MBA 808: Creating Value Through Finance

Summer 1 2026 Syllabus � Pace University

Course Overview & Objectives

The primary objective of this course is to provide you with an introduction to finance theory and practice, so that you can apply it in the different areas of business management. In addition, this course should enable you to decide whether to proceed with more advanced study of finance.

Prerequisites: It is assumed that you have taken a beginning course in Economics and in Accounting. If you haven't, please let the professor know as early as possible for additional supportive guidance.

What You Will Know After Successful Completion:

  • The meanings of fundamental financial concepts
  • The purpose and functions of the financial system
  • The appropriate objectives of the firm's managers
  • The time value of money
  • The relationship between risk and return
  • The basics of the valuation of bonds and stocks

What You Will Be Able To Do:

  • Manipulate formulas based on the time value of money.
  • Interpret the firm's financial statements.
  • Compute risk measures for projects and financial assets.
  • Use financial statement information to value stocks and bonds.

Key Decision Areas Enhanced by This Course:

  • What strategies should you use to improve your firm's profitability?
  • What projects should you invest in to maximize firm value?
  • Which combination of investments will maximize the value of your portfolio?
  • How should you finance the operations of the firm?

The course will guide you on the path to mastery in two areas � conceptual knowledge and quantitative skills. In order to do well in finance, you need both kinds of mastery. Computations of financial ratios, investment returns, portfolio returns, equity betas, stock prices, bond prices, and yields-to-maturity are solely intermediate steps used along with conceptual knowledge to make value-creating decisions.

Course Textbook & Digital Materials

Required Text:
Jonathan Berk and Peter DeMarzo, Corporate Finance, Pearson Prentice-Hall, 6th edition.

This course text setup has two core mandatory elements:

  1. The Textbook: Can be purchased as a hardcopy or as a loose-leaf edition (via Amazon, the Pace Bookstore, the Pearson store, or elsewhere).
  2. MyFinanceLab (MFL): A critical series of e-learning materials, practice assignments, e-tests, and e-quizzes.

Note on Access: While you can purchase the physical text from various vendors, Pearson is the exclusive platform to obtain MyFinanceLab access, which also bundles digital access to the text dynamically.

How to Utilize Textbook Material & Support:

  • Read each text-book chapter before starting it in class, while working through it, and after completion. Class sessions are designed to complement the text, not substitute for it.
  • Review the PowerPoint slides for each chapter via links provided within each corresponding module.
  • For explicit help with MyLab Finance for Brightspace, visit the official support page at Pearson Support.

Course Requirements & Assessments

Corresponding to the two core branches of learning (conceptual knowledge and quantitative skills), assessments are aligned across two primary platforms:

1. BrightSpace Quizzes (Conceptual Understanding)

  • Each module will contain one or more multiple-choice quizzes taken online.
  • LockDown Browser is strictly required to take these quizzes.
  • You are permitted three attempts per quiz; the highest score achieved will be logged as your final grade.
  • The primary purpose of these quizzes is to incentivize proactive study and flag areas that require standard text review.

2. MyFinanceLab (MFL) Assignments (Quantitative Execution)

  • MFL Homework assignments: Designed to offer practice problems similar to end-of-chapter exercises. You can attempt these unlimited times. They don't count towards the baseline grade but award valuable bonus points.
  • MFL Quizzes: Mandatory chapter tests with no time limits. You have two tries per quiz; the highest score is retained.
  • Use resources like "Question Help", step-by-step examples, and Chapter Resources/Study Plans available within the platform dashboard.

3. Midterm & Final Exams (Tests 1 & 2)

  • Test 1 (Two Parts):
    • MFL Component: Chapters 4 and 7 quantitative questions. Solved using a calculator, paper/pencil, or Excel. Includes one mortgage problem and one Chapter 7 problem. Time limit: 40 minutes. Max score: 100.
    • BrightSpace Component: Multiple choice questions covering Modules 1-4 alongside contextual questions from an embedded current media article. Webcam and computer setup required. Time limit: 90 minutes. Max score: 84.
    • Weighting: Equal average weighting between the MFL and BrightSpace sections.
  • Test 2 (Two Parts):
    • MFL Component: Five end-of-chapter questions mapped from Chapters 6, 8, 9, 10, and 14. Time limit: 90 minutes. Max score: 100. (Weights 20% of Test 2 grade)
    • BrightSpace Component: Multiple choice questions evaluating Capital Markets, Bond Prices, Capital Structure, plus an analytical query on a recent media article. Time limit: 120 minutes. Max score: 130. (Weights 80% of Test 2 grade)

4. Capital Budgeting Team Assignment

This major team assignment mirrors an active professional corporate budgeting flow. It synthesizes multiple course components: estimating the cost of equity via CAPM, estimating debt costs, and utilizing accounting summaries.

  • Completed in structured Teams of 4.
  • Requires utilizing specific case materials: Excelerite Integrated Systems, Inc. (EIS) Product Number: 9B08N006, available from Ivey Publishing (www.iveycases.com).
  • Submissions must include a descriptive Word document detailing findings alongside a responsive Excel file embedded with live computation formulas.

5. Group Homework Assignments

Four explicit team-based milestone assignments focusing on: Financial Statement Analysis, Time Value of Money, Stock Valuation, and Bond Valuation.

File Naming & Submission Conventions:

  • Team Assignments: teamcaptainfirstname_teamcaptainlastname_firstwordofassignment_secondwordofassignmentname.fileext (or use team format, e.g., team2_credit_rationing.docx). Must be submitted exclusively by the designated Team Captain.
  • Individual Assignments: lastname_firstname_firstwordofassignmentname.fileext (e.g., john_perry_financial_operating.docx).
  • Formatting Rule: Submissions must be delivered as Word documents or Excel files. PDF documents are explicitly banned because marking up live digital feedback on them is less efficient. Failure to follow file-naming and file-type conventions may incur standard point penalties.

Course Outline & Timetable (Summer 1 2026)

Keep a regular watch on milestones, assignment due dates, and discussion closing deadlines.

Date Module & Topic Focus Deliverables & Due Dates Discussion Board Windows
May 28 Module 1A: Financial Markets and Institutions Term officially begins �
May 31 Reviewing Module 1A Materials Due: BS Quiz 1 (Financial System) & BS Quiz 2 (Financial Institutions) �
June 1 Module 1B: Financial Market Function � �
June 3 Reviewing Module 1B Materials Due: BS Quiz 3 (Functions) & BS Quiz 4 (Banks) Last date for posting: Global Reconstruction
June 4 Module 2: Corporate Governance & The Corporation (Ch. 1 & 29) � �
June 7 Reviewing Module 2 Materials Due: BS Quiz 5 (Corporate Governance) �
June 8 Module 3: Intro to Financial Statement Analysis (Ch. 2) � �
June 10 Reviewing Module 3 Materials Due: BS Quiz 6, MFL Homework & Quiz (Ch. 2),
Financial Statement Analysis Group Assignment		 Last date for posting: Goodwill Accounting
June 11 Module 4: Arbitrage and Financial Decision Making (Ch. 3) � �
June 14 Reviewing Module 4 Materials Due: BS Quiz 7, MFL Homework & Quiz (Ch. 3) �
June 15 Module 5: The Time Value of Money (Ch. 4) � �
June 17 Reviewing Module 5 Materials Due: MFL Homework & Quiz (Ch. 4),
Time Value of Money Group Assignment		 �
June 18 Module 6: Investment Decision Rules (Ch. 7) � �
June 20-21 EXAM WINDOW: TEST 1 Take online anytime during window (MFL & BrightSpace parts) �
June 21 Reviewing Module 6 Materials Due: MFL Homework & Quiz (Ch. 7) Last date for posting: Short Selling
June 22 Module 7: Capital Markets and the Pricing of Risk (Ch. 10) � �
June 24 Reviewing Module 7 Materials Due: MFL Homework & Quiz (Ch. 10), BS Quiz 8.
Action: Start work on Excelrite Capital Budgeting Case		 �
June 25 Module 8: Fundamentals of Capital Budgeting (Ch. 8) � �
June 28 Reviewing Module 8 Materials Due: BS Quiz 9 (Discount Rates), MFL Homework & Quiz (Ch. 8) �
June 29 Module 9: Valuing Stocks (Ch. 9) Milestone: Team Capital Budgeting incremental cash flows computed �
July 1 Reviewing Module 9 Materials Due: BS Quiz 10, MFL Homework & Quiz (Ch. 9),
Stock Valuation Group Assignment.
Milestone: Team computed cost of equity in two ways; first draft complete.		 Last date for posting: Stock Market Bubbles
July 2 Module 10: Capital Structure in Perfect & Imperfect Markets (Ch. 14) � �
July 5 Reviewing Module 10 Materials Due: BS Quizzes 11, 12, 13; MFL Homework & Quiz (Ch. 14).
Milestone: Team computed cost of debt in two ways.		 Last date for posting: Capital Structure
July 6 Module 11: Interest Rates (Ch. 5) � �
July 8 Reviewing Module 11 Materials Due: MFL Homework & Quiz (Ch. 5),
Excelrite Capital Budgeting Final Project Due		 �
July 9 Module 12: Valuing Bonds (Ch. 6) � �
July 10 Reviewing Module 12 Materials Due: BS Quiz 14, MFL Homework & Quiz (Ch. 6),
Bond Pricing Group Assignment		 �
July 10-11 EXAM WINDOW: TEST 2 Take online anytime during window (MFL & BrightSpace parts) �

Grading & Evaluation Criteria

MyFinanceLab Quizzes25%
BrightSpace Quizzes15%
Test 115%
Test 215%
Group Homeworks10%
Capital Budgeting Case10%
Discussion Boards10%
MFL HomeworkBonus Pts

Grading Scale Breakdown:

Letter Grade Quantitative Score Range
A95.0% � 100.0%
A-90.0% � 94.99%
B+85.0% � 89.99%
B80.0% � 84.99%
B-75.0% � 79.99%
C+70.0% � 74.99%
C60.0% � 69.99%
F0.0% � 59.99%
Professor's Discretionary Notice:
  • Plus and minus boundary adjustments are subject to final distributions within the grade cohort.
  • Effort Incentive: Proactive work across assignments can potentially raise final marks by "one notch" if active effort across requirements is proven.
  • Critical Fail Caveat: Irrespective of numerical weight tallies, completely missing the Capital Budgeting Assignment, major tests, or an unacceptable ratio of quizzes/homework may prompt a final course grade of F.

Peer Evaluation Mechanism

To keep group work equitable, mandatory peer evaluations must be compiled individually under Activities before deadlines. If missing, instructor inferences on teammate contribution weights will apply.

University Policies & Student Resources

Contact & Communication

Professor PV is reachable via email at pviswanath@pace.edu. Email is checked daily; expect prompt replies. All official communications flow strictly via your designated Pace University email inbox (forwarding instructions can be arranged through the standard Pace ITS interface).

Academic Integrity

Students must strictly obey the Pace University Academic Integrity Code. Plagiarism or cheating triggers programmatic review. For reference on citation standards, consult the Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL).

LockDown Browser & Webcam Protocol

Both Brightspace testing modules and portions of exams mandate Respondus LockDown Browser and a synchronized webcam feed. Ensure these measures are tracked:

  • Desk space must remain entirely clear of books, notes, or external devices.
  • Ensure you are inside a fully private space with no external interruptions allowed.
  • If an anomalous event happens mid-test, explicitly state the cause out loud directly into your active webcam camera before completing submission.

Support Ecosystem (Learning Commons)

Pace provides free tutoring alongside comprehensive skill-building workshops:

  • Content Support: Dedicated course material tutoring and structured test review setups.
  • Academic Skills: Core study habit counseling and small-group mentoring opportunities.
  • Writing Support: Complete report structuring and essay review help.

Accessibility Accommodations

Reasonable provisions for student disabilities are coordinated solely through the Student Accessibility Services department. Faculty members are not authorized to unilaterally grant adjustments without departmental sign-off.

Technology Assistance

For immediate technical troubleshooting or connection hurdles, contact the Pace Helpdesk directly at (914) 773-3648 or file an online help request tracker.

MBA 808: Creating Value Through Finance - Interactive Syllabus