BF 232 PERSONAL FINANCE AND INVESTING

This course provides students with basic concepts and tools individuals to use in conducting their financial affairs. Topics include budgeting, consumer protection, borrowing alternatives, automobile and housing approaches, insurance strategies, savings strategies, and income tax considerations. Students also learn about investing including matching investments to goals (time horizon & criticality), portfolio construction that balances risk vs. return, and tax advantaged accounts. Students learn about stocks, bonds, mutual funds and other types of investments. Students will learn life is juggling short-term and long-term goals and that financial decisions have financial consequences resulting in an opportunity cost framework in decision making. The course teaches/uses basic Excel for modeling and has a capstone project for students to develop a financial plan for themselves for the first 10 years out of school. Lecture: 3 hours per week. 3 Credits