FIN 5380 680: International Finance

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FIN 5380 - International Finance: International Finance (Sub I- Aug 25 to Oct 10)

Fall 2025 Syllabus, Section 680, CRN 17336

Instructor Information

Nathaniel Graham

Email: nathaniel.graham@tamiu.edu

Office Hours:
Virtual office hours are scheduled for 3-5pm CST on Tuesdays
Other hours are available by appointment.

Times and Location

Does Not Meet Face-to-Face

Course Description

This course provides a comprehensive macroeconomic study of exchange rate determination, exchange rate mechanisms and markets, international parity relationships, the forecasting of exchange rates and measurement of exchange rate exposure, and international trade financing.
Intnl Banking&Finance Studies Department, Sanchez School of Business

Additional Course Information

Prerequisite

According to the TAMIU Catalog, there are no prerequisites for this course. This course is an elective course for the MBA program with a concentration in finance. 

AI Statement

Generative tools/large language models such as ChatGPT are permitted but students are solely responsible for everything they turn in.

Student Learning Outcomes

Course Goal

This course provides a comprehensive macroeconomic study of exchange rate determination, exchange rate mechanisms and markets, international parity relationships, the forecasting of exchange rates and measurement of exchange rate exposure, and international trade financing.

Upon successful completion of this course, each student will:

  • CO1: Describe the globalization process and the rationale behind the existence of multinational companies.

  • CO2: Interpret the relation between trade, international flow of funds, and exchange rates. 

  • CO3: Apply strategies to currency risk management using derivatives.

  • CO4: Interpret the relation between international arbitrage, interest rates, inflation, and exchange rates.

  • CO5: Calculate forecasted exchange rates for a firm operating in different countries.

  • CO6: Compare firms using capital and debt domestically with firms using economic resources in different currencies.

Curriculum Objectives Targeted:
  • Exhibit competence in the basic knowledge of how international finance in organizations operating in different countries helps improve operations, reduce cost, enhance efficiency, and promote a better strategic position.
  • Discuss why a firm decides to operate in different countries and the relationship between labor, materials, and cost of financing sources.  
  • Interpret the importance of interest rates, exchange rates, international financial markets, and trade for a multinational firm.

Important Dates

Visit the Academic Calendar (tamiu.edu) page to view the term's important dates.

Textbooks

Group Title Author ISBN
Required International Financial Management. 14th Edition Jeff Madura 9798214346168

Other Course Materials

Additional Guidance of the Required Textbook

This textbook covers the most important financial management topics for multinational firms operating in different countries. Understanding the globalization process and the integration of financial markets globally is important. Free trade agreements are the foundations for this process. It is important to see how countries can manipulate currencies through interest rates, inflation, and trade. The book covers the essential foundations regarding international financial markets, currencies, and interest rates to apply for a multinational firm.

Grading Criteria

Activities, Tasks, Exams, and Grades:
ACTIVITY/TASK CATEGORY TOTAL POINTS
Homework (6) 50%
Final Exam 50%
Semester Grade: Grading Scale
GRADE PERCENTAGE
A 90-100%
B 80-89.99%
C 70-79.99%
D 60-69.99%
F Below 60
Summary:

This course’s assessment process will be divided into one (1) exam and seven (6) homework assignments; the exam counts for 50% and the homework assignments count for the other 50%.

Assessment Activities & Tasks

Exam

Exam Policies and Specifics:
  • During the exam, you may make use of any notes you have, the textbook, or any online resources you desire, but you must do your own work - you may not ask any other person for help.
  • You only have one chance to take each exam. No makeup is available. As soon as the final is complete, your grade for the course will be calculated and submitted to the registrar by the instructor.
  • No exam software (Respondus, etc) is required.
  • Expect to use Excel or another spreadsheet program extensively during the exam.

Homework

  • All homework assignments are administered via Cengage.
  • You may use the textbook, any notes you have, or any online resources you desire.
  • Late work will not be accepted.
 

Important Note to the Course Calendar

Please note that the last week (Module 7) ends on the last day of the course (Friday, October 10), not on Sunday.

Course Calendar

Week of Agenda/Topic Reading(s) Due
8/25 Module 0: Preparation for the Course
Module 1: Introduction and Open Macroeconomics (Chapters 1 & 2)		 Ch 1. Multinational Financial Management: An Overview
Ch 2. International Flow of Funds		 Assignments, Chapters 1 & 2
9/1 Module 2: International Markets and Exchange Rates (Chapters 3 & 4) Ch 3. International Financial Markets
Ch 4. Exchange Rate Determination		 Assignments, Chapters 3 & 4
9/8 Module 3: Currency Derivatives (Chapter 5) Ch 5. Currency Derivatives Assignment, Chapter 5
9/15 Module 4: Open Macroeconomic Theories and Hypotheses (Chapters 7 & 8) Ch 7. International Arbitrage and Interest Rate Parity
Ch 8. Relationships among Inflation, Interest Rates & Exchange Rates		 Assignments, Chapters 7 & 8
9/22 Module 5: Forecast and Currency Risk Exposure (Chapters 9 & 10) Ch 9. Forecasting Exchange Rates
Ch 10. Measuring Exposure to Exchange Rate Fluctuations		 Assignments, Chapters 9 & 10
9/29 Module 6: Transaction Exposure and Country Risk (Chapters 11 & 16) Ch 11. Managing Transaction Exposure
Ch 16. Country Risk Analysis		 Assignments, Chapters 11 & 16
10/6 Module 7: International Managerial Finance (Chapters 17 & 18) Ch 17. Multinational Capital Structure and Cost of Capital
Ch 18. Long-Term Debt Financing		 Final Exam

University/College Policies

Please see the University Policies below.

COVID-19 Related Policies

If you have tested positive for COVID-19, please refer to the Student Handbook, Appendix A (Attendance Rule) for instructions.

Required Class Attendance

Students are expected to attend every class in person (or virtually, if the class is online) and to complete all assignments. If you cannot attend class, it is your responsibility to communicate absences with your professors. The faculty member will decide if your excuse is valid and thus may provide lecture materials of the class. According to University policy, acceptable reasons for an absence, which cannot affect a student’s grade, include:

  • Participation in an authorized University activity.
  • Death or major illness in a student’s immediate family.
  • Illness of a dependent family member.
  • Participation in legal proceedings or administrative procedures that require a student’s presence.
  • Religious holy day.
  • Illness that is too severe or contagious for the student to attend class.
  • Required participation in military duties.
  • Mandatory admission interviews for professional or graduate school which cannot be rescheduled.

Students are responsible for providing satisfactory evidence to faculty members within seven calendar days of their absence and return to class. They must substantiate the reason for the absence. If the absence is excused, faculty members must either provide students with the opportunity to make up the exam or other work missed, or provide a satisfactory alternative to complete the exam or other work missed within 30 calendar days from the date of absence. Students who miss class due to a University-sponsored activity are responsible for identifying their absences to their instructors with as much advance notice as possible. 

Classroom Behavior (applies to online or Face-to-Face Classes)

TAMIU encourages classroom discussion and academic debate as an essential intellectual activity. It is essential that students learn to express and defend their beliefs, but it is also essential that they learn to listen and respond respectfully to others whose beliefs they may not share. The University will always tolerate different, unorthodox, and unpopular points of view, but it will not tolerate condescending or insulting remarks. When students verbally abuse or ridicule and intimidate others whose views they do not agree with, they subvert the free exchange of ideas that should characterize a university classroom. If their actions are deemed by the professor to be disruptive, they will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action (please refer to Student Handbook Article 4).

TAMIU Honor Code: Plagiarism and Cheating

As a TAMIU student, you are bound by the TAMIU Honor Code to conduct yourself ethically in all your activities as a TAMIU student and to report violations of the Honor Code. Please read carefully the Student Handbook Article 7 and Article 10 available at https://www.tamiu.edu/scce/studenthandbook.shtml.

We are committed to strict enforcement of the Honor Code. Violations of the Honor Code tend to involve claiming work that is not one’s own, most commonly plagiarism in written assignments and any form of cheating on exams and other types of assignments.

Plagiarism is the presentation of someone else’s work as your own. It occurs when you:

  1. Borrow someone else’s facts, ideas, or opinions and put them entirely in your own words. You must acknowledge that these thoughts are not your own by immediately citing the source in your paper. Failure to do this is plagiarism.
  2. Borrow someone else’s words (short phrases, clauses, or sentences), you must enclose the copied words in quotation marks as well as citing the source. Failure to do this is plagiarism.
  3. Present someone else’s paper or exam (stolen, borrowed, or bought) as your own. You have committed a clearly intentional form of intellectual theft and have put your academic future in jeopardy. This is the worst form of plagiarism.

Here is another explanation from the 2020, seventh edition of the Manual of The American Psychological Association (APA):

“Plagiarism is the act of presenting the words, idea, or images of another as your own; it denies authors or creators of content the credit they are due.  Whether deliberate or unintentional, plagiarism violates ethical standards in scholarship” (p. 254).  This same principle applies to the illicit use of AI.

Plagiarism: Researchers do not claim the words and ideas of another as their own; they give credit where credit is due. Quotations marks should be used to indicate the exact words of another. Each time you paraphrase another author (i.e., summarize a passage or rearrange the order of a sentence and change some of the words), you need to credit the source in the text. The key element of this principle is that authors do not present the work of another as if it were their own words. This can extend to ideas as well as written words. If authors model a study after one done by someone else, the originating author should be given credit. If the rationale for a study was suggested in the discussion section of someone else's article, the person should be given credit. Given the free exchange of ideas, which is very important for the health of intellectual discourse, authors may not know where an idea for a study originated. If authors do know, however, they should   acknowledge the source; this includes personal communications (p. 11). For guidance on proper documentation, consult the Academic Success Center or a recommended guide to documentation and research such as the Manual of the APA or the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. If you still have doubts concerning proper documentation, seek advice from your instructor prior to submitting a final draft.

TAMIU has penalties for plagiarism and cheating.

  • Penalties for Plagiarism: Should a faculty member discover that a student has committed plagiarism, the student should receive a grade of 'F' in that course and the matter will be referred to the Honor Council for possible disciplinary action. The faculty member, however, may elect to give freshmen and sophomore students a “zero” for the assignment and to allow them to revise the assignment up to a grade of “F” (50%) if they believe that the student plagiarized out of ignorance or carelessness and not out of an attempt to deceive in order to earn an unmerited grade; the instructor must still report the offense to the Honor Council. This option should not be available to juniors, seniors, or graduate students, who cannot reasonably claim ignorance of documentation rules as an excuse. For repeat offenders in undergraduate courses or for an offender in any graduate course, the penalty for plagiarism is likely to include suspension or expulsion from the university.
    • Caution: Be very careful what you upload to Turnitin or send to your professor for evaluation. Whatever you upload for evaluation will be considered your final, approved draft. If it is plagiarized, you will be held responsible. The excuse that “it was only a draft” will not be accepted.
    • Caution:  Also, do not share your electronic files with others. If you do, you are responsible for the possible consequences. If another student takes your file of a paper and changes the name to his or her name and submits it and you also submit the paper, we will hold both of you responsible for plagiarism. It is impossible for us to know with certainty who wrote the paper and who stole it. And, of course, we cannot know if there was collusion between you and the other student in the matter.
  • Penalties for Cheating: Should a faculty member discover a student cheating on an exam or quiz or other class project, the student should receive a “zero” for the assignment and not be allowed to make the assignment up. The incident should be reported to the chair of the department and to the Honor Council. If the cheating is extensive, however, or if the assignment constitutes a major grade for the course (e.g., a final exam), or if the student has cheated in the past, the student should receive an “F” in the course, and the matter should be referred to the Honor Council. Additional penalties, including suspension or expulsion from the university may be imposed. Under no circumstances should a student who deserves an “F” in the course be allowed to withdraw from the course with a “W.”
    • Caution: Chat groups that start off as “study groups” can easily devolve into “cheating groups.” Be very careful not to join or remain any chat group if it begins to discuss specific information about exams or assignments that are meant to require individual work. If you are a member of such a group and it begins to cheat, you will be held responsible along with all the other members of the group. The TAMIU Honor Code requires that you report any such instances of cheating.
  • Student Right of Appeal: Faculty will notify students immediately via the student’s TAMIU e- mail account that they have submitted plagiarized work. Students have the right to appeal a faculty member’s charge of academic dishonesty by notifying the TAMIU Honor Council of their intent to appeal as long as the notification of appeal comes within 10 business days of the faculty member’s e-mail message to the student and/or the Office of Student Conduct and Community Engagement. The Student Handbook provides more details.

Use of Work in Two or More Courses

You may not submit work completed in one course for a grade in a second course unless you receive explicit permission to do so by the instructor of the second course. In general, you should get credit for a work product only once. 

AI Policies

Your instructor will provide you with their personal policy on the use of AI in the classroom setting and associated coursework.

TAMIU E-Mail and SafeZone

Personal Announcements sent to students through TAMIU E-mail (tamiu.edu or dusty email) are the official means of communicating course and university business with students and faculty –not the U.S. Mail and no other e-mail addresses. Students and faculty must check their TAMIU e-mail accounts regularly, if not daily. Not having seen an important TAMIU e-mail or message from a faculty member, chair, or dean is not accepted as an excuse for failure to take important action.

Students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to download the SafeZone app, which is a free mobile app for all University faculty, staff, and students.  SafeZone allows you to: report safety concerns (24/7), get connected with mental health professionals, activate location sharing with authorities, and anonymously report incidents.  Go to https://www.tamiu.edu/adminis/police/safezone/index.shtml for more information.

Copyright Restrictions

The Copyright Act of 1976 grants to copyright owners the exclusive right to reproduce their works and distribute copies of their work. Works that receive copyright protection include published works such as a textbook. Copying a textbook without permission from the owner of the copyright may constitute copyright infringement. Civil and criminal penalties may be assessed for copyright infringement. Civil penalties include damages up to $100,000; criminal penalties include a fine up to $250,000 and imprisonment. Copyright laws do not allow students and professors to make photocopies of copyrighted materials, but you may copy a limited portion of a work, such as article from a journal or a chapter from a book for your own personal academic use or, in the case of a professor, for personal, limited classroom use. In general, the extent of your copying should not suggest that the purpose or the effect of your copying is to avoid paying for the materials. And, of course, you may not sell these copies for a profit. Thus, students who copy textbooks to avoid buying them or professors who provide photocopies of textbooks to enable students to save money are violating the law.

Students with Disabilities

Texas A&M International University seeks to provide reasonable accommodations for all qualified persons with disabilities. This University will adhere to all applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations and guidelines with respect to providing reasonable accommodations as required to afford equal education opportunity. It is the student's responsibility to register with the Office of Student Counseling and Disability Services located in Student Center 126. This office will contact the faculty member to recommend specific, reasonable accommodations. Faculty are prohibited from making accommodations based solely on communications from students. They may make accommodations only when provided documentation by the Student Counseling and Disability Services office.

Student Attendance and Leave of Absence (LOA) Policy

As part of our efforts to assist and encourage all students towards graduation, TAMIU provides
LOA’s for students, including pregnant/parenting students, in accordance with the Attendance Rule (Section 3.07) and the Student LOA Rule (Section 3.08), which includes the “Leave of Absence Request” form. Both rules can be found in the TAMIU Student Handbook (URL: http://www.tamiu.edu/studentaffairs/StudentHandbook1.shtml).

Pregnant and Parenting Students

Under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, harassment based on sex, including harassment because of pregnancy or related conditions, is prohibited. A pregnant/parenting student must be granted an absence for as long as the student’s physician deems the absence medically necessary. It is a violation of Title IX to ask for documentation relative to the pregnant/parenting student’s status beyond what would be required for other medical conditions. If a student would like to file a complaint for discrimination due to his or her pregnant/parenting status, please contact the TAMIU Title IX Coordinator (Lorissa M. Cortez, 5201 University Boulevard, KLM 159B, Laredo, TX 78041,TitleIX@tamiu.edu, 956.326.2857) and/or the Office of Civil Rights (Dallas Office, U.S. Department of Education, 1999 Bryan Street, Suite 1620, Dallas, TX 75201-6810, 214.661.9600). You can also report it on TAMIU’s anonymous electronic reporting site: https://www.tamiu.edu/reportit.

TAMIU advises a pregnant/parenting student to notify their professor once the student is aware that accommodations for such will be necessary. It is recommended that the student and professor develop a reasonable plan for the student’s completion of missed coursework or assignments. The Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity (Lorissa M. Cortez, lorissam.cortez@tamiu.edu) can assist the student and professor in working out the reasonable accommodations. For other questions or concerns regarding Title IX compliance related to pregnant/parenting students at the University, contact the Title IX Coordinator. In the event that a student will need a leave of absence for a substantial period of time, TAMIU urges the student to consider a Leave of Absence (LOA) as outlined in the TAMIU Student Handbook. As part of our efforts to assist and encourage all students towards graduation, TAMIU provides LOA’s for students, including pregnant/parenting students, in accordance with the Attendance Rule and the Student LOA Rule. Both rules can be found in the TAMIU Student Handbook (https://www.tamiu.edu/scce/studenthandbook.shtml).

Anti-Discrimination/Title IX

TAMIU does not discriminate or permit harassment against any individual on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, educational programs, or employment. If you would like to file a complaint relative to Title IX or any civil rights violation, please contact the TAMIU Director of Equal Opportunity and Diversity/Title IX Coordinator, Lorissa M. Cortez, 5201 University Boulevard, Killam Library 159B, Laredo, TX 78041,TitleIX@tamiu.edu, 956.326.2857, via the anonymous electronic reporting website, ReportIt, at https://www.tamiu.edu/reportit, and/or the Office of Civil Rights (Dallas Office), U.S. Department of Education, 1999 Bryan Street, Suite 1620, Dallas, TX 75201-6810, 214.661.9600.

Incompletes

Students who are unable to complete a course should withdraw from the course before the final date for withdrawal and receive a “W.” To qualify for an “incomplete” and thus have the opportunity to complete the course at a later date, a student must meet the following criteria:

  1. The student must have completed 90% of the course work assigned before the final date for withdrawing from a course with a “W”, and the student must be passing the course;
  2. The student cannot complete the course because an accident, an illness, or a traumatic personal or family event occurred after the final date for withdrawal from a course;
  3. The student must sign an “Incomplete Grade Contract” and secure signatures of approval from the professor and the college dean.
  4. The student must agree to complete the missing course work before the end of the next long semester; failure to meet this deadline will cause the “I” to automatically be converted to an “F”; extensions to this deadline may be granted by the dean of the college. This is the general policy regarding the circumstances under which an “incomplete” may be granted, but under exceptional circumstances, a student may receive an incomplete who does not meet all of the criteria above if the faculty member, department chair, and dean recommend it.

WIN Contracts

The Department of Biology and Chemistry does not permit WIN contracts. For other departments within the college, WIN Contracts are offered only under exceptional circumstances and are limited to graduating seniors. Only courses offered by full-time TAMIU faculty or TAMIU instructors are eligible to be contracted for the WIN requirement. However, a WIN contract for a course taught by an adjunct may be approved, with special permission from the department chair and dean. Students must seek approval before beginning any work for the WIN Contract. No student will contract more than one course per semester. Summer WIN Contracts must continue through both summer sessions.

Student Responsibility for Dropping a Course

It is the responsibility of the student to drop the course before the final date for withdrawal from a course. Faculty members, in fact, may not drop a student from a course without getting the approval of their department chair and dean.

Independent Study Course

Independent Study (IS) courses are offered only under exceptional circumstances. Required courses intended to build academic skills may not be taken as IS (e.g., clinical supervision and internships). No student will take more than one IS course per semester. Moreover, IS courses are limited to seniors and graduate students. Summer IS course must continue through both summer sessions.

Grade Changes & Appeals

Faculty are authorized to change final grades only when they have committed a computational error or an error in recording a grade, and they must receive the approval of their department chairs and the dean to change the grade. As part of that approval, they must attach a detailed explanation of the reason for the mistake. Only in rare cases would another reason be entertained as legitimate for a grade change. A student who is unhappy with his or her grade on an assignment must discuss the situation with the faculty member teaching the course. If students believe that they have been graded unfairly, they have the right to appeal the grade using a grade appeal process in the Student Handbook and in the Faculty Handbook.

Final Examination

All courses in all colleges must include a comprehensive exam or performance and be given on the date and time specified by the Academic Calendar and the Final Exam schedule published by the Registrar’s Office. In the College of Arts & Sciences all final exams must contain a written component. The written component should comprise at least 20% of the final exam grade. Exceptions to this policy must receive the approval of the department chair and the dean at the beginning of the semester.

Mental Health and Well-Being

The university aims to provide students with essential knowledge and tools to understand and support mental health. As part of our commitment to your well-being, we offer access to Telus Health, a service available 24/7/365 via chat, phone, or webinar. Scan the QR code to download the app and explore the resources available to you for guidance and support whenever you need it. The Telus app is available to download directly from TELUS (tamiu.edu) or from the Apple App Store and Google Play.

Distance Education Courses

Online Courses and On-Campus Meetings

Texas Administrative Code (TAC), Title 19, Part 1, Chapter 2, Subchapter J, Section 2.202, defines distance education as the formal educational process that occurs when students and instructors are not in the same physical setting for the majority (more than 50%) of instruction. Distance education includes hybrid and 100% online courses and programs as defined by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB):

  • Hybrid Course - A distance education course in which more than 50 percent but less than 100 percent of instructional activity takes place when the student(s) and instructor(s) are in separate physical locations.
  • 100-Percent Online Course - A distance education course in which 100 percent of instructional activity takes place when the student(s) and instructor(s) are in separate physical locations. Requirements for on-campus or in-person orientation, testing, academic support services, internships/fieldwork, or other non-instructional activities do not exclude a course from this category.

In this online course, be sure to confirm what in-person meetings may be required of you (if applicable).

 

Course Structure

Teaching Methodology:

This course was designed to be fully online, so you must have the self-study discipline to complete it. This course requires you to read and perform several activities every week. Reading and understanding the chapters is crucial to applying the concepts to one real case later.

Discussion forums will help you better understand the operational part of different types of businesses; it is like having specific experience from different firms operating in various industries. During this course, you are going to be exposed to understand and assimilate the concepts reading from the textbooks and also, at the same time, to develop the application into one multinational publicly-traded firm in financial markets.

General Expectations and Responsibility for This Course:

Online courses require several skills from the student because almost everything will be conducted remotely. Students must have honesty, self-motivation, care, duty, and the ability to use technology to enhance the learning experience.

This course is mixed with qualitative and quantitative information use compared with most graduate courses. Thus, students must have the ability to understand the concept and are required to see the application using real-world business cases in almost every module. Reading the modules every week, watching the assigned videos, completing the weekly case reports, discussing in the forum, and taking exams on time are major responsibilities during this course.

Every week, you must produce one business case report summarizing the related chapters and the practical applications to your case company. Also, discussion forums will help you see your own business case questions and understand the material using different cases and businesses (learning from your colleagues) that will reinforce your learning experience.

Each student will work with a different business case during the semester, so you will be exposed to almost all industries and types of firms when you interact using discussion forums.

Finally, exams will be related to applying some concepts using real financial data from your firm.

Other Very Important Suggestions About This MBA Program And This Course:

This seven-week course covers material normally covered in the entire semester, so even though it is adjusted, be prepared to work hard. Your professor will guarantee all the high-quality standards required for an MBA course. Thus, here are some suggestions that may be helpful:

  • Be organized: You will be the one who controls your schedule. Thus, it is very important that you know about the due dates of assignments and stay tuned for the announcements that are posted on Blackboard.
  • Check your e-mail regularly: new announcements on Blackboard will also be sent by e-mail.
  • Separate a time each day to study the material: It may be challenging to study for 3 or more hours a day, especially for full-time employed students, but if you read the textbook by referring to the slides simultaneously, I can guarantee you will succeed in this course.
  • Do not let the material accumulate: in a single week, many materials with extensive content will be covered, so make sure that you keep up with the class. It is an effort that has to be done, but remember, it is just for 7 weeks!
  • Be comfortable working online: this is an online course, and some of us may feel challenged in this new environment, so make sure you have access to a computer, a stable internet connection, and, if possible, a quiet space to study. Assignments, exams, and classes will require you to be familiar with them.
  • Seek help immediately: If you are struggling with something, let your professor or academic adviser know about it as soon as possible. Because this is a seven-week course, solving your doubts as early as possible is a key factor to succeed, as new chapters will require previous knowledge. Thus, take advantage of office hours and e-mails or schedule a meeting with your professor on a day/time more convenient for both of you.
  • Student Advising: The ARSSB has a team of strong graduate advisers to help and support our graduate students. If you have any questions about studying, such as time management, the effort required by the course, a balanced life between a full-time professional and a committed MBA student, or any other, please don't hesitate to get in touch with your adviser. Please see https://www.tamiu.edu/arssb/advising.shtml for more details.
  • Course Materials and Application: Based on our student population and background, some parts of the courses (especially the beginning) may focus more on qualitative introduction and analysis. If you have a strong academic knowledge or industry background in finance and you are looking for more professional and quantitative material or resources, please contact your professor and adviser. They will be able to instruct you on how to have access to more challenging and advanced material.
Course Prerequisite Skills

This is an applied course where you must understand the concepts and apply the techniques learned to develop problem-solving skills. Thus, before you start the first module of this course, please make sure that you are familiar with some mathematical skills, such as:

  • High school and middle school math.
  • The basic knowledge of the time value of money and interest compounding.
  • The basic knowledge of fundamental financial accounting: four financial statements and their meanings.
  • Critical thinking and analysis.

If you are unfamiliar with these skills, I strongly recommend you seek help from your professor or graduate adviser at the beginning of the course (right away in the first week).

Student-Instructor Communication Policy and Response Time

Announcements/Course Messages/Emails

  • Emails: To give you the feedback you need, please include all your information, course number, and email to reach you. This method is the first, most important, and fastest way to respond or give feedback, and I will reply faster than the other formats. Please make an appointment in advance if you need an online meeting during office hours. I will respond within 24 hours on weekdays and 72 hours on weekends and holidays.

  • Course Messages: Please DO NOT use Course Messages or leave messages on the Discussion Forum to contact me.

  • The instructor will use Blackboard announcements and email to communicate everything, such as the deadline times and new policies. Please check our Blackboard page and your Dusty email account routinely and frequently (say, at least once daily) for the entire semester.
  • Making phone calls to the instructor is only for extreme emergencies and is otherwise strongly discouraged because it tends to be unclear and creates misunderstandings. Instead, a virtual meeting with the webcam and microphone on is preferred other than email communications. Please make an appointment by emailing me your available time and the brief reason for the virtual meeting, and I will send you the link to the virtual meeting.
Assignments and Assessments
  • All weeks end at the designated day and time mentioned in a later section, which means you must turn in your summary case reports, exams, or forum discussions before this cutoff deadline time. The deadline times are stated in this syllabus's Course Calendar or Blackboard/e-mail announcements. Please always get informed of the latest information and due times and turn in your tasks on time. Grades are going to be released no more than a week after the closing hour.  
  • Re-Grading Policy: You will have the right during the three calendar days that your grade was released to ask for additional feedback or if you have any discrepancy regarding your grade. All requests regarding course record corrections (e.g., exams, discussions, and assignments) should be submitted in a written or typed with a signature form to the instructor within three (3) calendar days after graded materials were handed back, reviewed and/or after grades have been posted on Blackboard System. You must clearly specify where and why you think you were graded incorrectly in your re-grading request. Then, the entire work will be considered re-graded; the new grade may be lower than the original. After that time, all grades and records become final. Please note that all changes are at the sole discretion of the instructor. After three calendar days, if there is no complaint about your grade, I will consider the grade to be accepted. No further changes will be allowed. For the Final Exam, this available time window for the re-grading requests is decreased to 24 hours after the release of the grades of the Final Exam since the university asks all faculty to submit the total grades very shortly.

  

Course Communication Guidelines (Netiquette)

There are course expectations concerning etiquette or how we should treat each other online. We must consider these values as we communicate with one another. Visit Instructional Technology and Distance Education Services’ web page on Netiquette for further instruction.

Online courses require interactions between the students and the professor in every module. If you need assistance directly from your professor, please send an email. Also, discussion forums are open to all students, so be careful if you want to post something not required to be known by every student. If you have something urgent or essential to discuss with your professor, email me to schedule an online meeting, and I will contact you as soon as possible. 

Accommodations/Accessibility Policy

Texas A&M International University seeks to provide reasonable accommodation for all qualified persons with disabilities. This University will adhere to all applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and guidelines with respect to providing reasonable accommodations as required to afford equal educational opportunity. It is the student's responsibility to register with the Director of Student Counseling and to contact the faculty member in a timely fashion to arrange for suitable accommodation. For more information, contact the online at Office of Disability Services for Students (DSS), via phone at 956.326.3086 or by visiting the staff at the Student Center, room 118. A link to the Disabilities Services for Students site has also been included under the "Resources" tab inside the course.

Student Support Resources

The University wishes to have all students succeed in their courses. To provide support to our students, an array of services in the areas of technology support, academic support, student support, and accessibility support may be found at the University. For more information, visit the Instructional Technology and Distance Education Services page on University Resources and Support Services.

Computer/Technology Requirements

When participating in distance education courses, it is vital to consider the technology involved in order to have a successful course. Online students will need regular access to a personal computer that runs on a broadband Internet connection.

It is recommended that you meet the technical requirements listed on the Instructional Technology and Distance Education Services’ webpage when using the learning management system (LMS) of the University.

Hardware:

For this class, you will need the following hardware: You must own a recent computer laptop or desktop (not older than five years) with Windows, Mac, or Chromebook operating system installed, with high-speed and stable Internet access, speakers, microphone, and webcam. An iPad, tablet, or smart device is not a substitute for a computer. 

NOTE: Instructional Technology and Distance Education Services may check out available webcams to students on a first-come, first-served basis. To check out a webcam, please stop by Killam Library, Room 259, and request an available webcam.

Required Software and Services Subscriptions:

You need to install the Respondus LockDown Browser and Monitor to take exams. Students must subscribe to Respondus LockDown Browser (Free) and Monitor ($15 annual fee) for the exams. Students should contact the Office of Information Technology (OIT) for detailed information on the installation and subscriptions. It is the student’s responsibility to set up, subscribe, and communicate with the OIT, and these are not excuses for late submission. More information is provided below.

Additional Software:

You will need the following additional software: TAMIU Students may access online versions of this software through their Dusty Office 365 account at https://dusty.tamiu.edu/. This site also provides students access to download the Microsoft suite for educational use. See instructions for downloading the Microsoft Office suite. Windows or Mac for computers. Microsoft Office Excel, PowerPoint, and Word programs. Browser (Chrome, Firefox, or Explorer). PDF Reader. Visit https://dusty.tamiu.edu/. To have access to these programs.

Note: Students, if you do not own the required hardware or software or do not have access to the Internet, it will be highly challenging for you to make any progress in this class.  It is the student’s responsibility to make these requirements available, and this is not an excuse for missed or late work. Most of the required materials can be found free of charge at TAMIU’s library, computer labs, and classrooms. Visit Media Services’ web page on the availability of on-campus computer labs. In addition, you may also purchase any of these items at any electronic store.

Learning Management System (Blackboard)

Students are provided with an orientation (*eLearning (Blackboard) Student Orientation*) and access to guides on how to use the Blackboard LMS. Guides may be available at Instructional Technology and Distance Education Services' Student eLearning Tutorial Videos page or by contacting the eLearning team at elearning@tamiu.edu.

Be sure you can log in to Blackboard and access this class. Please let me know if you cannot do so as soon as possible. Please frequently receive your Dusty email and log in to Blackboard for the latest notifications and class materials.

Minimum Technical Skills Expected

When participating in distance education courses, it is vital to consider the technology involved in order to have a successful course. Students in distance education should have knowledge of basic computer and Internet skills, as mentioned on the Instructional Technology and Distance Education Services’ webpage.

For this course, the required computer skills and digital information literacy are described below:

  1. Required Basic Skills: To get access to instructional videos of any of the described areas below, go to your Blackboard main menu, click the Student Resources menu link, and then visit the Course Technologies option. At the bottom, click the option Video Tutorials and search.
    • Getting online
    • Using an Internet browser.
    • Downloading, saving, opening, and printing material found online
    • Conducting Internet searches
    • Composing email and attaching documents.
  2. Interact with your colleagues using discussion forums:
  3. Use of Office 365. Basic. To learn the basics of Microsoft Office Products, go to your Blackboard main menu, click the Student Resources menu link, and then visit the Course Technologies option. At the bottom, click the option Office 365.
  4. This course requires using a Respondus LockDown Browser and Monitor, microphone, and webcam for online exams on only computers with Windows, Macintosh, or Chromebook operating systems. No iPads, tablets, or smartphones are allowed for exams. Watch this video to get a basic understanding of Respondus LockDown Browser and Monitor: https://www.respondus.com/products/lockdown-browser/student-movie.shtml

Technical Support Services

Because of the nature of distance education courses, the Office of Information Technology (OIT) computing and information services are vital to the success of online students. This webpage covers contact information for Distance Education Services (Blackboard Support), the OIT Help Desk, and E-mail support: Technical Support Services.

Course Evaluation

At the end of this course, students are encouraged to complete a course evaluation that will be distributed to them via email and through a course link. The instructor openly encourages students to provide feedback in the class processing, emails, or the course evaluation process. This feedback is valuable to the instructor.

Turnitin Policy Or Other Types of Assignments in Other Systems

SafeAssign is a tool used to promote originality and to create opportunities to help students identify how to properly attribute sources rather than paraphrase. It compares submitted assignments against a set of sources to identify areas of overlap between the submitted assignment and existing works. After a paper submission is processed, SafeAssign generates an originality report detailing the percentage of text in the paper that matches existing sources. All files of Reports must pass the SAFE ASSIGN TOOL NO MORE THAN THE SPECIFIED THRESHOLD OF THE SIMILARITY SCORE. Visit the following page if you need to learn more about the Safe Assign Tool: http://www.tamiu.edu/distance/students/elearning-orientation.shtml, or contact the e-learning team at elearning@tamiu.edu.

Proctoring

Respondus LockDown Browser and Monitor

This course requires the use of LockDown Browser and Respondus Monitor (with a webcam) for online exams. The webcam can be built into your computer or can be the type that plugs in with a USB cable. Watch this short video to get a basic understanding of LockDown Browser and Respondus Monitor (the webcam feature). A student Quick Start Guide (PDF) is also available.

Download Instructions

Click the Student Support top-middle tab located in Blackboard. Scroll down to the Instructional Technologies section, and click on the Respondus LockDown Browser icon. The download is free.

Once Installed

  • Open LockDown Browser
  • Log into Blackboard Learn
  • Navigate to the test and begin

Note: You won’t be able to access tests with a standard web browser. If this is tried, an error message will indicate that the test requires the use of the LockDown Browser. Simply start LockDown Browser and navigate back to the exam to continue.

Cost for Respondus Monitor

There is a $15 fee for the webcam feature that’s used with LockDown Browser (sometimes referred to as Respondus Monitor). This is a one-time fee, valid for 12 months (365 days) for all courses or exams that use Respondus Monitor. You will be prompted to make the purchase the first time an exam requires the use of LockDown Browser’s webcam feature. Payment can be made with PayPal, Visa, or Mastercard.

To pay for Respondus Monitor:

  1. Start Respondus LockDown Browser.
  2. Navigate to your test.
  3. Complete the setup process, including a payment screen for entering credit card information.
  4. Payment and entering credit card information is only necessary one-time per course.

Guidelines

When taking an online exam that requires LockDown Browser and a webcam, remember to:

  • Select a location where you won’t be interrupted
  • Before starting the test, know how much time is available for it, and also that you’ve allotted sufficient time to complete it
  • Turn off all other devices (e.g., tablets, phones, second computers)
  • Clear your area of all external materials — books, papers, other devices
  • Remain at your computer for the duration of the test
  • To produce a good webcam video, do the following:
  1. Avoid wearing baseball caps or hats with brims
  2. Ensure your computer or tablet is on a firm surface (a desk or table) — not on your lap, a bed, or other surfaces that might move
  3. If using a built-in webcam, avoid tilting the screen after the webcam setup is complete
  4. Take the exam in a well-lit room and avoid backlighting, such as sitting with your back to a window
  • LockDown Browser will prevent you from accessing other websites or applications; you will be unable to exit the test until all questions are completed and submitted.

Getting Help

Several resources are available if you encounter problems with LockDown Browser:

  • The Windows and Mac versions of the LockDown Browser have a “Help Center” button located on the toolbar. Use the “System & Network Check” to troubleshoot issues.
  • If you have problems downloading, installing, or taking a test with Respondus LockDown Browser, email the TAMIU eLearning Team at elearning@tamiu.edu.

Accessibility and Privacy Statements on Course Technologies

At Texas A&M International University, we believe that all students should have equal technology opportunities in the classroom. These technologies/sites may also require user data, such as the creation of a username and password. You may find the accessibility and privacy policies of the technologies used in this class on the following pages: Accessibility Statements and Privacy Statements.

Syllabus Subject to Change

While information and assurances are provided in this course syllabus, it should be understood that content may change in keeping with new research and literature and that events beyond the control of the instructor could occur. Students will be informed of any substantive occurrences that will produce syllabus changes.

THE INSTRUCTOR RESERVES THE RIGHT TO MAKE CHANGES TO THIS SYLLABUS AS NEEDED AND WITH NOTIFICATION TO STUDENTS