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Financial Analysis & Decision MakingSummer 2012Online CourseProfessor:Email:Office:Tim Nguyen, MA, MA, MPAtcnguyen1@plymouth.edu (Email is the best way to reach me)Plymouth State UniversityCollege of Graduate StudiesHighland HallPlymouth, New Hampshire 03264Course DescriptionThis course is designed to assess tools and techniques for understanding and analyzingproblems related to overall strategic financial management of a corporation. Tools for day-todayfinancial decisions to maximize firm value will be central to this course. The case studyapproach is used, and students are encouraged to relate their own experiences where possible.Course PrerequisitesCompletion of Financial Accounting course and BU5190—Accounting for Managers course.Course also assumes familiarity with Excel 2007.Course PedagogyThe format of this course is entirely online. You will be required to use the University’sLearning Management System “Moodle” for most assignments, submissions of work, andcommunication with your professor and peers. Homework/problem sets will be submitted viamyfinancelab.com.It is imperative that you read the announcements on Moodle every time you sign in. This iswhere I will post weekly administrative items for your reference.Each week will begin at 6:00 am Monday and conclude at 9:00 pm Sunday.About your InstructorProfessionally, Tim Nguyen is Director of Investments at the University of ConnecticutFoundation. He assists his Vice President & Chief Investment Officer in managing a multi-assetclass portfolio (consisting of Long-only Equities/Bonds, Hedge Funds, Private Equity, Real Estate,and Commodities, Corporate Governance, and Natural Resources). Prior to joining theFoundation, Mr. Nguyen was with the Texas Treasury, where he initiated and led the firm'sAlternative Investments Division (Hedge Funds, Private Equity, Real Estate, CorporateGovernance, and Real Assets). Additionally, he launched the "Single Risk Platform" whichattempted to aggregate risk across a multi-asset class portfolio, vehicles and trading platforms.Before beginning his career in Public Fund Investing, Mr. Nguyen had the pleasure of working atthe following financial services companies where he learned the art of credit analysis and

financial fraud: MBIA, BNP Paribas, Fitch Rating Agency, Texas Commerce Bank, AmericanSkandia, and The Royal Bank of Scotland. Simultaneously, he is the Research Coordinator at theTraumatic Brain Injury Model System at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital/Partners Healthcarein Boston, MA.Academically, he holds two undergraduate degrees (magna cum laude distinction) from theUniversity of Houston, one in Psychology and one in Political Science. Additionally, he holdsadvanced degrees from Yale University with a focus in Religion and Social Sciences, fromColumbia University with a focus in Economics and Public Policy, and from Brown Universitywith a focus in Development Studies.He currently teaches at the following universities, colleges, and business schools:a) Brown University (Grad/Undergrad)b) University of Connecticut College of Liberal Arts & Sciences (Undergrad)c) University of Buffalo School of Management (MBA)d) University of Connecticut School of Business (MBA/Grad/Undergrad)e) The McCombs School of Business at University of Texas (MBA/Grad/Undergrad)Lastly, he is a member of the Dean’s Advisory Board at the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences atUniversity of Connecticut, as well as the Honorary Chairman of Global Absolute ReturnCongress, a premier global investment conference. (www.global-arc.net)Email Correspondence PolicyMonday to Friday: Response within 24 hours. Saturday and Sunday: Response will be less than12 hours.Posting Etiquette:Do’sreread your post to make sure what you're saying is clear.keep your posts short and concise.keep your posts on topic.spell-check.Don'tsmake fun of someone else's thoughts or opinions -- respecting your classmates helpsensure everyone can maximize the benefits of a discussion board.immediately respond to a post in anger -- responding to a post in anger may lead toclassmate resentment. Also, other classmates may not be as inclined to participate infear of how others may respond. Keep the discussion board friendly and on topic

Grading# Item Percentage of Grade1 Online discussions with classmates 10%2 1 page Weekly Reflective Essay relating to reading10%(Reflective essays are assigned on Sunday night)3 Weekly Problem Sets20%(Weekly problems are assigned on Sunday night)4 Group Case Study (3 written analysis)30%(Questions relating to case study are assigned on Sundaynight)5 Final Exam 30%Reflective Essays:A one page reflective essay about the week’s reading is due Sunday before 9:00 pm. Essay willbe submitted via “Moodle”Weekly Homework:A number of problems corresponding to textbook chapters will be assigned. Homework is dueis due Sunday before 9:00 pm. Homework will be submitted via “myfinancelab.com”Case Study:The case study is essential to the course, as application of concepts and tools learned topractical business circumstance will be demonstrated. The case study is due Sunday before 9:00pm. Depending on the number of students enrolled in this course, I may assign groupsrelating to the case study. Each group/individual will submit a 3 page written analysis via “Moodle”. Each analysis should be typed, double spaced, and written as if you were writing arecommendation to a Chief Executive Officer or other major decision maker in thecorporation. You should be ready to articulate your viewpoints in class as if you were ina corporate setting.Final Exam:There will be one open book/notes exam, a cumulative final. The exam will be 50% qualitative(essay format) and 50% quantitative. Exam will be submitted via “Moodle” and“myfinancelab.com”. The exam will be assigned on August 30th at 3:00 pm and due August 31 stat 3:00 pm.Required Texts Corporate Finance, 2 nd Edition, by Jonathan Berk and Peter DeMarzo, Prentice-Hall,2011 (Purchase books located at PSU Book Store and/or at www.pearsonhighered.com(ISBN-13: 978-0-13-608943-8) Subscription to MyFinanceLab at www.myfinancelab.com

Course ID is needed when logging on to MyFinanceLab: nguyen89315Various Harvard Business Case StudiesOptional Texts Financial Analysis with Microsoft Excel 2007, 5 th Edition, by Timothy Mayes and ToddShank. Given timeline of course, this resource is good for those who are not proficientwith Microsoft Excel 2007. (ISBN-13: 9781439040379)Session Outline (Subject to change as circumstances may warrant)Session Week Topic Reading Assignments Due1 7/2 to 7/8 Theories of theChapters: 1 1 page Reflective EssayCorporation HBS Case Study Write Up 1: Ethicsin Finance by Robert Bruner(Product Number: UV0472-PDF-ENG)2 7/9 to 7/15 Financial Statements Chapter 2 1 page Reflective Essay Assigned Problem Sets3 7/16 to 7/22 Arbitrage & Financial Chapter 3 1 page Reflective EssayDecision Making Assigned Problem Sets4 7/23 to 7/29 Working Capital Chapter 26 1 page Reflective Essay HBS Case Study Write Up 2: KrispyKreme Doughnuts by Paul Healy(Product Number: 103018-PDF-ENG)5 7/30 to 8/5 Time Value of Money Interest RatesChapter 4 & 5 1 page Reflective Essay Assigned Problem Sets6 8/6 to 8/12 Risk & Return Capital Asset PriceModelChapters 10 &111 page Reflective EssayHBS Case Study Write Up 3: AlexSharpe’s Portfolio by ColetteSoutham (Product Number:908N20-PDF-ENG)7 8/13 to 8/19 Investment DecisionRules8 8/20 to 8/26 Estimating the Cost ofCapital Corporate GovernanceChapter 6 1 page Reflective Essay Assigned Problem SetsChapter 12, 29 1 page Reflective Essay Assigned Problem Sets9 8/27 to 8/31 Final Exam (emphasis placed on 10, 11, 12, and 29)Technical Support

Regarding Moodle/email problems: For assistance, please contact the PSU IT Help Desk athelpdesk@plymouth.edu or at 603-535-2929.Regarding myfinancelab.com technical questions: For technical assistance, please go to thefollowing link:http://www.myfinancelab.com/support/student-supportFor non-technical questions, please contactMichael GibsonPublisher's RepresentativeProfessional and CareerHigher EducationM: 207-604-9205Email: Michael.Gibson@Pearson.comAcademic IntegrityAll assignments and exams are subject to PSU’s Academic Integrity Policy. Problem Sets andFinal Exam are not to be discussed between students or on the Discussion Board. Anyone whoviolates this policy will be subject to penalties such as assignment/course failure or expulsion.The Academic Integrity Policy can be found here:http://www.plymouth.edu/graduate/academics/catalog/university-policies/Students with DisabilitiesPlymouth State University is committed to providing students with documented disabilitiesequal access to all university programs and facilities. If you think you have a disability requiringaccommodations, you should contact the PASS Office in Lamson Library immediately (603-535-2270) to determine whether you are eligible for such accommodations. If you have Letter ofAccommodation for this course from PASS Office, please provide the instructor with thatinformation privately so that you and the instructor can review those accommodationsaccordingly.