International Trade (3 hours)
Core Curr. GP GS
Welfare implications of international trade; balance of payments; equilibrium and disequilibrium; external and domestic policy effects on the balance of payments and welfare; international trade and financial cooperation among nations. Cross listed as IB 391. Prerequisite: ECO 100 or 221; ECO 222; junior/senior standing.

ECO 399 - Special Topics in Economics (3 hours)
Topics of special interest which may vary each time course is offered. Topic stated in current Schedule of Classes. May be repeated under different topics. Prerequisite: junior/senior standing.

ECO 400 - Economics Colloquium for Seniors (1 hour)
Continuation of Economics 300, with more difficult and challenging readings. Prerequisite: economics major; senior standing.

ECO 418 - Mathematical Economics (3 hours)
Application of mathematics to selected topics of economic theory. Prerequisite: ECO 100 or 221; ECO 222; MTH 115 or higher; junior/senior standing.

ECO 419 - Introduction to Econometrics (3 hours)
Introduction to advanced regression analysis. Topics include ordinary least squares, generalized least squares, nonlinear regression, dummy variables, autocorrelation, heteroskedasticity, and serial correlation. Computer software used extensively. Cross-listed with ECO 519. Prerequisite: ECO 100 or 221; ECO 222; Q M 263 or equivalent; junior/senior standing.

ECO 434 - Readings in Economics (1-6 hours)
Individual readings for qualified students under the guidance of a member of the economics staff. Prerequisite: Approval of the department chair; junior/senior standing.

ECO 498 - Senior Seminar in Economics, Part I (1 hour)
Core Curr. WI,EL
Student begins to explore an area of economics in which he or she has a particular interest and plans to write a senior thesis. Required for all economics majors. Pass/Fail. Prerequisite: Economics major and senior standing (junior standing with consent of instructor).

ECO 499 - Senior Seminar in Economics, Part II (3 hours)
Core Curr. EL
Capstone project where each student completes a senior research thesis under the guidance of an economics faculty member. Student explores an area of economics in which he or she has a particular interest. Prerequisite: ECO 498; senior standing (junior standing with consent of instructor).

ECO 510 - Global Markets and Sustainability (3 hours)
Examination of global macroeconomics and its application to the modern business environment, the business cycle and economic policies, major linkages between economies, domestic and international economic indicators, institutions and cultural aspects of business, sustainable development. Prerequisite: Foster College of Business Graduate Student or Consent of Associate Dean.

ECO 519 - Introduction to Econometrics (3 hours)
Introduction to advanced regression analysis. Topics include ordinary least squares, generalized least squares, nonlinear regression, dummy variables, autocorrelation, heteroskedasticity, and serial correlation. Computer software used extensively. Cross-listed with ECO 419 and I B 402. The graduate level course will have additional requirements beyond those of the undergraduate course. Prerequisite: IME 511 or consent of Department Chair.

ECO 605 - Health Care Economics & Finance (3 hours)
Examines the economic and financial aspects of the health care system. Organizational and institutional structures through which an economy makes choices regarding the production, consumption, and distribution of health care services. Fundamental processes for the management of liquidity, major capital investments, debt, and funding. Examines both for-profit and not-for-profit health care organizations. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

ECO 606 - Microeconomics for Managers (3 hours)
Analysis of domestic and international markets, resource allocation, applied strategic thinking and competitive analysis, market structure, impacts on business decision making and on society, ethical issues, role of government regulation in business, pricing strategies, and quantitative decision making tools. Prerequisite: Foster College of Business Graduate Student or Consent of Associate Dean.

ECO 660 - Readings in Economics (1-3 hours)
Individual readings for qualified students, under the guidance of a member of the faculty. Repeatable to a maximum of 3 credit hours. Prerequisite: consent of instructor and director of graduate programs.

FIN 200 - Introduction to Finance (3 hours)
This course will provide an orientation to the professional field of finance. Topics include available career paths in finance and necessary industry qualifications, overview of industry certifications, finance curriculum options, introduction to fundamental knowledge and skills required, practical application of investing and saving decisions, and review of the functions of the financial markets. Prerequisite: BUS 100

FIN 220 - Personal Finance (3 hours)
Gen. Ed. SF
Core Curr. SB
Principles and practice of management of personal income, wealth, and credit: budgeting, sources of financing, savings, estate planning, and institutions of personal finance.

FIN 322 - Business Finance (3 hours)
Capital budgeting and principles of financial management. External and internal sources of funds: costs and profitable uses in business organizations. Prerequisite: ATG 157 and junior standing or 42 credit hours and a declared major in one of the following: corporate finance, or personal financial planning, or actuarial science.

FIN 325 - Investment Analysis (3 hours)
Core Curr. EL
Principles of investment analysis. Introduction to security valuation using fundamental analysis with associated trading rules. Introduction to technical analysis/charting with trading rules. Functions and descriptions of securities markets and trading. Prerequisite: FIN 322, Q M 262 or MTH 325

FIN 327 - Derivative Securities (3 hours)
Overview of options, futures, swaps, and related financial securities. Examination of exchanges, pricing issues, arbitrage, and trading strategies. Applications emphasize the use of derivative securities for managing financial risk. Prerequisite: FIN 322; MTH 115 or higher

FIN 328 - Financial Institutions and Markets (3 hours)
Operation of financial institutions and interrelationships between their operations and economic activity; credit flow and money movements, in the context of financial institutions' operations. Structure and organization of the financial system; emphasis on markets and intermediaries. Prerequisite: ECO 100 or 221; ECO 222; junior standing.

FIN 329 - Commercial Bank Management (3 hours)
The role of commercial banks in the capital markets; introduction and application of financial management concepts, tools, and techniques to the fundamental financial decisions that managers of commercial banks make. Focus is on the dynamic banking environment, regulations, nature of risks, asset and liability management, investment and credit decisions, and financing decision of commercial banks. Prerequisite: FIN 322, FIN 328.

FIN 330 - Financial Services Marketing (3 hours)
Examination of the increasing use of marketing techniques in the financial services industry and the changing environment of financial services. Course is structured around the core marketing principles of buyer behavior, segmentation, product development, distribution, pricing and promotion, as well as topics such as relationship marketing, customer loyalty, and technological developments. Designed for students with an interest in banking, insurance, securities, and other financial services industries. Cross listed with MTG 330. Prerequisite: FIN 322, MTG 315.

FIN 331 - Personal Investing (3 hours)
Principles of investing by and for individual investors. Coverage includes fundamental concepts, theories, principles and strategies of investment planning. Examines various aspects of investment planning strategies emphasizing applicable knowledge and techniques with which a financial service professional provides client service. Prerequisite: FIN 322

FIN 421 - Liquidity Management (3 hours)
Managing firms' liquidity position; emphasis on use of positive and normative models dealing with short term assets and liabilities; ensuring liquidity while enhancing firm value. Prerequisite: FIN 322, QM 263.

FIN 422 - Financial Analysis (3 hours)
Core Curr. WI
Interpretation and analysis of corporate financial statements. Current annual and interim reports as a source of data for management, stockholders, and creditors. Prerequisite: FIN 322, QM 263.

FIN 425 - Portfolio Theory and Management (3 hours)
Introduction to portfolio theory. Diversification concepts. Market-oriented capital asset pricing model, options pricing model, and arbitage pricing theory. Market efficiency. Relationship of portfolio theory to fundamental and technical analyses. Portfolio management and evaluation techniques. Prerequisite: FIN 325; QM 263 or MTH 326

FIN 426 - Financial Research & Modeling (3 hours)
Modeling financial processes, cash flows, security prices, etc., for decision making. Econometric, distribution-based, Markov and Stochastic Process concepts are employed. Treats risk/uncertainty identification, measurement and management. Prerequisite: Q M 263 or MTH 326; FIN 325

FIN 429 - Topics in Finance (3 hours)
Topics of special interest which may vary each time course is offered. Topic and prerequisite stated in current Schedule of Classes. May be repeated under different topics for a maximum of nine hours credit.

FIN 494 - Financial Strategy (3 hours)
Contemporary review of theory and practice of financial risk management. Principles for managing financial risk are applied to interest rates, exchange rates, and commodity prices. Financial engineering is incorporated into unified ethical and sustainable managerial problem solving and policy decisions designed to achieve successful operations. Supporting financial elements areas are integrated to understand and appreciate their interdependencies and benefits as a culminating academic experience. Prerequisite: 12 hours of finance at 300 or 400 level.

FIN 495 - Personal Financial Planning Capstone (3 hours)
Development of comprehensive personal financial plans. Investment planning strategies will be applied to the work of the financial service professional with a client service orientation. Integration of analytical skills will be developed through mini and comprehensive cases that will be presented in wriiten and oral formats. Prerequisite: FIN 330 or MTG 330, and FIN 331.

FIN 498 - Independent Study in Finance (1-3 hours)
Studies undertaken by academically qualified students under guidance of a faculty member. Open to Finance and Quantitative Methods Department majors only. May be repeated under different topics for a maximum of six hours credit. Prerequisite: junior/senior standing; 2.5 cumulative grade point average; consent of Department Chair.

FIN 522 - Introduction to Finance (2 hours)
Principles of financial management; financial systems and flow of funds; time value of money and its application; raising and allocation of funds; financial analysis, planning, and forecasting. Cannot be used to satisfy MBA elective or concentration requirements.

FIN 622 - Financial Management (4 hours)
Review of essential concepts necessary for foundational support of graduate topics. Areas of study include the financial framework and analysis of business; Management of the flow of funds through a company; capital and cash budgeting; valuation problems; risk analysis; evaluation of alternative methods of financing under changing conditions. Prerequisite: Foster College of Business Graduate Student or Consent of Associate Dean.

FIN 658 - Topics in Finance (3 hours)
Topics of special interest which may vary each time the course is offered. Topic stated in current Schedule of Classes.

Q M 262 - Quantitative Analysis I (3 hours)
Introduction to descriptive and inferential statistics with an emphasis on business applications. Topics covered include computation and application of descriptive measures, probability distributions, sampling, confidence intervals, hypothesis testing, correlation, and simple linear regression. Prerequisite: MTH 114 or higher.

Q M 263 - Quantitative Analysis II (3 hours)
Continuation of Q M 262. Topics covered include tests of hypotheses, correlation, time series, and multiple regression analysis with specific application to problems in business and economics. Computer software will be used extensively in regression analysis. Prerequisite: Q M 262

Q M 369 - Topics in Quantitative Methods (3 hours)
Topics of special interest which may vary each time course is offered. Topic stated in current Schedule of Classes. May be repeated under different topics for a maximum of six hours. Prerequisite: junior/senior standing.

Q M 426 - Business Forecasting (3 hours)
Introduction to forecasting, forecasting methods, features and differences using theoretical and practical knowledge gained about forecasting methods. Topics covered include regression analysis, time series analysis, understanding moving averages, exponential smoothing, autoregression and trend curves and to be able to use these modelling techniques to obtain forecasts. Cross-listed with Q M 526. Prerequisite: Q M 263 and junior/senior standing.

Q M 464 - Decision Support Systems (3 hours)
Introduction to managerial statistical tools in descriptive and predictive analytics with an emphasis on statistical learning. Topics covered include regression analysis, simulation, decision analysis, and data mining. Extensive use of computer software for model building and analysis for making better business decisions. Cross-listed with Q M 564. Prerequisite: Q M 263

Q M 498 - Independent Study in Quantitative Methods (1-3 hours)
Studies undertaken by academically qualified students under guidance of a faculty member. Open to Finance and Quantitative Methods Department majors only. May be repeated under different topics for a maximum of six hours. Prerequisite: junior/senior standing; 2.5 cumulative grade point average; consent of Department Chair.

Q M 526 - Business Forecasting (3 hours)
Introduction to forecasting, forecasting methods, features and differences using theoretical and practical knowledge gained about forecasting methods. Topics covered include regression analysis, time series analysis, understanding moving averages, exponential smoothing, autoregression and trend curves and to be able to use these modelling techniques to obtain forecasts. Cross-listed with Q M 426. The graduate level course will have additional requirements beyond those of the undergraduate course. Prerequisite: IME 511 or consent of Department Chair.

Q M 564 - Decision Support Systems (3 hours)
Introduction to managerial statistical tools in descriptive and predictive analytics with an emphasis on statistical learning. Topics covered include regression analysis, simulation, decision analysis, and data mining. Extensive use of computer software for model building and analysis for making better business decisions. Cross-listed with Q M 426. The graduate level course will have additional requirements beyond those of the undergraduate course. Prerequisite: IME 511 or consent of Department Chair.

Q M 658 - Topics in Quantitative Methods (3 hours)
Topics of special interest which may vary each time the course is offered. Topic stated in current Schedule of Classes.

Q M 660 - Readings in Quantitive Methods (1-3 hours)
Individual readings for qualified students, under the guidance of a member of the faculty. Repeatable to a maximum of 3 credit hours. Prerequisite: consent of instructor and director of graduate programs.