BUSAD525: Quantitative Methods in Finance
Study of quantitative methods used in financial and investment analysis and modeling.
Overview | Objectives | Materials | Library Resources | Technical Requirements | Assignments | Grading | Course Schedule | Course Policies | Academic Integrity | Accommodating Disabilities | Additional Policies | Program Residency
Overview
BUSAD 525 studies statistical and econometric methods to provide a quantitative foundation in financial and investment analysis. Students will be introduced to the statistical and econometric methods necessary in quantitative financial modeling. Students will acquire practical knowledge, skills, and abilities in financial modeling, including time value of money, probability theory, sampling, estimation and hypothesis testing, regression analysis and its application in finance, and portfolio analysis methods. Spreadsheet programs such as Microsoft Excel will be used extensively throughout the course.
Course Objectives
After completing the course, a student will be able to do the following:
- Identify and define business situations in which one can apply statistical analysis.
- Match appropriate statistical methods to a variety of business situations.
- Perform financial analyses using appropriate tools and techniques.
- Interpret the results of statistical studies.
- Communicate the findings of statistical research effectively.
- Facilitate the managerial decision-making process.
Required Course Materials
Most World Campus courses require that students purchase materials (e.g., textbooks, specific software, etc.). To learn about how to order materials, please see the Course Materials page. You should check LionPATH approximately 3–4 weeks before the course begins for a list of required materials.
Software: Microsoft Excel will be the software package to be used for this course.
Library Resources
Many of the University Libraries resources can be utilized from a distance. Through the Libraries website, you can
- access magazine, journal, and newspaper articles online using library databases;
- borrow materials and have them delivered to your doorstep—or even your desktop;
- get research help via email, chat, or phone using the Ask a Librarian service; and
- much more.
You must have an active Penn State Access Account to take full advantage of the Libraries' resources and service. The Off-Campus Users page has additional information about these free services.
Technical Specifications
Note: Courses that are designated as running in Canvas have different technical requirements. For those courses, please review the Canvas Technical Requirements for MFIN courses.
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| Operating System | Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8* Macintosh users may have problems using the specialized software required in some courses. *Windows 8 support excludes the tablet only RT version |
| Processor | 1 GHz or higher |
| Memory | 2 GB of RAM |
| Hard Drive Space | 500 MB free disk space |
| Browser | We recommend the latest Angel-supported version of Firefox or
Internet Explorer. To determine if your browser fits this criteria and
for advice on downloading a supported version, please refer to the
following ITS knowledgebase article:http://kb.its.psu.edu/cms/article/6
Note: Cookies, Java, and JavaScript must be enabled. Pop-up blockers should be configured to permit new windows from Penn State web sites. Due to nonstandard handling of CSS, JavaScript, and caching, older versions of Internet Explorer (such as IE 6 or earlier) do not work with our courses. |
| Plug-ins | Adobe Reader [Download from Adobe]
Flash Player [Download from Adobe] |
| Additional Software | Microsoft Office 2007 or higher |
| Internet Connection | Broadband (cable or DSL) connection required |
| Printer | Access to graphics-capable printer |
| DVD-ROM | Required |
| Sound Card, Microphone, and Speakers | Required |
| Monitor | Monitor (Capable of at least 1024 x 768 resolution) |
To ensure instructional videos play correctly on your computer:
- Ensure that your javascript is enabled in your browser. Visit the Enable JavaScript in my browser webpage which will help you through the process of enabling your javascript - https://www.google.com/adsense/support/bin/answer.py?answer=12654.
- Ensure that you have at least Flash Player 11.0 installed. Visit the Install Adobe Flash Player webpage which will help you through the process of installing the flash player - http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/.
If you need technical assistance at any point during the course, please contact the Service Desk.
For registration, advising, disability services, help with materials, exams, general problem solving, visit World Campus Student Services!
Assignments
Homework Problem Sets
You will be assigned several homework problems during and/or at the end of each module. Check the course schedule to see when the homework problems are due. All the problems are to be done with the aid of a computer. It is very important that you complete and submit all the homework problem sets assigned, in order to master the materials, keep up with the course schedule, and do well on the exam.
Exams
There will be one midterm exam and one final exam, which will be completed online. Both exams contain two parts: (a) a quiz to test your understanding of the concepts and (b) problem sets using Excel spreadsheets and other tools. The midterm exam will cover material learned in Modules 1 through 4. The final exam will primarily cover material learned in Modules 5 through 7 but may also cover earlier materials. You may use your lecture notes, the textbook, or other resources while taking the exams; however, during the examination period, communication with other people concerning the subject matter of the exams is prohibited.
Note: You will only be able to access the midterm exam and final exam folders on the dates specified within the course schedule.
Final Project
There is one team-based project that is due at the end of the course (please check the course schedule for the due date). Although the project is not due until the end of the course, it would be beneficial for your team to begin working on the project as early as possible during the course. The purpose of this project is to help you gain further understanding of the knowledge learned in this class by analyzing real world data.
You should work as a team to find appropriate sources of data and use the methodologies taught in this class to study the data and answer the questions asked in the problem statements. To assist you with discussions, there will be a team discussion forum set up so only the members of each team can access their team discussion forum as a means to communicate. Feel free to use them as often as you need to when completing the assignment. You can also use other means of communication with your team such as eLive!, Skype, e-mail, phone, etc.; whichever communication tool works best for your group. Use Excel and incorporate spreadsheet output (show your work) in your submissions. Please use the following naming convention when submitting your team file and include your team name in the subject of the message (e.g., BUSAD525_FinalProject_Team1).
Finally, after your team has completed the Final Project, each member will need to complete a Peer Evaluation of each team member. Note: The peer evaluation will consist of 2% of the Final Project grade.
Grading
| Assignments | Maximum Score (Percentage) |
|---|---|
| Homework Problem Sets (7 sets) | 35% (5% each) |
| Midterm Exam | 25% (10% quiz +15% problem sets) |
| Final Exam | 25% (10% quiz +15% problem sets) |
| Final Project | 15% (13% project + 2% peer eval) |
| Letter Grade | Percentage |
|---|---|
| A | 95-100 |
| A- | 90-94 |
| B+ | 87-89 |
| B | 84-86 |
| B- | 80-83 |
| C+ | 77-79 |
| C | 70-76 |
| D | 65-69 |
| F | below 64 |
Please refer to the University Grading Policy for Graduate Courses for additional information about University grading policies.
Note: All due dates reflect North American eastern time (ET).
This deadline ensures that all students have the same deadlines regardless of where they live. The schedule below outlines the associated timeframes and assignments that we will be covering in this course.
BUSAD 525 Course Schedule
- Course length: 7 weeks
Each assignment is identified as individual (I), team (T), graded (G), or ungraded (U).
Course Policies
Assignment Policies
You will complete various multimedia assignments for each unit. In addition, there are activities located within each of the course modules. You will submit these activities to your instructor electronically. We recommend that you prepare your answers in the provided answer templates and submit them to the electronic drop boxes. Please complete all of the activities for one module within one Excel workbook. Please keep a copy of all your work. We cannot assume responsibility for lost items.
Late Policy
The course schedule is strictly adhered to. Late assignments, discussion participation, and exams will be accepted ONLY if the instructor is notified prior to the due date of a special circumstance that cannot be avoided. Students will receive a zero for late work without an acceptable reason.
Academic Integrity
According to Penn State policy G-9: Academic Integrity , an academic integrity violation is “an intentional, unintentional, or attempted violation of course or assessment policies to gain an academic advantage or to advantage or disadvantage another student academically.” Unless your instructor tells you otherwise, you must complete all course work entirely on your own, using only sources that have been permitted by your instructor, and you may not assist other students with papers, quizzes, exams, or other assessments. If your instructor allows you to use ideas, images, or word phrases created by another person (e.g., from Course Hero or Chegg) or by generative technology, such as ChatGPT, you must identify their source. You may not submit false or fabricated information, use the same academic work for credit in multiple courses, or share instructional content. Students with questions about academic integrity should ask their instructor before submitting work.
Students facing allegations of academic misconduct may not drop/withdraw from the affected course unless they are cleared of wrongdoing (see G-9: Academic Integrity ). Attempted drops will be prevented or reversed, and students will be expected to complete course work and meet course deadlines. Students who are found responsible for academic integrity violations face academic outcomes, which can be severe, and put themselves at jeopardy for other outcomes which may include ineligibility for Dean’s List, pass/fail elections, and grade forgiveness. Students may also face consequences from their home/major program and/or The Schreyer Honors College.
How Academic Integrity Violations Are Handled
World Campus students are expected to act with civility and
personal integrity; respect other students' dignity, rights, and
property; and help create and maintain an environment in which all
can succeed through the fruits of their own efforts. An environment
of academic integrity is requisite to respect for oneself and
others, as well as a civil community.
In cases where academic integrity is questioned, the Policy on Academic Integrity indicates that procedure requires an instructor to inform the student of the allegation. Procedures allow a student to accept or contest a charge. If a student chooses to contest a charge, the case will then be managed by the respective college or campus Academic Integrity Committee. If that committee recommends an administrative sanction (Formal Warning, Conduct Probation, Suspension, Expulsion), the claim will be referred to the Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response.
All Penn State colleges abide by this Penn State policy, but review procedures may vary by college when academic dishonesty is suspected. Information about Penn State's academic integrity policy and college review procedures is included in the information that students receive upon enrolling in a course. To obtain that information in advance of enrolling in a course, please contact us by going to the Contacts & Help page .
Accommodating Disabilities
Additional Policies
For information about additional policies regarding Penn State Access Accounts; credit by examination; course tuition, fees, and refund schedules; and drops and withdrawals, please see the World Campus Student Center website.
Veterans and currently serving military personnel and/or dependents with unique circumstances (e.g., upcoming deployments, drill/duty requirements, VA appointments, etc.) are welcome and encouraged to communicate these, in advance if possible, to the instructor in the case that special arrangements need to be made.
Program Residency
One of the most unique aspects of the Penn State online Master of Finance degree program is the on-campus residency. In this interactive residency, you will work closely with the program faculty to receive hands-on, model-building experience, using a complex simulation tool. Even though the residency will not take place until BUSAD 526, an agenda with more detailed information will be provided after the start of the first class.
Disclaimer: Please note that the specifics of this Course Syllabus are subject to change, and you will be responsible for abiding by any such changes. Your instructor will notify you of any changes.