Welcome Back!

This document will provide you with information about the 2009-10 Finance Course Offerings so that you can make plans for the coming academic year. It will also provide information about Senior Project options and tentative Winter and Spring finance courses. So please read through this entire page!


1. FALL FINANCE COURSE OFFERINGS:

REQUIRED COURSES: The following required courses will be offered in Fall: Two sections of Fixed Income Securities (Bus-439; Dr. Anderson), two sections of Security Analysis and Portfolio Management (Bus-431; Dr. Roche), two sections of Advanced Corporate Finance (Bus-438; Dr. Dutt), and one section of Case Studies in Finance (Bus-443; Dr. Dobson). Students are encouraged to take 439 before 431. Students in junior or senior standing should try to take as many of their required courses in Fall. Please note that BUS-439 will not be offered during the coming Spring term (must take it in Fall or Winter).

ELECTIVES: The following elective courses will be offered in Fall: Computer Applications in Finance (Bus-441; Dr. Dutt), International Finance (Bus-433, Dr. Gorman), Entrepreneurial Finance (Bus-436; Dr. York), Student Managed Portfolio Project (Bus-461 and Bus-462; Dr. Ramezani), and Finance Senior Project (Bus-464; Dr. Ramezani). Students who are in senior standing and plan to graduate this year should also consider taking courses from the approved electives in economics and other areas (see concentration form). Please feel free to stop by if you need to see the approved list.

Please note the following:

i. Most required finance classes may have short waiting list. The waiting list is simply a device to manage enrollment during the registration period and does not guarantee automatic access to a course. In fact, few faculty actually ever see their course waiting. Faculty may choose to create a list on the first day of class and then issue e-permits as enrolled students drop out and space becomes available. Our faculty are committed to assisting students to take their courses and graduate in a timely manner. To this end, we will try our best to accommodate as many students as possible. You can help us by:

A. Please be sure to attend classes during the first week (remember faculty can drop students who do not show up during the first day of class).
B. The prerequisites for 400 level courses will be enforced by PASS. Only faculty teaching the course can admit students who have not completed all the prerequisites.
C. Faculty will not issue e-permits prior to the first day of class. So, please plan to attend class if you wish to obtain e-permit. You cannot negotiate an e-permit before classes begin via email. Please do not try!
D. Please consider taking the overly subscribed courses later in the year, allowing those graduating this Fall the opportunity to get into the courses they need to graduate.

ii. Please be sure to file your finance concentration form before classes begin. Student in 400 level finance courses who have not done so will be dropped.

iii. Are you interested in taking Bus-321 (Intermediate Accounting)? You will note that Bus-319 is a prerequisite. However, the accounting area will wave this requirement for Finance students. Please do not take Bus-319 unless you are doing both majors.


2. WINTER AND SPRING TENTATIVE OFFERINGS:

REQUIRED COURSES:
Winter: Bus-431 (1 sections), Bus-439 (2 sections), Bus-438 (2 sections), Bus-443 (2 section)
Spring: Bus-431 (2 sections), Bus-439, Bus-438, and Bus-443 WILL NOT BE OFFERED.


ELECTIVES:
Winter: Bus-435, Bus-433, Bus-464, Bus-461-462
Spring: Bus-442, Bus-433, Bus-464, Bus-461-462

3. FALL SENIOR PROJECT OPTIONS:

As a finance student you can pursue your SP with any faculty in the college. However, it is best for finance students to pursue finance related project under the direction of our faculty. This is important as your SP will become part of your "package" when you begin to pursue a career. Indeed, a well done finance SP can be the ticket to securing interesting finance internships and a job in finance. The Finance Area will offer SP courses during every term of 2009-10 academic year.

During the Fall term, finance students may choose from the following SP alternatives:

A. The Student Managed Portfolio Project: (Bus-461-07 and Bus-462-07) will be taught by Dr. Ramezani (MW 4:10-6:00PM in room 302). Students who wish to enroll in this course MUST attend the first day of class. E-permits will be issued during the first day of class. More information about this course HERE. The syllabus is available HERE.

B. The Cal Poly CFA Challenge: (Bus-464-05) will be taught by Dr. Ramezani (F 10:10-02:00PM in room 302). Students who wish to enroll in this course should contact Prof. Ramezani soon and MUST attend the first lecture. More information about this course is HERE. The syllabus for this course is available HERE.


C. Traditional Senior Projects (including Bloomberg Certification Program): (Bus-464-05) will be taught by Dr. Ramezani (F 10:10-02:00PM in room 302). Students who wish to enroll in this course MUST attend the first lecture.

4. PLEASE JOIN FMA and FRE (and attend their presentations)
The officers of Cal Poly's Financial Management Association (FMA) and the Future of Real Estate (FRE) have worked hard to bring informative speakers and major finance and Real Estate recruiters to campus. The finance faculty urges you to join FMA and FRE and attend their sponsored events (Tuesdays and Thursdays 11-12). For information on these student clubs please see:

http://www.calpolyfma.com/

http://www.fre.calpoly.org/

Any questions? Please feel free to stop by my office (room 406) or to write back.