FIN 4508: Financial Planning and Wealth Management

4 advanced management credits

This course will provide an Experiential Learning experience for students in the financial planning and wealth management industry. During the semester students teams will obtain hands-on consulting experience across various projects providing investment solutions, marketing guidance, and other assignments as designed by four financial planning firms. Every effort will be made to have the firms be run by members of the Babson Community. Weekly updates on the project assignment to the instructor will be a requirement of the course.

Prerequisites: One 3000 Level Finance Course

  • Program: Undergraduate
  • Division: Finance
  • Level: Advanced Elective (UGrad),Advanced Management (UGrad)
  • Course Number: FIN4508
  • Number of Credits: 4

ACC7200 Financial Reporting

2 CreditsFinancial Reporting (FINACC) - Whether you are starting your own business, working in the not-for-profit sector, managing your personal finances, or working for a large corporation, you will need to be able to incorporate financial information into your decision making process. The purpose of this course is to review the concepts surrounding financial reporting and to emphasize the importance of being an informed user of financial information. Financial reports will also be analyzed across companies, industries, and countries, providing linkages to entrepreneurial and strategic decision making. The course also addresses the ethical responsibility managers have to carry out their fiduciary responsibility to all stakeholders of the company, including the growth in corporate social responsibility reporting and how companies are incorporating this information into their reports and websites.

  • Program: Graduate
  • Division: Accounting and Law
  • Course Number: ACC7200
  • Number of Credits: 2

ACC3502 Financial Reporting and Analysis
(Formerly Intermediate Accounting for Finance)
General Credit
Students who have taken ACC3500 and/or ACC3501 cannot take ACC3502

This course is especially designed for finance majors who want to become more proficient in the financial accounting skills necessary to effectively read and interpret financial reports. The course is recommended for students interested in careers in financial management and Wall Street. Topics such as inventory, deferred taxes, inter-corporate investments, and pensions will be explored through study of accounting principles, transaction analysis, financial statement disclosure, and through financial statement analysis as it applies to corporate finance, credit analysis, and aspects of investment banking.

Prerequisites: (SME2031 or ECN2002) and (SME2001 or ACC2002)

  • Program: Undergraduate
  • Division: Accounting and Law
  • Level: Advanced Elective (UGrad),Advanced Management (UGrad)
  • Course Number: ACC3502
  • Number of Credits: 4

QTM3625 Financial Modeling Using Simulation and Optimization with Applications to Finance, Marketing, and Management
4 Advanced Liberal Arts Credits
This course is an introduction to quantitative techniques that enable marketing, finance, and management professionals to make optimal decisions under uncertainty. While theoretical background for these techniques is provided, the focus is on their applications and mastering software that is widely used in industry, such as Excel, Solver, @RISK, and MATLAB. Topics include simulation of important probability distributions, bootstrapping, random walks, linear and nonlinear optimization. Lectures draw on examples such as asset allocation under different definitions of risk; index tracking; scenario approaches to project and portfolio management; hedging and arbitrage; and derivative pricing.

Prerequisites: AQM2000

  • Program: Undergraduate
  • Division: Mathematics Analytics Science and Technology
  • Level: Advanced Elective (UGrad),Advanced Liberal Arts (UGrad)
  • Course Number: QTM3625
  • Number of Credits: 4

FIN4505 Financial Trading Strategies and Risk Management
4 General Credits
In this course, students learn to develop and implement institutional (firm-level) financial trading strategies. These strategies are guided by quantitative models that identify, quantify, and manage risks and expected return. In so doing, students learn how to make decisions in an uncertain environment. The course is based on an experiential learning approach, in which trading simulation software provides a platform for delivering learning-by-doing cases. Specific cases covered in the course include: agency trading; principal (liability) trading; algorithmic market making; managing risk capital with value-at-risk; transportation, storage, and production arbitrage in commodity futures markets; and agricultural hedging. The course also covers fundamental concepts in market microstructure, such as bid-ask spreads, price discovery, information asymmetry, liquidity, and inventory risk.

Prerequisites: SME2021 or FIN2000

  • Program: Undergraduate
  • Division: Finance
  • Level: Advanced Elective (UGrad),Advanced Management (UGrad)
  • Course Number: FIN4505
  • Number of Credits: 4

FIN7545 Financial Trading Strategies
3 Elective Credits
In this course, students learn to develop and implement institutional (firm-level) financial trading strategies. These strategies are guided by quantitative models that identify, quantify, and manage risks and expected return. In so doing, students learn how to make decisions in an uncertain environment. The course is based on an experiential learning approach, in which trading simulation software provides a platform for delivering learning-by-doing cases. Specific cases covered in the course include: agency trading; principal (liability) trading; algorithmic market making; managing risk capital with value-at-risk; transportation, storage, and production arbitrage in commodity futures markets; and agricultural hedging. The course also covers fundamental concepts in market microstructure, such as bid-ask spreads, price discovery, information asymmetry, liquidity, and inventory risk.

  • Program: Graduate
  • Division: Finance
  • Level: MSBA Elective (Grad),MSF Elective (Grad),Graduate Elective (Grad)
  • Course Number: FIN7545
  • Number of Credits: 3

FIN3535 Financing and Valuing Sustainability
4 General Credits
This course will examine the intersection of sustainability, corporate social responsibility and socially responsible investing with the traditional theories and tools of finance. Students will learn to describe the sustainability landscape and then analyze sustainable technologies, strategies, and business models from the perspective of managers, entrepreneurs, and investors. Basic financial tools such as discounted cash flow, capital budgeting, capital structure, and risk/return will be used to evaluate the feasibility and financial implications of sustainable products and practices in a variety of industries and applications. Students will learn how to balance the needs of all stakeholders in organizations to create both financial and social value.

Prerequisites: SME2021 Finance

  • Program: Undergraduate
  • Division: Finance
  • Level: Advanced Elective (UGrad),Advanced Management (UGrad)
  • Course Number: FIN3535
  • Number of Credits: 4

EPS7510 Financing Your Entrepreneurial Business
(Formerly Entrepreneurial Finance)

3 CreditsFocuses on raising seed and growth capital from venture capital, business angels, investment banking, and commercial banking sources; and financial problems unique to the small- and medium-sized firm undergoing rapid growth. Examines actual proposals made to venture capital firms, particularly in terms of their financial viability. Course also examines financial management for entrepreneurs over the life of a business project. Includes financing start-ups, financial planning for the nonpublic smaller enterprise, going public, selling out, bankruptcy, sources of capital, and other related topics.


Prerequisites: None

  • Program: Graduate
  • Division: Entrepreneurship
  • Level: Graduate Elective (Grad)
  • Course Number: EPS7510
  • Number of Credits: 3

FIN3502 FinTech
4 Advanced Management Credits

The financial services industry is changing rapidly with the emergence of financial technology (FinTech). This course is designed to introduce key financial technology and its applications in financial services. Students will develop a broad and solid understanding of the recent innovations in FinTech, and their benefits and limitations. Students will also have hands-on problem-solving experiences that are useful in the FinTech venture. Ultimately, this course aims to help students identify entrepreneurial opportunities in FinTech and equip them with relevant knowledge and skills. The course will use a mixture of lectures, hands-on programming, case studies, guest speakers, and group projects. This course emphasizes and builds on Entrepreneurial Thought & Action, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the context of the financial services industry.

Learning objectives for this course:
- Understand key financial technology, including artificial intelligence (AI) & machine learning (ML) & natural language processing (NPL), blockchain & cryptocurrency, smart contract & ethereum. Develop relevant programing skills.
- Explore recent innovations in the financial services industry, including payment, credit, capital markets, insurance, SMB, and real estate.
- Assess the value creation of FinTech. Analyze the limitations and challenges of FinTech (e.g., inclusion, regulation)
- Identify entrepreneurial opportunities in the FinTech space. Propose a FinTech startup idea and develop a business plan.

Evaluation of undergraduate program learning goals:
- Collaboration: Students will work in teams to prepare for the final project report and presentation.
- Communication: The course will be highly interactive. Students need to actively participate in case studies and guest lectures. The final project will require students to pitch a startup idea both through a written report and a presentation. The quality of the written project and oral presentation will be used as a key evaluation criterion.
- Problem-Solving: Students will develop problem-solving skills through hands-on programming and assignments, case studies, and final projects. Students will be able to apply knowledge and skills learned from this course to identify real opportunities and challenges in the FinTech industry, propose new startup ideas, and develop business plans.

Prerequisites: SME2021

  • Program: Undergraduate
  • Division: Finance
  • Level: Advanced Management (UGrad)
  • Course Number: FIN3502
  • Number of Credits: 4

FIN7532 FINTECH

3 Elective Credits

The financial services industry is changing rapidly with the emergence of financial technology (FinTech). This course is designed to introduce key financial technology and its applications in financial services. Students will develop a broad and solid understanding of the recent innovations in FinTech, and their benefits and limitations. Students will also have hands-on problem-solving experiences that are useful in the FinTech venture. Ultimately, this course aims to help students identify entrepreneurial opportunities in FinTech and equip them with relevant knowledge and skills. The course will use a mixture of lectures, case studies, guest speakers, and group projects. This course emphasizes and builds on Entrepreneurial Thought & Action, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the context of the financial services industry.

Prerequisites: None

  • Program: Graduate
  • Division: Finance
  • Level: MSBA Elective (Grad),MSF Elective (Grad),Graduate Elective (Grad)
  • Course Number: FIN7532
  • Number of Credits: 3