Economics (EC) Courses

2503 Principles of Microeconomics (3) F, SP, SU
Basic economic principles in the context of modern society and business; scarcity and the allocation of resources, supply and demand, the American economy, the global economy, market structures, and resource markets.

2513 Principles of Macroeconomics (3) F, SP, SU
Basic economic principles in the context of modern society and government policy; national income accounting, output determination, fiscal policy, the banking system, monetary policy, and international trade. Prerequisites: Economics 2503 and Mathematics 1113 or higher level Mathematics course.

3303 Natural Resource Economics (3) F
Economic principles applied to the presence and utilization of natural resources. The nature of public policy
will also be addressed, with emphasis on how natural resource and environmental issues fit into the greater policy context. This will include deeper study of the meaning of scarcity, cost, property rights, sustainability, and the limits of knowledge. Topics may include the law and economics of water and other minerals, forests, fisheries, energy supply, pollution, and climate change. Prerequisites: Economics 2503 with a grade of “C” or better.

3603 International Economics and Finance (3) F
This course will focus on international trade as a sub-theme in the greater concert of the human struggle to survive and prosper that has continued, in essence unchanged, throughout the centuries. The emphasis will be on developing a framework for thought that will enable us to make sense of what has happened. This, in turn, will better enable us to understand the world in which we now live and what paths might lie before us. Prerequisites: Economics 2503 and 2513 with grades of “C” or above.

390V Internship in Economics (1-3) F, SP, SU
Prerequisite: Permission of professor in charge and academic chair. Open only to juniors and seniors.

401V Independent Study in Economics (1, 2) F, SP, SU
Independent research of primary and secondary data in a selected topic; topic title to be approved by major professor and academic chair; paper to be kept on file. Course may be repeated. Prerequisites: Advanced standing, proven research ability, and approval of academic chair.

Finance (FI) Courses

2213 Personal Finance (3)
A course designed primarily for non-business majors to cover all aspects of personal financial affairs. This course is not open to juniors or seniors majoring in the College of Business.

3503 Principles of Finance (3) F, SP, SU
This course will introduce the student to the significance of the finance function to individuals, organizations, and the economy with a balanced survey of the three major areas of finance: financial markets, investments, and business finance. Prerequisites: Accounting 2503, Economics 2503, 2513, Management 3013. (Completion of Accounting 2513 recommended.)

3603 International Economics and Finance (3) F
This course will focus on international trade as a sub-theme in the greater concert of the human struggle to survive and prosper that has continued, in essence unchanged, throughout the centuries. The emphasis will be on developing a framework for thought that will enable us to make sense of what has happened. This, in turn, will better enable us to understand the world in which we now live and what paths might lie before us. Prerequisites: Economics 2503 and 2513 with grades of “C” or above.

3643 Financial Planning (3) SP
A study that covers the broad range of financial services topics, including the financial planning process, the time value of money, insurance and risk management, investment tax planning, retirement planning and estate planning. Prerequisite Finance 3503 with a grade of “C” or above.

3703 Equity Investments (3) SP
Covers institutional facts about the equity markets, modern portfolio theory and market efficiency, fundamental and technical analysis. Prerequisite: Finance 3503 with a grade of “C” or above and Management 3013 with a grade of “C” or above.

3803 U.S. Business, Culture and Travel to [insert destination] (3)
The course gives learners the opportunity to travel to major business center(s) in the United States, gaining exposure to a business environment not present in Middle Tennessee. Attention will be given to various business segments, trends, governing/advising bodies, cultural influences, political issues, marketing and service strategies, management approaches, financial institutions, money and capital centers, and other factors impacting the transaction of business in the chosen destination. Domestic trip participation is required.

390V Internship in Finance (1-3) F, SP, SU
Prerequisite: Permission of professor in charge and department chairman. Open only to juniors and seniors.

3913 Debt and Derivatives (3) F
This course covers institutional facts about the money markets, bond markets, and derivative markets. Also covers asset pricing and portfolio management issues for debt and derivative instruments. Prerequisites: Finance 3503 with a grade of “C” or above and Management 3013 with a grade of “C” or above.

401V Independent Study in Finance (1-3) F, SP, SU
Independent research of primary and secondary data in a selected topic; topic title to be approved by major professor and department chairman; paper to be kept on file. Course may be repeated. Prerequisites: Advanced standing, proven research ability and approval of academic chair.

4003 Corporate Governance and Internal Control (3) F
Corporate governance refers to the myriad of constraints designed to encourage managers and directors act in the interest of shareholders. Topics include choice of legal entity, ownership structure, corporate charter, stakeholders and corporate social responsibility, proxy process, board of directors, CEO compensation, CEO performance evaluation, CEO retention, boundaries of the firm, and international corporate governance. Additional topics will include the design and evaluation perspectives of the control environment, risk assessment, control activities, and monitoring. Special attention will be given to the rapidly changing environment affecting corporate management in response to Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Students interested in obtaining the MAcc degree should not take this course at the undergraduate level. Prerequisite: AC 2513, with a grade of “C” or above, and senior standing.

4343 Fundamentals of Real Estate (3)
An introduction to the basics of real estate: markets, law, appraisal, finance, and management. Prerequisites: Finance 3503 with a grade of “C” or above.

4513 Managerial Finance (3) SP
An advanced study of the practice and policies applicable to the financial management of business enterprises, including sources and uses of funds, lines of credit, the placing of securities, and the role of the financial manager. Prerequisite: Finance 3703 or Finance 4753 or Accounting 4753 with a grade of “C” or above.

4753 Financial Statement Analysis (3) F
Focuses on corporate financial statement and provides an appreciation for the issues faced by corporate managers as they design a financial reporting strategy. Skills developed in the course include analysis of business performance through financial statements; analysis of earnings quality and other accounting matters; and forecasting earnings and cash flows. The course also offers perspectives on the role of financial reporting and financial statement analysis in the capital markets. Students interested in obtaining the MBA or MAcc degree should not take this course at the undergraduate level. Prerequisite: Accounting 3563 with a grade of “C” or above, and senior standing.

4803 Global Business, Culture and Travel to [insert destination] (3)
This course gives learners international business exposure and a unique cultural experience with an opportunity to encounter firsthand a global business environment including various business segments, trends, governing/advising bodies, cultural influences, political issues, marketing and service strategies, management approaches, financial institutions, money and capital centers, and other factors impacting the transaction of business in the chosen destination. International trip participation is required.

4813 Investment Fund Management (3) F, SP, SU
Students enrolled in this course are responsible for managing a real portfolio of Tennessee Valley Authority funds. Students also compete in the TVA Investment Challenge against investment teams from other universities in the TVA region. Participating students are responsible for security selection, portfolio balancing and other fund management decisions. Enrollment is limited and students must make special application to the Department of Finance and Economics for admission to this course. Preference is given to those who can make a two-semester commitment to help manage the fund. Prerequisite: A grade of “B” or better in Finance 3703.

4913 Special Topics (3) SP
This course covers material that does not fit neatly into the other courses in the finance major, either for conceptual reasons or time constraints. The course will be composed of several distinct content modules. A partial list of possible topics includes: mergers and acquisitions, private equity, hedge funds, financial forecasting, financial modeling, bankruptcy and financial distress, and the valuation of private companies. Prerequisites: Senior standing in one of the finance majors.