Southern Utah University

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Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Fall Semester 2025

Investments (Online)

FIN 3750-30I

Course: FIN 3750-30I
Credits: 3
Term: Fall Semester 2025
Department: ACFN
CRN: 30215

Course Description


This course is designed to develop an understanding of the field of investments.  Specific topics will include: the risk and return potential for various financial securities; the functioning and design of financial markets, the valuation process as it applies to stocks, bonds and various derivative contracts; the specific process of investment analysis applied to common stocks; the basics of portfolio theory and diversification; and the meaning and implications of efficient markets.

This course is dense and fast-paced.  To do well in this class, I highly recommend the following:

  • Read the syllabus
  • Read the text before lecture
  • Form a study group
  • Do the chapter problem sets
  • Ask lots of questions
  • Meet with your professor

Required Texts

The following are required for this course:

  • Click on VitalSource in the Canvas menu. Your materials have already been paid for. You can opt out.
  • Essentials of Investments, by Bodie, Kane and Marcus, 12th Edition (ISBN13: 9781260013832)
  • Microsoft Excel. It is free to registered students. Contact IT Help.
  • Financial Calculator. A user guide for both the TI BA II or the HP 10B is provided in the Module "Start Here". You may use any financial calculator you wish, but I only support these two. You may not use graphical calculators or calculators that store formulas.
  • Camera. Used to record your Honorlock sessions and for Zoom office hours.
  • Solid internet connection.  You will take exams online.

Learning Outcomes

This course is designed to develop an understanding of the field of investments.  Specific topics will include: the function and design of financial markets, the risk and return potential for various financial securities;  the valuation process as it applies to stocks, bonds and some derivatives; the specific process of investment analysis applied to common stocks; the basics of portfolio theory and diversification; and the meaning and implications of efficient markets.

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

  1. Distinguish primary from secondary markets in how they function, the basic types of securities, how capital flows, and how trading in these markets is conducted.
  2. Demonstrate how to trade using leverage and how to short sell equities.
  3. Compare and contrast the various types of  Mutual Funds (ETFs, CEFs, Hedge Funds, OEFs)
  4. Explain the risk-return tradeoff inherent in investment decision-making
  5. Demonstrate using quantitative methods to determine the benefits of diversification and by applying the Capital Asset Pricing Model
  6. Determine whether or not markets are efficient while exploring behavioral finance and technical analysis
  7. Calculate bond prices, yields, duration, and forward rates
  8. Analyze the macroeconomy and an industry
  9. Value a stock and an option
  10. Perform financial statement analysis
  11. Break down how futures contracts and financial options work

Course Requirements

Course Assessment Table
Course AssessmentsCourse OutcomesAssigned Readings (Not Graded) | 1-11
Surveys (Not Graded) | 1-11
Problem Sets (Not Graded) | 1-11
Excel Assignments (Graded) | 4, 5, 6, 7, 9
Exams (Graded) | 1-11
Assignment Outline
Announcements
I strongly recommend that you turn on Announcements in this class.  This is how I will communicate with the class. It is your responsibility to monitor Announcements.
Assigned Readings (Not Graded)
The chapters and sections which you are required to read will be listed in Canvas. You are expected to complete assigned readings from the textbook before watching the lectures. You will be tested on the assigned readings, even if the material is not covered in lecture. The readings can be dense, so if you find yourself reading the same paragraph for the third time and it is not sinking in, send an email to me. I am here to help!
Surveys (Not Graded)
For each chapter in the textbook, you can optionally complete a survey. The answers are in Canvas.  Use them to prepare for exams. They are not graded and they have no due date. They are highly representative of questions you will likely see on exams. If a survey question is unclear, send an email to me.
Problem Sets (Not Graded)
Both the problem sets and their corresponding solutions are included in Canvas. They are not collected and they are not graded; they are for your benefit.  The problems are highly representative of the problems you will likely see on exams.  I also solve the more challenging problems in videos, which are embedded in Canvas.  Please spend no more than 15 minutes on one problem.  If you are stuck, move on to the next problem and send an email to me. Your time is limited and I am here to help.
Excel Assignments (Graded)
Excel proficiency is a valuable skill. You will be expected to complete five Excel assignments on or before the due date. The Excel assignments are designed to give you the opportunity to apply what you have learned by solving practical problems. You may consult with classmates to complete the assignment but you must submit your own work. I will not review or "pre-grade" your work before you submit. However, if you are stuck and have a specific question, send an email to me. If I suspect that you submitted someone else's work, you will be subject to sanctions detailed in SUU Academic Integrity Policy 6.33. Violations of this policy will be taken seriously. Additionally, each Excel assignment will have either instructions embedded in the spreadsheet or a corresponding step-by-step walk-through. Download the template, save it (prepend your last name to the filename, i.e., Smith_Excel5.xlsx), do your work, then upload it into Canvas. I can only award credit to work uploaded to Canvas.
Exams (Graded)
There are four online, timed, non-cumulative exams which you can take any time during the day. They are open book, open note.  There will be no class the day of the exam so that you have more time to prepare. The exams cover the material in the Modules tab in Canvas. No Excel. Take exams with a financial calculator, such as the HP 10b or the TI BA II. See Late Policy.
Grade Scheme
The following grading standards will be used in this class:
Grade Weights Table
Course AssessmentsPointsPercentagesAssigned Readings | 0 | 0%
Surveys | 0 | 0%
Problem Sets | 0 | 0%
Excel Assignments | 50 | 20%
Exams | 500 | 80%
Totals | 550 | 100%
Letter Grade Percentage Table
 A | 100% | to 90%
B | < 90% | to 80%
C | < 80% | to 70%
D | < 70% | to 60%
F | < 60% | to 0%
I might award plus (+) and minus (-) grades based on my subjective assessment of your work, participation, professionalism, and diligence.  

Course Outline

Course Schedule:  3750 F25 (Download this file)

Instructor's policies on late assignments and/or makeup work

ILate Policy
  • Before you ask me to excuse a missed or late assignment or exam, refer back to this policy.
  • Student Affairs has the authority to grant or deny excused absences.
  • Without an excused absence, work will be considered late or missing, no exceptions.
If you plan to miss or missed an exam or an assignment, or submitted an assignment after the due date, SUU Policy requires that you petition The Office of Student Affairs for an excused absence. Student Affairs can issue an excused absence if your circumstances are extenuating. The obvious ones are death or serious illness in your family, birth of a child, serious personal illness (this includes a documented positive COVID test and mental illness). If you have a disability, contact the Office of Disabilities.
  • I respect your privacy. If you missed an assignment or submitted one late and you want to petition Student Affairs for an excused absence, share your extenuating circumstances with them. You do not need to tell me highly personal details. You'll find that the professionals at Student Affairs are kind, fair, and supportive. Visit Student Affairs to learn about available resources. If your situation is serious, they can grant an excused absence.
  • I respect your right to self-advocacy. If you feel that your circumstances are serious enough to justify missing or submitting late work, talk with Student Affairs. They are fair and professional. If, in their judgement, your circumstances are extenuating, they can grant an excused absence.
  • I respect your ability to prioritize and weigh consequences. It is your decision whether to choose skiing over a quiz, project, or exam.
Assignments: If you submit an assignment after the due date, for every day your work is late, Canvas will deduct 25% of the points earned. For example, if a student scored 80 points out of a possible 100 points and submitted the work 2 days late, she would earn 80/100 * (1 - (0.25 * 2)) = 40% with a minimum score of 0%. Unexcused missing assignments earn a zero.
Exams: If you miss an exam or plan to miss an exam, you will need an excused absence from Student Affairs. If you have a final exam during Finals Week, do not plan to travel before the exam date. If you are not present on the scheduled date and time (see SUU Final Exam Schedule), you will earn a zero.

Attendance Policy

Attendance is not graded.

Course Fees

Program and Course Fees

Additional Course Information and Resources

Study Resources

Students frequently ask, "What can I do to prepare for exams?"

  1. Start or join a study group.
  2. Read the book - If you are reading, and re-reading a section or paragraph, reach out to me!  Send an email, ask a question during lecture, and/or come to office hours.
  3. Watch the lectures in Canvas
  4. Take the surveys - They serve as a review for exams. Answers are provided in Canvas.
  5. Work every assigned end-of-chapter problem - If you have spent more than 15 minutes on a problem and the solution (provided in Canvas) is not making sense to you, send an email to me and move on to the next problem. For some of the more challenging problems, I have made a video in which I solve the problem.
  6. Ask as many questions and attend as many office hours as you need. I am here to help you succeed.
Registration Restrictions

Registration Restriction(s): Acceptance into the School of Business OR permission from a School of Business advisor OR have an approved Finance minor

Canvas & IT Help

Canvas is  where course content, grades, and communication will reside for this course.

For Passwords or any other computer-related technical support:

For Canvas help:

ADA Statement

Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Resource Center, located in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or by phone at (435) 865-8042. The Disability Resource Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

If your instructor requires attendance, you may need to seek an ADA accommodation to request an exception to this attendance policy. Please contact the Disability Resource Center to determine what, if any, ADA accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.

Academic Credit

According to the federal definition of a Carnegie credit hour: A credit hour of work is the equivalent of approximately 60 minutes of class time or independent study work. A minimum of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit. Credit is earned only when course requirements are met. One (1) credit hour is equivalent to 15 contact hours of lecture, discussion, testing, evaluation, or seminar, as well as 30 hours of student homework. An equivalent amount of work is expected for laboratory work, internships, practica, studio, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours. Credit granted for individual courses, labs, or studio classes ranges from 0.5 to 15 credit hours per semester.

Academic Freedom

SUU is operated for the common good of the greater community it serves. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. Academic Freedom is the right of faculty to study, discuss, investigate, teach, and publish. Academic Freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research.

Academic Freedom in the realm of teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the faculty member and of you, the student, with respect to the free pursuit of learning and discovery. Faculty members possess the right to full freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects. They may present any controversial material relevant to their courses and their intended learning outcomes, but they shall take care not to introduce into their teaching controversial materials which have no relation to the subject being taught or the intended learning outcomes for the course.

As such, students enrolled in any course at SUU may encounter topics, perspectives, and ideas that are unfamiliar or controversial, with the educational intent of providing a meaningful learning environment that fosters your growth and development. These parameters related to Academic Freedom are included in SUU Policy 6.6.

Academic Misconduct

Scholastic honesty is expected of all students. Dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent (see SUU Policy 6.33). You are expected to have read and understood the current SUU student conduct code (SUU Policy 11.2) regarding student responsibilities and rights, the intellectual property policy (SUU Policy 5.52), information about procedures, and what constitutes acceptable behavior.

Please Note: The use of websites or services that sell essays is a violation of these policies; likewise, the use of websites or services that provide answers to assignments, quizzes, or tests is also a violation of these policies. Regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), you should check with your individual course instructor.

Emergency Management Statement

In case of an emergency, the University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management plan can be found at https://www.suu.edu/emergency.

HEOA Compliance Statement

For a full set of Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) compliance statements, please visit https://www.suu.edu/heoa. The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law; additional information can be found at https://my.suu.edu/help/article/1096/heoa-compliance-plan.

You are also expected to comply with policies regarding intellectual property (SUU Policy 5.52) and copyright (SUU Policy 5.54).

Mandatory Reporting

University policy (SUU Policy 5.60) requires instructors to report disclosures received from students that indicate they have been subjected to sexual misconduct/harassment. The University defines sexual harassment consistent with Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106, Subpart D) to include quid pro quo, hostile environment harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. When students communicate this information to an instructor in-person, by email, or within writing assignments, the instructor will report that to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure students receive support from the Title IX Office. A reporting form is available at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv

Non-Discrimination Statement

SUU is committed to fostering an inclusive community of lifelong learners and believes our university's encompassing of different views, beliefs, and identities makes us stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the global society.

SUU does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services.

SUU strives to cultivate a campus environment that encourages freedom of expression from diverse viewpoints. We encourage all to dialogue within a spirit of respect, civility, and decency.

For additional information on non-discrimination, please see SUU Policy 5.27 and/or visit https://www.suu.edu/nondiscrimination.

Pregnancy

Students who are or become pregnant during this course may receive reasonable modifications to facilitate continued access and participation in the course. Pregnancy and related conditions are broadly defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, and recovery. To obtain reasonable modifications, please make a request to title9@suu.edu. To learn more visit: https://www.suu.edu/titleix/pregnancy.html.

Disclaimer Statement

Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.