Course will provide a basic framework for student personal financial management while in college. Topics include money management skills, banking, credit cards, creditworthiness, credit reports, students loans, identity theft, and basic taxes.

The role of money in the market economy. Commercial banks, the Federal Reserve System, and monetary policy.

In-depth introduction to the world of finance. Interaction of individuals and companies with financial markets.

Introduction to decision making under uncertainty and overview of how carious markets allow individuals and organizations to diversify risk. Includes measurement of risk, behavioral bias in decision making under uncertainty, diversification of risk, the role of capital in ensuring performance, moral hazard, adverse selection, insurance pricing, and applications to public policy issues such as health care, catastrophe risk, and safety regulation.

Basic concepts of finance related to decision making.

A study of the functions and operations of financial institutions and their relationships to the commercial banking system and the general economy. Attention is devoted to savings institutions, insurance companies, rural and urban real estate credit, consumer credit, and associated topics.

Analysis of business investment and financing decisions.

Real estate analysis and administration; basic principles, concepts, terminology, and institutional factors related to real estate decisions in the urban environment. This course fulfills a pre-examination requirement of the South Carolina Real Estate licensing law (30-hour approved course).

Concepts, methodologies, and analytical tools used in urban real estate analysis.

Life insurance, health insurance, wills, trusts, Social Security, stocks, bonds, real estate, mutual funds, and other uses of funds.

Individual financial management of economic losses caused by premature death, disability, and old age; functional aspects of life-health insurer management.

Functional aspects of property-liability insurer management and operations including detailed treatment of pricing, risk assessment, marketing, investment, contract design, financial statement analysis, and regulation.

Tools and concepts used by corporations in managing all types of risk with a focus on the use of derivatives and insurance. Analysis of when risk reduction is beneficial.

Management of employer-sponsored benefits, especially group life, health, and retirement plans; emphasis on plan design and administration, cost, funding, regulation, and tax considerations.

Innovative insurance operations to compete in the modern world.

Application of financial concepts and tools to corporate decisions.

Explores the history, current environment, and near term outlook of financial innovation (FinTech), focusing on applications of Blockchain technology and Machine Learning tools. The course is designed to provide hands on experience in writing a “smart contract” using a blockchain and in applying machine learning tools.

Fundamental principles underlying the employment of bank funds. Allocation of funds among the various classes of loans and investments to bank operating costs and to changing bank practices.

Analysis and decision-making; return and risk; financing; tax implications; pricing and investment strategies.

The nature and importance of credit in real estate development and operations; legal framework, sources of mortgage funds, role of public and private financial institutions.

Traditional appraisal concepts and methodologies; appraisal process, real property analysis.

Conceptual and analytical framework for formulating investment policies, analyzing securities, and constructing portfolios.

This course focuses on the analysis of financial statements for profitability and risk assessment and for firm and segment valuation.

Options, forward and futures contracts, and swap contracts are analyzed, along with their uses in risk management, portfolio management, and corporate financing. Markets where these contracts trade will be examined.

Hands-on experience in investment analysis; managing a real portfolio, decision-making in the design of a portfolio management process, asset allocation, security selection, and risk management. Enrollment in this course requires a special permission from the instructor.

Exploring conflicts of interest between corporate managers and the providers of capital, and studying various mechanisms to address the misalignment of incentives and therefore restore firm value.

Examine fundamental principles of fixed-income securities and fixed-income valuation models.

Examines the foundations of capitalism and why it has prevailed over alternative systems. Topics include the justification of private property, distribution of wealth, profit motive, source of wealth creation, and others.

Introduction to the real estate development process with emphasis on analyzing the feasibility of design, location, and construction. Students will learn to identify and evaluate critical issues related to market and site feasibility, financial feasibility, planning, acquisition, and operation of viable real estate projects.

Global institutional investment in real estate; international capital markets viewed from the perspective of real estate investment and finance professionals.

1-3 credit hours for up to 9 credit hours total.

Supervised work experience as approved by department. Generally three hours of academic credit, but upon special request of supervising professor and approval of appropriate area director, an internship may carry a maximum of six credit hours. Pass-Fail only. Internship contract required.

An overview of real estate in both the public and private sectors that serves as the basis for advanced study in the various disciplines of real estate and urban development. No prior knowledge of the field is assumed.