Syllabus

Master of Business Administration

BUFI 510: Financial Management (Fall A 2025)

Credits - 3

Description

This course focuses on financial management and making financial decisions. You will learn about key topics such as the time value of money, how to value bonds and stocks, ratio analysis, financing choices, capital budgeting, cost of capital, capital structure, risk and return, dividend policy, operating and financial leverage, and working capital management. You will explore essential ideas about how to create an optimal capital budget and manage short- and long-term financing choices.

Materials

Required:

McGraw-Hill Connect course platform

Requires purchase through Brightspace course

  • Ross, S. A., Westerfield, R., Jaffe, J. F., Jordan, B. D., & Shue, K. (2025b). Corporate Finance. McGraw-Hill.

Harvard Business Review Coursepack

To purchase this coursepack: https://hbsp.harvard.edu/import/1289967

  • Finsimco Simulation: Financial Statement Analysis
  • Case Study: Garmin – Finding an Optimal Capital Structure
  • Case Study: Dell’s Working Capital

Learning Objectives and Outcomes

  • Analyze the time value of money to calculate present and future values for bonds, stocks, and cash flows.
  • Compute and interpret key financial ratios to evaluate a firm’s liquidity, profitability, leverage, and efficiency.
  • Compare financing options—debt, equity, and hybrid—using cost of capital and risk–return measures to recommend optimal capital structures.
  • Evaluate working capital by analyzing the cash cycle and inventory strategies to optimize liquidity and operational efficiency.

Assignments

For all assessments and learning activities, see Brightspace for the full assignment descriptions and instructions. Read the prompts carefully and use the rubrics to confirm how assignments and discussions will be graded.

McGraw-Hill Connect Homework

Weekly problem sets using McGraw-Hill Connect will reinforce key calculations and decision-making tools, including ratio analysis, valuation techniques, capital structure planning, and cash flow forecasting. These assignments align with textbook chapters and provide immediate feedback to support mastery of the material.

Weekly Discussions

Discussions are designed to build your critical thinking and communication skills. Prompts connect course content to real-world events and ethical considerations. You’ll share your insights, apply course concepts to practical scenarios, and engage with your peers’ perspectives. Be sure to follow guidelines for professionalism and proper sourcing.

Case Studies and Simulations

You will complete several real-world case analyses and one simulation that mimics the experience of a financial analyst. These activities challenge you to apply concepts such as capital budgeting, working capital management, and cost of capital decisions. Case deliverables often include both a written report and an accompanying spreadsheet analysis.

Exams

Three timed, online exams assess your ability to apply financial models and interpret financial outcomes. Each exam covers multiple chapters and may include problem-solving, conceptual questions, and data interpretation. Use the practice problems in Connect and module activities to prepare.

Grading Policy

Your grade in this course will be determined by the following criteria:

Grade Breakdown

CategoryWeight
Academic Integrity Agreement1%
Discussions 14%
Homework: McGraw Hill Connect10%
Simulation & Case Studies15%
Exam 1 (Ch. 3, 5 and 13)20%
Exam 2 (Ch. 16, 17 and 18)20%
Exam 3 (Ch 26, 27 and 28)20%
Total100%

Grade Scale

Grade Points Grade Point Average (GPA)
A 94 – 100% 4.00
A- 90 – 93% 3.75
B+ 87 – 89% 3.50
B 84 – 86% 3.00
B- 80 – 83% 2.75
C+ 77 – 79% 2.50
C 74 – 76% 2.00
C- 70 – 73% 1.75
D 64 – 69% 1.00
F 00 – 63% 0.00

Schedule

Course Dates: 8/27/2025 – 10/17/2025

Week 1: Wednesday – Sunday
Week 2: Monday – Sunday
Week 3: Monday – Sunday
Week 4: Monday – Sunday
Week 5: Monday – Sunday
Week 6: Monday – Sunday
Week 7: Monday – Sunday
Week 8: Monday – Friday

 

WEEK TOPICS ASSESSMENTS DUE
1 Financial Statement Analysis & Financial Models
  • Introductory Discussion
  • Week 1 Discussion: Analyzing Financial Statements
  • Ch. 3 Homework (McGraw-Hill Connect)
  • Finsimco Financial Advisor Simulation introduced (due in Week 4)
  • Initial Discussion Posts due Friday at 11:59 PM ET
  • Discussion Responses due Sunday at 11:59 PM ET
  • Homework due Sunday at 11:59 PM ET
2 Net Present Value & Other Investment Rules
  • Week 2 Discussion: Which Investment Method Would You Use, and Why?
  • Ch. 5 Homework (McGraw-Hill Connect)
  • Work on Finsimco Financial Advisor Simulation (due in Week 4)
  • Initial Discussion Posts due Friday at 11:59 PM ET
  • Discussion Responses due Sunday at 11:59 PM ET
  • Homework due Sunday at 11:59 PM ET
3 Risk, Cost of Capital, and Valuation
  • Ch. 13 Homework (McGraw-Hill Connect)
  • Exam 1 (McGraw-Hill Connect)
  • Work on Finsimco Financial Advisor Simulation (due in Week 4)
  • Homework due Sunday at 11:59 PM ET
  • Exam due Sunday at 11:59 PM ET
4 Capital Structure – Basic Concepts
  • Week 4 Discussion: Why Do Companies Change Their Mix of Debt and Equity?
  • Ch. 16 Homework (McGraw-Hill Connect)
  • Finsimco Financial Advisor Simulation and Summary Reflection due
  • Initial Discussion Posts due Friday at 11:59 PM ET
  • Discussion Responses due Sunday at 11:59 PM ET
  • Homework due Sunday at 11:59 PM ET
  • Simulation due Sunday at 11:59 PM ET
5 Capital Structure – Limits to the Use of Debt
  • Week 5 Discussion: High Leverage – Where’s the Line Between Strategy and Risk?
  • Ch. 17 Homework (McGraw-Hill Connect)
  • Week 5 Case Study Assignment: McKenzie Corporation’s Capital Budgeting
  • Initial Discussion Posts due Friday at 11:59 PM ET
  • Discussion Responses due Sunday at 11:59 PM ET
  • Homework due Sunday at 11:59 PM ET
  • Case Study due Sunday at 11:59 PM ET
6 Valuation & Capital Budgeting for the Levered Firm
  • Ch. 18 Homework (McGraw-Hill Connect)
  • Exam 2 (McGraw-Hill Connect)
  • Homework due Sunday at 11:59 PM ET
  • Exam due Sunday at 11:59 PM ET
7 Short-Term Finance & Planning
  • Week 7 Discussion: Liquidity vs. Profitability – Finding the Right Balance
  • Ch. 26 Homework (McGraw-Hill Connect)
  • Week 7 Case Study Assignment: Garmin – Finding Optimal Capital Structure
  • Initial Discussion Posts due Friday at 11:59 PM ET
  • Discussion Responses due Sunday at 11:59 PM ET
  • Homework due Sunday at 11:59 PM ET
  • Case Study due Sunday at 11:59 PM ET
8 Cash Management, Credit & Inventory Management
  • Ch. 27 Homework (McGraw-Hill Connect)
  • Ch. 28 Homework (McGraw-Hill Connect)
  • Exam 3 (McGraw-Hill Connect)
  • Homework due FRIDAY at 11:59 PM ET
  • Exam due FRIDAY at 11:59 PM ET

 

Student Resources

Online Student Support

Your Enrollment and Retention Counselor is a resource for you. Please don't hesitate to contact them for assistance, including, but not limited to course planning, current problems or issues in a course, technology concerns, or personal emergencies.

Questions? Please reach out to your student success team member.

UNE Libraries:

  • Library Access for all students: Your library login ID and password are the same as the ones you use to log into Brightspace.
  • Research by Subject: Business & Entrepreneurship Collection
  • Library Questions: Ask a librarian or phone library staff at (207) 602-2361 or (207) 221-4330.

UNE Student Academic Success Center

UNE's Student Academic Success Center (SASC) offers a range of free online services to support your academic achievement. Writing support, ESOL support, study strategy and learning style consultations, as well as downloadable resources, are available to all matriculating students. To make an appointment for any of these services, go to une.tutortrac.com. For more information and to view and download writing and studying resources, please visit:

Accommodations

Any student who would like to request, or ask any questions regarding, academic adjustments or accommodations must contact the Student Access Center at (207) 221-4438 or pcstudentaccess@une.edu. Student Access Center staff will evaluate the student's documentation and determine eligibility of accommodation(s) through the Student Access Center registration procedure.

Online Peer Support

Togetherall is a 24/7 communication and emotional support platform monitored by trained clinicians. It’s a safe place online to get things off your chest, have conversations, express yourself creatively, and learn how to manage your mental health. If sharing isn’t your thing, Togetherall has other tools and courses to help you look after yourself with plenty of resources to explore. Whether you’re struggling to cope, feeling low, or just need a place to talk, Togetherall can help you explore your feelings in a safe supportive environment. You can join Togetherall using your UNE email address.

Information Technology Services (ITS)

Students should notify their student success team member and instructor in the event of a problem relating to a course. This notification should occur promptly and proactively to support timely resolution.

ITS Contact: Toll-Free Help Desk 24 hours/7 days per week 

Phone: Mon-Fri: (207) 602-2487

After Hours/Weekends: (877) 518-4673

Career Ready Program

UNE Online supports its online students and alumni in their career journey!

The Career Ready Program provides tools and resources to help students explore and hone in on their career goals, search for jobs, create and improve professional documents, build professional network, learn interview skills, grow as a professional, and more. Come back often, at any time, as you move through your journey from career readiness as a student to career growth, satisfaction, and success as alumni.

Policies

Passing Grade Statement

A grade of 80% or higher is required to pass the course. A grade lower than 80% will result in you having to repeat the course. Obtaining two "Fs" in the program will result in dismissal from the program.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Statement

Generative AI (GenAI) applications (like ChatGPT) have proven to be powerful and effective tools, and students are encouraged to become familiar with and use them. However, as with any tool, students must use GenAI in ways that support their roles as learners and professionals. The use of AI in academic work falls under our academic integrity agreement, ensuring that all AI applications are used in alignment with our commitment to honest and responsible learning.

In situations in which AI tools are used as a resource, students must:

  • Ensure that all submitted academic work adequately demonstrates student learning (i.e., that the student, rather than a machine, has met the learning outcomes related to the assessment).
  • Acknowledge, in written assessments and extra-curricular applications, the role played by AI tools in producing the student’s work (this can usually be done in a citation or by including a session transcript).
  • Take ultimate responsibility for accuracy of results, think critically about them, and never substitute them for professional human judgment.
  • Monitor GenAI output for bias and risks for vulnerable populations and underrepresented groups.

As GenAI continues to evolve, students should also stay abreast of best practices and changing risks and benefits.

Please note that individual courses or assignments may have specific guidelines regarding AI use — please refer to your faculty’s directions or assignment instructions for details.

The Student Orientation has a module "Artificial Intelligence Literacy for Students", please refer to this module for more information about navigating the use of AI.

Turnitin Originality Check and Plagiarism Detection Tool

UNE uses Turnitin to help deter plagiarism and to foster the proper attribution of sources. Turnitin provides comparative reports for submitted assignments that reflect similarities in other written works. This can include, but is not limited to, previously submitted assignments, internet articles, research journals, and academic databases.

Make sure to cite your sources appropriately as well as use your own words in synthesizing information from published literature. 

You can learn more about Turnitin in the guide on how to navigate your Similarity Report.

Technology Requirements

Please review the technical requirements for UNE Online Graduate Programs: Technical Requirements.

Late Policy

Students are responsible for submitting work by the date indicated in Brightspace.

Quizzes and Tests: Quizzes and tests must be completed by the due date. They will not be accepted after the due date.

Assignments: Unless otherwise specified, assignments will be accepted up to 3 days late; however, there is a 10% grade reduction (from the total points) for the late submission. After three days the assignment will not be accepted.

Discussion posts: If the initial post is submitted late, but still within the discussion board week, there will be a 10% grade reduction from the total discussion grade (e.g., a 3 point discussion will be reduced by 0.3 points). Any posts submitted after the end of the Discussion Board week will not be graded.

Please make every effort ahead of time to contact your instructor and your enrollment and retention counselor if you are not able to meet an assignment deadline. Arrangements for extenuating circumstances may be considered by faculty.

Student Handbook - Policies and Procedures

The policies contained within this document apply to all students at the University of New England. It is each student's responsibility to know the contents of this handbook.

UNE Student Handbook

UNE Course Withdrawal

Please contact your Enrollment and Retention Counselor if you are considering dropping or withdrawing from a course. Tuition charges may still apply. Students are strongly urged to consult with Student Financial Services, as course withdrawals may affect financial aid or Veterans benefits.

Attendance Policy

Students taking online graduate courses through the College of Business will be administratively dropped for non-participation if a graded assignment/discussion post is not submitted before Sunday at 11:59 p.m. ET of the first week. Reinstatement is at the purview of the Dean’s Office.

Academic Integrity

The University of New England values academic integrity in all aspects of the educational experience. Academic dishonesty in any form undermines this standard and devalues the original contributions of others. It is the responsibility of all members of the University community to actively uphold the integrity of the academy; failure to act, for any reason, is not acceptable. For information about plagiarism and academic misconduct, please visit UNE Plagiarism Policies.

Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to the following:

  1. Cheating, copying, or the offering or receiving of unauthorized assistance or information.
  2. Fabrication or falsification of data, results, or sources for papers or reports.
  3. Action which destroys or alters the work of another student.
  4. Multiple submissions of the same paper or report for assignments in more than one course without permission of each instructor.
  5. Plagiarism, the appropriation of records, research, materials, ideas, or the language of other persons or writers and the submission of them as one's own.